By Tamara (Grade 11 Student)

Firstly, it’s important to understand the purpose of this day, which is to celebrate the progress of women. The progress of women is an incredible thing to observe, because in just the last 80 or so years we have been given rights, such as owning credit cards, bank accounts, the ability to vote or own property, something men have had the right to since the creation of those things.

In spite of this, women have caught up with men, in a remarkable way. Women are now outperforming men at every level of education and entering the workforce in numbers that continue to grow every day. Women dominate certain fields and industries, even though it’s only been a couple of years since they were even allowed to join them.

Whilst celebrating how far women have come is vital, it is just as vital to ensure the continual progress of women, by understanding the system and ideas that can still hold us back: Patriarchy and Misogyny.

To explore this system, we actually need to understand men in order to understand women, because the system actually harms both parties. In fact, it is poorly designed to disadvantage everyone and to distract us from its flaws by pitting both genders against each other.

For men all around the world, patriarchy means high rates of homelessness and addiction. It also means living through a male loneliness epidemic, which can be seen in suicide being much more prevalent in men than women.

The patriarchy ensures continual support and survival, through a certain illusion that is sold to young men and boys through social media and the manosphere. This illusion preaches that we live in a zero-sum game, where a woman’s gain would equate to a man’s loss. If women collectively gain more opportunities, whether it be in work or in education, then it would be at the expense of men.

Spreading such narratives is dangerous, because of their effects on shaping younger minds. They construct fears that men are losing their sense of purpose because of women, which targets the current belief that most men have, which is that self-worth is rooted in what they can do and not who they are.

While it is important to warn younger impressionable boys of these voices, instead of constantly calling out certain men and thereby giving them a platform further, we could highlight the great men we have in society, such as great dads, community members, and those who stand up for women.

All in all, a society where women are given freedom and are no longer oppressed means a society with a high GDP, high mental health rate, and a functioning society. Allowing women to have freedom not only benefits them, but it benefits all of us.

It benefits all of us when we understand men and empower women, so we can create a society that leads to a softer life for everyone. Appreciating the great men around you subsequently leads to empowerment of women and vice versa.

Let’s move from a hierarchical society to an egalitarian one. One where both men and women are fundamentally equal in worth and rights.