 “I work hard so my unicorn can have a better life.” That’s the maxim painted on the newest sign to grace the SheHive walls - a gift from one of our KeyHolders, Janet. It joins the ranks of the unicorn head that hangs over my desk, the giant helium-filled unicorn balloon that floats about the main classroom, the can of unicorn meat on the bookcase and the sign in the living room that reads, “You are a goddamn magical unicorn.” I’m not a fan of unicorns - though the decor of the SheHive would lead you to believe otherwise. I’m a 48 year old woman who stopped identifying with childlike, mythical whimsy a long, long time ago - like three or four years ago (that was sarcasm for those of you new here). In fact, the resurgence of the unicorn in pop culture raised my hackles. To me, it felt like just one more way to make women more childlike and less threatening in a world that is increasingly threatened by our ever-growing desire to not be overpowered. From day one it has been very important to me that the SheHive be taken seriously. Yes, we have fun here. Yes, we do silly things here sometimes. Yes, there is a shit-ton of decoupage and glitter and glue on our floor from events past. But, at it’s core, the SheHive was founded on a well-researched and tested scientific theory of change. Self-empowerment and community - the two things we “sell” here - don’t happen by accident. It’s important work led by a group of well-informed, well-educated and well-traveled (metaphorically and physically) women. This isn’t child’s play - it’s a serious business. And unicorns aren’t serious business. They have no place here! Except they totally do... The first unicorn showed up as a sarcastic gag - a gift from my one of my best friends who truly gets me and knew exactly what it represented. It was the head of a unicorn, mounted on the wall and the underlying message was dark - death to those who belittle this work. But then the next one showed up, and the next and the next and those new unicorns had nothing to do with the macabre, inside joke. They were brought here as a gift of whimsy and playfulness. Somewhere along the line - after the eleventy-billionth unicorn showed up - I figured out there were appearing as a message… stop denying your duality. See, irregardless of much I want to be taken serious, the SheHive (and, by extension, me) isn’t just one thing. Just like every other magical and whole and special and divine woman that walks through the doors of the SheHive - I am both science and spirituality, work and play, whimsy and seriousness, hard and soft, intuition and reason. And all of those things together don’t negate my wisdom and reason and knowledge - they add to it. We are divine contradictions in what we have been taught “belongs” together. And we are so much stronger when we embrace all that we are and stop hiding away in shame any piece that we have been taught is less than. You are not less than, lovely, you are more + more + more. What parts of you are you hiding away because you have been taught they don’t belong? Inspire others and share your story by leaving a comment below. With much love and gratitude,  Comments are closed.
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