Driving to work today, I listened to a song that speaks about how women rule the world.
You know the one.
Queen B might have the best intentions, but I beg to differ. We don’t rule the world. Not yet, anyway. I wonder — do we even want to?
A World Run by Women
If the world were being ruled by women, things would look a lot different. It’s not a secret that when we have the resolve and drive to do things, we do them well. The world would be more nurturing, more creative, and more efficient.
It’s no joke, if you want something done, give the task to a woman. There’s a reason children usually call for their mothers to help. We are good problem-solvers and multitaskers, effective communicators, and can often work under pressure (and little sleep). Some even do it in heels.
Even the ones that say they are a “mess” know how to do things, they just don’t give themselves enough grace. They’re too close to see the big picture.
So if we are so good — why aren’t we running the show?
Women have been slowly regaining their autonomy in the last 130 years or so, from being seen as property to being the independent and wonderful people we are becoming today. We’re taking our place in every area, including the government.
We are rising in power, but are still often seen as too emotional, too loud, always too “something.”
Lately, I’ve seen men online complaining how women are not like they used to be. That feminism and opportunities have ruined us somehow. Women of the new generations remain single more often than previous generations and are much more discerning in who they get married to.
They also are happier, and that’s no coincidence.
These individuals always point out how their grandmothers remained married for life, while women now are quick to jump ship if things are not working out. The difference is, those women of the past? They had no choice. They couldn’t work, they could not own any property. The ones that defied this convention were shamed and ostracized.
Know Your Power
I am raising three wonderful girls. I want them to grow up in a world that doesn’t shame them into taming their spirit or their voices. A world where they’re valued for more than just what they can do for the men in their lives. I want them to own their talents and pursue their dreams, whatever they are. To find partners who value them as human beings, who respect them, and value their power.
Modern women don’t “need” a partner in the same sense as women of the past did. We want someone to bring to the table the same things we’ve brought, and we’re not compromising on that anymore. And that’s good — because it’s forcing people to grow and become better, as a society.
We don’t rule the world, and I’m not sure we want to either.
At least not the women I know. I think it’s very telling that their fear is that if we become more powerful, we’ll treat them the way they’ve treated us for generations. They can’t fathom any other outcome, because that’s all they know.
What we do want? The chance to be equally present; to be considered just as valuable.
We are just requiring better terms these days. We want to stand beside, not underneath. And the new generations understand the difference, and have decided not to compromise any more.
And that makes me happy, for my girls and all the women who will come after them.
