Celebrating women’s history is great, but what about our future?
During this month we celebrate the progress that has been made in this nation for women. Progress has been made for women in terms of education, healthcare and having a voice in our democracy. However, there is so much more that needs to be done. Women in the United States still do not feel valued nor equal to men. Most professions, boardrooms and leadership positions are male dominated.
There are still gaps in this country that need to be filled with more women. Political and equality rights issues are still being determined by men. Part of women’s history is holding on to the right to have an abortion, which has now been overturned, at the federal level; by the U.S supreme court. Men should not have had a vote in overturning Roe v. Wade.
We live in a man’s world. Careerwise, educationally and socially women do not hold as much authority or respect as they should. They still deal with sexist comments and are overlooked at work. Just like men, they work to support either themselves or their families .
Comments and actions that belittle women in the workplace is still a norm. Oftentimes, they are overlooked for promotions.
Women can do the heavy lifting, defend themselves and advocate for themselves. As of 2013, they can now enlist in combat roles for the military. Women can do all this while not being seen as the damsel in distress.
Some of the women in our newsroom have cited that they’re exhausted from not being seen as equal to men at their work environment. The passive aggressive remarks and doubt they’ve received from male coworkers are dismissed as being “helpful.”
In reality, it doesn’t help. It’s belittling, discouraging and is not welcomed.
How can women serve a greater purpose if they’re not seen as capable of completing even the easiest tasks?
These setbacks happen due the sole fact that our government never set up a system made for women. Our “Founding Fathers” were all men.
Men who argue there are equal opportunities for both genders in the workplace are wrong. The door for women was opened in the workplace by years of fighting, yet the space is still filled with sexism.
Even women who hold high status, higher paying executive roles and leadership positions in our government have made claims of sexual harassment and abuse they experienced at work.
Former press secretary Sarah Sanders, who worked under Donald Trump’s administration, alleged that Trump suggested she, “go to North Korea and take one for the team,” after Kim Jong-un winked at Sanders.
Comments like that, especially by someone who held the highest authority in the U.S., only further promotes sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.
Standing in solidarity with women is only effective if it becomes daily practice. Uplifting and supporting women should be habitual.
Women have made strides for equality but haven’t reached true equality because it starts from the top and works its way down the system. If men in our democracy are making decisions about women’s bodies while continuously treating them as sexual beings, will there ever be a harassment-free workplace where each person has equal rights?
Both men and women together need to keep fighting for a world that does not tolerate sexual discrimination in the workplace. When more women begin to gain equality, we’ll start to see less discrimination and more opportunities. The workplace should become an equal opportunity environment for all, as the rest of the nation should be.
