Principles of Effective High Heels

A Speech Written by: Daniella Jean R. Cuevas

“A woman is like a tea bag – you cannot tell how strong she is until you put her
into hot water.” It is hard for us to face discriminations and measuring our
capabilities. There is always have doubt in woman’s leadership. But despite those
thorn and difficulty, we are here balancing and standing straight in the front of the
crowd with our high heels of standards. They say that we are emotional, delusional,
soft hearted, coward, weak, and not that brilliant. That we are the number one
vulnerable and prone in the any kind of disaster and tragedy. Is this the real image of
woman’s reputation and level to this world? Being a follower, diligent, calm and
modest is normal. While being a leader, smart, firm and overachiever is impossible or
just say that this is a big deal for us and we are trying hard to achieve those criticism.
And yes I admit that we are already survive the issues about degrading woman; but
there is always have a some part they are still questioning our competency to lead,
serve, and sharpen the others skills. They not fully believed that we are capable for
that kind of task. And this is me, thinking how can I prove to everyone that woman
can lead. That we are strong enough and fearless. Our intelligence and patient can
burn and shine. At this point my perseverance and finest move that I can do is poured
out to gain trust from the people who surround by me. I’m Daniella Jean R. Cuevas a
STEM 11 Newton president, SSLG and STEM club representative. I was born to be a
leader, why? because I always part of a club and organizations who conduct projects,
discipline and firm image to our school and in any group activity I am always handle
and take charged for that spot. Then I really love to be noticed and receiving
compliments from the others that I am sharp, firm and independent. I am trained to
be a captain and my personality is fit for this kind of responsibility, I am also a people
person and a social butterfly it is easy for me to socialize, make a contact, lend my
ears, give a leg up and hold someone’s hand. But then, there is always have a
judgement and comparison because this is me a woman leader. They are confused
about skills and doubting to my power, if I am really can take an obligation. Using my
gender identity to mock and measure my proficiency tend to realize if woman and man
stewardship have a difference. In this journey let me tell you how this woman under
control the pressure of society and how a woman aligned and make a decision

Deafening judgement to your own followers is the most painful words and
actions that I received. To the point that your own spark come to end believing that
you had a potential to make enthusiasm project and activities seeing your classmate
loss an interest and having a most preferred person to take charged with them. They
always see how leisurely I am in making choice and decisions. They say I cannot make
my own settlement and always defend on majority decisiveness. Comparing to the
other leaders and always out of shine with them. I literally get tired to impress and
express myself to them. Why these thoughts made me bothered? Let me tell you my
own experiences to be compared and shamed. We all known that we hold a different
perception, there are a few people who thinks that man’s leadership is much better
than woman’s leadership. When I was in my junior high school journey, I used to be
compared by my guy friend. We both have a same talents, credentials, intelligence,
popularity and achievements. People says that he was naturally entitled for that
spark, while me is trying hard to achieve those title. And I denied it not until they
criticize our way of leadership. They said that “she should stay to be a follower of him,
she should realize that girl should be under by the power of man. Because man always
fit to be on top and a leader. It is off putting for his reputation if he is under control by
a woman.” At this moment my temper got explode like boom. I confront them, and I
said “really? Therefore, what is the true definition or the main ideal type that will fit
and fulfilled for the word of leadership? For such being a guy?”. All my doubt
answered little by little, I understand the reason why my voice is not always heard and
arise, my suggestions is always declined and invalid, and lastly, I already know why I
am look powerless with them. These experiences carry out the judgements and
observe what the thing that boys had that we or I never had for being a woman. Our
society hold two different judgements and perspective for this two different gender. It
is either feminine or masculine. When your physical appearance is a man, male, boy
or guy our nation prefers you to call masculine. But first what is masculine?
Masculine is strong, fearless, breadwinner, hard, muscular and aggressive. They
associated being a leader because of these qualities, and people says that being a man
is natural for them to be a smart and street genius. On the other hand, being a female,
lady, girl or a woman belongs to feminine. Feminine are polite, accommodating,
nurturing, soft, prefer to be a house wife, and they do not have any rights to join
political topics or any controversial issues. That is the gender role we encounter. That
is why it is easy for the people to underestimate the woman’s capabilities. But wait I
am not done yet, look to your surroundings lets conduct a comparison between their
leaderships. I observed that some of the man run for their name’s reputation to make
people believes that they can. While women are always got tired to prove that they are
enough to receive the acknowledgement. Now you heard, woman needs to put too
much effort to deal with the society discriminations. Just what like I said lately, we are
wearing high heels shoes when we are fight for our own honor and credit. Because,
before getting it there is a lot of obstacles that demand to pass through unlike to the
man that expected to be on that title. Even our foot got tired and get bruises we are
continuing run for our battles, that is how our society labeled us. However, lets
observed and make a review on how the two different gender lead and make an action,
and also, I will give pros and cons. Behavior there are several women that are patient
and understanding to their components, they are calm and soft while making a
conversation or dealing with. On the other hand, man is more aggressive and
heartless. In addition, in terms of making decisions, plans and actions boys are more
straightforward and practical they think and provide more faster while the woman is
clean, clear and neat before take an action or let just say they are gentle and slow
when they are planning something. Well, when you notice the final outcome, I will
confidently say that our output is more beautiful, kidding. But seriously I think this is
the reason why girls consume a lot of time in creating a decision because they desire
more creative and glorious product. Even me I do really love to put designs and think
another unique idea to represent my creation. Moreover, when handling issues and
problems girls are calm and understanding as opposed to the man, they temper easily
get high. Lastly, what are the pros and cons of these? For the woman it is easy for
them to build a better connection to their member since they are gentle when having
plans it is expected to have a magnificent one, but of course sometimes being
understanding person got abuse by someone and creeping would become a quite
hassle because having a lack of time for doing it. Whereas, guys are excellent for being
a quick thinker this is essential for rapidly needs solution to a problem or issues, but
the way they interact and tend to be aggressive to their apostles is not literally the
right thing, let say that they are a quite insensitive regard to the feelings of their
companions. Another fun fact did you know that our last presidential election, opens
this very crucial argument which is the condition of gender role to our country. Our
former vice president Leni Robredo is the only female who run for the position of
president. Some of our society judge her by what gender did she have, they think that
woman is not the ideal type for that position. Nearly Pilipino said that woman cannot
represent her country by her own, because woman is not that powerful to face this
substantial responsibility. They are philosophizing how a one woman defend her
country and make a better deal to the other nation, to prove that she can manage and
lead, since this is a typical role of a man.

I felt sad for this criticism, they did not know that we have a lot great woman
leader. We have two former female President, famous female Senators and also have a
female hero. We own former President Cory Aquino, She’s the mother of Philippine
democracy, eleventh president of the Philippines year 1986-1992. She fights with her
voice and end the dictatorship here at the Philippines. Look how powerful she is; a
mother of five children and a president of a one country. She is my favorite former
president, why? Waved back 1983 when her husband Ninoy Aquino assassinated, she
is the only one who raised the five children and despite this grapple she still fights for
her country and chase the freedom. 1986 when she run for president position, this
year also happens the people power revolution because of the election. Filipinos are
thirsty for freedom and humans right and the reason why this revolution happens to
that very dangerous era is because of her, yes because of her she is the only one who
bravely compete president Marcos to end his 2 decades of dictatorship. She listens to
people’s voice and empowered the rights of her fellow Filipinos to their country. Her
tribute for our country is always be treasured to our history. It leaves a better start to
build and revived again. Also, we have late senator Miriam Defensor Santiago and
Senator Risa Hontiveros. Senator Miriam includes in 100 powerful women in year
1997. She is a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, and stateswoman
who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executive, and
legislative. Her credentials and brightness literally stand out and speak up to woman’s
pride. And senator Risa Hontiveros is a community leader and a journalist. Senator
Risa Hontiveros is widely known and celebrated for her tireless work in promoting
public health, the rights of women and other marginalized groups, and the welfare of
the Filipino family. These two senators are always encounter hates from their co-
senators. They both got judge and collaborated by man that questioning their right
actions. And these two ladies faced it and killed their male co-senators by shamed.
And in addition, did you observed that in every class group activity females are the
most admirable for be a leader. It tells that we are intelligent and powerful enough to
lead. Now tell me that woman cannot lead, that woman is not that brilliant enough
and we are coward. These women are some example that woman is not just a woman
and prove that woman can represent and stand by her own. They are the blanket of
woman’s reputation, they are the armor for discrimination, and they raise our pride as
a woman. I really admire them the way they think, defend their selves and the way of
giving their heart for their fellow Filipinos; and I will let them to be my role model.

I am honestly inspired to them to the point that I wanted to be like them. I apply
their way of leadership to build my healthy relationship to my companions. I used
them to be my inspiration and reference to be a good one. And today I will also tell you
what are the lesson that I learned from them. When president Cory Aquino said “the
only way to deal with fear is to face head on.” At this point I learned not to stand up
and fearlessly faced my problems as a leader, I realized that I am the number one who
can fix and endured these weaknesses. Along with my two favorite senators I precisely
adore their intelligence and being straightforward, I desire to be on their shadow and
wondering to be like them someday. However, I apply it as an individual one and I
conceived that being intelligent make you feel powerful and superb. Because of these,
they treat me right and I received a huge of respect from the people who follows me
because it builds a quality standard for my leadership. And when I encountered a
problems I handle it smartly, it simply because I can express my feelings and opinion
by normalizing of being a straightforward person in this case they are openly wide and
face the reality that they should do better. I also learned to be transparent and strict
to my members. Lastly, I also believed to the capabilities of vice president Leni
Robredo. Despite to those offensive words that she received, this woman continues to
serve and prove herself that she can. I really look up her as a great President that we
never had. Imagine she put herself into crowed of judgement, and she used her
credentials to fight the other candidates. They put her in the middle of the fire, and
she get through out of this. How cool it is right? With these four ladies I build my own
version of leadership. I don’t need to walk with the other people’s perspective. Even a
lot of people do not see our worth, disrespect us and have some biases, we will keep
up to serve, love, respect and fair to them because we are their leaders that is our
obligation. Instead of losing our spark and being affected to their criticism we should
prove, not just to them but to ourselves that we are worth it for. That’s how I build my
leadership, I got influence from these four great captains. Lastly, I witness that there
is no difference and gap between in man’s and woman’s leadership. Because it
depends on the person’s behavior. We are just living here to the world that full of
criticism.

And at all, we don’t need to compete and build a comparison between the
different gender in terms of their leadership. I know this really tiring for us, just to
prove that we are capable, that we are powerful, that we are able to sharp someone
else skills. But despite this thorn, we are just like a rose. Glow with those stumbling
block. That we are able to glow even though we faced the unfairness criticism that
surround by us. We are here stand out and be the beautiful thing in the painful steps
that we pass. Moreover, we have different perception and perspective on how we judge
a one leader but it should be transparent, equal, smart, honest, role model, and
confident. And no matter what high position it is, she or he should be stay humble.
We don’t need to be always look superior. We don’t need a female or a male leader,
because we need a better leader. Always spread fairness and equality, always bring
transparency in every decision we make. Always think the emotions of every member
we confront. Be the good example and also let us ourselves to be trained and
teachable. Lastly, if someone discriminate any woman leader, do not forget to ware
your high heels and walk with high confidence and standard.