My Mission
We like to think that we are so different than everyone else. But actually we want the same thing – to be happy, heard, understood, abundant and loved.
And so does everyone else on this planet!
Woman, man, black, white, gay, straight, big, small, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, child, adult, rural, urban, rich, poor. You are equaly important. You are equaly amazing!
If you feel that this message resonates with you – help me spread it – wear it!
For People Who Loves To Read
- Want to know where I’m coming from? Read my memoirs below – reading time approx 5 minutes.
As I’m approaching the age of 40, and as a home school mom, it becomes more and more important to me, what I teach my sons. As a Life coach, I’ve become more and more aware of how what I’m thinking and how our thoughts materialize.
Have you heard of Law of Attraction or Quantum Physics? We are what we think about.
So what better way to help us program our future, than to wear a constant reminder that we are all equal!
And I really truly believe that we are! Or at least should be!
You might think – what this straight, white, married, homeschooling mom can know about inequality?
Well, I know, that my story is not somehow groundbreaking or tragic, but still it has led me to my beliefs. So lets start!
Thanks to my parents divorce from age of 3 I have been living in female dominated space. I lived with my mom and sister. Doing all kinds of work – opening my own pickles, helping to refurbish apartment, fixing broken iron or TV set (yes, that was a long time ago) – led me to believe that men are useless, and necessary only for reproduction.
When I was 16 me and my friend decided that it would be fun to take part in Archaeological dugouts, so we went and did that. It was fun, but it was also 2 weeks of hard labor in scorching august sun. My palms were in blisters, I was covered with dust , constantly sweating and posing for photos for tourists. I was so proud when I went to get my first payslip. Until I found out that our co working boys got paid twice as much as us girls! Why? Because men work harder!!!! Really? Well, not really. I was so mad, because clearly they didn’t work harder and got paid more only because they are men! And there was nothing I can say or do to fix this. This experience left me feeling helpless in a face of injustice.
At the age of 18 I started to work as a secretary at a very male dominated workplace. It was my dads freight company with 60 male : 3 female employees. Oh, boy, I could tell you my fair share of stories about being treated like a lesser gender.
I went home in tears every day during my first week there. But after a month I developed a very thick skin to all “dumb blondes”, “women are only good for one thing”, “women are useless” and “too young to understand” comments.
But the worst part was the asrse grabbing – it took about two years to stop.
You couldn’t believe the surprise on those middle aged men faces, when I said that it’s not OK to touch my bottom, or any part of me without my consent.
This experience led me to think that all men over 35 are idiotic creeps, that can’t control their own hands.
It always had been my dream to live in London, so at the age of 25, together with my husband we packed up our stuff and drove to London, UK.
Since my last visit to London – a summer school – two weeks of learning language and living in a British family, at the age of 14, I have been wanting to go back and to see how it feels to be there without 30 children around me. But the age of 20 I was deported from UK (it was before 2003 when Latvia joined European Union) because the officer at the airport didn’t believe that me and my then boyfriend were just flying to Silverston to see F1. Not only we lost our pretty expensive tickets, hotel reservations, and the money for the flight, we got to spend 12 hours in a room, that I have no idea how is called, but it felt pretty much like prison. With doors opening only from outside, tables and chairs attached to floor, metallic toilet bowl and sink attached, so that it would be impossible to remove. We didn’t get any water for at least 6 hours so my kidneys started to flare up (I had a chronic pyelonephritis) and I started to feel dizzy and weak – I needed to get to my bags to get medication – a natural herbal paste that should be diluted in water of just a regular activated carbon tablets to soak up the toxins that made me feel weak and dizzy. But I was denied both because the doctors at the airport didn’t know that paste and how it is used and they didn’t believe that activated carbon will help. They decided that because I was feeling dizzy, I was pregnant and probably ok – just making a scene so that they would have to take me to hospital and let in the country that way. Well, at least I got some water…After 12 hours my husband and I were put on a plane and sent back to Latvia. This experience left me feeling so helpless, I thought that I’ll never fly anywhere again, because what’s the point of spending money on ticket, if you can be deported without any logical reason.
I thought that I’ll never want to hear name Great Britain again, but time passed, Latvia joined European Union, and at the age of 25, together with my husband we packed up our stuff and went to London again.
London is so diverse – people from all kinds of nationalities live and work there. So tolerance is very high and everyone is really welcoming, right? Well, I’m sure its improving all the time. But I had to hear my fair share of “fucking foreigners” from my British colleagues. Why? Because I was busy waiting on tables and didn’t hear instantly what they said. Of course this kind of attitude never came from managers, just coworkers.
This experience left me feeling angry really. Yes, I’m from Eastern Europe, but even we-eastern Europeans are allowed to mishear things. We are a human beings too.
While in London, couple of times I got accused of being racist. Which I’m not. First time left me furious. While on my lunch break, I was asked out by a guy of color, and I politely declined. The question :”Is it because I’m black?” Throw me off – “No, it’s because I’m happily married an have no interest in other men!”
After two years in London, I was promoted to be a team leader and that means one thing – you are dealing with all the problems in your shop. Telling your colleagues what they did, didn’t do and what they should do, and how not to treat customers and colleagues.
So when I had to sit down with a guy to discuss his work ethics, of course I got to hear “Is it because I’m black?” No, I’m talking with you because instead of focusing on your work, you chat with your coworkers, and as a result your work suffers. So try to focus on your work during busy periods and do the chatting during our breaks. ( I think I’ve had same conversation with my manager :D).
By the way even now when offering our webdesign services globally we are treated like lesser species – because for some reason native English speakers think that we – Eastern Europeans, can’t speak any English, and surely we know nothing about webdesign and SEO.
So, I know how it feels to be treated unequally because of your descent. And the fact is – I probably know the language at the same level as the native English speakers. I study in English, I read in English, and, yes, you might have noticed – I write in English too.
I’m straight and that’s OK. But I have many friends that have been bullied because of their sexual orientation. Starting from “no gays” stickers being taped to their apartment, up to being thrown with actual shit during our first Latvian gay pride.
All this fuss never made a sense in my head. How is this any ones business? It’s my bedroom, my body, my business to whom I share it with!
The same goes with faith. It’s your business what you believe in. If you aren’t hurting anyone, pray to what you like! In my opinion there is one God who doesn’t care how you name it! We have different names for him, because we speak different languages and come from different nations. But the idea remains the same – Believe, love, be kind!
Let me remind you – that everything that you are reading is just my opinion, not some kind of universal truth. So you can disagree, and that’s OK. I respect that.
Lets talk about children! Since the first day of my oldest sons life, I have treated him as equal. I have 3 children, but I have never used baby-talk. Somehow I find it offensive. Yes, they can’t answer you, but they do understand.
When its possible I try not to put my “No” over kids “Yes”. Of course, he’ll go to bed when it’s bedtime, and not gonna eat sweets all the time.
But now I have come to the other end of the gender equality stick. I’m a mother of 3 boys. And it’s so annoying to me to listen to all this “future is female” stuff. What does it mean? Does that mean that my boys will be treated by middle aged women like I was treated by middle aged men? No! Lets not take it from one extreme to another. Lets choose the higher ground – the middle. I believe that future is not male, future is not female – Future is equality.
Look at the nature – we need diversity to thrive. We need man and woman to multiply. We need male and female energy to feel balanced. We can’t just take from Earth – we need to take care of it too.
Future is equality.
At some point of our lives we all have been treated as a lesser being because of our race, beliefs, looks, gender etc.
I created this brand to remind us in our everyday lives that we are all equal. There is no future in division. The message and the design of my clothes is self explanatory. You don’t have to speak any language to understand it.
So go on – buy one shirt for yourself, give as a gift to your friend. What a heck – give it to your boss or family member who needs a reminder of equality.
With your help, together we can spread the message of unity in equality!