Raising women’s voices through art

Walking into pH Care’s event for their Speak Up, Girl! Movement, I began to wonder if I’d missed a memo. Knowing, somehow, that all the displays would be pink, I’d chosen a light knit patterned top that was predominantly green — inspired by Mindy Kaling’s own knit shirt in Late Night, which I had watched before leaving my house — while everywhere around me, women sat and enjoyed their hors d’oeuvres clad in nudes and pastels. In my efforts to avoid blending in, I’d ended up sticking out like a sore thumb.

I settled onto a seat and was soon joined by a blogger, who struck up a conversation and offered as many interested questions as she did interesting answers. She’s a nurse by day, and on the side, she manages and updates two websites about food, fashion and beauty, and lifestyle. I found out from her that I did miss a memo — because it only went out to bloggers and influencers, advising them how to dress to get the best OOTDs and coverage shots.

I suppose getting to know a 20-something woman with a demanding day job who still manages to juggle creative pursuits she’s passionate about (and make money from them) was fitting for the pH Care event, which was a celebration for International Women’s Day. The feminine care brand worked with artists Soleil Ignacio and Winnie Wong as well as Sara Black — one of the pioneering women photographers in the country — for a gallery showcasing works on what it means to be a woman to them.

Winnie, a.k.a. Penelope Pop, tackled ending the stigma that surrounds periods and political correctness and voicing out opinions with her illustrations. Soleil contributed paintings normalizing cellulites, making your own decisions and getting to know your own body. Sara’s photographs explored self-love and body image.

After guests have gone around and appreciated the art pieces, we all sat close and listened as Winnie, Soleil, and Sara — along with host Joyce Pring and panel moderator Lynn Pinugu — spoke out about their experiences and struggles, from their careers to their own insecurities about their bodies, to how they practice self-care. Each woman raised important and valid points about the standards set for girls by society and the standards they and their peers set for themselves — and followed it up with great advice on breaking out of these barriers and making your own path for yourself.

Through Speak Up, Girl!, the feminine care brand provided a safe space for women to reexamine their struggles, raise their voices, and empower themselves and each other. Sitting there in my Mindy Kaling outfit, having made a new friend and surrounded by girls who are powerful in their own right, I felt like I was just fine.                             

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For more information, follow pH Care’s Instagram at @phcare and Facebook at @phcarephilippines.