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For women's month, Tatler editors answer the question "who inspires you?"
March marks the annual celebration of Women's History Month. It serves as a yearly reminder of women's contributions throughout history. While we still have a long way to go in promoting gender equality, we have come far. In this past decade, we have seen more women on top of public and private institutions locally and globally. And their impact is certainly undeniable.
Anchored on this commemoration, female editors of Tatler Philippines list down remarkable figures who have inspired them.
In case you missed it: International Women's Day: 14 Filipino Women Who Made History
Irene Martel Franciso, managing director
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Who inspires her: I am inspired by strong women who do not lose their empathy. By women who work for the greater good. By women who always seek to do better.
See also: Mayors Joy Belmonte, Abby Binay, Honey Lacuna-Pangan and Lani Cayetano prove women can lead
Chit Lijauco, managing editor
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Who inspires her: Recently, Leni Robredo. I get inspired by her quiet strength, calmness in the face of adversity, a wide store of knowledge from economics to law, and a down-to-earth grasp of the nation’s pulse.
See also: Former VP Leni Robredo Selected for Fellowship by Harvard Kennedy School
Maritess Garcia Reyes, senior features editor
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Who inspires her: I am inspired by the Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai who, despite being shot in the head, has persevered and continued advocating for girls' right to education. I admire Tove Skutnabb-Kangas' academic work on linguistic human rights and diversity. Education and speech are rights that we must always protect, and these two visionaries continue to use their voices and platforms to address inequalities in such fields.
See also: 9 Astounding Nobel Peace Prize Winners of The Last Decade
Dorynna "Dowee" Untivero, digital director and editor
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Who inspires her: A person who inspires me (and ignited my interest in literature) would be Ophelia Dimalanta, whom many know as one of the biggest names in Philippine poetry.
I look back to her poems like 'Stowaway Love', 'Finder Loser', and 'What Poetry Does Not Say' whenever I find myself in a creative rut. Her groundbreaking work, as a woman and as a writer, has been a source of motivation for many young aspiring creatives. In a time when literature was dominated by male authors, Ma'am Ophie and her contemporaries carved a space for female voices. In that way, I owe a lot to her and continue to read her writing, especially when I feel disempowered or bereft of inspiration.
See also: 9 Filipina Poets To Know And Why You Should Read More Poetry
Ryanne Co, Gen.T and Lists editor
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Who inspires her: I’m inspired by the kind of woman I want to be. It’s no one specific, but it’s the kind of woman who does what she wants to do fearlessly. It could be the glamorous businesswoman on the street, the solo female traveller on the plane, or just the woman who chooses to celebrate her body today.
Growing up, I was taught to be cautious to protect myself, and I feel like much of this is because I am a woman. I couldn’t dress a certain way or express certain aspects of myself. When I see women who go after what they want, it motivates me to be who I am regardless of fear or expectation. In short, I am inspired by the modern woman."
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When Jio is not creating content for Tatler Philippines' social media channels or covering style-related stories, he's probably binge-watching David Attenborough-narrated documentaries or nursing his vintage shopping fixation. He plans on using fashion criticism as a force for good. Follow him @hijowho or send him an email at jio@tatlerphilippines.com.
