Simone Anderson
August 9th is just around the corner and you know what that means…Women’s Day. A day dedicated to women everywhere. However you have to wonder, can one day really be enough to do this? No, which is why the entire month of August is used to commemorate women and their awesomeness.
The role of women has changed a lot over time. Once upon a time, women were seen more as objects, objectified by men and placed into stereotypical gender roles. Their role was to stay at home and take care of the kids, or slave away in the kitchen or even to be trophy wives for their husbands. Women were not seen as equal to men.
That was back then. Over the years women have fought for the rights they have today. From Susan B. Anthony who stood for equality to the courageous women who marched to the Union Building.
There was a time where women weren’t allowed to fight in war, despite being able and willing. War was seen as men’s work and the thought of a woman in battle was ridiculous. However, women proved that they were just as capable as men when fighting for their country. Today, in some countries, women are free to be a part of the military forces.
The way women are seen in regards to sports has also changed. Ronda Rousey, professional MMA fighter, is one the most influential women in sports and had an incredible winning streak of 12-0. Yes that streak has been broken with two losses, but that doesn’t take anything away from her.
She is a role model to women who were told that they would never make it in a sport. To women who were told that sports are a man’s game. Who would have ever thought that women would one day main event in UFC? Well Rousey did, putting an end to the perception that women have no place in MMA. She showed us that it is alright to be tough and to stand up against gender stereotypes.
Even the way women are portrayed in movies has changed. Superhero movies have taken over in recent times, but who do you remember when thinking about them? Captain America or Iron Man? Superman or Batman? All iconic superheroes and all male. Yes there are many great female superheroes but they are either seen as background characters or romantic interests and their screen time is limited in favour of their male counterparts.
This year’s blockbuster movie Wonder Woman was the first step to change that. The character of Wonder Woman was one that all women could relate to. The movie was a great representation of females and showed that they are just as strong as men. Most importantly it showed that a woman can lead a movie and have an amazing result if the ratings and profit are anything to go by.
The empowerment of women continues to grow. While there are some who will keep their close minded thinking and belief in gender stereotypes, there are also those who embrace the change. Women can do anything they want to do. They can be soldiers, sports stars and even superheroes. The sky is the limit.
