A Brave, Beautiful, and Brilliant Possibility

I don’t know about you, but when I think about all the amazing things that women have done for the world, it’s hard to believe that we still live in a world that doesn’t fully recognize how much women have to offer. In this day and age, it’s mind-boggling that women are still earning less money than men and that we are still discussing whether a woman can, and should be, president of this country. It’s mind-boggling that, in other parts of the world, women are denied education, health care, and the freedom to decide whose underwear they’ll see crumpled by the shower in the morning.

I think it’s time we shout, “Enough already!” The world needs both men and women, and it is time for every person and every culture on this planet to see women as the equal, full-rights and full-pay deserving contributors we are.

Here’s an idea. Like our founding fathers did years ago, let’s create a Declaration of Independence, only ours truly will be for all people, of all ages, in all countries. Perhaps it could say something like:

We hold these truths to be completely obvious (and a long time in coming). That every woman on this planet deserves the freedom to:

  Live where she wants to live.

  Live how she wants to live.

  Live with whomever she wants to live with.

  Do what makes her happy.

  Not do what makes her unhappy.

  Decide what she does or does not do with her body.

  Never have to use her body for food or survival.

  Keep the money that she earns.

  Earn the same amount of money as her equally qualified male counterparts.

  Live in a world where she is always respected, valued, cherished, loved, and safe, and is never seen by anyone as an object, possession, or servant.

Imagine if women everywhere enjoyed these basic freedoms. Imagine if women everywhere really were free to say “Yes!” to their choices instead of being forced to live someone else’s. Imagine what kind of world we could and would create (and imagine how happy that world would be).

Join me as a Declaration of Independence signatory, and let’s create that kind of twenty-first-century world. Let’s be the founding females for the estrogen-celebrating, women-rock world every woman deserves. Women everywhere, present and future, are counting on us. The great thing is, together, we have all the power we need to make a difference!

What brave, beautiful, and brilliant possibilities can YOU suggest?