×

We all thank you

Cody has been a sports reporter and writer for ten years. His inspiration and motivation have come from all walks of life, including his own. He can be reached at codyjelms@gmail.com.

Open Letter to Women

I never thought it would be so difficult to write a column celebrating International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, until I sat for several hours staring at a blank screen, trying desperately to put words to what I believe women experience every day of their lives.

The truth is, I can’t. I’m not sure any man can do women justice in text or spoken word.

Regardless of what we write or say, it is and always will be from an outsider’s perspective. I believe most men find it difficult to truly understand and appreciate the women in their lives from their grandmothers to their granddaughters and every other woman they interact with or have been effected by. And sadly, many give up trying almost immediately. So instead of trying to describe the experiences that women go through, I felt an open letter to all women would be more fitting.

Dear XX Chromosome Human Beings,

We do not get it.

And by it, I mean womanhood. We don’t understand your history, your fight, your struggle, or your optimism through it all.

Believe me, many of us have tried.

There is the obvious about your history, voting rights, equal opportunity, and the other monumental moments recorded in text books that we have been educated about in school and at the work place, but it is the unspoken, unwritten aspects that still seem to baffle us.

We are all told you have the right to vote, but your gender has become just another group on the long list of things politicians pander to. And your womb is their campaign platform, no matter what side they are on.

And do you really have an equal opportunity at the work place? Studies are starting to show us otherwise. But any man who works around women should understand, it is not equal ground. There are still companies that view women as a risk. A risk for law suits, lost time during childbirth, and inter-office romances. Again, never said, but absolutely known.

For us XY humans, we try to be compassionate and understanding of these obstacles that still remain in your way, but we really only can relate on a surface level.

We like to assume that a few laws over the last century have placed women right beside men. The ignorance of that belief is also very difficult to describe.

But we know it doesn’t stop there.

Stay at-home mothers are judged for not contributing financially and having it easy. Working mothers are ridiculed for not being a larger part of their children’s lives. Women who choose not to have children are assumed to be selfish.

Men are not put under such scrutiny.

I cannot imagine what a woman goes through physically and mentally throughout her life. From the start of their womanhood to old age, their body, mind, and spirit go through never ending highs and lows, changes, and stress.

But somehow, women have continued to deal with the day to day difficulties given to them purely for being born female, while also fighting for a better future.

So on behalf of men, and in the interest of not being verbose, I’ll end this with this:

Behind every successful man, is a strong woman. In front of every successful man is a strong woman. And beside every successful man is a strong woman. You are our stability, our heart, and our future. We all thank you.

Sincerely,

A simple man.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today