To the women in my life…
By: Andrei Traikovski
Tags: Women, Mothers, Feminism, Equality, Womens Rights

Today is the International Women’s Day. It’s both a celebration of women’s equality and achievements and a reminder of how much more we have to do. I’ll tell you the story of the women in my life and how they influenced and created who I am today.

My grandmothers were strong, resilient women. They were kind, generous, caring, but at the same time unapologetic, fierce and admirable. They were working-class women, who survived the horrors of World War II, saw their family members killed and tortured, lived through poverty, illnesses, system changes. They were never housewives without a voice. On the contrary — one of them, even though barely had a high-school education, was a member of the republic parliament in the early ’60s (equivalent to the provincial parliament in Canada, or the state legislature in the US), while the other had to support the whole family when my grandfather was out of favour with the then communist regime. To their husbands and to other men in their surrounding, they were equals, their opinion was valued and their fury feared. They were the pillars of the family.

My mother grew up in that environment, to be a strong and respected woman, university-educated, with a very successful career. She raised two kids with my dad, married for 51 years and counting. He was never “the head of the house” or the boss at home. No one was. They were equals, they respected each other, they never disagreed on major issues. I’ve never heard my dad raise his voice or say anything demeaning about her. My mother is respected in the community, she still is the voice of reason for her colleagues, friends, and neighbours, she is admired for her strength, great cooking skills, and tenacity. She is not someone you want to debate with unprepared. What she lacks in size (she is a giant at 4’11”), she compensates in energy and feistiness.

My sister grew up in that environment, to be a strong and respected woman. She never shied from challenges and was the best student of her generation. There has never been a barrier for her, just temporary obstacles. She was a poet, an engineer, a party-goer, a great friend. She fought all of my battles for me. Growing up I was looking up to her and tried to copy her in every possible way (I could never be as good of a student as she was — but then no one could). Educated with a master’s degree, she is currently working in the senior management of one of the top companies in Canada, breaking every barrier put in her way, armed with knowledge and hard work. She is raising two daughters, who are just as strong, unique, and talented as she is. Her husband is a progressive father, who never acted like the daughters are his property, teaching them to be their own persons, find their own strength, and their own path.

This is where I come from, this is my lineage. These are the examples I’ve seen in my life, the examples that I cherish, admire, and respect. Because of these women before me, it was only natural that I fell in love with a woman who is independent, strong, intelligent, interesting, exciting, beautiful on all levels. My wife grew up with a hard-working, independent, single mom. She has seen hardship, she has seen failure, she has seen success. She holds a master’s degree from one of the top universities in the world. She can talk on any topic without taking a beat. She is a great artist, a great entrepreneur, and an amazing friend. She is dedicated, fiercely loyal, incredibly creative. I am not her equal. She is far superior to me in every aspect — from her work ethics to her creativity, to her strength. I would have failed many times over the years if it wasn’t for her picking me up and leading the way. The world can survive without people like me. The world would be a far better place with more people like her.

These are the women in my life. When I hear any man say that “women can’t do this or that”, I genuinely don’t understand what they are talking about! These women can do anything and everything. Better than any man can do. Let’s acknowledge and be thankful for that on this 8th of March, International Women’s Day. Let’s acknowledge and be thankful for that every day.