Monday, August 11, 2008

Women and Men


As I listen to coverage of the presidential race I hear the comparisons between race and gender discrimination. I can't help but look at it from my perspective and suspect that we are each biased by our own experience. So how do I get beyond the feeling that gender equality remains an unreachable goal in my lifetime?

I listened to a NPR show where women who had experienced both gender and race discrimination spoke to the reality that the gender discrimination was deeper and more pervasive. How very discouraging to hear such experiences! I know that even I, as a female professional, have deep conditioning based on how I was raised and what I experienced as 'norm'. I can only hope that my children experience a greater diversity and that their norm and their children's norm will be different. And I can continue to offer them and myself opportunities to experience diversity outside of the norm of my childhood.

Join me in listening to the continuing discussion on NPR. Maybe we can not only change the world, but we can change ourselves.

No comments: