Gender equality is still one of those topics that makes my stomach twist because even now, January 2026, walking around my neighborhood in the cold, it doesnt feel finished at all. I mean I see the instagram posts about girl power and all that but then I open linkedin and theres another article saying the pay gap barely moved last year and Im just sitting here thinking… are we serious?
Im not coming at this from some perfect woke place. I screw up constantly. Last week I was on a video call with my team and our new project lead (woman, super sharp, younger than me) suggested a direction and one of the older guys kinda talked over her like she hadnt spoken. I didnt say anything right then. I waited till the call ended and dm’d her “hey that was bullshit sorry I didnt jump in.” She replied thanks but you could tell she was used to it. That made me feel like trash. Because being an ally after the fact is basically useless.
The Everyday Shit That Makes Gender Equality Feel So Far Away
Its not always the big protests or supreme court stuff (though thats bad enough). Its the daily grind crap.
- My cousin just had a baby and her boss asked if she was “coming back full time or…?” like its a hobby. Nobody asked her husband that.
- Seeing yet another list of “top CEOs” and its 90% dudes in hoodies acting like they invented hard work.
- My own dumb brain still going “huh” for half a second when I see a guy pushing a stroller alone. Why does that even register as unusual?
Thats where it lives for me. In those split-second reactions I hate admitting I have.
Pay Gap Isnt “Closing” — My Cringe Memory From Work
I got promoted last fall. More money, title bump, cool. Then I found out (through office gossip, dont judge) that a woman whod been there longer, same performance metrics basically, got told “budget constraints” for the same role. She smiled through it in meetings but I saw her eyes when the announcement email went out.
I thought about saying something in our next 1:1 with the director. Rehearsed it in my head. Then I didnt. Chickened out because “what if it makes things awkward.” Yeah. Thats me failing at gender equality in real time. Super heroic.
The latest stats still look rough—check Pew Research on gender pay trends if you want the receipts. Its not ancient history. Its right now.
Gender Stereotypes — I Still Catch Myself
Heres another embarrassing one. My roommate is dating this guy whos a nurse. First time I met him I said something stupid like “oh nice, male nurse, thats different huh?” He just laughed it off but inside I was like why did I say that like its special? We dont say “female doctor” anymore (or we shouldnt). But male nurse still gets the eyebrow raise in my head sometimes.
Those tiny scripts are stubborn. They dont go away because you read one article. You have to keep catching yourself. And I dont always.
More on how expectations screw us all over at Harvard Business Review pieces on gender bias.
Why Gender Equality Actually Matters More Right This Damn Second
Because things are sliding backward in places. States passing laws that make doctors scared to treat miscarriages. Companies dropping “inclusion” language from their sites like its radioactive. People online acting like asking for basic fairness is “divisive.”
But theres also this undercurrent of people refusing to shut up. Younger guys starting to call out locker-room talk. Women (and non-binary folks) building networks that dont wait for permission. Me trying—clumsily—to not be part of the problem anymore. Its not cute or inspirational. Its tiring. But if we all decide its “done” then it really is over.
So thats my take. Gender equality still matters more than ever because the alternative is letting the clock run backward while we pretend everything’s fine. If this made you nod even once, maybe just check in with someone whos exhausted from carrying this extra weight. Or call yourself out next time you slip. Thats all Ive got. Im gonna go stare at the ceiling for a bit and promise myself Ill do better next week.
