Does It Still Suck Being A Woman In 2021?

The United States has proclaimed August 26 as Women’s Equality Day, as it marks the day that women were granted the equal right to vote back in 1973. For decades, both women and men have been celebrating this occasion. However as a woman, I believe that is not that much to be celebrating. Please don’t get me wrong though, I wholeheartedly thank all the resilient women who gave it their all to make voting possible for me today. The demand for women’s suffrage, which means women’s right to vote in elections, had arisen in the 1840s. Various infamous social activists, such as Susan B. Anthony went through great lengths to convince the public. They had to form associations, conduct petitions, give speeches, publish newspapers, travel to work on state campaigns and so much more. On top of these major responsibilities, they had to deal with other citizens ridiculing them and harsh accusations. Words cannot express how grateful I am for all social reformers and women’s right activists.

The point I want to make is that gender equality does not exist. Women are not given the same opportunities, respect or status that men are granted. There is an uneven access of education, lack of political representation, restrictions on medical care, wage gaps and so much more. A study conducted by Payscale Canada has proven that gender inequality still exists in 2021. Their research proved that women are only making $0.82 for every dollar men make this year. Another major example of how unfairly women are being treated is seen in Targeted restrictions on abortion providers (TRAP) laws and other strict abortion regulations.Some countries and American states have banned or heavily restricted abortion. These countries are forcing women to keep their rapist’s child. They are forcing those who are unfit to be mothers to bear a child. Rather than falsely frame these pregnant women as “murders” or “sinners”, try to empathize with them. Wanting to abort is a huge decision. No one wants to possibly expose themselves to serious health risks and psychological consequences without their consent! Women are capable of making the right decision for themselves.

Now, let’s brainstorm. It is definitely going to be hard to fix all the gender inequality concerns there are. Many men and some women see no problem and have considered it as the norm. That is where we come in. It is our responsibility to share our perspective. Whether it is in a small way or big, change can still happen. If you see your brother not being given as much chores as you, talk to your parents about it! It is fairly common for daughters to be given all the “typical” feminine tasks, whereas sons are not. If your mom tells you to stop lifting at the gym to avoid looking “manly”, tell her that your health should always be a priority over appearance. If you want to help make change on a bigger scale, take part in women's protests. Marches are an effective way to make sure our voices are being heard. What we have to say matters. We deserve to have a part in forming our education, employment and medical policies. We need more female politicians, doctors, police officers, CEOs to help make decisions that satisfy us as well. An amazing example would be Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern! She is New Zealand’s current prime minister, and is leading the most diverse government in New Zealand’s history. Not only does she have some really progressive policies, she ensures that the Cabinet reflects the nation’s diversity. Of the 20 people in the Cabinet, “eight members are women, five are Māori, three are Pasifika, and three are from the LGBTQ+ community” . She has also implemented a 2.8 billion income support initiative for her country’s most vulnerable population, which are primarily women, after COVID lockdowns. Another fun fact to prove how brilliant she is that New Zealand is the only country that has achieved their goal to eliminate COVID-19!

Having one day in the year declared for Women’s Equality is personally not enough. I want to be able to experience gender equality. I want the same for my sisters, future daughters, granddaughters and friends. If we want “more” Jacinda Arden leading our counties, we have to work towards building our girls more accessible platforms. Until then, we must continue to fight for women’s rights until it no longer sucks being a woman.

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Sources:

• “Racial and Gender Pay Gap Statistics for 2021.” PayScale, www.payscale.com/data/gender-pay-gap.

• “Women in Politics in New Zealand: Here's What They Are Doing Right.” Inter-Parliamentary Union, 22 Mar. 2021, www.ipu.org/news/case-studies/2021-03/women-in-politics-in-new-zealand-heres-what-they-are-doing-right

• “Women's Suffrage in the United States.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 July 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage_in_the_United_States#Early_voting_act ivity