Last year, I hosted a presentation concerning women on college campuses and at the end, I put the question to my audience: “Have you or anyone you know faced gender-based discrimination in regards to your education or being in college?”
Everyone in the room, with the exception of the one male present, raised their hand.
I heard the words fly –
“When I go home to my parents, they don’t ask me about my grades. They ask me if I’ve met anyone.”
“My mom keeps pressuring me to get married – I’m 22.”
Some young women present said that the men in their family are put on a pedestal for their education while the women get more small scale celebrations for their graduations from high school and college.
Why?
How can it be – in this fantastically advanced and progressive society – how can it be that women are still not being esteemed properly for their knowledge?
I am currently in a World Literature class in which we have discussed Immanuel Kant’s The Fair Sex, an 18th century essay on women’s inability to perform in education because such intellectual ventures would “destroy the merits that are proper to her sex.”
Perhaps Kant’s way of thinking is not as archaic as we may have thought, since women across the country are continuing to find themselves cornered by their families and bullied into discussions about having children rather than attaining a degree.
Is that really what we value? Still?
During the presidential campaigning season last year, Hillary Clinton faced criticism after delivering a triumphant speech for her New York primary victory, but not because of what she said or did – because of what she wore.
Photo Courtesy of The Gateway Pundit
Despite her accomplishments in promoting health and women’s rights, former First Lady Michelle Obama gained a reputation as the “First Lady of Fashion.”
We need to lessen our attention to our daughters’ beauty and emphasize our compliments to their minds.
We need to stop asking, “When are you going to have my grandchildren?” and start asking, “When are you going to apply for that internship?”
We were not born into this world for a few dinnertime compliments and family reunion gossip about dating.
Stop equivalating a woman’s face or relationship to some sort of lifetime accomplishment.
Ladies, your education is important and your desire to learn is valid.
Keep on growing, and don’t let those who refuse to grow hinder your progress.
HC with care,
Megan
Sources:
https://abeautifulandnoblevirtue.wordpress.com/2015/03/04/the-fair-sex/
http://msmagazine.com/blog/2016/06/13/the-one-battle-female-politicians-just-cant-win/
http://blackdoctor.org/483712/job-well-done-first-lady-16-accomplishments-of-michelle-obama/
Photo Sources:
http://16004-presscdn-0-50.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/Hillary-Armani-575×479.jpg