"I do not wish women to have power over men, but over themselves." -Mary Wollstonecraft

In today's society, we as women have become so obsessed with proving ourselves equal to men that we've forgotten what it truly means to be a woman.

We have forgotten our uniqueness.

In trying to prove that we can do everything a man can do, we've forgotten we weren't meant to... We were meant to do everything a man can't.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of women being strong and independent. I am, after all, a single mother and have been for 6 and a half years. I know a little bit about having to be a strong woman. But not at the cost of everything that makes us wonderfully and beautifully women.

We as women are capable of so much! Strength and compassion. Men may have traditionally been the bread winners, but women have always and will always be the backbone.

We think with our heads and our hearts. We can carry the weight and burdens of an entire nation, yet show up with happiness, love, and joy.

A woman's heart is what keeps the world together and what keeps it going round.

Yet, somehow in today's society, we seem to have forgotten this. Somehow proving ourselves has become the focus. Somehow hating men has become the focus. Somehow playing the victim has become the focus. We have become the women who cry wolf for attention, actually making a difference has taken a backseat.

I understand that there is a gender gap, I'm not unaware of it. I understand our rights are still not equal to those of men. I understand we still have a long way to go. But we have come a long way over the last 100+ years.

I don't know about anyone else, but my parents never raised me to believe that I was a victim nor at a disadvantage because I was born a woman. They never raised me to see myself, or women as a whole, as less than that of men. And I never have. I've never thought I couldn't do something I've wanted to do because of my gender.

You see, I am of the belief that the only limits I have are the ones I play on myself... My gender has nothing to do with it, my mind does.

Your mind does.

If we keep believing we are perceived as less, we will continue to be. Things won't change very quickly because we have put limits upon ourselves. I'm not saying pretend the gap doesn't exist, I'm saying rise above it.

I don't feel the need to protect my lady parts, nor do I need to protest about how fair or unfair I believe things to be. Because none of it is actively doing anything to change it.

Ladies, you want change?

Then go out there, stop protesting and complaining, and actively WORK for a change! Do something to propel women's rights forward. Quit talking, screaming, and protesting about change and BE. THE. CHANGE.

Stop teaching our younger generation that it's alright to play the victim when we don't get something we want. When we haven't worked for what it is we want. There are a lot of our ancestors who worked for the changes we have now, actively worked for it every day.

Have you?

I can't speak for you, but I haven't as I should be. Does that make me a hypocrite? It may. But also, I've never complained about how unfair I do or don't think things are. I've never protested nor felt I was a victim.

Ladies we have to earn what we desire, contrary to this country's belief these days, it isn't just handed to you.

Yes, we are still at a disadvantage in today's society, but I don't see that as a reason to complain, whine, or throw a fit.

I see it as a challenge, one that I happily accept.

You may think we have it bad, but I think you are mistaken.

We have more opportunities today than we have ever had. America may not be at the top of the list, but we have more opportunities here than women in a lot of other countries around the world.

Ladies, we are ALL fearfully and wonderfully made and it's about damn time we start acting like it!!

XOXO

~Cassie Ann