Coming in hot and blunt this month, women weren’t just put on this earth to have babies — certainly not in this political and economic climate, where men are policing our bodies and formula cost $50 per can.
Rent is high. Everything is high. So who can afford another mouth to feed? Another body to house? Another worker for this capitalistic hamster wheel most are too blind to notice we’ve been running on for quite some time.
Many women are done creating babies for this world who only cares about its life in the womb and not life inside the classroom. Women can’t afford to create babies anymore. They’ve moved on to creating multiple streams of income.
I want to take the time to praise all women who carry children and those who wish to. Women are magical beings who create new life. It’s both a sacrifice and a miracle. However, having babies isn’t all we are.
Women don’t just create babies. We create art. Women are visionaries, inventors, leaders and a growing population of CEOs. We can and will do it all, no matter what we face and no matter what obstacles are placed in our way.
Women make up 10% of CEOs at Fortune 500 companies. Women of color only make up 4% of CEOs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of small businesses has increased. The number of women business owners is growing astronomically. I couldn’t be more proud.
Despite what some people might want you to believe, it was not that long ago that women weren’t even allowed in the workforce. They never meant for us to be equal to a man, work alongside a man, God forbid make more money than a man.
According to data from the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, the global gender pay gap stands at 16%, meaning that women earn, on average, 84 cents for every dollar earned by men.
Let’s remember that this differs from industry to industry.
Just look at the pay gap between the WNBA and the NBA. With the new attention the WNBA is getting, let’s hope for some positive changes (in a male-dominated industry).
Let’s talk about how everything always seems to be male-dominated. We live in a patriarchal society, of course. All steps forward for women deserve a round of applause, and I am clapping the loudest.
As a young woman entrepreneur, I’m fighting to stand out. As a female writer, I’m blessed to have my words published in a woman’s magazine, no less.
Women entrepreneurs face so many challenges, from limited access to funding and investments to gender biases in all business sectors. We balance work and family responsibilities, while navigating cultural and societal expectations.
Women entrepreneurs, create jobs, drive innovation and bring diverse perspectives to the workforce. Supporting women entrepreneurs has been recognized as a way to promote economic growth and development.
Rasharra Smith is a recent graduate of the University of Dubuque.
