Here’s a clichéd question: does femininity have a place in the corporate world?
Melinda Bam, Miss South Africa 2011 and brand ambassador for Veet, says it absolutely does. Along with her business partner Anja Van Zyl, a model and media personality, she launched ‘Womentality: A Fearless Feminine Program and Workshop’ in 2013 to inspire and instil in young girls, mothers and working women that femininity and confidence are a woman’s greatest assets.
It was during her reign as Miss South Africa that Bam found her true purpose: to inspire women in the corporate space.
“We think we have to offer up our femininity and disregard that aspect of what it means to be a woman in order to be taken seriously,” says Bam.
“We saw women who didn’t want to be women, who wanted to sacrifice too much of themselves because they thought they were going to get ahead. We want to coach women back to being themselves, and finding that their strength comes from that.”
Her workshops focus on the frivolous and the fun, while still tackling issues women struggle to discuss with men.
“There is [nothing] more intimidating in the corporate world than a beautiful, strong and confident woman,” says Bam. More than anything, the workshops are forums of discussion.
“Femininity has no age, it has no face, it has no color; it sees no boundaries. It’s something that should just be embraced,” says Bam. Touché.