How Far Have Women Really Come?
One STEP forward and TWO steps back…
As US News reminds us that for as much as women have progressed we clearly still have much more to go.
Check out some of these friendly and not so friendly reminders of our progress:
1777- All states pass laws which take away women’s right to vote.
1900- Married women are granted the right to keep their own wages and can own property.
1920 – Women can vote.
1963- Equal Pay Act is passed by Congress.
1975- The Supreme Court denies states the right to exclude women from juries.
1981- Sandra Day O’Connor becomes first woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
2012- The Paycheck Fairness Act, meant to fight gender discrimination fails in the Senate.
2017- Congress has a record number of women. There are now 104 female House Members and 21 female Senators.
Now lets talk about soccer, no, actually lets talk about MONEY…Yes, the idea that kicking a ball around a field by a woman will yield her around 71,000.00 per game and her male partner a whopping 582,000.00 tells us just how far we really have come, and clearly how much more we have before us. True, women can now play soccer but the disparity in the income and opportunities is massive.
Priorities in pay clearly have not been properly lined up, and as we all know much too well, money makes things happen and the power and strength of women hasn’t even begun to take hold!
I grew-up in a fairly traditional home for my time, my father was highly academically educated and my mother was equally highly educated as a homemaker. The messages I received were often times mixed and confusing. I recall my mother not liking to cook but she could not express this, as it was not “lady like”. As a child she wanted to study law, but was not allowed. Her opportunities were limited and so she often times settled for less and gave her dreams away. A few things I did learn at her expense were that a lady has immense power but that she often times doesn’t mature into her strength until she has raised her own children. Some of the struggles of raising children along with the delights, teaches many women that things do need changing and gives us the lessons to apply elsewhere.
Here are a few of my own take-aways from those that I have learned over the years:
2013- Always be true to yourself even if it’s not the popular vote.
2014- Never be embarrassed about good hard work. It will pay the bills and take you to the next step.
2015- Be relentless and strive for what you envision not for where you are at the moment.
2016- Remember that nothing stays the same…so if its good, enjoy it and be present for it will not stay for long. If it is bad, hang on a little longer for it too will pass.
2017- Learn to be at peace with yourself by always getting back to center. Feeling like you have to always stay busy can be a sign of restlessness.
2018- Keep moving…momentum is key to self-realization and to always growing to be the best version of yourself.
And most importantly as a woman, ALWAYS, ALWAYS ensure you have your own finances in order and are self-sustaining regardless of what stage in life you are in.
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