By Mercy Roland, CEO, MercySpeaks Initiatives
She’s influential — and you call her a prostitute.
She holds meaningful conversations — and you accuse her of selling herself.
She’s raising her children with care and intention — and you say she doesn’t trust anyone.
She looks good, dresses well — and suddenly, you say “But she’s married, why dress like that?”
She speaks good English — and you say “She’s forming accent.”
She chooses silence — and you call her proud.
At what point, exactly, will you celebrate the power of a woman?
Why do we stretch out magnifying glasses for women,
but hand men microphones and medals for the same traits?
A man becomes influential, and you clap.
He becomes well-spoken, and you promote him.
He raises his children, and you say, “What a responsible father!”
But the woman? She gets suspicion, labels, and whispers behind her back.
Even women judge women.
And somehow, society applauds the man for the same standards it crucifies the woman for.
Hear this clearly:
A woman can be powerful and still godly.
She can speak well and still be humble.
She can dress beautifully and still carry dignity.
She can raise her children well and still love community.
She can shine — and that doesn’t dim anyone else’s light.
My advice:
Do not let society pick your path for you.
Live fully, live purposefully, and let your steps be guided by the Word of God — not the opinions of broken systems.
Be proud of who you are.
And to every girl child, to every woman — you don’t have to shrink to fit into the small boxes society builds.
At MercySpeaks Initiatives, we’re building a generation that:
Understands the worth of a woman
Raises expressive girls with values
Breaks harmful stereotypes
And reminds you: You are enough