Yes I used this picture recently and I’ve put it up again because I find it evocative. See what it evokes in you as we consider our changing world especially as it relates to women and our future.

From a Base of Suppression

Perhaps only now are we realizing that women have been deliberately suppressed. Often it seemed they simply stayed home because that is where women belong and, of course, they had to tend the children. Doesn’t that sound absurd now because we can see what the reality has been in many regards.

So, now we search for other explanations and one place to look is in the world of men. It is plausible that one reason women were suppressed was a matter of power and in the cultural context it was easy to use power at least against women. But now the power is being exposed.

Another Explanation

But there is something else which is a suitable theme and that is the matter of threat. Seriously? Have they been brandishing knives or something? No, it’s something less concrete.

I recall a song from long ago in which part of it was, “Run when church bells ring”, and “It could happen to you.” That’s right. Women are attractive and can “confine” men in marriage. And then they bring an additional confinement—children.

This circumstance is not a matter of power but of confinement and reduced autonomy. But, let’s face it, it is essential in many ways.

Competition

And then there is the job market. When women join the company they compete for positions. In the past though they came with fewer credentials and less education. That’s all changing. In fact their talents are manifest and competitive. It used to be it was only other men that men had to worry about as they climbed the corporate ladder. Now women are present.

Politics

 And now it seems everything is being reduced to politics. In this instance I firmly believe we are simply looking at a change in the social landscape, not just of the United States, but in the world. There are books outlining the changes which led to this wave of change. I won’t try to go into them but it is clear the change is major.

What We Gain

Yes, women are challenging us if only because they add breadth to the talent available in all walks of life. Now, suddenly, the other half of the world brings their array of talents. We have tried to silence them just as Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced in Congress recently. But increasingly men are joining them and supporting their efforts and talent. 

I’m stunned by what I see on television. They have joined in the commentary and are prominent in ways seemingly impossible a short time ago. They are not shrill or strident but plausible and talented. This is true in business, the medical profession, news media and on and on.

The woman’s place is in the home if she chooses but it is not required. When I was first driving women were assumed to be bad drivers—no longer. We have also discovered how talented they are and how they enhance all parts of our lives. And perhaps another wonderful part is that men are discovering they don’t have to run when church bells ring but can if they choose.

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called: Women in Power by Roger B. Burt

Roger B. Burt’s Amazon home page

Creating Characters and Plots by Roger B. Burt

Stepfamilies: Professionals and Stepcouples in Partnership

Whatever Happened to Community Mental Health by Roger B. Burt