I’m going to cut to the chase. Even though it’s 2024, women and girls STILL don’t have equality in multiple areas starting with the most basic…pay disparity. Women, on average, still only make 82% of what men earn, BUT, when you break down those numbers according to race and ethnicity, the numbers are even worse.
White women: 79 cents for every white male dollar
Black women: 67 cents for every white male dollar
Latina women: 57 cents for every white male dollar
Asian women: 89 cents for every white male dollar (but the disparity within the Asian community is significant, with some subgroups earning much less e.g. Burmese women make 60 cents to every white male dollar.)
Native American women: 60 cents for every white male dollar.
Beyond pay disparity, women are underrepresented in leadership roles across so many industries. In business, for example, it’s still a boy’s club. Female executives only make up 28% of C-suite positions. In politics, women still are very much a minority as elected leaders on both the local and federal levels. The U.S. has yet to have a female President. (let’s see what happens Nov. 5)
Healthcare and reproductive rights have been and are even more so are under fire. A woman’s right to make decisions about her own body is being dismantled as we speak.
In media, entertainment and sports women are still struggling to be seen, heard and respected due to old stereotypes, false narratives and male decision makers who remain at the top of the food chain in these fields.
And when it comes to access to capital and business funding, it’s abysmal. Female entrepreneurs receive a teeny tiny portion of venture capital funding compared to men. How teeny tiny? Just a measly 2% of the $200 billion that was invested in 2023 in the U.S.
So what’s the lesson here? For all you young women who are in college right now or, perhaps, just graduated, you need to be fully aware that the world is still built on a system that doesn’t recognize your full value, which means YOU have to MAKE the world SEE your value. But it has to start with valuing yourself. As a professor and a journalist, I see way too many young women who still lack self-confidence and have too much self-doubt. Always second guessing themselves and thinking they’re “not good enough”.
STOP! Just STOP with the self-loathing and allowing outside sources brainwash you into thinking you’re not worthy. STOP comparing yourself to others, especially those online characters who are embellishing their looks and lifestyles with the help of beauty apps and AI.
STOP allowing social media to influence your ideas about beauty, fashion, relationships, interests etc. Social media is designed to hook you in and take you down a rabbit hole, which more often than not, will do incredible damage.
Instead, START building up your own self-confidence and self-worth by pursuing real things that bring YOU joy and fulfillment.
START building real relationships with peers who will lift you up and allow you to be your authentic self. Those friendships you make will last a lifetime and let me tell you, there is NOTHING better than great girlfriends! I just went on a fabulous girls’ trip to France with 2 of my college mates of almost 40 years (where did the time go??) to celebrate the marriage of another college friend. Picture “And Just Like That” (“Sex and the City” sequel on MAX) with a dash of “Emily in Paris” (Netflix series) and you get an idea of what our trip was like. Well, there was no sex. We’re all married and/or engaged. All very PG. Sorry.
START tapping into professors, advisors and coaches who GET YOU and will guide you both academically and personally. START engaging in activities at school that you connect with on a meaningful level instead of participating in something just because it’s “trendy” or “cool”.
And finally, RUN from toxicity of any kind, especially toxic people. There are a lot of mean-spirited assholes everywhere. They want to make others feel small and less-than when, in reality, they’re the ones who are insecure idiots. JUST WALK AWAY. The more you do this, the easier it will get. Believe me, at my age, it’s gotten VERY easy, but for too long during my childhood and into my early adulthood, I allowed toxic people and situations to influence me because I didn’t believe in myself. If I only knew then what I know now.
Doing all of the above will help you find your true voice, your true identity, your true purpose.
Let me tell you…when you find your voice, identity and purpose, then you will be unstoppable!
And one more thing…use your voice by exercising your right to VOTE!!! Do it early or on November 5th!
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