WHY DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY STARTS WITH WOMEN

I love the attention that equality is getting these days. Especially with the Olympics. I think it is needed, but I also think that nothing will change until the next domino drops. And that next domino is this.

Women are part of the problem. We are teaching others that we will put up with inequality on a daily basis.

Women have to stop playing nice, own our power and expect equality with our actions.

We can’t just be as good as our male counterparts. We can’t just bring our value and uniqueness to the table and expect that it will be respected. That’s not where we are at. That’s not our reality. If we want change, we have to meet the individual moments of disrespect head on, call it out, speak up, get ready to ruffle some feathers, and, *gasp,* make some people upset.

Many of us women hate making a fuss. We hate upsetting others or creating a scene. Because — WE are the ones who put everything back together when it breaks. We restore order. We soothe crying babies. Put band-aids on scraped knees. We restore the peace. We bring harmony to the universe.

And because of our nature, we are very good at playing the nice game. We tolerate disrespect. We make things that are blatantly WRONG, okay. We say things like, “Maybe he is just having a bad day. I need to be more compassionate and understanding.” “Maybe he didn’t mean what he said.” “Maybe I’ve got it wrong.” “Maybe I’m the problem.”

Playing nice does not work with those who play win-lose strategies. Our niceness is why we are losing the equality game. Period.

There are times to be compassionate and there are times to put a spotlight on disrespect, make the big ugly scene, and educate them how you will, and WILL NOT, be treated.

You get to keep what you tolerate, my dear women sisters. And I know from personal experience that we will tolerate so much ridiculous shit to keep the peace.

Here is where we have some growing to do.Peace in the moment is overrated if we want equality and to keep ourselves whole.

We are going to have to break some shit apart, piss some people off, feel the uncomfortable ugliness of disharmony, take a big, bold, scary stand and live in moments of conflict to make this revolution happen.

We are going to have to *gasp* put ourselves, and our needs first from time to time without feeling bad, sorry or apologizing about it.

We can raise awareness of equality as a collective, but we have to enforce it moment by moment , day by day, tear by tear.

Women — are you ready for this? I think we are.

http://shebebutlittle.com/confidence/diversity-and-equality-starts-with-women/