Capsule #3: "Actions Over Words!" - Redefining Feminism with Karolina Pajączkowska

Speaker 1: 0:00

So, as a woman in media, how do you aim to empower girls and women who look up to you?

Speaker 2: 0:07

So, first of all, I'm trying to be an example of a person that is very success-driven and very growth-driven. So everything that I do needs to have a meaning, whether is it expanding your brain capacity, you know, by learning, by teaching, by reading inspirational books, or traveling, because that's my biggest passion probably to travel and to explore the world, because it's so diverse and it's so interesting, it's so different. And to explore the world because it's so diverse and it's so interesting, it's so different, as you know, like we are here now. You are here now because you've taken the risk and you left your life, old life, and you came to Europe and you came to Poland that, probably 15 years back, sounds like a tropical and unknown place to live, so we need to step out of our comfort zone. So what I'm trying to show for women out there is that your life is not prescribed. You are writing your own story. You're a storyteller, so you have to be devoted to different topics, to different hobbies, to different um works, and all of them need to be meaningful and fulfill you as not only as a woman, but also as a human.

Speaker 2: 1:45

So I'm, first of all, I'm a human, then I'm a woman, then I'm a mother and then I'm a journalist, so I'm showing this story to others girls out there who are thinking if beauty is enough, no, it's not enough. Beauty is just an additional thing that you were born with, probably, or you can add you know some makeup and hair and everything. This is just the package. So you know, because you're a designer, so the products need to be neat and nice, but the quality is the most quality bags. So, transferring this to your life, you know that the look is not enough and that's, I feel, that is my story and that is my contribution to people, to girls and women out there Just to be as diverse and as interesting as you can be, not to shell yourself in what you know, but to explore, try different things and keep on hunger like, keep on being like the steve jobs said stay hungry stay hungry, stay foolish, stay hungry, stay foolish.

Speaker 2: 3:06

So I'm open to new experiences, I'm open to new people, to new advantages, and that's what I keep on suggesting women. So, as an influencer, I'm trying to pass good habits and open-mindedness.

Speaker 1: 3:25

So, in an era of superficial social media, how do you stay true to the message you're trying to deliver?

Speaker 2: 3:35

Oh well, by my action, by what I do. Well, I'm 33 years old, so I feel it's just the beginning of my story, but even though, to this date, I feel I've achieved a lot and I've been a model, I've been a mother, I've been a journalist, I've been an entrepreneur and I'm inventing, reinventing myself right now. So I have taken the risk of being a YouTuber. Now I'm creating content for people, women, who would love to get some knowledge about the world, politics, about international affairs, and I'm creating a content that is very meaningful, in my opinion, of course, and that is crucial to creating a content. Become a wiser person, wiser woman. And I'm a mother as well.

Speaker 2: 4:36

I've always emphasized the fact that motherhood is something that expands your horizon so dramatically, because once you become a mother, then you know you can achieve everything, you can obtain everything, because, hey, hey, you just gave a birth to a human being. And Steminism nowadays says, oh, do whatever you wanted to do, be whoever you wanted to be. And it's not like I describe Steminism in this particular way that is being popularized nowadays, but I'm adding something deeper. So what is feminist? Feminism is all about well-being of a woman. It's all about expanding your possibilities and not focusing only on yourself. Feminism nowadays is connected to abortion, to this very popular you know. Do whatever you want to do with your body. You know this OnlyFans content and everything you can do whatever. So it's not the type of feminism.

Speaker 1: 5:54

I am After.

Speaker 2: 5:55

After. So it's not the type of feminism I am after. I am after bigger values. I am after showing that feminism is not just a closed mind and being happy with your body and being happy with your body. It is a very meaningful mission Of proving men that we are equal to them Not by the fact that we say so, but we prove. So you know what I mean. So it is very popular now.

Speaker 2: 6:37

We would love to earn that much money, as guys do, and we need it and we want it and period. When do we contribute in order to obtain this? So guys were always taking a lot of chances, they were risking, they were bringing this you know food to the table and they were taking care of a lot of things. If you needed some help, the guy was there. So me, I'm showing. I can renovate my home, I can drive my car, I can pay my bills, I can raise my son, I can go to war. And feminism is it doesn't stop only on you. Feminism is it doesn't stop only on you. So feminism is not a label, it's the insight. I don't go around and say, woo, look at me, I am feminist. I prove by my everyday actions that I am a true, a meaningful feminist because I take care of women and I encourage them to be better people, better person.

Speaker 1: 7:50

So what about the traditional role of men and women, let's say in a relationship? Some women they say, okay, you can be feminist, you can pay your bill If you go on a date, you share the bill. But at the same time, some women, they would just let the men pay. I'm talking about this as a smaller you know example. To talk about the bigger picture.

Speaker 2: 8:18

Yeah, I mean.

Speaker 1: 8:18

I don't mind. What about the traditional values?

Speaker 2: 8:21

I don't mind the traditional outlook. If you would love to be a person who is going to be taken care of by someone else, do it, go for it. I mean, it's your choice, it's your life by the end of the day, like we said before, but challenge yourself a little bit. You know what I mean like. Just make a little bit more effort. It's so convenient to say the guy needs to pay, the guy needs to taken care of, the guy needs to do this and he needs to be successful. What about you? What is your input in this partnership?

Speaker 2: 8:53

Partnership, this is the perfect equation of so we are both parents. We take care of our children. The same way. We are both parents. We are both parents. We are both parents. We are both parents. We are both parents. We are both parents work as hard, both of us as hard as men, female and everything. We take care of the household. We take care of ourselves.

Speaker 2: 9:19

It's not about being this lady, like you know, back in 19th century, where I have this headache, can you please bring me some water. It's not about this headache, can you please bring me some water. It's not about this. It's about stepping up and saying, oh, I have this headache, but okay, that's not going to stop me. I have to push on. I have to keep on going because there it's my life and I have to be the director of my life. I will not give the leading role to some men just because the society expects this from me. In Poland especially, I mean, the traditional family here in Poland, as well as in Morocco, is very well based Because it's convenient. You know what I mean. It's so convenient. On the opposite, you have the feminists who are screaming and demanding Like girl, I mean, why are you demanding something from men and not giving nothing instead? Like this is partnership. So the perfect combination of a man and a woman is a partnership where both parties are contributing.

Speaker 1: 10:36

So why do you think that feminism gets such a bad rep?

Speaker 2: 10:40

I'll tell you why. So we women, some of us, have really big mouths. We say a lot of things, but there are no actions behind us. A lot of things, but there are no actions behind this. So guys are furious because they hear. All they heard is I want this, I need this, you need to stop this and give me this. So feminism nowadays stops when there are needs of a woman, and that's wrong, because the feminist is not about women only. Feminism is about well-being of a human kind, because it's.

Speaker 2: 11:22

It has been said numerous of times that the future of the world lies on women, because we are giving birth to people. We are giving birth to people, we are giving birth to children. So being selfish and thinking only about fulfilling yourself is the thing that furious men, because they see this demanding position, demanding position and they see this very selfish. We are using feminism for our convenience while we should be using for our future. So not expect and not demand, but to cooperate. If we would love men to treat us better, then raise a son who will be a better man for his future wife. If you expect your boss to give you a pay raise, make him respect you, not scream, not demand, make him to see you Make a statement, and sometimes it's better to say less and act more.