If you're a man, this one's for you.

International Women's Day Is For The Men, Too

Stay with me here...

Belle Ross
Belle Ross Mar 8, 2019
49
views

Upon reading this headline, you might be a bit frustrated with me.

"Seriously? We get this day for ourselves and now you want us to share it with the men? How typical."

Trust me, I see where you're coming from. Since literally the beginning of time, a woman's primary role was to serve the man. The redeeming qualities of a woman were not measured by her wit, her personality, her humor, or her intellect, but rather on her ability to cook delicious meals, keep the house clean, and to please her husband in the bedroom. Women were objects.

1940's Advertisement for Schlitz


1960s Advertisement for Ketchup


1940s Advertisement for Hardee's Hamburgers

I wish these ads were photoshopped, but sadly, these ran only sixty years ago. Though today's society likes to think that discrimination against women is an issue of the past, to be quite frank, they're wrong. Women are still statistically paid less than men, women are still not taken seriously in the workplace, women in relationships are still being abused, and "old-fashioned" stereotypes are still relevant today.

So, why is March 8th for the men again? Well...

It's for the men to understand their privilege.

It's for the men to change their attitudes and beliefs towards women in power.

It's for the men to see that this issue is something bigger than itself.

It's for the men to realize that feminism does not mean women over men, it means women = men.

It's for the men to wake up & fight for the rights women deserve.

And sometimes, it's hard. Men have far too often been raised with the idea that they are superior to women. They're supposed to be the breadwinner in the house, to pursue careers in STEM fields, to be the head of the family, etc. I mean, take a look at some of the gendered nouns we are using in our everyday vocabulary: manhandle, milkman, manhole, mankind. Other aspects are more subtle. Ships, cars, and motorcycles are typically assigned female pronouns and names - is it so men can possess these inanimate objects and hold dominance over them? So they can be their trophies?

Now, before any men reading this become upset saying, "This isn't a real problem" or "You're blowing this way out of proportion", thank you - you're literally proving my point with your outburst. Do not try and mansplain women's inequality to women or to undermine our feelings because truthfully, you just don't get it. Instead, what you can do is open your ears, listen to what the female population is saying, respect their goals and opinions, respect their bodies, stand up when you witness discrimination, and for the love of God, just be a good person.

Now go hug your mom/sister/grandmother/aunt/girlfriend/wife/best friend.

Belle Ross
Belle Ross Mar 8, 2019
At DePaul University

Popular Right Now

I'm A Christian Girl And I'm Not A Feminist, Because God Did Not Intend For Women To Be Equals

It is OK for me to not want to be equivalent with a man.

Rach_Wallace
Rach_Wallace Mar 12, 2019
785892
views

To start off, I am not writing this to bash feminists or get hate messages. I am simply writing this to state why I do not perceive myself as a feminist.

March is International Women's Month and that is what has got me thinking about how I view myself as a young woman in the 21st century. I enjoy every day getting to soak up the world as a young lady, particularly in the South.

If you know me, then you know that I love and utterly adore Jesus. He is so perfect. He is everything. He is my whole life. Some people might say that I am a "Bible-thumper" or someone who has had too much Kool-aid and maybe I am, but I know who my Creator is and that He died for me, and that is all that matters.

In my young age, I loved to just sit in church with my parents and absorb all that God would deliver. As I have grown up, I have ventured off and joined a church that is different than my parents, so the responsibility falls more on me, but I love that. Since this era of independence began, I have thoroughly enjoyed taking ownership of my faith.

I spend a lot of time chatting with God, worshipping Him in all kinds of ways, and just diving deeper into His Word. Through all of this growth as a Christian, I have learned a lot, but something I have learned is a concept that some may not agree with, which does not surprise me.

I do not believe God meant for women and men to be equal.

There, I acknowledged the elephant in the room.

It is a shocker, I know, but I have some Biblical evidence to back up this belief that I have.

Let us begin in Genesis. God created man and then he created woman. This was two separate occurrences and order is key. He created Adam and then Eve.

Jesus treated women with grace and kindness, do not get me wrong. I mean just look at how He treated the woman at the well, the one who used all of her expensive perfume to cleanse His feet and not to mention His own biological mother! He has a truly unique place in his heart for women, but He also has special intentions for us in the world and in the family setting.

We are to submit to our husbands.

We are to be energetic, strong, and a hard worker.

We are to be busy and helpful to those in need.

We are to be fearless.

All of this is explicitly laid out by God in Proverbs 31.

We are not to be equal to our male counterparts. Jesus does not lay out the Proverbs 31 man, but He rather lays out the Proverbs 31 woman.

A husband or man is to be the head of the household as Christ is to the church.

A man is to love a woman so deeply that represents how he loves himself.

A man is to leave his father and mother.

Women and men are not equal in God's eyes, but they each represent Him in their own ways that the other needs.

If we were all equal, we would not need one another and therefore we would not need God. I am so thankful that we were not created equal. I am so thankful that God is so great that He could not just create only man or woman to represent His image. He is so perfect.

So, you see I am not a feminist, and it is OK.

It is acceptable for me to have this belief that God intended for men to lead women. It is also okay for people to have differing opinions. Writing this was not easy, but I know that not all people agree.

To feminists and those that are not, you are allowed to believe whatever you wish but have evidence to back it up.

Rach_Wallace
Rach_Wallace Mar 12, 2019
At Jacksonville State University

Related Content

Connect with a generation
of new voices.

We are students, thinkers, influencers, and communities sharing our ideas with the world. Join our platform to create and discover content that actually matters to you.

Learn more Start Creating

To The Girls Who Have Doubts About Their Worth

You can do so much more than you know!

Christina Stover
Christina Stover May 20, 2019
42
views

I won't say I'm a professional at this, but it is a frequent state of mind. I think that's just something we all go through. Whether it be during high school, college, or even later. There's a small part of your brain that whispers, "You don't deserve this" or "You're not good enough." And despite all of your accomplishments and how far you've come, you believe it. It's not your fault, it's none of ours, it's just something that makes us second guess everything about ourselves. It's not intentional, it just happens. Sometimes even without us knowing it. So, this article is for you all. I hope it helps.

This past semester has been the best one of my three years of college. I got the best grades, the highest GPA, and I actually enjoyed myself. I am in my major classes, and it really made me proud that I made the scary switch. I am in a much better place and I am so thankful. I am changing apartments next year and living in the same complex as three of my best friends. I am going to get a job and enjoy my senior year. So, despite having all of these amazing things in my life, there is still a sliver of doubt that I don't deserve it. Since I found my passion, I'm not allowed to have two fantastic internships or a summer job. Or time next semester to enjoy my college career. And it doesn't matter how many times my mom reassures me that I'm doing great or my friends tell me that this is the happiest they've seen me, I still have this doubt.

My advice for dealing with the negative thoughts is this: tune them out. Say f*** it, and just do your thing.

All you can do is better yourself and your future. Take risks and do something that you actually enjoy. I didn't realize how much I hated business until I switched to journalism. Even a small change like that has really turned my entire life around. I have met so many fun and awesome people that I now call my friends because of this switch. It's OK to be nervous but take that leap of faith. Trust yourself. You are capable of so much more than you let yourself believe. As long as you are safe and careful, make things happen. Apply for that job. Get that tattoo. Do what makes you happy. Because that's all any of us want. We all want to be happy, and if you can do that, you can do anything.

Yes, putting yourself out into the world is super scary. But it's worth it when it matters and it's something you want to do. You are worth so much more than you are aware of, and that stupid, little voice in the back of your head should be your motivation. It should push you to become the best version of yourself you can be. Don't let it hold you back, let it push you forward. You don't want to miss out on awesome opportunities because of that stupid voice, right? Right! So, just tell that voice, "Give it your best shot" because you just use that voice to motivate yourself to do the best you can. Nothing should hold you back, even that little voice, because, you can move mountains and change the world.

Christina Stover
Christina Stover May 20, 2019
At Bowling Green State University

Related Content

Facebook Comments