A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats – Celebrating Women in Playa del Carmen

Diversity, talent, strength, dedication, creativity and love – that’s what our pages are full of in this edition as we celebrate International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 8. We could have filled many more pages with stories of inspiration, bravery and success. Women really are making a difference on the Riviera Maya, demonstrating that there are no longer any boundaries to what they can achieve. Physical strength is no longer an excuse, as our long-distance runner on page 14 and our veterinarian on page 19 prove; and the glass ceiling is being shattered as women support each other in becoming leaders in the corporate world, or leading their own enterprises like our local restaurateurs on page 16.

Playa del Carmen is growing so rapidly because its population is open to change and outsiders are attracted to the possibilities it presents. Opportunities abound and women are ready to take them. The Playa Times is a good example of this with a strong majority of females on its staff and team of contributors.

While my own experiences as a woman on the Riviera Maya have been positive, I am acutely aware that Mexico is still a place where outdated beliefs permeate society and attitudes. Many families remain uneducated, in particular about family planning and equal rights, meaning women don’t have a choice about their own future and get trapped in a cycle of subordination, unplanned pregnancies, and poverty.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and our progress this year, let’s also remember not to leave anyone behind as we move forward. Discrimination exists on many levels and we have a responsibility to lead, educate and support all those women, men and children in our local community who don’t enjoy the same opportunities. Thank you to the women on our pages for sharing their stories and being shining examples of what can happen when equality  is a reality for all.