By Joaquin Yulo

“Women shouldn’t be afraid to show who they really are.”

Typically, March is a month wherein the summer heat begins to seep in, and that long, dragging feeling of awaiting the summer break begins to trickle into the minds of the students. However, it’s also a month wherein the heritage, societal contributions, and importance of women are celebrated in a month-long commemoration of empowerment called Women’s Month. 

Women’s Month is an annual celebration of womanhood that remembers the impact that women have made throughout history and in society. Originally rooted in the celebration of women in the school district of Sonoma, California, the monthly commemoration has since evolved into a global celebration of all women in the world—even in the ASHS. 

What defines a Woman?

From the busy, cramped halls of the faculty workroom to the walls of the seemingly endless, bustling classroom corridors, the uniqueness of the ASHS lies in its incorporation of a co-educational school system, allowing more women, both young and old alike, to be a part of the community. 

Kira, a junior from 11-Borja, is one of the hundreds of female transferees in the ASHS. As a transferee from an all-girls school, she was brought up conservatively and was used to the typical image of a “mahinhin na babae.” For her, being accepted into the Senior High community made her feel closed in at the start, not being used to the presence of male classmates who were “talkative, friendly with the teachers, and loud.” However, Kira finds her everyday empowerment in the people who she is able to confide in. For her, “Everyone should be listened to, because listening is a part of successful communication, and communication is what got women this far.” For Kira, communication eventually led to confidence—through the ASHS, she learned to believe in herself, form her own opinions and find people who support her, and who she can empower as well.

As a member of the Council of Student Officers, Sasha from 11-Bellarmino finds her quotidian motivation through her friends and family, especially in the small community of women in her section, the “Barden Bellars,” and in the entire Senior High. Having a safe space for her means being able to chase opportunities, knowing that “From their reassuring words and actions, I am able to overcome self-doubt.” For Sasha, being a woman means chasing the impossible—making the most of the opportunities presented to her in the ASHS, whether in the field of education or student leadership. With a support system, the female community and her own passion, Sasha is “empowered to transcend the boundaries I set with my capabilities,” and live out the Ignatian ideal of Magis in her day-to-day life in the ASHS.

“I believe to be a woman is to be empowered—to be strong amidst this time where women are easily criticized and judged.” These are the sentiments of Sofia, an outgoing senior from 12-Beyzym. Despite the fact that women in the past had to fight against inequality to champion the equal rights of today, she finds her strength as a woman from the very people who push her to greater heights—her family and friends, who have aided her to reach places she could have never imagined before. It is through her inspiration that she gets to explore herself not only as a woman, but also as a student, leader, and contributor given the growing, inclusive culture of the Ateneo Senior High. However, Sofia believes that it’s crucial for the community to keep growing and be open to the various perspectives and experiences of other women.

Women for Others

With every busy, fulfilled and empowered student comes teachers who stay late hours after the dismissal bell, checking papers, preparing lessons, and shaping lives in the process. After all, behind every passion-driven, empowered woman in the student body lie formators who encourage and push them to achieve their full potential.

One such formator is Ma’am Tayag, a Filipino teacher for Grade 11 ABM and GA. As a teacher, she advocates for Cura Personalis through ensuring open communication with all of her students, making herself a safe space for all of them. From the morning MIP sessions to the numerous classes she holds every day, Ma’am Tayag aims to spread her knowledge on womanhood, positive feminism, and the various gender-related issues that plague society today. 

She realized the value of this from her upbringing; she shared, “I grew up with women raising me all my life…I feel like they have influenced me a lot with how I deal with my struggles, approach my life experiences, and treat the people around me. Most of my students always say that I am a mix of being a mother figure at school, but also a friend when needed. I think I got this balance from them. I want to be a person somewhat similar to how they were for my life with my students now.” Currently, she feels as though times are improving, highlighting the stronger presence of women empowerment, SOGIE-based concerns, and gender inclusivity in conversations. However, she still believes that “When it comes to creating better or more policies for gender safety and a decrease in the number of gender-based violence and discrimination cases, communities need a stronger force to be unified in implementing or even creating these.”

Currently, Ma’am Tayag is a member of the Gender and Development Committee in the ASHS, a group composed of numerous faculty members of the school who aim to shape the minds of the students in the ways of inclusivity and further develop the ASHS as a safe space for all, most especially its students. As a formator, she continues to search for ways to learn and teach gender-related topics, including taking up units at UP Diliman for Women and Development, as she feels she should be as involved in these contemporary issues as much as possible to be the spark that ignites change within society.

Another formator-slash-moderator is Ma’am Angela Reyes, who also serves the community as an English teacher. Beyond the lectures, red ballpen markings, and stacks of test papers, she finds her empowerment through music. “As a musician, empowerment comes through in a successful concert or the pride of being able to perform well. I also try to do my best in supporting my fellow musicians,” she shared.

However, when the bells ring, she finds empowerment through her students, especially when they try to live out Magis in their day-to-day subjects, and in improving their skills. In turn, she inspires them through holding every student up with respect, supporting them as a friend in their endeavors, and giving them opportunities, as a formator, to thrive.

Ma’am Reyes strongly believes that over time, both the community and the world can progress towards a more inclusive society. Within the halls of the ASHS, the road towards inclusivity only gets clearer and clearer, and there is already good progress. As she shared, “It’s still a long process, but I hope we all strive to be aware of the lapses in society and work towards overcoming them.”

From Within

The global celebration of womanhood, commencing every March, is a testament to the fact that the womens’ rights advocates of the past and present have made great strides in creating a more inclusive society, where women are given equal opportunities to thrive. However, along with these celebrations come reflections; realizations that, despite the progress that has been made, there is still a long way to go. Discrimination still exists, misogyny is rampant, and gender-based violence continues to plague society today.

Every day, hundreds of women, both students and teachers alike, enter the Senior High building, aiming to make a difference in the community. Through their individual stories of strength, courage and empowerment, these women, and so many more, continue to make the ASHS feel like home. It is from their hard work and introspective insight that as a community, the ASHS continues to grow in its inclusivity and culture.

How about you? How can you be a part of the narrative and empower someone this month?