"Women make up more than half of the world's population and potential, so it is neither just nor practical for their voices, for OUR voices, to go unheard at the highest level of decision- making." -Meghan Markle on the importance of women in politics.
"Perhaps this is the moment for which you were created." -Esther 4:14
Women's History Month is a time for women to celebrate who they are, and what they have and hope to accomplish one day.
Over the years, women have already accomplished so much; the most important being our right to vote in 1925. Thanks to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth, we finally get to a have a say in something as big as who gets to run our country.
Another important women's accomplishment is being elected as a Supreme Court Justice. Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who really turned things around for women when she filed that lawsuit that went to the Supreme Court), Sonia Sotomayor (first Hispanic justice), and Elena Kagan can surely be considered a real inspiration to get where they are today.
Third, women have become more and more involved in the workforce ever since World War II. It was the chance for women to show that they were just as good as men! World War II also brought women into the world of professional baseball. Before the war, women didn't play this sport professionally, but once the war started, there had to be something to distract the public- so the women were in! There were strict rules: there had to be chaperones to keep those rules enforced, and they had to attend charm school, but that was the start of women's professional baseball!
Lastly, the need for women to have to answer to their husbands has almost completely diminished. In the old days, women were seen as property, and had to have permission from their husbands for everything! Even in their wedding vows, women had to promise to obey. But what are things like now?
However, women still have a long way to go in terms of changing our male-dominant society.
For one, the United States is yet to have a female president. There have been presidents and first ladies for generations, but never, not once, has there been a female president. Women have been bringing changes to our country since the very beginning, but this is one thing that has yet to happen!
Second, women still don't receive equal pay as men for performing the exact same jobs. Let's face it: women work just as hard as men do (though some may argue that they work harder at times), so they deserve the same amount of reward.
Third, women are still not allowed to sign up for the draft. I know no one would want to be drafted, but I feel like this is how it should be for gender equality. And it's not just the draft: in general, the men in armed forces outnumber the women. A lot of people probably argue that women aren't strong enough for battle which is exactly what they have been proving wrong for so long!
Lastly, the way women are portrayed in the media needs to change. Today, the media has portrayed many heroines in movies and tv shows. However, most of them still portray them as needing to be rescued or needing to acquire something such as a certain look in order to get a man's attention. Also in modern day tv shows such as "Everybody Loves Raymond", they still portray men as the breadwinners and women as housewives. Also, think about superheroes: men outnumber them, too (especially when you consider how well-known they are). There has been progress on this matter with Wonder Woman, Cat Woman, and recently Captain Marvel, and maybe even more if you count Elastigirl, Violet, and Voyd from "The Incredibles" movies.
But, despite all this, there is still more progress to be made. We can do this!
