Alright, ladies… before you get your panties in a bunch, hear me out on this one.  Women deserve equal rights, equal pay, and equal opportunity based on qualifications.  SOLELY on qualifications, not their gender.

Girls, here’s where you’re being sold short.  Do I deserve for a man to open a door for me?  Absolutely.  Do I deserve for my husband to be the provider and protector of me and our family?  Absolutely.  Does that make me weak or a lesser individual?  Nope.  If you feel that it does, maybe you need to do a little soul searching.  Men opening doors for women and being chivalrous displays that women deserve to be taken care of, not because we’re fragile or can’t stand up for ourselves, but because we should be valued.  If that makes you feel less, your value problem may be with yourself, not with those around you.  I’ll happily tell all of the courteous men in my life to let the door slam in your face since you can take care of it yourself.

Women (and men while I’m at it) are being reduced to a gender, which means they MUST be underpaid, undervalued, weak, and subservient, right?  Because I’m a woman, I must be held back in a male dominated field, right?  Because I’m a woman, I must feel the need to march with a pink sign while wearing genitalia on my head (what I would be marching for… I’m still not sure…), right?  Because I’m a woman, I should demand to be paid while I go off and have babies and not contribute anything to my place of employment, right?  Because I’m a woman, I deserve the right to kill another human being because they’re an inconvenience in my life, right?  Sorry, guys… I know the sarcasm is strong in this one.  I am just finding it so hard to sit by and watch “feminists” claim that they deserve rights.  What rights are you lacking?  Seriously… fill me in.  I’m still waiting to hear a legitimate answer to this question.  Currently, in America, what rights are you lacking?

Did my gender define my career path?  Nope.  I work in a male dominated career field because it’s what I love.  Should all women choose a male dominated career path to stick it to the man?  Nope. Women should do what they love or do what is right for their family and for themselves, not because they’re being shoved toward a male dominated career field solely to fill a “void”.  If staying home with their kids is what’s best for them and their family, they should have full support.  If working a full-time job is what is best for them and their family, they should have full support.

While we’re on the subject of employment, let’s discuss this pay gap.  While I’m sure there are many instances of females earning less than their male counterparts, here are a few contributing factors that are being vastly overlooked.  First, many women have children and some time goes by that they are out of the workforce.  Now, if a male counterpart has been continually employed while a female with the same credentials has been out of the employment field even a few years, this means the male counterpart will likely earn a higher wage.  This is absolutely fair.  The female has chosen to take time away from her profession in order to rear her children.  This is a life choice the female has made, so there are consequences.  If the female wants to maintain the same compensation as her male counterpart arrangements must be made, otherwise, she will not be compensated at a comparable rate.  This leads to the next workplace “inequality”… maternity leave.

Women.  Have.  Babies.   Simple fact of life… if men had babies there would be a lot more whining and a lot more pain killers 😉 . Totally kidding, men (*cough cough* not really…).  Now, women must leave their place employment for a period of time to deliver their baby and recover.  While the mother is away from work, her coworkers must pick up her slack.  Yes… her slack.  Is she there contributing to her company?  No.  Simple answer.  Should she be compensated?  Well, that depends on the company’s stance-as it should be.  There are some awesome employers out there that will pay for maternity leave or even offer an extended maternity leave.  That’s great for their employees, but for the majority of new moms, very few companies offer full compensation and very little time off after delivery.  My solution for this?  Make.  Plans.  Life is full of unexpected twists and turns-male or female.  No one owes you ANYTHING.  Not a thing.  Don’t like maternity leave policies at your place of employment?  Search for a new employer, don’t whine for a handout funded by hardworking individuals.  Don’t be a charity case.

I’m not naive enough to think that there aren’t women who are being paid less than their male counterparts, are discriminated against for having family responsibilities, or being told they can’t simply because they’re a woman.  The world is not perfect and there will always, ALWAYS be bias and there is nothing anyone can do to completely eliminate all bias in the world.  What we can do is stand up for what is right, what is fair, and for equality… for EVERYONE, regardless of race, gender, whatever.  Equality based on qualifications, not rallying for handouts or special treatment because of gender.  Break stereotypes.  Be a strong leader in your place of employment.  This means leading with dignity, with honor, and leading without any bias.  Don’t embrace victimhood, but shatter it.  Don’t elicit over-emotional responses and assume you’re being singled out based on your gender.  Stand and fight for what is right in a diplomatic matter.  Keep killin’ it ladies 🙂

Oh, and for those that completely disagree, that’s what creates healthy, thought-provoking conversation, so keep it classy when you discuss any of these deep topics with others, k? K. *stores soapbox until another day*