Empowering Women for Equality and Visibility in Media, Politics, and Business
Romina Stawowy, a resident of Dresden, is on a mission to advocate for gender equality and increased visibility of women in media, politics, and business. In a recent episode of the podcast “Thema in Sachsen,” she discusses the progress still needed and the key aspects to focus on.
“Women of a certain age simply do not exist in public,” Stawowy describes in the podcast. She credits a significant moment that shaped her personal work to the realization that women, regardless of age, appearance, or background, lack visibility in media, politics, and business. The turning point occurred in 2017 when she attended an event organized by the MaLisa Foundation. Founded by actress Maria Furtwängler and her daughter Elisabeth, the organization aims to challenge and overcome restrictive gender roles. One of their main focuses is to improve the representation of women in TV programs, films, and series. Stawowy became determined to take action upon learning about the underrepresentation of women, stating, ‘I thought, ‘Wow, I have to do something about it.'” Since then, Romina Stawowy has achieved significant milestones. She is now a publisher and independently releases the magazine “femMit” three times a year. Additionally, she manages an accompanying website and organizes events targeting women specifically. She describes these events as a “safe space” that allows women to experience visibility and gain the confidence required to excel in male-dominated fields.
Strength Through Unity: Women Supporting Women
While empowering women to recognize their own strengths is her primary goal, Stawowy highlights the importance of women supporting each other. She identifies it as one of the major areas where women tend to lag behind men. Stawowy remarks, “Boys are practically born to play football,” highlighting how early on boys learn to work together towards a common goal. In contrast, she observes, “If I take myself as an example, I was supposed to be beautiful, kind, and obedient.” The prevailing societal expectations of how girls should behave often lead women to prioritize their own individual interests over the collective needs of their gender. Stawowy passionately believes that there need not be just one voice fighting for women’s rights but rather a multitude of voices. She emphasizes the potential for positive change if women come together, support one another, and strive for greatness.
Advocating for Ongoing Attention to Women’s Issues
During the podcast, the question arises about the significance of International Women’s Day on March 8th. Stawowy personally suggests that the impact of dedicating just one day to these issues is limited. Instead, she argues for continuous attention throughout the year, referring to a graph showcasing Google’s search frequency for terms like “women’s rights” and “gender equality.” She suggests that if such topics were truly ingrained in society, there would be no need for an annual upsurge in interest.
Additional Topics Discussed
Aside from the aforementioned aspects, the podcast also touches on several other important points:
- The development and current state of women’s visibility in media
- The absence of women from the public sphere after the age of 47
- The portrayal of women in the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and its implications
Romina Stawowy, an entrepreneur, publisher, networker, and mother of three, resides and works in Dresden. The podcast episode also includes interviews with Silke Burmester, a journalist, and publisher of the magazine “Palais Fluxx,” as well as Karin Heisecke, the managing director of the MaLisa Foundation.
