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How to Be an Ally to Women — Commiseration vs. Contradiction
Equality isn’t a competition. Don’t one-up us.
I’ve been writing about women’s issues for a year now. I do it for a few reasons. Women have a perspective on life and society that others may not have considered or don’t see. This could be men who have never been in a situation that we have been in or even women who have been fortunate enough to not experience things fellow women have been through.
I also write about women’s issues as a favor to my younger self. I wish I would have known then what I know now. I speak what’s on my mind because I’m no longer afraid to do so.
Apparently, this makes some people very uncomfortable. It is rare that I find a comment on an article from a woman disparaging the point of view I brought attention to.
Several men, however, have reacted in a way that I find most curious. It calls to question why they choose to continue to belittle women instead of serving as an ally to them. And let’s be clear, it’s a choice.
The only rationale that I can think of for not supporting women is fear. Fear that society may actually treat women as equals, eventually. Fear that society will change…
