Being a 21st Century Woman

We have come far in the last 50 years regarding our technological advancements and acceptance of that which is different.  Unfortunately there's still much to be done.  The clown circus that is the Republican Party in the United States is proof of that.

Girls are still forced into arranged marriages with people much older than they are.  Young women are abused for the "crime" of attending school.  Women are turned down for jobs or promotions due to their gender and/or age.  Female comedians are heckled with sexual threats.  Female game developers are doxxed and receive death threats.

Why is this still happening in the 21st century?  Why do parents still have to tell their daughters to not walk in certain areas at night, keep their keys in their hands, watch their drinks, and keep everyone at arms' length?  Why do women still have to work twice as hard for less pay, fight to keep control of their own reproductive ability, and endure unnecessary scrutiny?

It's because of men who have been taught that women are mere objects they can use for their own benefit, who think they know best for everyone around them, who believe that women are incapable of anything other than looking pretty and making babies.

I place the blame squarely on patriarchal societies that force women into undeserved stereotypes, punish women for trying to assert themselves, and use nudity and sex as marketing tools.  (I'm still angry that my favourite bookstore was closed and replaced with a lingerie shop.  Boobs before books indeed.)

Are men so afraid that they'll lose their self-worth if they allow women to be their equals?  It must be so, if on the street the worst insult you can give to a guy is to call him a "pussy".

Something has to change.

If the Americans elect Hillary Clinton as their next President, perhaps something will change.  The U.S. is one of the most powerful countries on the planet and needs to set the example.