Wiki Commons
Two days ago, the nation celebrated Women’s Equality Day. August 26th gets the honor as it marks the date when the 19th amendment, Women’s Right to Vote, was put into action. 2015 marks 95 years of women’s suffrage. While this is a cause for celebration to be sure, it is also a time to reflect on where we’ve been as a nation – and where we are headed.
First, Let’s Start with Some of the Fun stuff.
One of my favorite things about Women’s Equality Day is reading the inspirational quotes littered over Facebook, Twitter and anywhere else people share. For a quick look, MAKERS put together some of the best quotes out there.
There is a great sense of community when looking through the amazing support for equality across the nation. Equality is great when talked about in theoretical terms, but hearing the real life stories shows equality in action.
But Now Let’s Deal with Some Hard Truths
I would love for nothing more than to celebrate Women’s Equality Day as the birth of true equality. Unfortunately, we can only celebrate the day as one step in a long journey. We are still walking that path today and every day we continue marching towards that elusive goal.
Suffragists parade down Fifth Avenue, 1917. New York Times Photo Archives via Wiki Commons
95 years after the 19th amendment, women vote in greater numbers than men, but still are widely underrepresented in politics. Despite women graduating college at a higher rate, women are still underrepresented in business. In short, equality is still far from being a reality of our world.
Marching Towards Equality – Making Every Day Women’s Equality Day
There are no easy answers when it comes to creating gender equality. I can’t give you a 10 step guide or a life hack that will suddenly reverse the course of 10,000 years of human history.
What I can tell you is that equality starts with the individual. From individuals it will grow into the community.
For my fellow males out there:
Start with education. Learn about the history of gender inequality. Examine that history against the current attitudes and decipher where and what lingering attitudes of gender inequality still exist today. Talk to women about real issues, the ones that they face every day as women. You cannot truly understand the struggle because it is not your subjective experience. Listen to those who have spent their lives living it.
For the women:
Keep doing what you’re doing – don’t be silenced, don’t be afraid, don’t accept the “way it always has been.”
Now is the time to be bold and stand up to the systems of inequality and break the cycle once and for all. This goes for women and men alike.
So, I say to you, Happy Women’s Equality Day today, tomorrow and every day to come until we are all equals.
