LOH celebrates five years!

Back in 2020, a sweet lady I already knew from the SilverGoldStackers (SGS) community (@silversaver888) told me about an idea she had for a new community on Hive. It would be a special place for women and she wanted me to help her co-found the project. I was thrilled! She already had a plan in her head (and knowing her, probably on paper, too) for how the community might look and function. She wanted me to bring my skills for organization and administration so she could spend her time managing the overall project, inviting people, recruiting Moderators, and implementing all the things!

Of course, I'm talking about LadiesOfHive! There were at least three women-centric projects and communities on our 'legacy chain,' but this would be the first such community focused on women here on Hive (at least, of which I am aware). Over the course of the next few days, we became very busy bees setting up the community page on Hive, setting up the Discord, choosing graphic assets to represent the community, and inviting as many women as we could. We officially went "live" on 06-Sep-2020.

And we definitely are still busy bees, but we love what we do! As we had hoped, women are publishing posts to the community about a wide variety of topics including life, love, starting businesses, dealing with relationships, stretching tight budgets, places traveled, goals attained, parenting tips, food prepared, and everything in-between. The community has also shared with each other experiences relating to pregnancy, monthly cycles, and medical issues as well as the joys and challenges of being a woman in the world today.

While typing the above paragraph, I was reminded of something another woman on Hive (@goodysam) said recently in: What women talk about when they gather together:

"The beauty of women gathering is that it’s more than conversation — it’s therapy, inspiration, and connection. We uplift each other, we challenge each other, and sometimes, without realizing it, we create plans that shape our future." –ɢᴏᴏᴅyꜱᴀᴍ

This sums "girl talk" so well! So many guys seem to think all we talk about is *them*, our periods, and the latest makeup trends. 😆 But yeah, we fill the roles of therapists to each other, as well as cheerleaders, sisters, devil's advocates, and so much more! 💗 –ᴛʜᴇᴋɪᴛᴛyɢɪʀʟ

So, yeah... to those who have questioned why women need their "own space" to talk (and there have been many), perhaps now some understanding can be reached. We dig deeply in conversation, sometimes much deeper than what an outside observer might realize. The shared experience of womanhood allows us to do that, to strike chords in each other that reverberate in the hidden recesses of our souls. And the LadiesOfHive community page (as well as our Discord) are for those things, the things that we need to help and bond with each other.

Beyond those random posts about life and the mysteries contained therein, we have our weekly "contest" posts. Sure, they are "contests" of a sort because we distribute prizes, but they are much more. Those weekly contests with writing prompts in the form of questions are actually an invitation to share ourselves and to learn about each other. They also provide motivation to those who might initially think they have nothing about which to write.

To be a part of such an endeavor is truly an honor and a thrilling experience. When I see the sharing, caring, and smiles that our community brings, it makes all the late-nights and behind-the-scenes work worthwhile and fulfilling. So, please raise a proverbial glass with me, filled with your choice of beverage, in celebration of completing five years of awesomeness on Hive!

Lastly, please remember that although Silversaver888 and I launched the community, LadiesOfHive is really ALL THE WOMEN (and a few gentlemen, too!) who comprise the community and keep it going. It's our precious Moderators who tirelessly judge the weekly contests, both past and present. It is all those lovely individuals who publish posts in the community. WE are the LadiesOfHive, and we are strong together!