The Conversations That Made Me: Womanhood & The Power of Connection

I am a proud Mexican woman and Mexican feminism has taught me that International Women’s Day is not a day to congratulate women. To me, it is not a day of celebration—it is a day of commemoration. A day to remember the victims of abuse, violence, sexism, femicide, and the many painful realities we face daily in a country flooded with unpunished crime. It is a day when we march to speak for those whose voices were mercilessly and cruelly silenced.

To me, being a woman is a painfully beautiful experience. My whole life I have been acutely aware of both the “good” and “bad” aspects of it. Sometimes, I love being a woman. Other times, I hate it—and when I do, I carry a terrible guilt. But I can’t help feeling angry at my own womanhood sometimes. As a survivor of domestic violence, psychological and physical abuse, and sexism, navigating the emotions these experiences bring forth can be incredibly difficult—the unexplainable guilt, the helplessness, the shame, the pain, the heartbreak. These experiences have deeply shaped my womanhood. They have made me hyper-aware, alert, sometimes even paranoid. But when it comes to protecting the people I love, I’ve learned to turn these into strengths.

My awareness has helped me embrace International Women’s Day for what it truly is: international. And that has allowed me to appreciate the beautiful diversity it holds—the different customs, rituals, and movements that bring it to life. I don’t judge those who choose to celebrate, to congratulate, or to feel whatever they wish on this day.

The conversations I’ve had throughout my life have profoundly shaped my understanding of womanhood—some took place in classrooms, some with family, friends, partners, and even strangers. The connection I feel to women around the world, on this day and every day, is both painful and beautiful, because so many of us share not just the hardships and challenges but also the opportunities and beauty of being who we are.

My womanhood has been shaped by the conversations I’ve had and the connections I’ve built over my 26 years. I believe in the power of human connection above all else. Long before I worked at The Skin Deep, I remember watching dozens of their videos and feeling deeply inspired by the people in them. 

Their interactions were filled with wisdom, lessons, and raw emotion. As a young fan, I remember how those conversations helped shape my empathy, my patience, my outlook on life, my humanity—and, of course, my womanhood.

Now, a decade later, I work at this company, which teaches me every day about compassion, connection, deep listening, and the power of well-crafted questions in creating safe spaces for meaningful conversations. I love what I do, and I truly believe it has the power to transform lives.

The questions we create are designed to guide you into conversations that are deeply transformational. This International Women’s Day, I encourage you to have the hard conversations—the ones that challenge opinions, the ones where we truly listen, the ones where we learn together.

I feel a deep responsibility to open channels of communication with the people in my life—both directly and indirectly (like I am doing now by writing this). A responsibility to fight, speak up and listen. It is more important than ever that we talk to each other about the things that matter—that we listen, seek to understand, and respect each other’s perspectives, opinions, and beliefs in a world that feels more divided every day.

Connection and conversation have shaped the way I experience womanhood, and I know they can shape yours too. Spend this special day having meaningful conversations with our {THE AND} Relationship Card Games, you can get 15% OFF any order using the code IWDTSD15, visit our shop and make a difference today. This International Women’s Day, let’s talk—about the joys, the struggles, the realities of being a woman. Let’s listen. Let’s learn. Let’s grow.

With love,Regina Zuniga

The Skin Deep Social Media Manager