Women's History Month: A ‘serious’ Academic Study on Equality
"Those who control the narrative, control the world”
Caitlin Johnstone.
He slammed his fists against the mahogany desk.
"That's not how things are done around here, Kelsey."
I looked down at my manager as he rubbed his knuckles, he stood, grabbed his gym bag, looked at me, and said, “I have a squash game in five minutes, and we discussed this yesterday; we do not give discounts.”
My mind was racing. I can't take this anymore. Why was he making this so hard? My calculations showed that profit margins will comfortably sit between 25% and 35% for the next two years! How could he not understand this?
I rolled my eyes and sighed; he hates it when I roll my eyes.
Then he shook his head mumbled something under his breath and walked out.
Yes, my boss was right. It wasn't how things were done around there, but I was the first and only woman in the world to sell service rigs, so why would I do it the same way? Isn't that one of the reasons why they hired me? I'm not the same. How on earth am I supposed to generate 10 million dollars this year?
When I was initially hired, they didn't expect much out of me (being the new girl and all). But when I tripled my revenue in the first nine months, things changed. In less than two years, my expected revenue went from 1 million dollars to 10.
And to top it off, although the executives were impressed with their new shiny investment (me), my middle manager and a few others were starting to see me more as a threat than a teammate. Never a good thing when you are trying to get ahead.
I slumped down in my boss's chair, leaned back, and closed my eyes.
'Humph, that's not how things are done around here—I don't know how many times I have heard that before.'
Can anyone else relate to the story above?
That old narrative seems to stick around like gum on the bottom of your shoe on a hot summer day.
Believe it or not, we've actually come a long way.
In May 1969, Maclean's Magazine published an article based on an academic study by Dr. Lionel Tiger, a Canadian sociologist. In it, he claimed that men have a biological need to bond with other males, which is why it makes them effective leaders —and validates why they run the institutions of the world. He further argues that because women lack the same natural tendencies for bonding with other women, coupled with being biologically programmed for 'hearth and home' they will never achieve equality with men.
Thoughts?
(Sidebar: Honestly, this still kinda pisses me off, but at least it's no longer our 'normal.')
Here's what I'm thinking.
Sure, there's an air of patriarchal authority still lingering, and yes, our evolution of consciousness is slow. But the only way to break free from that 265-year-old, stale, boxed-in mindset is to step away from the should's expectations and supposed to's and replace them with hope and courage.
You need hope to muster up the courage to be the change that you want to see in the world.
And if you're someone who has been barked at because you're doing things differently — congratulations for stepping outside the box, you're not here to blend in, perhaps it's time to see that as your superpower.
So, what does a healthier more balanced future look like to you?
Not sure?
The trick is to start slow.
Ask yourself questions like: How many tasks do you do simply because it's the role you assumed?
(remember, on average women still do 4-8 more hours of domestic duties a week)
Where in your life is it time to ask for help?
What old narratives are you ready to shed— like a heavy fur coat from your grandmother's basement?
If you're still questioning your worth in this world—
remember this: if women were both physically and mentally weaker than men, we would be dead. Men would have 'accidentally' hunted us all down, stuffed us, and put us up like wall trophies.
I would love to hear from you, so leave a comment below!
Until Next Week!
Stay Wild,