LAST night I was scrolling down my Instagram feed when I came across this phrase.

I loved it immediately because of it’s simplicity and it’s brilliance. I mean, it’s just so true isn’t it?

As a woman in her thirties, I like to think that when it comes to supporting, encouraging and inspiring my fellow sisters I’ve got things covered. Indeed, really I guess that this is what my blog is all about!

I’m far from perfect and I often make mistakes, but the fire in my belly is continually fuelled by my passion to help other women, to try and inspire and ultimately to make them feel better about themselves.

Women across the world are still being mistreated, still being abused, still being raped, still being murdered, still being told what they can and cannot do, still being told that they’re not good enough, still being paid less than men, still having opportunities denied to them.

And yet, still, some women continue to turn against one another.

Did you know that one woman every 90 seconds dies during pregnancy or childbirth? That 19 out of the 20 richest women in the world inherited their wealth from their father or husband, rather than earned it themselves? That the youngest girl in the world to ever get divorced was just 10 years old? (10 years old!) That girls are less likely to reach adulthood because of gender discrimination?

There’s nowhere near enough love and support in this world for women and this has just GOT to change! And women empowering other women, is where it all begins.

Women empowering women can change the world. Women empowering women makes amazing stuff happen.

When I hear of women being kind and loving to each other, when I see supportive tweets exchanged between my female Twitter friends, when I spend time with some of the amazing and beautiful women I know, I feel like women can conquer the world and it makes me so proud.

But whilst all of this is wonderful, if you look closely enough, you’ll see that there is not enough of this behaviour around.

You’ll notice that some women are still buying those god awful trashy women’s magazines that slate other women and mock their bodies. That some of the worst sexist people out there, are not men, but some women. That there are women who exist that would rather stand by a rapist than support a women who has been raped. That many women mistreat and intentionally hurt other women, because that’s the only thing they know how to do.

Look closely and you will find examples of hatred towards women, from women, everywhere.

Depressing and awful it may be but it is the sad truth.

Too many women see other women as competition and a threat to their existence or happiness.

Too many women compare themselves to other women, and not in a good or healthy way.

Too many women dislike other women.

Too many young girls are horrible to each other because they lack positive female role models.

There’s too much jealousy, too much hatred, too much criticism and not enough encouragement, support and celebration.

Yes, CELEBRATION.

A while ago I heard Germaine Greer talk (a dream come true!) and one of the things that she spoke about, which moved me so much, was how women often turn against one another.

She explained that the most oppressed groups in society will often exhibit signs of horizontal hostility in which they turn against each other instead of turning to each other.

It seems that history has taught women that the only way to survive is to turn against each other and to view each other as competition. In a way it kind of makes sense, but come on ladies, who only wants to survive?!

I don’t know about you, but I want women to THRIVE not just survive. And the only way this is ever going to happen is by women empowering women!

By empowering each other, we can do amazing things. We can change the world. We can – to quote Michael Jackson – make it a better place.

We’ve got to start loving, stop hating. Do more encouraging and less criticising. Work together not apart.

Recognise that our strength lies in being united, not at each others’ throats. We’ve got to praise each other each, spread the love, support, encourage and shout about others’ victories and achievements.

Ladies, it is time we started to celebrate womankind and all that that entails. It is time we celebrated each other.

Now, more than ever, I am determined to be a champion of women. The question is, are YOU?

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To all the incredible women I know, I love you. x

Katie