By opening our bags, we can open conversations. What we carry, both physically and emotionally, tells a story about the world we navigate every day. So, what’s in your bag?

For years our YouTube feeds have been flooded with our favourite celebrities jumping on the “what’s in my bag?” trend. Each effortlessly revealing a mix of beauty staples, luxury accessories, and quirky keepsakes, offering a glimpse into their personality and story. But beyond the lip gloss and loose change, there’s a layer to what women carry every day, items that are not just carried out of habit, but as unspoken tools for survival.

Saoirse Ronan captured this reality in a now-viral moment on The Graham Norton Show. Seated alongside Eddie Redmayne, Paul Mescal, and Denzel Washington, Ronan voiced a truth that often remains silent. As Redmayne jokes about his Day of the Jackal preparations, recounting a demonstration on using a phone as a weapon, Mescal quips, “Who’s actually going to do that, though?” before playfully mimicking the absurdity. Laughter ripples across the iconic orange sofa, everywhere except Ronan’s face. After attempting to chime in several times, she finally breaks with a stone-cold truth, “That’s what girls have to think about all the time.” 

Silence. And for once, it’s not the women in the room who are left speechless.

The fleeting comment, which then became online sensation, resonated with countless women because it reflects the reality they find themselves in far too often. The candid conversation had me opening conversations with my female colleagues about the everyday truths we carry in our bags, whether consciously or subconsciously, what items do we carry in our bags that tell a deeper story? One that reflects the quiet calculations we make to navigate the world safely.

The truth was startling. Many admitted to instinctively clench our keys between our fingers when walking alone at night, a makeshift defence we were never formally taught but somehow always knew. While one carries a spare pair of trainers, knowing that if the night stretches late, speed might be her safest option. These aren’t just habits; they’re precautions woven into our daily lives.

So, the once fun, aspirational and sometimes a little voyeuristic YouTube trend, now tells a story of quiet vigilance.

The things we carry on our daily commutes extend beyond the physical contents of our bags; we also bear the weight of mental and emotional baggage that we routinely shoulder. The unseen burden of constantly being alert, replaying routes home, pretending to be on a call, when we could be recharging, creating, innovating,and above all, leading. Then there’s the emotional weight that women carry, not just for themselves, but for others; checking in on friends, supporting colleagues, and tirelessly explaining, again and again, why equality shouldn’t be up for debate. 

For women in senior leadership, this weight only grows. Beyond their roles, they often take on the unavowed responsibility of mentoring, advocating for inclusion, and challenging biases, all while navigating the pressure to prove they belong in rooms where they’re still outnumbered.

 Women carry the weight and baggage to these realities every day, the constant calculations, the quiet precautions and the mental checklist of safety measures that men rarely have to consider.

By opening our bags, we can open conversations. What we carry, both physically and emotionally, tells a story about the world we navigate every day. So, what’s in your bag? Whether it’s the keys between your fingers, the text you got home group chat, or the unseen weight of always being aware, sharing these realities helps turn silent experiences into visible truths. Let’s talk, listen, and accelerate action toward a world where survival isn’t something women have to plan for.

Written by Aisha Tarim