I am a writer — an aspiring journalist — but I am also a woman. That means I am likely to encounter obstacles during my professional career that my male colleagues will not have to deal with.
You would think that as a woman living in the 21st century I would have equal opportunities across the board. However, I cannot even begin to tell you how inaccurate this assumption is.
According to the 2010 Global Media Monitoring Project, articles written by women account for less than 50 percent of all news stories. Furthermore, only 13 percent of all stories focus on women.
These statistics seem disconnected from global demographic averages. Women constitute 51 percent of the world’s population, but we are not getting as much coverage as we deserve. Nor are we given equal opportunities to fill positions in which we could utilize our talents to better inform society about important issues.
“An important future indicator for a developing economy is its treatment of women,” Sheryl WuDunn, co-author of “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” and the first Asian American to win the Pulitzer Prize said in “The Case for Girls,” a November 2001 article by Anya Kamanetz.
Considering the lackluster economy of the United States, it is essential for women to become a more prevalent source of power.
If women are ever to out-climb men on the corporate ladder or even reach the same rung, they must be given equal opportunity.
“A country that gives girls equal opportunity has twice as much talent and brainpower to draw on,” said Anya Kamenetz, a staff writer for the business magazine “Fast Company.” “[It] is likely to be more open and flexible in ways that promote international trade.”
Once American corporations recognize the full potential of women in the workforce, society will change a great deal. Before the United States can reach that point, however, it will be crucial to acknowledge female ambition and a woman’s ability to fill a seat of power, which is equivalent to that of a man.
“To realize the potential of women employees, companies will have to recalibrate traditional notions of power and personal ambition,” John Kador wrote in his November 2011 article “Women: The Next Tipping Point.”
I am committed to my dream of becoming the creative director of a major magazine with offices among the skyscrapers of New York City.
“Only 3 percent of all creative directors are women,” Dylan C. Lathrop, the editorial design director for “GOOD” magazine, stated in his June 2011 article “Why We Can’t Let Design Become a Boys’ Club.”
Put simply, women are denied equal opportunities for professional advancement despite their qualifications or exemplary performance within the field. There is an unseen yet unbreachable barrier that restricts minorities, such as women professionals, from stepping higher on the corporate ladder.
Knowing this distressing truth about the future awaiting me, I could easily be dissuaded from pursuing the dream I have always held near and dear to my heart. But what would that say about my ability in accordance with my gender?
Yes, gender stereotypes are still all too common. We’ve heard them all: Women are weak, they give up and they’re too sensitive. At a time when our society continues to pursue equality for minority groups, it is of paramount importance that we defy such stereotypes and work whole-heartedly to reach our goals regardless of the statistics against us.
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