As a sophomore at the University of Akron taking Feminist Theory, I have learned a lot in the past three months.  Not only have I gathered valuable information about the history of women and the feminist movement, but my opinions about current issues have been shaped by what I have discovered.  One such issue is the empowerment of women in the workforce.

As my Feminist Theory instructor has told our class, today’s women do two-thirds of the world’s work and make only 10 percent of the world’s money.  I find this absolutely baffling.  There’s definitely something wrong here.  This statistic is mentioned on the Global Issues page dedicated to Women’s Rights.

So what does this mean?  Well, in these horrible economic times, it means we have a very simple answer to our problems right in front of our faces: empower women.  These two little words hold the key to turning America, and the world as a whole, into a better place.

If you give a woman the tools necessary to plant, gather and cook food, she will most definitely make sure that no one goes hungry.  If you give a man these same tools, chances are he will provide for himself and his immediate family.  Women are called the caregivers for a reason: They will help those in need.

Although empowering women will solve many problems and help many people, we still have the two-thirds dilemma.  If equal pay for equal work is finally enacted, I believe that the economic problems we are facing will get better.  It may not happen right away, but it is only logical that if the nation’s wealth is equally distributed, there won’t be as many financial problems.

Overall, I may just by a mere sophomore and may not know anything about the world, but I do know this: Feminist Theory has taught me a great deal so far about the world and the way we think about it.  It has helped me open my mind to new ideas and ways of thinking. 

I can only hope you have taken a feminist approach and kept an open mind when reading and thinking about what I have written here.