Honoring Uniqueness on International Women’s Day

Are you celebrating International Women’s Day?
March 8th is recognized worldwide as a time to celebrate women’s achievements, honor the ongoing fight for gender equality, and reflect on the changes still needed in society. In Germany, this day carries deep historical roots—it was first celebrated in 1911 as part of the global movement for women’s rights, particularly the right to vote, work, and hold public office. As of 2019, the federal state of Berlin even made it a public holiday, yet it remains both a celebration and a call to action—a moment to acknowledge progress while recognizing the work still to be done. At Pantarei, this day feels personal—not just as a date on the calendar, but as something we live daily.

A School Founded by Women, Without a Plan to Exclude

When we co-founded the Pantarei Approach, we didn’t give much thought to the fact that we were two women leading a school. Our focus was on the vision—on creating a place that honored each person’s uniqueness and trained practitioners to listen deeply to the stories held within the body. It wasn’t something we discussed at the time; it was simply who we were.

This was never about exclusion. We have always welcomed and valued the men who study with us, who become practitioners, and who bring this work into the world. And yet, we cannot ignore the reality that in a field where most students and clients are women, the majority of established methods, philosophies, and techniques were created and taught by men.

Recognizing the Structures We Learned From

For a long time, we didn’t question that. Like so many others, we studied in systems where knowledge had been structured from a male perspective. The ways of organizing, teaching, and working that we absorbed reflected the lineage they came from. Even when women were in leadership, they often operated within frameworks built by the men who came before them.
It took time to fully recognize this, and even longer to understand what it meant. It wasn’t just about who was in the room—it was about how knowledge itself was structured.

Shifting from Hierarchy to Fluidity

Male-centered teaching often emphasizes hierarchy, linear progress, and mastery through discipline. There is frequently a separation between intellect and emotion, technique and intuition, individual progress and collective experience.
Though not singular or universal, the female perspective often approaches things differently. It embraces nonlinearity, relationships, and the full range of human experience. It values collaboration over hierarchy, conversation over certainty. It makes space for process, for the deep interplay between body and emotion, for fluidity rather than rigid structure.

At Pantarei, we honor each person’s uniqueness—not just in terms of gender, but in all the ways people exist in the world. And yet, we see that the way we teach and lead has been shaped by our identities as women. We teach in a way that reflects connection rather than separation, that values emotions as an integral part of learning, that recognizes intuition as a form of intelligence.

Beyond Gender: Embracing All Identities

This extends beyond gender. In our training program, we welcome and celebrate LGBTQ+ individuals, people from different cultural backgrounds, and those who walk paths outside traditional norms.
We do not expect anyone to fit into predefined systems. Instead, we invite each person to discover their own way—their way of moving, of feeling, of expressing themselves in the world.

Welcoming More Men Into the Pantarei Approach

Next week, as Merav begins teaching our 20th training program, nearly a third of the students in this cohort will be men—something we are delighted about.
Gender, like every aspect of identity, is not a limitation but a contribution. When each person steps fully into who they are—whether through their gender, culture, or personal story—they enrich the entire field of learning and growth. We do not seek to define or categorize our differences. We celebrate them.

A Moment of Appreciation

As International Women’s Day approaches, we invite you to take a moment to reflect. No matter your gender, think of a woman in your life whom you appreciate.
Let yourself feel that appreciation fully. Notice her—how she moves through the world, how she faces challenges, how she leads in her own way.

This day is about honoring women, but it is also about honoring the richness of diversity, the power of each person’s story, and the ways we all contribute to one another’s growth.
Let’s celebrate—not just today, but every day—the strength of uniqueness, the beauty of connection, and the ongoing work of creating a world that welcomes every person fully as they are.

 

 

 

 

 

Claudia Glowik & Vered Manasse