Distorted Image of Who We Are
No matter how much we believe we have received an equal standing with men, the reality of the matter is: we are still seen as the weakest link, the worst drivers, and as individuals whose place are at home cooking dinner and taking care of the children that we love but that we might have had before we were ready and had the opportunity to accomplish our dreams. Unfortunately, due to our inability to see past the propaganda bombarded on top of us by the various outlets in the world today, we believe that the balance between women and men are even and that we no longer have to pay any mind to the whispering of an “Us vs Them” battle. Yet, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, in 2015, women received 79 cents for every dollar earned by men – giving us a gender wage gap of 21%. It should be clear that men and women are still circling each other in the boxing ring and that the majority of women are forfeiting the fight and putting their hands up in surrender. Catalyst, a non-profit organization with a mission to accelerate the progress of women in society, gave us a more global view on this issue. In Australia, the gender wage gap is 18%. In Germany, it is 13.4%. In Japan, it is a whopping 26.6%. In Mexico, it is 18.3%. Lastly, in the United Kingdom, it is 17.4% (we shall see what happens to this statistic as time goes by since their departure from the EU). This is only in the workplace, but there are many other avenues where women are still subject to abuse and rejection. It seems women are under the impression that they have to succumb to the ideal picture society – which is mostly dictated by men – set out for them to be. As a result, they take extreme and many times, dangerous measures to comply to this “ideal picture.” They have to look a certain way in order to be considered beautiful and worthy. They have to own certain things in order to be considered important. Most of all, they have to behave and think in a certain way in order to avoid being rejected and labeled as “odd”.
Where Has Our Sense of Equality Gone?
What has happened to the spirit of the lioness fighting to find her voice amidst the curses of the repelled man wanting to contain and imprison the wonder that is woman? What has happened to the unity we use to have as lionesses, working towards a cause that is brighter for us all? Today, we would rather spend time criticizing and breaking each other down in order to feel better. We would rather spend time begging a man to give us a few minutes of his time and attention, even if that means changing who we are in the process. It is jaw-dropping to see the level we have sunk to as roaring and influential individuals, but most of all, it is terrifying to watch how we have forgotten the legacy of the powerful women fighting for the “equality” we have today. Yet, the pivotal point that truly alarms me is the legacy we are leaving for our daughters, our sisters, our nieces – the generation of tomorrow. I look at what follows us and I am morbidly saddened – they are looking at our ways of doing and thinking, and they are naively and innocently repeating it. Can we stand proud at the example we are giving them? Can we really stand blameless in the face of all the unwanted teen pregnancies and suicide – all the physical and emotional abuse that young women are suffering under today?
It Is In Our Hands, Now Arise
Ladies, it is time to remember our worth. It is time to remember the roaring lionesses that we are and that no one in their right mind would dare mess with. It is time that we stop our bickering and criticizing, come together in unity and teach the cubs – and by cubs, I mean the girls and the boys of tomorrow – that they are worthy and influential beyond measure. We should teach them that there is absolutely nothing wrong or “faulty” with the way they look and act, that the thing that makes them stand out as unique individuals, is also the thing that will make them an invincible force of nature. We have to get out of our selfish bubble of comfort and start thinking about tomorrow. Let us not abandon the responsibility we have towards the future. Let us start arising with the knowledge that we are powerful forces of light made to demolish darkness, we have a mission, a purpose – let us start to live it! Featured photo credit: Cara Delevingne via xtrafondos.com
