Gloria Steinem’s fight for equal rights

“Gloria Steinem is a writer, lecturer, editor and feminist activist. She is an organizer and a frequent media spokeswoman on issues of equality. She is particularly interested in equal rights in marriage and the workforce. Ms. Steinem helped to found the Women's Action Alliance, a pioneering national information center that specialized in nonsexist, multiracial children's education, and the National Women's Political Caucus, a group that continues to work to advance the numbers of pro-equality women in elected and appointed office at a national and state level.” ( from the Official Website of Gloria Steinem)

I did not know Gloria Steinem before this work, but I completey agree with her ideas and goals. In the past, working was very hard and painful, and that is why only men worked and came back home with money. Women were submissive; they had to stay at home with the children, to cook, to iron and to clean. However, that time is over and we have to adapt to today's economy. Nowadays, women can work and earn money as much as men. They can be self-employed and have some financial responsibilities. Businesswomen are as good as businessmen and they are not afraid of working 10 hours a day. In a large majority of developed countries, we can easily observe the rise of the woman in the business world, but unfortunately, this is not always the case. In fact, some countries or companies still believe that women are inferior to men. They think that women are less smart and brave than men, and so decide to hire men. Personally, I do not agree with these stereotypes, I’m for sex equality in the workforce and I’m very proud of all these women who decide to go into business alone. This shows everyone that women are as able as men to be successful.

As far as marriage is concerned, it is the same principle. Both spouses should be equal, neither the spouse nor the wife should have more rights than the other. They have to be on an equal footing, whether it is for making a decision or filing for a divorce. For instance, I do not understand why some men refuse to vacuum-clean or to do the washing-up. It is not at all slighting and it is easy to do, so why do men avoid it? Moreover, I do not understand why the fact that a woman is unfaithful to her spouse is more controversial than the contrary. Does that mean that men can enjoy more liberty than women? If it is the case, I totally disagree with this double standard. About children, I think it is better when there are not many differences between the father and the mother. It avoids the problem of preference for one parent from the child and allows stability in the family. Finally, when the spouses do not get on well yet, they often decide to divorce. Again, I do not believe that one of both spouses deserves more than the other, except if they divorce for non-sentimental reasons.

Gloria Steinem is a feminist activist who deserves to be respected by all women. In fact, if we have the right to be what we are today, it is thanks to her and all the other women who fought for our well-being and liberty. In most countries, women can now work, earn money, vote, receive medical care and enjoy freedom of speech and equal rights in marriage. Let’s hope that it will be the case worldwide soon.