This past Thursday on August 18th marked the 96th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth amendment which gave women the right to vote. As I was reminded of this event I couldn't help but think, "yeah, that's awesome! We've come such a long way! Woo!" While I'm right, I'm forgetting something; I'm forgetting that we still have a long way to go. Yes, women have made some pretty remarkable strides in the past 100 years or so with gaining the right to vote, the ability to fight for our country, the ability to run for public office, the right to abortion, etc.
In this day and age, its hard to go most anywhere without hearing about women's rights. This an issue that you can see almost every time you go online or there's an issue in the news involving women's rights and women's rights should get that attention. Everyone should be aware about these issues regarding women and in 2016, it's almost hard to believe these issues still exist. The funny thing is, there are some women's rights issues that we cannot simply pin on the fact that we live in an patriarchal society but, some issues we have pin on women themselves for not standing up for other women. Not standing for women is not just something we blame men for not doing but women are also partly to blame.
How far do we, as women, have to go one may ask? Well, here's your answer: very, very, far. Women still make 21 percent less than a man on average in the United States and black women on average make 37 percent less than a white male. Select states in the United States still restrict a woman's right to abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Some states don't even enforce a woman's right to breastfeed in public. And those issues just barely scratch the surface of how far women have left to go in the terms of legal issues.
Socially, women still have an even farther way to go. Gabby Douglas, an Olympic gymnast and medalist, was torn down on the internet simply because of her hair. Jennifer Anniston had to explain to the public that in a photo taken paparazzi that she wasn't pregnant, she was just bloated from lunch. Gigi Hadid had to explain her weight loss to someone on her Instagram. Olympic women are torn apart on national television because their bodies are too atheletic and don't look "feminine". Some women harass women that choose to breastfeed in public and some women believe a woman can't be president because they're too emotional. Some women believe that a woman shouldn't have an abortion.
Women, we still have a far way to go. I'm not saying that this journey will be easy but if everyone gets behind women in our community, including men, maybe the future will be brighter for our future daughters and grand daughters because I don't think I can live in a world when I have to explain to my daughter the reason why she is paid less than a man for equal work is, "sweetie, it's because you're a girl."
