Gender Equality (The "Weaker Sex" Work Hard to Prove Their Worth)

Emma Watson during her speech on gender quality.

            Last month, United Nation Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson delivered an inspiring speech on gender equality. Her professional approach to invite more men to support feminism – the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities – was something to be proud of. The speech should be a wake-up call to all. I salute women who can control their emotions even when discussing civil rights violations, as many men fail to stay calm when trying to stand their ground.

There were the days when women were only allowed to reach a certain level in their education as they were expected to live their lives serving their husbands and taking care of the children. 

A scene in Mona Lisa Smile

This conservative idea is portrayed in Mona Lisa Smile – a film set in 1953 in Massachusetts. In the movie, all Wellesley College female students are trained to be a good wife after their graduation (despite their potential to go further) as the school believes that the grade that matters most comes from their husband. Those days are gone, except for some countries in Africa, where some women are still denied the right of going to school.

Nicol Ann David, Malaysia's precious diamond.

In Malaysia, there are women who outperform men in school and at work. In squash, Nicol Ann David is the world No.1 for eight years. Siti Nurhaliza is a star in the music industry. The top student awards are conquered by female achievers. Their hard work, strong will and positive attitude makes them who they are today.

In the corporate world, women who break the glass ceiling are lucky. This is because some other potential female employees are left unnoticed, and they could only watch their male colleagues take the glass escalator. In Japan, only 10 per cent of the managerial positions are represented by women, according to Mutsuko Murakami in her column, “A better future for Japanese women?” (New Straits Times, Oct 6). These women do all it takes to produce the best quality of work and they deserve fair treatment from all.  

A man supporting HeForShe Campaign

Most of the time, men forget that actions speak louder than words. Some men claim that they are the superior gender, but they do not walk the talk. Women, on the other hand, strive for excellence to prove that they can be as excellent as their male counterparts.

Every year, girls face great competition before they are selected to join a university while male applicants experience a contradictory situation.

Some boys agree that books are for girls, so, to grab one and read would make them less manly. Those immature boys will finally involve in crime instead of studying.

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life
a wonderful journey.

Men should stop labelling women as the weaker sex because the stereotyping is no longer relevant. Men and women need to see eye to eye and work hand in hand from now on. To all men, we need to wake up and be true gentlemen.

Courtesy to New Straits Times,

8 October 2014