Women’s empowerment? I am all for it.

Decades ago, women were viewed as lesser than their male counterparts. They were treated as such in society. Women had no voice. Women were to be seen, not heard. They had no right to vote. They were given lesser salaries in male dominated world. Of course, this still happens, but it is not as dominant.

I am grateful for the advocates throughout history who empowered women through their words and actions, reminding them that they are more than an apron or the children they bore. Females have taken the world by storm, owning businesses, leading countries, being the queens that they are. We are fierce. I would like to believe that is how God has made us.

It is most unfortunate, however, that in the process of empowering women, men are being disempowered. This is scary. Men today are being belittled. It is as if their actions and words are of little to no value. I often try to wrap my mind around this. I ask why. How is leaving the men behind progressive? This may seem like a joke now, but it has alarming implications for the future. We are heading down a path of producing more broken men in society, making them menaces in a bid to empower our girls.

Imagine this. Twenty years from now, our girls are topping classes, owning everything, “running the world”. But our boys… Our dear boys are marginalized, looked down upon and treated as the scum of the earth because they are men. It sounds to me that is remarkably similar to what was happening to our ladies in yester-year. Imagine a world where not enough opportunities are afforded to men, even to excel.

Many women who want to marry a man of their standard will not be able to find same. He might not have the same level of intelligence. He might not be able to support a wife, and by extension, a family. He will not treat a woman with respect because no one took the time to teach him. This is damaging to the psyche of men. We are teaching them (both covertly and explicitly) that they are not important, and they should not be valued.

Contrary to popular belief, there is room at the top for everyone. Our girls AND boys need to experience love, self-actualization, and security. Men AND women can excel and should excel. Therefore, both genders should be empowered. Let us not allow the atrocities of our forefathers and broken people of today cause us to deteriorate the future. These are the brothers, fathers, husbands, friends, and leaders of tomorrow.

Let us pour into them, teaching them values, morals, truth and justice. We need men in our society. Don’t break them. Remember them. Value them. They are kings. Let’s treat them as such.

^{Photo by Anna Might (IG:@annamighttakepics)}