International Women’s Day 2020 campaign theme is #EachforEqual
An equal world is an enabled world.
Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.
We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women’s achievements.
Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender-equal world.
Let’s all be #EachforEqual.
I like the theme for the upcoming International Women’s Day on March 8. I hope it will show men–as well as women who haven’t yet signed on to the idea of their equal worth–that we are not only fighting for equality and safety for women, but for a world that’s made better for everyone.
When Elizabeth Warren’s Presidential campaign ended, political commentators were asking, “How did the Democrats begin with such a diverse field of candidates and end up with two old white men as the frontrunners?”
I think we know the answer, but we pretend we don’t.
The status quo favors men while devaluing the majority gender: Women make up almost 51% of the U.S. population, yet they are underrepresented in the House and Senate and most industries.
This situation is 1950s mentality when we “celebrated” the so-called little woman who was good for sex, having children, cooking the meals, and cleaning up the house. Many of today’s clueless reporters–as we saw in the 2016 election with Hillary’s pantsuit coverage–were more concerned about what women wore than what women said.
Thirty years ago, I got into a heated debate with a female co-worker who was probably the smartest employee on the technical writing/testing staff about the fact she did what her husband told her to do because he was head of the household.
When I told her that “head of the household” BS was an out-of-date concept, she said her Christian religion also said the husband is head of the household. When she quoted Bible verses to prove it, I said that her examples all came from the Old Testament in the days when there was not yet a Christian religion. Nonetheless, I didn’t “win” the argument. (Last I heard, they were still happily married. I would have felt bad if I caused a divorce.)
I think of this discussion because I many (most?) men and women still believe that the man is not only in charge of the household, but the office, the Congress, and the country. They believe that 51% of our nation’s wisdom should be confined to the kitchen and laundry room.
As a white man, permit me to say that patriarchy is stupid. Look where it’s gotten us.
Malcolm's Round Table 
So very, very many ‘things’ have been designed by men for men. For example, car driving positions; especially car seat belts (miserably uncomfortable if you have a bust); kitchens (who decided on the height of kitchen counters?); anywhere a child’s buggy has to go (slightly better these days than it used to be). Even the acceptable weight of a book is derived from what a man finds useable. And don’t even get me started on high heels.
You are right to say that inequality still runs all through life. It is so ingrained that some men are now claiming that women are too equal. And many women preface pro-woman remarks with ‘I’m no feminist, but …’
We’ve come a ways since the bra-burning Seventies. But, oh boy, is there still a long way to go.
The mess is a long way from being cleaned up.
Reblogged this on CoffeeMamma.
Cool.