One Special WHENsday Challenging Women’s “Superpower” of Doing It All

Nobody knows this, but the seed was planted almost two years ago, in the ancient theater of Epidaurus, under the night sky, while I was watching Aeschylus’ play The Suppliants.

In The Suppliants (written almost 2,500 years ago), Aeschylus speaks about fifty daughters, called the Danaïdes, and their struggles in escaping forced marriages to their cousins.

As I was sitting in that ancient theater, watching the Danaïdes beg for their right to choose, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we (women) are still fighting variations of the same battle. While in my head I was cheering Aeschylus for daring to be so controversial and feminist back then, at the same time I could not help questioning myself: do I do enough for my daughter, my friends, and my “Danaïdes” to continue their battle?

So, a summer later, when we moved to Greece, I started looking for the modern “Danaïdes”, and I could not have been guided better than by knocking on WHEN Hub’s door! It’s not just another NGO, nor is it another co-working space in hashtag#Athens; it’s a TRIBE, where modern women grow. It’s a home full of care, smiles, and human touch in every detail. It’s a place where women come to work, network, and push and pull each other forward, and where moms don’t have to pretend that kids don’t matter, because they do! While WHEN provides a professional space for women to work, they also offer a care center (a real happy place) for their little ones to grow.

And guess what, not even two years later, I was honoured to stand in front of a group of women here at WHEN, speaking about us: women, moms, professionals, friends, and raise a question of whether the skills that helped us as women historically to survive might be allowed to retire, so that new ones, a bit lighter on us, can slowly be employed.

I will cherish every minute and every person who was there yesterday. It will always be a reminder to me that there are women out there, MODERN DANAÏDES, whom we can always look to, inspire, and support each other.

My biggest thank you to WHEN Hub, XpatAthens, and every single person who was a part of this great evening.
And a very special Thank you goes to my family, for all your love and support you are giving!

I am looking forward to more opportunities to speak about motherhood and womanhood, here in Greece or everywhere in the world!