Are We the Women We Think We Are?

While playing Internet Leapfrog the other day, I came upon these interesting items. A recent study suggests that one reason women make less money than men for doing the same work is that they don’t ask for more. Research indicates that men are more likely than women to ask for a raise. When a man and a woman are applying for the same job, the man is more likely to negotiate for a higher salary.

Click, click, click … on the Mayo Clinic website I looked for the warning signs of a stroke in women (checking out the veracity of a message forwarded to me earlier). It says that women having a stroke are more likely to delay seeking treatment. One of the symptoms is extreme fatigue. I can’t imagine running to the emergency room every time I experience that one—can you?

Click, click, click … a poll found that over all, women tend to agree with Hillary Clinton on the issues and see her as a strong leader and a positive role model. However, many of those same women are not supporting her because they don’t think she can win. Duh! I’m pretty sure that if they don’t support her, she won’t.

I’m thinking that the overriding issue here is that after all these years and all the advances in the level of respect for women, we are still falling a little short in the self-respect category. I’m a poster child for putting my own feelings aside in favor of _______ (fill in the blank with husband, children, friends, husbands and children of friends—you name it). Frankly, it’s just easier, but it’s not getting me anywhere.

On July 19th we celebrated National Women’s Suffrage Day and the right to Stand Up and Be Counted. Have we forgotten how to do that? And I don’t mean just your vote, I mean your voice. Use it or lose it!