The Fight For Women's Rights Has Come So Far, But Not Far Enough
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The Fight For Women's Rights Has Come So Far, But Not Far Enough

The world isn't as kind to women as it is to men.

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The Fight For Women's Rights Has Come So Far, But Not Far Enough
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It's been 97 years since the 19th Amendment was ratified and women were allowed to vote.

It's been more than a century since the Women's Suffrage Movement began and women broke their silence; they were warriors for women today and worked tirelessly and got harassed for years so that women would have a better future. They risked their lives so that women would have the same rights as men.

We've come a long way since August 18, 1920, but not far enough.

Although women have more power and rights today than ever before, it’s a dangerous world to live in if you’re a woman. We are constantly walking on egg shells and watching our backs because the world isn't as kind to us as it is to men. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, or what your status is; if you’re a woman, life will always be a little harder until change happens. Being a woman is powerful and I don’t resent it one bit, but it’s also difficult for various reasons.


1. We have to be cautious.

When you arrive at college as an eager, bright-eyed freshman, they tell you to have fun and study hard, but they also tell you to be safe.

Women are advised to avoid walking alone at night, and if they have to, they’re encouraged to utilize the "buddy system" and walk with a friend. Most college women have had their fair share of late-night walks by themselves, so they call someone and talk to them as they walk, with hope that this will lower their chances of being bothers or harassed.

When you hear about sexual assault and human trafficking—whether it’s through an education program at your school or you read about it on the news—women are almost always the targets. Very rarely do you hear about men being victims of sexual assault or human trafficking.

Women have always been stereotyped as weaker of the two genders, and for some reason, we’re almost always the target in dangerous situations like these. It’s difficult being a woman because we’re never safe; we always have to watch our backs and choose the safest option because we get harassed so easily.

2. The world judges us.

It seems like every time we turn on the news, a girl is fighting her school after banning her from graduation following a previous suspension for "violating" the school's dress code. It seems like every time we get on Facebook or Twitter, we see a post about how someone got sent home from school for being too "busty" or had to change their yearbook photo because their shoulders were exposed.

Being a woman is difficult because the world is always watching us, always searching for something they can judge us about. If we wear something too revealing, society labels us whores and says that we are "asking for it" or that we are "trying too hard." If we're not a size two like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, society says that you're too fat to wear a crop top or show any skin.

God forbid we don't wear makeup one day. There are so many unrealistic expectations set before women that it can be hard to bear. Women are regularly sexualized for their appearance and it's difficult to live your life freely when the world is constantly judging you.

3. The gender pay gap is ridiculous.

Do I even have to explain this? I know it, you know it, and the world knows that women have always been paid significantly less than men.

When Forbes released their highest paid actors and actresses list this past August, the world was outraged when they discovered that the highest paid actor was paid $42 million more than the highest paid actress; Mark Wahlberg made $68 million and Emma Stone made $26 million.

At first, you're probably thinking, "What's the problem? That's still more money than I'll ever make." But that's not the point. The point is, there were 13 actors between the highest paid actor and actress. There were 30 people on Forbes' list, and overall, the highest paid actors made a combined total of 720,000,000 in 2016, whereas the highest paid actresses made a combined total of 158,500,000. If you don't see a problem with the comparison between those two numbers, then you have a problem.

The previous example is an extreme case of pay inequality between men and women. If we look at the normal working-class, there is still a substantial pay gap between men and women, with women generally earning 79 cents for every dollar a man makes, earning about $10,800 less a year than what men make. Women face more pitfalls than men when it comes to earning the salary they deserve, and for what reason?

4. Women have to fight for equal opportunities.

Most women in the military never have the opportunity of fighting on the front lines because people often view females as the weaker gender, emotionally and physically. Until recently, women didn't even have the option to fight on the front lines because it was illegal.

There has never been a woman on any male-dominated professional sports team in the United States.

There has never been a leading sports official who was a female for any professional sports team.

Female CEO's are few and far. According to the Chicago Tribune, only six percent of the nation's leading companies have female CEOs. According to CNN, there are only 32 females leading Fortune 500 companies.

The list goes on and on, you can fill in the blanks.


It's been 97 years since the 19th Amendment was ratified and women were allowed to vote.

While the women leading the Women's Suffrage Movement paved the way for women today, there is still so much work to be done to earn the respect, equal pay, and equal opportunities that we deserve.

Women shouldn't have to be cautious when walking home late at night. They shouldn't have to question their appearance because the world is so judgmental. Gender pay gap shouldn't exist, especially if we are doing the same exact work as our male coworker(s). Women shouldn't have to work harder for certain opportunities just because of their gender, just like gender discrimination shouldn't be as common as it is.

Although women still have a long way to to go, women have defied the odds and have accomplished amazing things.

In 1928, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean solo.

In 1943, the first women's professional baseball league was created, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball.

In 1976, Emily Howell Warner became the first female captain of an American airline.

In 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman on the Supreme Court.

In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director, for her movie, "The Hurt Locker."

In 2013, Danica Patrick became the first female to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to win a major U.S. political party nomination.

In 2017, Jessica Mendoza became the first female to be a Major League Baseball analyst.

Women should not be underestimated. We are strong. We are worthy. We are brave. We are no different than men and we shouldn't be treated any differently.

Being a woman is difficult because inequality is so prevalent in today's society, but we have banded together and will not stop fighting until we receive equal rights and opportunities.

Will you join us?

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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