The Importance of Self Advocacy in a Post-Roe v Wade World
By: Abidemi Marsh
In today’s society, self-advocacy has become an increasingly important tool for women to empower themselves and create the lives they want to lead. Self-advocacy is promoting and supporting oneself to achieve a specific goal. It can be used in various situations, including but not limited to seeking medical care, negotiating salaries, and creating work/life balance.
Self-advocacy requires assertiveness, confidence, and knowledge of your rights and resources. It is important to remember that you are your own best advocate and that nobody knows what you need better than you do. Here are some tips on how you can start practicing self-advocacy in your own life.
1) Know your worth.
One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to know your worth. This means understanding your strengths and weaknesses and using this knowledge to advocate for yourself in various situations.
2) Set boundaries.
Part of knowing your worth is setting boundaries with others. This means being clear about what you will and will not tolerate from others, both professionally and personally. It is important to communicate your boundaries to others clearly and concisely.
3) Speak up for yourself.
Another key element of self-advocacy is speaking up for yourself when needed. This includes communicating your needs and wants to others in a professional or personal setting. It is important to remember that you have a right to be heard and that your voice deserves to be respected.
4) Seek out resources.
When advocating for yourself, it is important to seek resources to help you achieve your goals. This could include books, articles, websites, support groups, or even professional help such as therapy or coaching. The most important thing is finding something that works for you and makes you feel supported.
5) Practice self-care.
Finally, it is important to practice self-care when advocating for yourself. This means taking care of yourself emotionally and physically to be in the best possible position to advocate for yourself effectively. This could include things like eating well, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and spending time with supportive people.
What is self-advocacy?
Self-advocacy is the act of speaking up for oneself, especially in situations where you feel your voice may not be heard. It’s about knowing your rights and being proactive in ensuring they are respected.
For women, self-advocacy is an essential tool for achieving equality. In a world where the deck is often stacked against us, self-advocacy gives us the power to speak up and be heard. It helps us to assert our needs and wants and to demand fair treatment.
Self-advocacy can take many different forms. It can be as simple as asking for a raise or speaking up in a meeting. It can also involve more public self-advocacy, such as writing letters to the editor or testifying before a legislative committee.
Regardless of its form, self-advocacy is an important way for women to amplify their voices and make their concerns known. When we advocate for ourselves, we set the stage for positive change in our lives and other women’s lives.
[Related: Putting Yourself First at Work]
The benefits of self-advocacy.
Too many of us stay silent when it comes to advocating for ourselves. We don’t ask for what we want or need, whether at work, home, or personally. We hold back our opinions and allow others to make decisions for us. This can seriously impact our lives, preventing us from reaching our potential and leading happy and fulfilling lives.
Self-advocacy is the act of speaking up for oneself. It’s about knowing what you want and need and being able to communicate this to others. It’s assertiveness without being aggressive. When you advocate for yourself, you are taking control of your life and making choices that align with your values and goals.
Advocating for oneself can be difficult, especially for women who have been socialized to be caretakers and pleasers. But it’s so important, especially as we get older and our lives become more complex. Self-advocacy skills allow us to communicate our needs clearly, set boundaries, and negotiate effectively. And when we advocate for ourselves, we inspire other women to do the same.
Here are just a few of the ways in which self-advocacy can amplify your life.
1) When you know what you want, you are more likely to get it.
If you don’t advocate for yourself, you will likely end up resentful toward those who make decisions for you without considering your needs. Learning to speak up for yourself gives you the power to shape your life and go after what you want.
2) You will feel more confident.
Self-doubt is a common barrier to self-advocacy. We are less likely to speak up or take action when we doubt ourselves. But as we start practicing self-advocacy, we build confidence in ourselves and our ability to achieve our goals. We also become better at dealing with rejection or setbacks because we know that we can advocate for ourselves effectively.
3) You will build stronger relationships.
When we don’t advocate for ourselves, we can feel taken advantage of or misunderstood in our relationships. Communicating our needs clearly allows us to build healthier and happier relationships with the people in our lives.
[Related: Are You Being Sacrificial in Your Life and Business? Three Tips to Keep in Mind.]
How to be a self-advocate.
Self-advocacy is about speaking up for yourself and ensuring your needs are met. It’s about empowering yourself to take control of your life and ensuring your voice is heard.
For women, self-advocacy is especially important. We live in a world where the deck is often stacked against us, and we need to be our biggest advocates to level the playing field.
Here are some tips on how to be a self-advocate.
1) Know your rights.
Be informed about the laws and regulations that affect you and your community. This will give you the knowledge you need to advocate for change effectively.
2) Speak up for yourself.
Don’t be afraid to assert your needs and wants. Be confident in who you are and what you deserve.
3) Stand up for others.
When you see someone else being treated unfairly, speak out against it. Show solidarity with others who are working toward equality.
4) Stay engaged.
Get involved in the political process and make your voice heard on the issues that matter to you most. The more engaged we are, the more power we have to effect change.
Self-advocacy is an important tool that all women can use to amplify their voices and achieve their goals. By becoming more aware of the issues affecting them and their communities, women can learn to speak up for themselves and others.
By networking with other self-advocates, women can build a support system to help them navigate the challenges of everyday life. And by staying informed and engaged in the political process, women can ensure that their voices are heard on the issues that matter most to them.
[Related: Five Strategies for Narrowing the Gender Pay Gap]
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Through her Woman On Fire and Motherhood2Memopause brands, Abidemi Marsh empowers organizations to support women through all stages and changes, and women how to be better advocates for themselves from the bedroom to the boardroom.
Originally published at https://www.ellevatenetwork.com on November 16, 2022.
