Being a woman is just as hard as being an organism under the microscope. Women are often under scrutiny everywhere, and unfortunately, they are often subject to criticisms for things that do not fit the usual standards.
Even at this age, women still find it hard to stand up for themselves, be in a 100% safe environment, and even be honest to themselves. There are some cases that women who show promise are threats to the male-dominated industries, and there are still countries that think women belong nowhere else but the kitchen. As sad as that is, there is only so much which people and advocates can do, and that is to raise awareness.
Women empowerment starts with educating women about what should be normal and what they should be proud of. This article will tell you some of the most important examples of these things.
Ambition Is Not Bad
Women have self-goals and dreams, and there is nothing wrong with doing everything to reach those, even sacrificing some responsibilities at home. Being a rockstar does not happen overnight. It takes courage, dedication, and focus, and the same thing goes for professional working women. Opportunities do not happen to stumble across the yard waiting for women to grab it. Women also have to work hard for what they have and what they want in life.
Promotions, for example, require years of anyone’s life, but with a professional working woman, that means she would not have the time to take care of children. Unfortunately, it is easy to call someone like that selfish, but that is merely akin to an athlete training for years to become successful. Ambition and long-term goals define a person’s character, but when a woman has a number of those, she suddenly becomes selfish. How come?
Emotions Are Not a Weakness
When people talk about women, they often correlate being emotional and moody with them. It is due to feminine hormones and chromosomes, so these allegations can be true. However, diminishing a woman’s natural attributes of being empathetic with compassion and kindness to be emotional and weak is simply unjustifiable. Women are strong because they know how to feel, and they know how to put themselves in others’ shoes, making them great business leaders.
The number of CEOs in the country is still predominantly held by men, and women are still yet to reach at least an equal ratio because of this notion of being weak. Most people think that a woman leading the business would be unsuccessful and inefficient, but there is really no basis to prove the claims. Fortunately, things are starting to look up nowadays. As the years go by, even famous brands align themselves with female icons, proving that there is nothing women cannot conquer when they put their minds and hearts in it. Even Serena Williams, a professional and world-dominating champion, has conquered motherhood. Think about it.
Women Can Do Physical Work, Too
It has been the men’s role to do challenging physical labor for many decades while women have tended to what they needed. Understandably, men are biologically designed to be stronger than women, but that does not necessarily mean that women cannot do it.
There is a phenomenon called mansplaining, where men step into man-explain things to women in the gym and basically to women doing physical stuff. That’s why the next time someone tells you that you should go with bricks, even when limestone veneer sidings are definitely much better for your house, just remember that some men tend to mansplain.
Unwelcomed Sexual Compliments Are a Form of Harassment
The long-debated argument about whether office sexual banters are compliments or not. Well, when a woman feels genuinely uncomfortable about it, that is already one form of harassment. When you feel that the remarks were unnecessary and coated with malice, that is already harassment. When there is no consent given, even a simple touch of the palm on your hips is already a form of harassment. Gone are the days when women were entertainment objects in the workplace and when men watched and rated skirts from afar.
Remember, when there is no consent, that is already a form of harassment. When you are being taken advantage of, that is also harassment, and you should directly report to your human resources department.
Women Can Also Choose
For many decades, women have been placed on a societal pedestal as lovely dolls waiting to be courted. Years ago, when a woman was not desired by anyone, there was nothing to choose from but the convent or life at home. Now, things have changed, and women can seek job opportunities, pursue a passion, and even talk to potential partners first. Yes, women approaching men or other people first is normalized in this society. Dating apps, such as Bumble, have made a feature where the women have the first move.
Final Thoughts
Being an empowered woman starts with yourself. Even when there are still parts of the world that limits women, you can do better. You simply have to be the change you want to see in the world.
