Girl Time: A True Necessity

By Ashley Williams

I work at an organization as a researcher and community educator. I enjoy my job and the work I am doing. The best part of my job is working with an amazing team of smart and passionate people. Although our staff has a healthy balance of both men and women, we always joke that the office is much more chill when the boys are gone. We naturally let loose by playing music, singing, and dancing, when they are out of the office. It’s like a breath of fresh air. I should mention, we work on a fairly close team, and when the guys are in the office there is a good balance of both work and play. But the office becomes a different place when it’s just us girls. For us, tension has been a bit high this week when one of my  female colleagues was scrutinized and demeaned because she  is a women. While the men on our team are sympathetic, they cannot begin to truly understand what it’s like. I appreciate their effort, but it’s true, they never have to prove their intellectual abilities in the same way we do. So we take advantage of those moments when its just us, free of judgement and expectations.

To be honest, I live for the moments where I can just spend time with the women that are closet to me. I try to find time every week to just be with my girls. Whether or not I have four sisters, and while I am close to all my siblings, my sisters are the light of my eyes. This past weekend, I went to a pole fitness class with two of my sisters. A simple “you down?” text turned into a weekend of new excitements. Even though it was many of our first time being in a pole class, we helped one another, gave tips, clapped and cheered for one another. A room full of Black women of all shapes and sizes, encouraging one another to embrace their sexy. It was an amazing experience! Despite being in front of 12 other women, I felt no need to be shy. The instructor was full of confidence and gave extra attention where it was needed. I has a great time, and I was grateful to share it with my sisters.

I also love spending times with my roommates. I’ve built a relationship with my roommates that I am truly grateful for. They are the perfect balance of sweet and spice. They have huge hearts and challenge me to be a better version of myself. For me, girl time is a necessity and essential to my mental health. I know that I can be myself with girlfriends. If you look on social media, people will try to paint a picture that girls cannot get along. I think this is a misconception, because all of the women I know are amazing and only want to see other women succeed. The women I know allow me to be myself without judgement. When women get in a room together, especially Black women, I think it is more likely to be an empowering experience. Because no one has our back, like we have each other.

Ashley Williams is a Contributing Writer for the Pedestal Project, LLC.