Women achieved equality in numerous ways; however, modern feminists need to strive for complete gender equality. On April 8, 2014, President Barack Obama gave a speech commemorating Equal Pay Day. He mentioned that “The time has passed for us to recognize that what determines success should not be our gender, but rather our talent, our drive, and the strength of our contributions.” Society has battled opposing views of the gender gap for years, and it is not closing quickly enough. Slowly, people are realizing that women do need, and deserve, more.

In four out of ten households with children under 18, women are the primary source of income. Yet, women still make significantly less than men. Statistics show that Caucasian women make approximately 80 cents per male dollar, African American women make 70 cents, and Latina women make 60 cents. So we must ask ourselves, “How does this pay gap between genders affect women?” The answer is poverty. A 2012 census revealed that 14.5 percent of American women live in poverty, compared to 11 percent of men, with 30 percent of those women being single mothers.Yet, some people disagree with the feminist movement; these people make up the countermovement known as antifeminists. Members of the antifeminist movement see equal rights acts as “an attack on the home” and wrongfully place feminists in “the position of being seen as against homemakers.” I say the feminist point is not that homemakers lack merit or respect. The movement is an attempt to educate the nation of the near impossibility of being a non-working mother or wife in the modern age. Nonetheless, women have made progress in reaching equality.

In 1942, the Women’s Auxiliary Corps was established. Soon after, other sections of the military created groups to involve women. By 1945, women made up 2.3 percent of the United States military. On October 20, 1978, the Women’s Army Corps disassembled, as training became coed, and other programs followed thereafter. In January 2013, the decision was made to let women fight on the front lines in combat. Then and now the decision is controversial. There are three main points in the argument opposing women in combat: physical fitness, gender privacy, and war effects. The opposers do not believe women can handle the physical strain, lack of privacy, or emotional horror like men. On the contrary, some people believe the decision should be left to women. If they are willing to give up their privacy, and risk psychological damage from the war, why should they not be allowed? Additionally, the opinion that women do not know the true face of war is false. General Colin Powell said, “The nurses saw the bleakest, most terrifying face of war. The mangled men, the endless sobs of wounded children,” so while women had yet to fight in combat, they did understand how traumatic war was and the lifelong effects of it. While progress in gender equality has occurred, there is more that can be done.

During April 2014, Barack Obama addressed the country and stated that within the next couple of months, a rule will be put in place “that would require Federal contractors and subcontractors to submit to DOL (department of labor) summary data on the compensation paid their employees, including data by sex.” This rule will help to find cases of unequal pay between genders so they can be resolved. Also, with holidays such as Equal Pay Day, the nation’s attention is brought to the inequality between men and women so the country can work towards equality. If not for days like Equal Pay Day, the country would remain ignorant. Similarly, communities can plan local events to generate awareness all year round. If awareness for gender inequality is treated as merely an annual event, no change will happen. Additionally, schools can help by educating students on the issues of inequality, as well as offering more scholarships. This way girls are given the option of higher education and the help to achieve it.

In conclusion, I do not believe that America has made enough progress in vanquishing gender inequality, but I do believe that our country has come far. Throughout the past 70 years alone, women have narrowed the gender gap significantly. Today though, people still question womens’ abilities and for only the reason that they are women. I believe awareness must be raised, because gender inequality must end.