Steps towards equality for women – Part 7
A few years ago, I remember going to the dollar store to get some things, when I ran into an older gentleman who attempted to open the door to the store for me. But being used to opening the door myself I beat him to the pass. Then he chuckled and said, “Hah! You’re too liberated!” I thought about what he said for a second, stepped back, and let him open the door for me. In the old days opening a door for a woman was always considered as a respectful courtesy to her. Nowadays, you usually have to open that heavy thing yourself!
My point is that women deserve respect in small ways as well as big, and that’s why equality of women is still a matter for debate even in 2008. Being a female has taken me down a very insightful, and sometimes frustrating path. It’s obvious to me that overall women are not treated as equals in many societies around the world including America.
There seems to be extremes as to what women must do to earn the same paycheck and the same acknowledgement as men. One portrayal is a woman who is extremely aggressive, ambitious and cold who shows no signs of vulnerability in the work place. The other is often a helpless creature who can’t go through life without a man’s help, (at least that’s what the woman puts on), and has to be rescued from herself. Another is the sex goddess that has the power to make men empty their bank accounts, whenever she wants. Real women have many struggles trying to cope with societies’ estimation of what they should and could be. Many see Hillary Clinton as a good role model for young girls who want to accomplish their goals. However, a good role model can be found with the female members of the family. It’s so important for a young girl to see positive messages being practiced in the home. When a young woman has a healthy self-esteem about who she is, she is more likely to be successful in her career and her personal life. Equality for women, I find, is more than the idea that women are just as good and just as smart as a man. It’s about treating her with respect and with the courtesy you would to a fellow human being.
People often interpret the Bible as a book written to demean women. But a close examination encourages husbands to treat their wives as their own bodies; and when the term “weaker sex is used,” it refers simply to the fact that overall, women are not as physically strong as the average man. Because women, have to go through a menstrual cycle and challenges associated with childbirth, a man can put up with any sacrifices he has to make with an understanding of what his wife has to deal with, and act accordingly with tenderness. Recognizing a man’s role as the head of the household does not have to be a burden for a woman if the headship is carried out properly. In the corporate world, everyone has their duties to make a company run smoothly. In order for the family to run smoothly, it’s neither necessary for a woman or a man to have to multitask responsibility when it can be shared.
The media can make this become more attainable. What we watch often has an effect on how we live. But I suppose it’s up to us how far we are willing to go to make this a continuing debate.
