A week full of many thoughts-thoughts about the world that I am bringing my child into. A week recognising the real things we face as women.

There have been some pretty horrific things happen this week that have been so close to home-one particular event I haven’t been able to forget.

The horrific incident that occurred in Melbourne Central this past week. A man deliberately drove car into lunchtime crowds along Bourke St Mall, killing 5 people and injuring so many more. A truly gut wrenching event for so many.

The night of Australia Day, myself and my husband were witnesses to a truly heinous event in the public carpark directly next to our house. A woman was being assaulted by a male in the early hours of the night. The most horrifying screams I have ever heard were coming from this lady, complete terror. I myself was paralysed with fear waiting for the police to arrive. In an event that I won’t elaborate on anymore, it has stayed with me vividly every night since. I wake up hearing her scream, I get up to look out the window in the middle of the night. I feel sadness and joy for this lady- she is safe in the short term but how will this affect her in the long term.

Simultaneously I have been reading Clementine Ford’s book “Fight like a Girl” this week and the topics and discussions she elaborates on is frightening to me as a female and an expectant mother.

If I have a girl- do I have to tell her that she can’t go out at night. Do I have to tell her not to walk through car parks in the dark. Do I have to tell her she can’t wear a skirt because it might lead men on.

If I have a boy- do I have to worry about the alarming rates of teenage suicide amongst young men. Do I have to worry that he might assault a female or a male for that matter.

If we do have a girl-it scares me to know that the way in which females are treated in today’s society is not equal. I quite rarely have and see different scenario’s occur that display this. It mainly occurs in my work place-it is real and it is one of the biggest factors that influence me in my business and drive the creating of BBB HQ.

“Why are you lifting that much weight- women should only be able to lift as much as the weight of a baby”

Scoffs and snickering as my clients join hands and celebrate one of the girls hitting a PB lift.

Glaring and ogling when we wear booty shorts because they are more comfortable to squat in when wearing knee sleeves.
My boobs and belly are expanding- management making me wear a top that has a mans name on because they wont allow me to wear a BBB branded top. Dude I already feel pretty awkward being pregnant without having to be “Sonny” and people ask me why I am wearing it.

Gym bro’s constantly feeling like they have a place to tell us what we are doing wrong when lifting weights because surely a girl can’t do it right.

As I mentioned above, one of the biggest catalysts for creating BBB HQ is to allow our clients to explore their true physical and emotional capabilities in a supportive, non judgmental environment. This is not able to be achieved in our current facility- so I had no choice but to create my own!

I do however know that if I do have a girl- she will be surrounded by the most loving, strong willed and bad ass group of women around. Every day I get to be immersed in a diverse group of women who have different backgrounds, jobs, personalities and have lived many different experiences. They range from 17 up to 60 but all have one key thing in common- they are working every day to flourish into the best version of themselves. Strong in body and strong in mind.

Ro x