Importance of gender equality

Today in the twenty-first century, we have been granted a lot of liberties. Most people around the
world are at liberty to live as they please. Geopolitical barriers are becoming friendlier by the day,
and the advancement of technology means we are more connected than ever. We are, as a whole, a
much more accepting global society than we were even a few decades back. Premarital sex is
hardly a taboo any more, and homosexuality is neither an illness nor a perversion, but simply a way
of life.

All said and done, even today, many corners across the world heatedly debate the issue of gender
equality. In societies across the world, one sex is considered superior while the other is looked down
upon, for no apparent reason. What these people fail to understand is the fact that gender equality is
not an option in modern society anymore. Before we discuss the importance of gender equality, take
this quick poll:

Is there gender equality in the society?

  Yes
  No
  Can't say
View Results

Why gender equality is important?

Better utilization of resources

In many cultures in the world, particularly the heavily patriarchal ones, there is usually a clear
distinction between the sexes in terms of profession. Traditionally in these societies, women are
pushed toward the finer arts whereas men are expected to opt for the more ‘masculine’ professions,
such as engineering and medicine.

It has been seen, in many cases, where men who work as nurses are discriminated against as not
being masculine enough. This kind of social pressure leads many to opt for professions that are not
really their calling, which in turn translates to waste of resources, as people are forced to work in
jobs they don’t excel.

Gender equality would get rid of this issue by ensuring that one chooses their profession without
being subjected to social prejudice.

Better productivity

When an employer practices gender discrimination, it cannot be good for anyone, and least of all for
the organization. Promoting an employee over a more capable one on the basis of gender has
manifold implications: the discriminated employee is unhappy, which leads to decreased
productivity, which in turn affects the organization’s overall performance.

On the other hand, having a less capable person in a more responsible position leads to
organizational mayhem. In the end, the employer benefits the least. Moreover, if an employer
discriminates between the sexes, there is a chance that they would be employing more people of
their preferred gender, or, would employ the other gender at a far lower pay.

In either case, the scope of getting capable employees is cut down by half, in the best case
scenario.

Also read: Importance of Feminism

A better life

If we look at a country like Afghanistan, we find women in a pitiful condition. That is because of the
inequality that exists in their extant culture. While the situation is not as horrific in other cultures,
there is still this kind of intangible bases of discrimination present in many others.

In most parts of India, for instance, women known to have been potentially involved in any kind of
sexual scenario- consensual or otherwise- find it tough to get married. This is because of the belief
that the woman with sexual experience is ‘polluted’. On the other hand, a man is expected, and
sometimes indulged, to engage in sexual experiences as a bachelor.

Moreover, domestic abuse on women is pretty rampant because of the belief that women are the
weaker sex and can hence be blamed for almost anything. Gender equality would help get rid of
such issues and ensure a better life for the oppressed sex.

End to stereotyping

In most cultures across the world, men are seen as the primary caregivers, while women are
traditionally the homemakers. Even today, this stereotyping of social roles is highly present. A man
who wants to be a homemaker is subject to ridicule, while women are expected to give more priority
to the home than their career, failing which she is considered ‘unfeminine’ and ‘unmarriageable’.

Even today, spinsters are more looked down upon the bachelors, with the unspoken belief that there
is something amiss with a woman for not being married. Such stereotyping leads to manifold
sacrifices made by both genders for no good reason.

Moreover, this is psychologically damaging, as the man who earns less than his wife feels inferior,
and the woman who has to spend more time at work feels incapable and insecure.

Conclusion

Gender equality is not a question up for debate. It is something that should be adopted as a way of
life. In many countries, women are still not allowed to own property, and their signatures are invalid
on legal documents if unaccompanied by the signature of a man.

Women still face inadequate representation politically, and in many regions, it is hard for women to
come by legal help. It is important to understand that differences between the two sexes are not a
basis for holding one on a pedestal and trampling on the other. Men and women are both human,
and deserve the same treatment in the same circumstance.

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Based on the current events that are happening in the world, you
feel like the future in uncertain and that the world is ending up
being a sad place. With war, hate, and unfairness happening; we
feel helpless sometimes not knowing what to do to help stop these
things from occurring in the world that we live in. However, there
is a way and it starts with you. Spreading love, peace, and unity in
the world in your own way can really make a difference in the
world and make it a more positive place to live in. It doesn’t have
to be too great or too big, it can be as small as expressing gratitude
to your friends and family, or helping out an stranger whenever
they need a helping hand. There are so many other ways to spread
love, peace, and unity. The best thing about it is that you can do it
from anywhere in the world and you feel absolutely amazing after
you do it. Rather than thinking about the negative things that are
going on in the world, make a positive impact in the world you live
in by embracing and spreading love, peace, unity to others. If we
can all come together and do our small part each day in spreading
love, peace, and unity; we can make the world a positive place for
all of us to enjoy without any fear or sadness.

32

 Love

 Spirituality

 Unity

 Peace

 Humanity

32 claps

WRITTEN BY
Ashley Winn
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Health & Fitness Coach | Business Leader | Writer | 

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I believe in the peace that comes from sought after unity. This is not to say that differences need to be
eliminated, or even that they should be put aside. Differences are what make people unique from one
another. However, seeking unity is what brings peace. Seeking unity means looking for the things we have
in common, the shared ground, the similarities that create bonds. It is only when all people can do this that
any sort of peace can occur.

In the current system that attempts to create peace, people seek equality. Thus, we have things like BET
TV/Awards, Best Actor/Actress awards, financial aid for women who pursue careers in the math and
sciences, statistics based on ethnicities which have nothing to do with genetics or diseases, feminist
movements, gay and lesbian movements, Black History Month – just to name a few. All of these things seek
equality, not unity.

Seeking unity means that I can sit down in a room with a Hispanic mother, an African American scientist, a
Black jazz artist (yes, there is a difference between Black and African American; I was duly educated on that
point), a Japanese father, a female business owner, a male actor, a gay couple, and all their children and
have a conversation that has nothing to do with why this person or that person should do/say/feel/believe
anything that the other person is saying. It means that we can acknowledge our differences and work to find
what we might have in common. We could talk about food, family, love, and many other things. We could
talk about religion without arguing because the point would be to share information and try to understand
one another, not force someone to change their views. We wouldn’t need financial aid systems that support
women in particular career fields because all children would be duly funded and encouraged to pursue their
particular dream because we all share in having a dream. I can encourage my children to be hair stylists,
actors, musicians, scientists, doctors, or lawyers without having to worry if someone is going to look down
on them because of their choice.

Unity means helping someone because they are a person, not because they are from the same country as
us, or even because they are from a different one. Unity means I can use “we” to address my audience – no
matter where they are, who they are, or what they do – because we are all human. We are all born; we all
grow up; we all die. We all need water, food, shelter, love and respect. We all breathe air, we all sleep, we
all have parents, and we all want to be happy, healthy, and comfortable.

Now, I recognize that there is sickness – and in this word I will focus more on the mental than the physical.
However, in seeking unity, we will all want to help these people and can work towards making them better,
not worse. Seeking unity means not focusing on selfishness; there is no “you” or “I” in team, as it goes. It
means that all jobs are important, all dreams are worth pursuing, and all differences are unique without
being divisions.

When a child is born, it is not thinking about whom it wants to kill, whom it wants to ostracize, or whom it’s
going to idolize. It wants to eat, sleep, and grow. These thoughts come later and are either due to
environment or mental instabilities. Either way, these thoughts cannot be reduced without seeking unity.

It really is an easy shift. Seeking unity still requires the recognition of differences. However, unlike seeking
equality, seeking unity emphasizes the similarities within these differences rather than the differences within
our similarities. It does not mean that I have to agree with you, or that he needs to be more like her. It
means we have room for forgiveness, for restitution, and for reconciliation in our hearts. It means that we
have Venn Diagram conversations and not Euler ones because – if nothing else – we all live on this planet
together