#ActionsInformCulture Newsletter (02.12.20)

One Billion Rising, a mass action campaign to end violence against all women (including cis and trans), launched on February 14, 2012. Since its inception,  "V Day" carries a new significance centered on international unity to end gender-based violence.

Our actions inform our culture. Gender-based violence is the result of behaviors, actions, and beliefs around gender inequality. To end gender violence, we must change the beliefs and practices that not only perpetuate gender inequalities, but also inform the standards of norm in our culture. Statements like "boys will be boys" normalize traditional masculinity; reinforcing the idea that "boys don't cry" causes boys and girls to believe that males are socially dominant, and masculinity involves the repression of certain "unmanly" emotions (i.e. sadness) while allowing them to exhibit other "manly" emotions (i.e. anger). While not exhaustive, parents, educators and the media are important stakeholders in removing this belief system through education and modeling gender equality for the future generation to come.

Collectively changing the behaviors and belief systems that cause harm will take time, but it is time very well spent. We all have an important individual role to play, and the work becomes easier when we know we are part of a community of caring changemakers who are also doing their part. That's why genEquality has created a set of actions that we believe will shift our culture towards equality. When we come together in purpose and action, we create real change.