The snowy and wintry conditions of recent days have made me think of Queen Elsa of Arendelle. For those of us who are familiar with the feature film ‘Frozen’, either through personal choice or because we have been held hostage by the insistent pleas of a little person in our lives to watch it just once more, we will know the story of this female protagonist. As a princess with hidden gifts that threaten to overwhelm her, Elsa stands as a character that has spoken to many young girls (and, dare I say, to those less young) as she struggles with fear, her sense of identity and, ultimately, acceptance.
 
One of the lines from the popular song from 2013 hit animation reads “it's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through”. Again these words came to me as I thought about this epistle. The simple fact is that, for many young girls and women around the world, the opportunity to explore and fulfil their potential is taken away from them. Millions of girls are denied basic human rights and live in unsafe conditions. We know, for example, that 32 million primary school-aged girls worldwide do not attend school. We also know that, in 46 countries, women now hold more than 30 per cent of seats in national parliament in at least one chamber. We remember, too, that the UN’s sustainable development goal number 5 is achieving gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls. There is a sense that we are working, marching even, towards a better and fairer world, but that we are not quite there yet.
 
International Women’s Day ‪on Thursday 8 March‬ gives us a chance to think and reflect on where we are domestically and internationally, and how we can be involved in bringing a sense of God’s kingdom closer. This is about a table being set for all, to which all are invited, and for which the greatest sacrifice possible was made. Join us ‪next Thursday‬ as we celebrate International Women’s Day at the ‪12:15pm‬ Eucharist, and later ‪at 7.30pm‬ in the Chancel where we will hear talks by Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell and the Rev’d Rose Hudson-Wilkin. Dame Jocelyn is well known for her discovery of pulsars as a PhD student at Cambridge, and Rose Hudson-Wilkin is Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons and Her Majesty the Queen.
 
If we believe that we are all made in the image of God, then the very least we are urged to do is to honour God through our work towards a more just and equal world for women, and men.
 
Dr Mariama Ifode-Blease
Community Engagement and Outreach Officer