But empowering women DOES indeed affect other, broader societal issues, because there is a domino effect. When women are empowered and protected, they take better care of their family. When that happens, children are better fed and educated...and that in turn leads to many more positive outcomes for all of society: fewer people living below poverty, lower rates of infant mortality, higher literacy levels for both girls and boys, etc...
I don't mean to frame this as a competition between the sexes, but for so long in many cultures and countries the men have had control of pretty much everything. Studies have shown that when women are given increasing control and power to earn their own money and make decisions about their and their familiy's lives, things improve.
Do you seriously think that the lack of women in positions of power and authority in many countries is because they personally choose not to pursure these paths? I would offer up that it is because they have been systematically disenfranchised -- by their culture, by their families, by their religious traditions, and by men -- who deem an empowered woman as being unseemly and inappropriate.
I have absolutely no problem with women (or men) staying home to raise their kids. There is no tougher or more important job than to raise your children well. But I also do not look down upon those people who are working parents. For many, working is a necessity if they are to take decent care of their families.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou
But empowering women DOES indeed affect other, broader societal issues, because there is a domino effect. When women are empowered and protected, they take better care of their family. When that happens, children are better fed and educated...and that in turn leads to many more positive outcomes for all of society: fewer people living below poverty, lower rates of infant mortality, higher literacy levels for both girls and boys, etc...
I don't mean to frame this as a competition between the sexes, but for so long in many cultures and countries the men have had control of pretty much everything. Studies have shown that when women are given increasing control and power to earn their own money and make decisions about their and their familiy's lives, things improve.
Do you seriously think that the lack of women in positions of power and authority in many countries is because they personally choose not to pursure these paths? I would offer up that it is because they have been systematically disenfranchised -- by their culture, by their families, by their religious traditions, and by men -- who deem an empowered woman as being unseemly and inappropriate.
I have absolutely no problem with women (or men) staying home to raise their kids. There is no tougher or more important job than to raise your children well. But I also do not look down upon those people who are working parents. For many, working is a necessity if they are to take decent care of their families.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou