By Alvin Apple

The state of gender equality has vastly improved in the past few decades. Career, education and business opportunities have really opened up for women, and we are seeing successful females in many different situations. But have we truly reached equality? Even with all the improvements made, the answer is still, unfortunately, "no."

For every hard-working female executive, there is a working mother who has been passed over for a promotion. For every respected female professor, there is an educated woman somewhere whose knowledge is not being taken seriously. The people who discriminate against these women may not even be conscious of the fact that they are doing it. Gender bias is deeply rooted in our collective psyche, but that is no excuse. We must constantly remind ourselves to be aware of how we are perceiving and treating others.

Remember the recent furor over Jane Swift, the pregnant governor of Massachusetts? Pages and pages of newsprint were devoted to the debate on whether or not she could be an effective mother and still run the state. This would never have happened to a man, not even a single father.

It is amazing to me that, in this new millennium, such basic gender stereotypes are being perpetuated. Are gender roles so stamped into our brains that we can't conceive of the fact that a woman can successfully raise a family while maintaining a high profile career? Mrs. Swift is probably perfectly capable of handling both jobs, or at least of delegating responsibility so that everything is taken care of. Sure she'll be busy, but lots of very busy men manage to make things work every day without ever having their qualifications questioned.

As people working in small home-businesses, we can help to make change in these areas. By stepping out of the brick and mortar business world we have already effectively said no to corporate politics. Already, far more women are having success with online and home businesses than with regular corporations. Just look at
Meg Whitman of Ebay and Abbie Drew of DEMC. Although Meg came into Ebay later in the game, she has made it the most successful online retail auction business in the world. Abbie Drew started from scratch, and now DEMC, the Internet's very first business ezine, provides advertising and expert small business advice for hundreds of thousands of people.

This is all great, but why not take it a step further? Take a stand for gender rights and commit to treating men and women with absolute equality in all your business dealings. When making a decision to use someone's services or ask for someone's advice be open minded. Remember, it's your colleague's track-record, qualifications and personality that make them the great businessperson they are, not their gender.

Alvin Apple helps everyday people start businesses they will enjoy. Then he teaches them how to succeed. Read all his helpful strategies, including his latest article, "How to Write the Perfect Classified Ad" at http://AlvinApple.com . Reach Alvin at 801-328-9006 or alvin@drnunley.com

Reprinted at Political Forum with permission.

It is true that gender discrimination is still existent, but it has gotten better to some extent. Sexism is not so stamped into our brains that we will always be this way. I believe that eventually there will be no issue about this.

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The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing
is to be taken too seriously."
-Nicholas Butler (1862 - 1947).

Hosef is the perfect exsample of the differences between a guy and a girl

for every white male who with good grades who didn't get into the collage he wanted theres a black woman with average grades who took his spot

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support search and rescue... Get Lost

go Coast Guard

I am sorry you took my statement that way, F-R-O-G, I did not mean to construe myself as a "minority lover" or whatever. By sexism and such, I mean by if a manager promotes, say, a lower-qualified man over a much more qualified woman or minority or cripple or anyone different from the average-joe white man. I do not wish for favoritism, merely equality.

Hope that clears it up!

__________________
The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing
is to be taken too seriously."
-Nicholas Butler (1862 - 1947).

That white males are the only ones who can truly be terminated from employment "at will" - women and minorities can always allege discrimination and companies and even firms are scared to get rid of them, and unfortunately many use that card even when they know it isn't valid...

Yeah i know what you mean about it still being around, in Australia if a women driver drives a taxi, some men will say there:" im not getting in that taxi because a shirly is driving it" basically because its a women driver.

Hopefully very soon this will change and women will be given a better chance in life everywhere in the world although i dont see that happening to soon in places like Saudia Arabia no offence to anyone here.

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The past is what makes us who we are dont make it your burdern

But you forget that its not the women don't fit some jobs. Not to say if woman can prove herself that she can't get the job. What I mean is that Men and Women are built different. Men don't have to same burdens as Women as Women don't have to same burden as Men.

For example: When women get pregnant the get days off. And their jobs are still there till they get back even doh it was their (not the company) choice to get pregnant. when men have a wife or girl or whatever they get one day or they have to use their vacation hours for that time where women don't have too.

another one is when women have their period and they throw these mood swings. (not to say all women but most generally speaking.)People around the office have to deal with that, but when men do it we get in trouble.

Last one when it comes to talking it the work place, women can get away with it but men can't. Women can talk about anything they want where men can't. (yes it true) Thats why I don't as a rule don't talk to women in the work place. Its a lawsuit waiting to happen.

How do I know this worked at Verizonwireless for 3 years and seen it all day. So I know what I'm talking about. Until those stereotypes change nothing will change. But I do agree that women have come along way. I just don't want double standard rules either gender. I know there is male stuff to but the big ones reside with women.

I assume by saying this you are saying that a new mother/pregnant woman can do her job just as well as a woman neither pregnant nor a mother. I guess all this stuff about maternity leave is just rediculous then, right? Or perhaps you are saying that if it is an issue for a woman, then it should be an issue for men? Well then, I'd be happy to get paternity leave and take nice easy 9 month vacation when my wife gets pregnant. Either way, concerns on this subject are very real. What happens to massechussets if the newly elected governor takes maternity leave? I suppose the job needs to remain open, by current legislation, after all the position isn't that important.

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Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others.
Groucho Marx