Together, We Lead the Way

Hello, Lions!

In the months leading up to my term as International President, I was often asked how I would do things differently as the first woman president of our organization. The question bothered me because I didn’t want to lead as a woman; I wanted to lead. Period.

In Iceland women have been leading for a long time. I grew up feeling my opportunities were not limited by my gender and as I prepared to lead Lions into the 21st century, I didn’t want being a woman to define my presidency.

Although my life has not been hindered by gender inequality, I also realize the same cannot be said for all women. Around the world, many women still face obstacles to becoming the people they are destined to be.

What I love about service is that it knows no gender, no color, no religion. And we are truly stronger as an organization, and as clubs, when we have a diverse mix of experiences contributing to the energy and ideas that make Lions so great.

I now see my term as president as an opportunity to support other women—and hopefully inspire them. I’m proud to showcase the work women are doing in this great organization so they can inspire others too. I believe that the more we see women joining in and doing interesting, important things, the more we will see other women doing the same. And this is how we build an even stronger future for Lions.

Because being a Lion is not about being a man or a woman. It’s about being a human being. And the more caring men and women we have working together for good, the better chance we have of truly changing the world.

Yours,

Gudrun Yngvadottir

International President, Lions Clubs International