Women's History Month happens 12 times a year...

"Hi, thanks for your comments about the client asking me out"

The text popped up on my screen and asked for suggestions on how to "politely decline". What followed was a lighthearted back-and-forth filled with many, laugh-till-you-cry emojis."Can you paste what he said?"

This is my LEAP 2 group. Or my Architect Women Group, as I like to call it. On wednesday evenings we melt together in one screen while sprinklered over 5 different time zones, and we talk the way women often do: openly, transparently, fluidly, honestly. We go around the room sharing the challenges of running our own firms, project development, hourly vs. lump sum fees, a sticky situation with a client that asked us out, and so much more.

I have been grappling with the issue of being a woman in architecture for a very long time. The brilliant Danish architect Dorte Mandrup wrote on Dezeen "I am not a female architect. I am an architect". Also for me, Architect is enough, thank you. But we don't name ourselves; the world names us. And from my many interactions with architects over the last 25 years, the world is not ready to drop the 'female' before our professional title quite yet.

So until then, we will keep meeting on the screen once a week to put our elbows together to make space for us in the profession, so that one day, we can compete on equal ground with the 'male' architects. Until then, we will keep the serious conversation lighthearted awaiting for the world to catch up.

I painted this dyptich in 2012. It says "so what if I get all fired up -- GIRLS RULE until they grow up and get real"

Cheers,

Violeta