The Tricky Business of “Women’s Empowerment”
I’m proud to be the owner of a business that seeks to empower women.
But here’s the thing: Women don’t actually NEED to be empowered; they are already powerful!
It is a tricky stance for a coaching business, indeed.
For instance, it is one thing to search through business reviews, descriptions, or profiles and see the words “women’s empowerment”, in order to understand the platform that the business works off of, because that’s how we determine if it feels like it would be a good fit!
But to work with someone who constantly says they are going to empower you, how uncomfortable and awkward! I'm guessing most coaches don't do this anyway, but still, the point needs to be made.
The concept of "women's empowerment" comes from the systemic tendency of our patriarchal society to keep women "submissive". The notion was first more formally challenged in the 60's and has branched off into modern-day feminism.
As a separate example, in another situation, in which a woman or person (or anyone really) may not feel empowered by the actions of another, and says, “I don’t feel empowered.”
It’s not up to anyone to empower you; you are already empowered, just by existing.
If you don’t feel empowered, it is a choice to feel that way. No one needs to empower you, you do that.
Now get out there and use your power!
Talitha Vogt is a certified endurance and behavior change coach with an elite racing background. She has 22 years of experience as a mountain biker, including 13 total years of racing and other endurance events including Xterra triathlons, innumerable cyclocross races, a little dabbling in road racing, and even some trail running. She provides custom-tailored, accommodating coaching locally in the front range of Colorado and online internationally.