The Asymptote of Equality

When Americans think of gaining rights, a great liberation, and equality, we think of Abraham Lincoln and the freeing of the slaves. Many believe that gender issues have taken a back seat to race issue, due to the lack of voice behind it. While I agree that it is amazing that this equality has formed to a point where we have an African American President, it shows that we only truly focus on one issue at a time. Jump- a self proclaimed blog for active women- laments on the women’s equality and how “progress now appears to have slowed or stalled”. The blogger Danaé opens with a brief history of women in the workplace, the post “Poof! Sexism in Corporate America- Gone…” it eventually gives the message that just because one women becomes a CEO does not mean that sexism is dead and gone. I agree wholeheartedly with this idea- just because there is almost equality does not mean that there is true and unbiased fairness throughout the country.

I pretty much agree with Danaé Her view that the pressure for women’s rights isn’t pressured anymore because they are almost there is perfectly viable. However, I do not believe she realizes the stretches that we have made in the few years that feminism became a prominent feature. Yes, everyone should be paid equally, and yes, everyone should be viewed the same. However, I think that we are pretty much as close to equality as we can get. My main problem with the article is the nonsensical statistics that they give. Many statistics are not a “big deal” and can be completely coincidental. She doesn’t talk about how it is in many cases easier to get a job or to get in to college as a woman, because it is a ‘minority’. Not to sound like ‘count your blessings’, but seriously. We are pretty close right now. Each has its pros and cons. Of course men make more money, because we have more jobs. Why do we have more jobs? Because we were in the positions first and because culturally men have always held leadership positions (this is not to say that men are more capable leaders, merely, that they are more accepted).

I want everyone to be equal. And right here and now, we are closer than we have ever been. But when will the feminism stop, when every little stat is exactly the same as men’s? I think it is terrible that women make less money then men, but at the same time I think it comes from several sources. First, the jobs each gender tends to fill. A teacher makes less than many jobs, and most teachers are female. Second, the difference between middle America and the Coasts. Most of the wage change is in the middle of the country. Finally, I think that the stereotype that has been past down since ancient times as hunters and gatherers is what determines the core of what people conceive when we consider things. Unfortunately, many men see women as weak or incapable. This flawed notion drives many who are intolerant to or underpaying women. We have made huge strides in the field of tolerance and fairness in the US and around the world. And though I think that it is wrong, we also shouldn’t nitpick every small dissimilarity. There will always be differences culturally, sexually, scientifically. We just have to learn to accept them. And if the differences get even smaller, than great, I would love for them too. And they will continue to, maybe just a little less now that we are so close. We are approaching, as a society, the asymptote of equality. You can get really really close, but you can never reach it.