Universal Changes breaking Social and Cultural Stereotypes of the Female Gender 
Photography by: Lucia Dong

Upbringing

Educational Institutions

Social Expectations 

Female Competition

Social Networks

Fashion

The world is so big and round, 
Let me share my vision on what I have found

All over the world women ask themselves the same questions

Why do women doubt themselves and what causes Gender Inequality?

1. Upbringing 
Different upbringing of girls and boys has a significant impact. Boys and girls are perceived and taught differently by family members. Sometimes boys misbehave to be the center of everyone’s attention when girls are quiet and more self-conscious. The majority of parents spend more time with the boys. In many families girls are ignored and it’s one of the reasons why women are less active and quieter than men. Nowadays a lot of women do not even think about expressing their true and confident opinion about what is going on in the world.
2. Educational Institutions
Educational institutions and “old school” professors who are particularly involved in overcoming obstacles to gender inequality relating to culture, gender stereotyping and self-confidence issues. To eliminate these barriers, we need educators at all levels of education to stop stereotyping. We are all people, and we are all involved with the same life goals and strategies, nothing will change if we won’t change the perception of our minds.
3. Social Expectations
Social expectations that women are the main guardians for children and future generations have a major impact on women. In particular, the cultural stereotypes of women and their “belongingness to the household” particularly in Eastern European countries. People say a lot about the benefits of women only in the kitchen and it has a remarkable impact and pressure on women’s life choices in favor of career and their personal&professional growth.
4. Stereotypes in Hiring
Stereotypes affect life outcomes, such as hiring, promotion and performance evaluation. In the 21st century, we can observe women’s increasing priority in health, education, economics, and politics. Women are discriminated against to the extent that they are best suited for work, such as the provision of services: the beauty industry, child care, and housekeeping. Women are less likely to fall into areas that were previously suitable for men with a high level of decision-making and authority, where they expect to face discrimination. 
Male perception believes that women cannot manage large organizations, and the more women hear this, the more they believe in it, creating a comfort zone from which they cannot go further and reach their full potential.
5. Social Networks
Social networks have a negative effect on women’s mental health, crowding out their personal diversity. Especially young girls, in their larger numbers, look the same - on the Instagram platform, which leads to the homogenization of beauty ideals. Young women compare themselves to other, filtered images and copy the behavior of the ”Insta-crowd” because they want to conform to this dictated movement and subsequently they lose their own individuality.
6. The Manifestation of Female Competition
Women don`t get support from each other. Many compete, believing that for every 10 women there are 9 men. Very often women fight with each other over a man: whether in the form of a comparison or a curse, instead of encouraging and supporting each other.
7. Fashion
There is nothing special and nothing new appears in the provocative fashion, because women follow fashion trends, pretending to express their personal qualities and parts of the body wearing revealing clothes.
It is impossible to dissuade women from wearing clothes that reveal too much of a bare body if they want to emphasize their physical and natural attributes, but I want to encourage women to make wise choices based on moral and social values. Women will not be sexually objectified and will not complain that men do not take them seriously as equal partners if they change their preferences in the opposite direction. There is an obvious difference between sexuality and vulgarity.
What contribution do I want to make to the world and what resources do I need to make this happen?

Education is a key focus

My mission is to help women – to recognize their worth. My desire is to raise the value of women’s lives and help them to grow and to realize their dreams and visions. This prompted me to create a platform and the necessary supporting tools that can help them to grow both spiritually and financially. I want women to find a balance between family and career, because marriage and motherhood, doesn’t stop women on the path to career success and personal mental and intellectual growth. Lack of confidence, wrong time spent and powerlessness stops them. Therefore, women give up and stop believing in their super power, accepting humility in this position.

What prevents women from becoming a CEO, Head of  International Organization or, finally, Mrs. President?! 

Women don’t believe in their superpower by their own and it stops them to make the first step forward their career goals and/or to go till the end. Women are lagging behind when it comes to leadership roles in business. As I’ve mentioned, it’s not because of making the choice between family and career life, it’s because of self-doubt, law self-esteem and sometimes it’s because of uncertainty in career choice. Very often women give a promise to themselves to plan the future career during the maternity leave, but pretty often it’s just a self-deception. 

Today, only 26 women are in CEO roles at Fortune 500 companies, making up 5.2% of the female population. If women truly want to occupy leading positions, they should establish a big plan and define key steps to achieve a big goal. To increase the number of women leaders, they need to believe in their superpower and empower other women.

Why, in terms of my observations, only 5.2% of the female population are in CEO Roles?
• Parents equally encouraged daughters and sons  (if women didn’t have supportive parents, they “write their own scenario”)

• Women plan and prioritize the life goals to be on top

• Women break goals into actionable steps

• Women don’t choose or do not stay with a partner who doesn’t treat them equally

• Women get academic degrees and immediately put their knowledge into actions

• Women know their value and are not afraid to show their strength and skills to the world

• Women don`t choose between career and family, they find a balance!

The qualities of female leaders:
• Self-love
• Self-control
• Honesty
• Aspiration to inspire
• Commitment
• Excellent communication skills
• Decision-making capabilities
• Accountability
• Empathy
• Confidence
• Positive attitude
• Responsibility 
• Purposefulness

Can every Woman in the World Acquire these Qualities?
Absolutely - Yes! 


My plan can help women to master the qualities that will help them to achieve personal and professional success

Photography by: Rachel Mehan

My Big Plan 
vs. Steps for its Implementation

1. Publication and Sale of the 12 Steps Journal, created by me
Women, for instance, concentrate on different things at the same time. This prevents them from being productive. Planning ahead requires knowledge. There are tools for effective planning, but if we do not know them, we cannot be a successful planner. I created a motivational journal to increase productivity, women’s confidence and time management. The stationery is very unique, because it offers 12 empowering exercises that will help women to become the best versions of their selves without difficulty, BUT it requires a full-time commitment. I wrote honestly, truthfully, fully aware that one day women will follow my 12 Steps that can help them to enjoy the journey of “finding their true selves.” I feel responsible for sharing my knowledge and experience with other women who, like me, want to feel happy and fulfilled.

Why do I pay special attention to planning and the journal?

Setting goals and recording them is important for a personal and professional career. Journals help to stay on track with each individual task and encourage moving on to the next one efficiently.   

Resources vs.
action steps: 


• To create the planner and to order the sample from the printing house (done)
• To develop the website (done)
• To set-up a social media account (done)
• To advertise the daily planner and importance of planning (in process)
2. Social Networking Platform
In October 2018, I created educational content using the most popular platform, Instagram. @gul_look_book is a resource for personal growth + lifestyle. In my Instagram, women, and men can find inspirational, educational and thoughtful content that will help them become better and create a dream life with confidence and self-worth. People who get information from my social network feed their minds and inner ego. 

My goal is to share what is important to me, to tell my story, 
to share my knowledge&experience with others

I do not publish pictures to please “the world of Instagram filtered selfies”
Hopefully, I will inspire people to follow my example.

Resources vs.
action steps: 

• To create the social media platform (done)
• To create the website (done)
• To spread the knowledge using internet (in process)  
• To find an audience who wants to grow mentally (in process)
3. My Personal Website
In March 2019, I created a website myself on which I share my big plan and my story with people. Besides that, I encourage women and men all over the world to tell their stories to young leaders. It’s also possible to purchase my journal using the website. 
I encourage women and men to read my blog because it's the written expression of my passions that can help people to become better versions of themselves and to become more aware of what's going on in the world. I’ll be sharing tons of useful information on how I changed my mentality&perception of the world, my thoughts and what I have learned and still learning every single day of my life. I am absolutely sure that everything is possible with planning and faith in yourself.  

My goal is to inspire women and men to plan ahead, to dream, to set a vision for life and to contribute to the world.

Resources vs. 
action steps: 

• To create the website (done)
• To order the journals from China (done)
• To find women/men who are willing to share their stories with others (in process)
• To find the readers who want to grow spiritually and contribute to the world changing the mindset to the best (in process)
4. Modeling and Fashion 
I believe that genderless apparel has a future because of millennials who appreciate a comfortable and casual form of clothing. I really want women all over the world to respect their own bodies and to use more progressive ways of thinking regarding the choice of clothes and photos that they take.
I’m a part time fashion model in Los Angeles and my main goal is to show women that it’s not necessarily to be half-naked to attract the attention of designers and photographers. I do my best to show the image of a strong, independent, confident woman who knows her self-worth. 

My goal is to encourage women to respect their bodies keeping private parts for themselves 
(for their partners)

Resources vs. 
action steps: 

• To take part in inspirational photo shoots
• To inspire women to change the style of clothes they buy
5. Coaching
As a female trainer and writer, first of all, I want women all over the world to love themselves first, then to discover the life mission and last but not least, to reach their full potential. The journal, which was created by me can help women to manage their time wisely and to plan ahead.
My goal is to help women to reveal their true selves for boosting the courage and showing up to the world

Resources vs. 
action steps: 

• To gain theoretical knowledge and to get a life coach certification (I gained practical knowledge through experience) 
• To find women who want to change themselves, but not others
• To find a Mentor, who is actively involved in the world of politics and public service (done)
6. To Become a Great Interviewer 
By 2019-2020, I plan to launch a YouTube channel and to interview women who are successful in career and family. I want to use this platform and to speak to the world. I do not want to be an interviewer, who follows the script or YouTuber who asks people to subscribe to the channel.  My main task is to raise women's gender consciousness.  
I plan to have two available YouTube channels in two languages: English and Russian. I was born and raised in Ukraine and I feel the responsibility to speak up in Russian and to connect people with themselves.

My goal is to spread the knowledge and experience of other women on how to achieve success in personal and business life. 

Resources vs. 
action steps: 

• To create two YouTube channels
• To prepare the list of questions
• To collaborate with women who are ready to share their knowledge&experience with others
7. To Write a Book
My big dream is to write a book about my life, starting from childhood, my challenges, ups and downs on the way to being where I am right now mentally and physically. For years, I was very concerned about the crucibles that happened to me. At the moment I am ready emotionally to tell the story of my life to people. For many years, I felt sorry that I was discriminated against and neglected as a child and as a grown woman. Now I have chosen a different life scenario, I have changed the focus from the victim to the narrator and educator.  
I am sure that my book will help lonely parents, new parents, discriminated women, those who were subjected to sexual, physical, emotional violence, and ambitious women who dream big and want to show their selves to the world but don't know-how.

My goal is to share my powerful story, 
which can help women and girls around the world to believe in themselves no matter what!

Resources vs. 
action steps: 

• To find time and money for writing the book (in process)
• To find a publisher (in process)
• To-do marketing and PR
8. To Get a Ph.D. degree
I dream of becoming a graduate student at UCLA and have already chosen the major - “Gender Studies”. The only problem is a fee that is too high, but I hope it will be solved in the nearest future (by 2030). 

Getting a doctoral degree will help me to expand my practical knowledge, to spread my social message and to become a lecturer at the University.

Resources vs. 
action steps: 

• To complete the Master’s degree (done)
• To choose a University for PhD Study (done)
• To choose the major (done) 
• To earn money for the tuitions and fees (in process)
• To be accepted to a PhD Program (hopefully)

Who Will Benefit from the Universal Changes of the Female Gender?

The real success is to change the culture and worldview in which women enjoy equal rights with men
The only way out for us, women, is to recognize the worthiness and to show ourselves to the world.
Guaranteeing women’s rights and giving them opportunities for reaching their full potential is crucial not only for achieving gender equality, but also for achieving a wide range of international development goals.
We must teach people self-control and respect for all sexes, starting from the beginning of a child’s life.
Ideally, marriage should be perceived as an equal partnership, in which none of the partners should leave the world of paid work for the domestic sphere, which inevitably affects the partner who maintains the condition of home care. 
The widespread balance of equality between women and men is the universal success of the 21st century, which we create, bringing women and men TOGETHER.
Destruction of gender stereotypes allows everyone to be themselves. 

As Mother Teresa said: “We only have today, let us begin.”