Women’s Equality Day 2018: An opportunity to act

by Airman 1st Class
Christopher Thomas
86th Civil Engineer Squadron
Fire Protection
Photo by HolidaysCalender.com

No sooner the ink could dry than the overwhelming triumph was felt on Aug. 26, 1920 — the historic day the 19th Amendment was passed, and has since been proclaimed as Women’s Equality Day.

Women deserve to be recognized as the true embodiment of strength, intelligence, and perseverance. They have held a multitude of roles throughout history, and continue to prove to the world that they shouldn’t have to prove their worth.

Women’s Equality Day is not about competing with men over which gender is better or more superior but rather commemorating their fight to be treated and seen as equals, as well as honor the legacy of the brave women who pioneered this great movement.

Women have been underappreciated, have faced harsh scrutiny, and have been constantly overlooked in the workplace in comparison to men. Their merits were not respected, and their kindness often taken for weakness. Whether it’s in politics, business, or the dollar amount on a paycheck, decisions should all come down to the simple words of pioneer woman Susan B. Anthony: “Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.”

Though the plight of women is not yet universally heard, it’s celebrations like this that shed positive light on the long and progressive journey they have endured. It’s going to take continual effort from the women of this generation and the next to make equality a reality and no longer just a dream.

Women’s Equality Day is an opportunity to act. An urge to vote, speak up, and add another building block to the foundation that has been set. The call to uplift and encourage women, young and old alike, has never been greater. Society is on the cusp of a beautiful epiphany, and the world will grow stronger the sooner women are treated as equals.

Therefore, let us remember the struggles of women past, and let the spirit of equality echo throughout the world. The true extent of a woman’s impact could never be bound. May the work of the tireless women who have pioneered the way continue to cultivate our societies and pave the way to greatness.

To quote the virtuous words of Sheri L. Dew: “Neither man nor woman is perfect or complete without the other. Thus, no marriage or family, no ward or stake is likely to reach its full potential until husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, men and women work together in unity of purpose, respecting and relying upon each other’s strengths.”