Introducing myself and my journal: Tipping the Scales

Scales are a familiar technology to women. We use them in the kitchen making bread, in the chemistry lab making discoveries, and in the market-place making ends meet, hopefully.

Scales are also what blind Lady Justice holds aloft, seeming to say: "I will hear all arguments, and when final testimony is weighed on both sides, justice will be served to s/he who tips the scales." Lady Justice is not saying "my will be done." She is definitely not saying "women's will be done." And, despite her being a lady (is she maybe too much of one?), and despite our advantage in pure numbers, women's will on this planet is definitely not being done.

But the world is changing. Awareness of the scale and depravity of crimes committed against women around the world, and against all humanity for that reason, is increasing. A tangible dissatisfaction with the Status Quo and physical force as a means to "solve" our differences is growing. And a movement, as embodied in this "Voices of Our Future" initiative, to give voice to women suffering at the hands of those who would oppress them, is gaining ground.

Social media is a technology becoming more and more familiar to women. It is open, organic (some call it "viral") and has a flat power-structure -- which is maybe why we are so attracted by it (and why we must fight to keep the internet free!). There are more women than men using social media in the world today, and the opportunity this presents to us, not only as consumers and soccer moms, is astounding.

The internet and social media empower women to unite in a way that is comfortable and acceptable for us; to share our experiences, in order to build on the positive ones and find the strength and courage among ourselves to deal with the negative ones; and to further build awareness, to educate, to teach and to learn from each other. Web 2.0 gives women the ability to strengthen our community -- to connect and share for the betterment of our entire race, and our planet. In a word, Web 2.0 gives us -- gives women -- a way to seek justice, and in doing so, perhaps, it will ultimately provide us the means to finally "tip the scale."

My Passions:
humans living in harmony with each other, other species and our surroundings

My Challenges:
overcoming complacency

My Vision for the Future:
a world where women's voices are heard and acted upon

My Areas of Expertise:
technology, ICT, social media, communications, sustainability policy