Episode 5: The Art Of Debating With Guest Keana Reinu

-IMPACT VALLEY-

"A huge problem within the debate community is still very male-dominated. Specifically in Asia, Malaysia, even in my time, you don't see girls are doing it. I think girls are not taught to be expressive as they can be. I think it's subconscious cultural oppression. I think males are given more room to speak. So, therefore, even women are given the space to speak, women don't realize that it is the place they belong to. Even when comes to judging and coaching, this is quite a sad average, usually, male debaters or speakers are fastly outnumber the female debaters or women in this field."

If I'm not mistaken, for a much longer time, you can count on one hand, how many women coaches in the scene. Male is far more common. This isn't a comparison between who's better or who isn't. Everyone is skilled in their way. There is a gender imbalance for sure. So I think it's very important for me to create this space."

As a female or woman, we are given the room to be outspoken and expressive. I feel sad when women are labeled bossy or bitchy especially when they're being opinionated and expressive. Even women tend to judge women in the same way.

Everyone has the right to speak and voice out their opinion, doesn't matter using their shaken voice or confident voice. Women should not be judged and labeled when we are spoken up and had something to say. They are vocal, outspoken, and expressive. It's a beautiful trait shown by a strong woman.

For me, it’s okay for a man to cry, and it's okay for a woman to be bossy.

I asked Keana about her definition of success. We both have the same thoughts on how we defined our success.

For Keana, success is happiness. Me too.

By having the consciousness to determine your own life based on your term, we might not easily fall into the societal form of success. When we put our words on it, we write what does success means to us, I found that I compare less, and judge less.

It was an eye-opening experience talking with Keana while she is sharing her debating profession and industry. Debating isn't by having the ability to speak but having the ability to listen and think about things around us.

As Keana told us: " We can do a lot better in this world when we listen a little more, seeking understanding a little more and though a little more."

Kudos to this amazing lady.

I hope Asia Youth Speakers Community achieves success in the future!