'The pursuit of equality between the sexes is not only futile but foolish.' Do you agree?

Image by GDJ via Creative Commons

 
'The pursuit of equality between the sexes is not only futile but foolish.' Do you agree?

Only one female made it into the top hundred list of highest earners in the sports industry. Serena Williams, the last woman standing, is ranked a mere fifty-first in the 2017 list, according to Forbes. This has led to outrage and disappointment among the feminists, who consider this a scandal and reason for their renewed vigour. The more realistic are aware that the pursuit of equality between the sexes is utterly futile, being fraught with challenges, and the cynics among them would be quick to argue that the endeavour is clearly foolish if clear results are not attainable. The more idealistic would choose to focus on the principle and value of the endeavour, believing that it is a sensible choice. Having considered both sides of the issue, I harbour no unrealistic notion about the efficacy and acknowledge the futility of the effort, but I must admit I see value in the pursuit nonetheless, with the ensuring debate, empowerment, and hope for our humanity in the long run.

I must concede that there is truth in the viewpoint that the endeavour is futile, being fraught with nuances and complexities that led some to believe the entire pursuit as being foolish. It is true that the concept of equality is already challenging to grasp, much less apply to the sensitive topic of differences between and within the sexes. Equality, being about ensuring similar access to opportunity, is already challenging to understand, being so often misunderstood as equitable outcomes. The problem is further complicated with inherent differences between the sexes that render any pursuit of equality rather pointless, with many misconstruing the fundamental notions and consequent inability to arrive at a common consensus. The pessimists would then point to the innumerable efforts on the part of feminist and activists in pursuit of equality and feel buoyed by the evident lack of success, not to mention vast amounts of time, effort, and other resources that have been poured into the pursuit, all in vain. The Slut Parade, International Women's Day, and even #Women2Drive would perhaps be at the top of their minds as they shake their heads at the foolish squandering of resources, believing that the pursuit is foolish since it would be for naught. I must disagree on it being foolish. I choose to focus on the discussion that ensued, though rather inconclusive, and at times, even controversial, the discussion is still very much of value. The fervent and often heated debate actually serves much importance to the growing maturity of the society, as the populace considers different views on the respective sexes and reflects on what equality means for themselves and others. The emotional debate over victim-shaming in rape cases and the extent of rights that each individual has over himself or herself is an invaluable discussion, even if little consensus is achieved in the end. Hence, as much as I agree that the pursuit of equality between the sexes is not likely to bring results, I do not think it is foolish when we consider the resultant discussion.

On top of the discussion that the pursuit brings, it is imperative that we consider the resultant empowerment of the vulnerable that renders this admittedly futile pursuit not so foolish after all. Pursuing gender equality may well be doomed due to ingrained mindsets, but the overt emphasis on the situation at least ameliorates the situation of the less powerful gender. Take for instance, the oft-cited plight of Saudi Arabian women, who are deemed to be victims of one of the most unequal societies in the world. The females in the society are not even adequately empowered to be allowed into a common space with the males of the society, not to mention have a bank account without the blessings of their husbands, or be eligible to earn their driving licenses. With the admittedly pointless pursuit of gender equality, what it at least does is to highlight the plight of the gender most disenfranchised, so that some improvement and attention is at least possible for those who are incapable of helping themselves. The concessions in allowing the women in Saudi Arabia to finally get their driving license without providing means for independent travel and even vote, albeit in a most undemocratic society, at least serves to alleviate the grievous sense of injustice somewhat, despite clearly not being meaningful representation or even indication of true equality. The same can be said for the women in Afghanistan and Yemen, or even the men in Singapore. Hence, while I do acknowledge the endeavour as futile, I simply do not consider it foolish.

Still, the staunchly pragmatic would dismiss the pursuit as foolish, with the futility, or at best insignificant benefits. They argue that the social upheaval and polarising debate are far too much a cost to bear, in the light of the inconsequential outcomes. They would point to the sharply divisive controversies that have threatened to tear the already fraying social fabric in most societies already under pressure from global forces. As it is, traditions and norms are already under siege from the diversity brought about by the unprecedented mobility and diasporas that have spread far and wide. In this situation, the pursuit of gender equality may well be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back, as it could well be what stretches the fibres that are barely holding society together. The outcry over the treatment of Indian women, especially the Dalit women, has been made the scapegoat for the division and lack of progress in the Indian society. Yet, such a fatalistic and pessimistic view overlooks the possibility of some progress and maturity in the society, albeit in the long run. The risk-averse approach focusses too much on the short-run threat, without giving due consideration to the possible progress that can be gained in the long run. This is not to say that the endeavour would be eventually successful or to even bear some fruit in gender equality. Instead, it is entirely likely that we would be condemned to the perpetual over-compensation that the pursuit of gender equality serves to constantly result in. Rather, what makes the endeavour meaningful, and not foolish as claimed by the pessimists, is the development of the maturity of the populace and, dare I suggest, the advancement of society and civilisation. As much as we have yet to have any true equality of the sexes, we can infer the potential of such pursuits of equality between criminals and non-criminals. The enlightened approach seen in the Nordic countries had been sparked by the humanitarian emphasis on equality. Norway's revolutionary, world's-first commitment to equality, seen in the Halden Prison and the Bastoy Island Prison, had its genesis in the pursuit of equality at the realisation of the cruel ways previously employed on juvenile delinquents in the Boys' Home on Bastoy Island itself. The contemporary island retreat of a prison is testament to the progress such pursuits can bring. While true that these Scandinavian countries are, for now, rather lonely in such enlightenment, what is undeniable is the prerequisite of the pursuit for equality in the long-term progress of the society. Hence, as much as the pursuit of equality between the sexes is unlikely to bear fruit, given that it is perhaps one of the only inequalities backed by actual differences in biology, the pursuit itself is hardly foolish as it is a necessary first step in societal progress.

On a more practical note, the admittedly futile effort is still not foolish when we consider the actual need for change in gender roles and responsibilities brought about by the changing circumstances, which the pursuit would facilitate. The world today is changing rapidly in terms of technological advancement, altering the situation in societies, cost of living, and also work demands. Along with these, society's expectations with respect to gender roles, procreation, and family, have also shifted. Some more significantly than other perhaps, but nonetheless, changed and are still changing. As a result, the entrenched gender inequality would prove to be a hurdle for the required changes to keep up with changing societal needs. Hence, even when the pursuit of gender inequality would likely fail to bring about true equality in terms of access to opportunities, it is a worthwhile endeavour as it crucially paves the way for much needed changes that facilitate society's adapting to the changing circumstances in order to survive, much less thrive. This can be seen in the Finnish society, which is often held up as a guiding light for equality, where females are given concessions and support so that motherhood would not unfairly penalise them. Putting aside the controversial argument that this is equality in practice, when so clearly the men do not have access to similar concessions, what is evident is that the society has benefitted from the pursuit of equality, in that the effort has been leveraged upon to make much-needed changes to the landscape of work and socio-exploitation of human resources to ensure Finland's continued survival in the modern world. The same can be said of the Chinese in mainland China, which in the name of gender equality, has made being a leftover woman a badge of honour to harness the previously unexploited potential of the female population. In South Sudan, the practice of abusing fattening pills to achieve the societal standard of feminine beauty, at the expense of health, is now criticised, again under the banner of gender equality, to ensure the populace moves away from such wastage of resources and onto the empowerment that would help improve the pitiable plight of the impoverished nation saddled by traditional notions steeped in gender subjugation. Evidently, as much as the pursuit is indeed futile, the potential of the endeavour as a means to ensure society is able to keep up with changing circumstances makes it far from foolish.

In all, the pursuit of gender equality is likely to be futile, given the complexities and subjectivity of the notion, not to mention the entrenched mindsets that hinder any effort. Still, it is far from foolish considering the consequent debate, empowerment, and its potential as a tool for progress and advancement. As much as it is a thorny topic and a source of frustration for many, we must resist the temptation to surrender the pursuit using the simplistic assertion that futility equates folly. Instead, we should recognise the excuse for what it is and look beyond its immediate futility to recognise its central role in our growth, be it personal or societal. Perhaps another way of looking at it is to realise that it is more foolish to succumb and accept limitations as told, for if Serena Williams did, she would not have made it to the top hundred list, nor become the inspiration for so many in the world.

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All sample essays in this blog are original works written by Belinda. They are handwritten under timed conditions (90 minutes), and are subsequently typed out as blog posts. If you like what you read, leave us a comment below! :)