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letra de an appeal to women on breaking the glass ceiling - lena snow

an appeal to women on breaking the gl-ss ceiling

it is a melancholy sight to those who walk through the great corporate offices of nearly all american companies, or consider the leaders who head today’s stem industries, when they are confronted with the disgraceful evidence of the disproportionate number of men in leadership positions that women strive to obtain just as fervently, if not more fervently, than their male counterparts. these women, instead of being paid a fair wage, often receive less pay and benefits than men while enduring far more compet-tion for comparable, lower-paying jobs. the inequality between the s-xes in today’s corporate workforce is a dark stain upon america’s fundamental belief that all men are created equal, one that will no doubt leave future generations of women less than optimistic about their future job prospects or chances for success

both genders would agree that this embarr-ssing paradox in american society is a great grievance to the prominence and image of the united states. women’s diminished standing in society and in the workforce has always been present in america. despite tireless efforts by women, and by some more progressively minded men, to promote gender equality, from the earliest women suffragists to modern feminists, the gl-ss ceiling has yet to be shattered. women, after years of unabated perseverance, continue to fall short of equal representation in workforce leadership positions, and continue to earn less than their male counterparts for similar work. understandably, women are disheartened by their lack of success in this area, as it is a constant reminder of dreams deferred and of the sisyphean attempts for change that still loom before them. a society is only as strong as its weakest member, and therefore the eradication of the gl-ss ceiling for women should be at the forefront of american social reform

i will now, with utmost humility, propose a plan to break the gl-ss ceiling through a shift in social perspective, rather than continuing on the path of legislative change for which many feminists continue to argue today, a path that has proved to be largely unsuccessful over the years at achieving true reform. i argue that, if women truly want social equality, a movement to achieve that end must start from within, and that it must be aimed at the last remaining obstruction to overcoming the gl-ss ceiling: men themselves. the sheer number of men in leadership positions is so daunting and overwhelming that only a significant social change could eradicate it in order to establish a more equitable gender hegemony

the answer could not be simpler or more obvious, because psychologists universally agree that men have a biological propensity, in fact a biological imperative, for aggression and often brutal compet-tion. psychologists also agree that the lack of suitable outlets through which men may productively channel this innate bloodl-st is of growing concern. men would thrive in a society where dueling was promoted anew as the ultimate expression of machismo. this was once not an uncommon practice, and one infused with great dignity and honor. it is now the dreary reality for men that the venues for showcasing their masculinity have been reduced to exercising, playing video games, or cheering on their favorite professional sports teams, all of which pale in comparison to the adrenaline-fueled challenge of mano-a-mano combat. i argue earnestly that there is neither a clearer expression of true masculinity nor a greater way to elevate the essence of one’s manhood than through an honorable duel to the death

there are additional benefits to the practice of dueling. firstly, it is enormously versatile. dueling could settle a wide range of matters small and large, from the most petty disagreements over parking sp-ces or which television channel to watch, to issues of great magnitude and importance, like winning a woman’s hand in marriage, deciding which legislative initiatives to p-ss, or even determining the superior presidential candidate. furthermore, dueling could take many forms, far beyond simply taking ten paces, turning around, and firing off a gunshot. sword fighting, for example, could make a splendid expression of masculine honor, and there are even more creative and colorful options. imagine the exceptional dignity, not to mention the heightened entertainment value, of duels involving gasoline, trebuchets, or even live scorpions. the possibilities are endless

secondly, resurgence in the practice of dueling would fuel an economic boom in the weapons industry. both women and men alike would benefit from what is certain to be an unprecedented increase in the labor demand for manufacturers of swords, guns, crossbows and other popular dueling accessories. these are jobs that would be highly sought after and revered due to dueling’s newly elevated role as a cornerstone of american culture. if the respect accorded to engineers at apple or programmers at facebook is any indication of what employees in socially important and technologically relevant industries can expect, then the men and women who bring to market the great accouterments of the dueling industry will receive enormous accolades and will certainly have richly paid careers

thirdly, dueling would not only be the perfect way for men to gain a much needed release of pent-up aggression and to put their masculinity on honorable public display, but it would also most -ssuredly help women break the gl-ss ceiling. once dueling is back in vogue, men will quite literally start dropping like flies. and with a greatly reduced number of males in the american workforce, women will finally be able to break the last barrier to career success and gender equality. expeditiously they would -ssume the numerous, now empty jobs once held by men who fared poorly in their duels, and they would finally begin earning the same wages as their male counterparts. american men would also, no doubt, begin to respect women and to hold them in much higher esteem, as they begin serving elbow to elbow with these women in ever greater numbers. it will become obvious to all involved, as was true during world war ii when working age men were scarce, that women are a more than adequate work force subst-tute for men. the matter is one of simple economics

i can think of no objections to my proposal, aside from those who might state that a return to dueling is an unbecoming social change for gentle, peace-loving woman to promote. women have always been heralded as the fairer s-x for their decorum and benevolence, and historically they have not been in favor of violent social practices. i argue strenuously, however, that in this particular case, the end more than justifies the means. the objectors believe that, to break the gl-ss ceiling, society’s conventional views on and actions towards women must be changed. while peacefully pleading with society to acknowledge the disadvantages and inherent struggles many women face in the workforce is a less violent solution, those who believe in its efficacy are grossly mistaken and blind to reality

these objectors hold vain and idle visionary thoughts. i, too, once fell prey to these idyllic solutions. however, years of such beliefs have led us nowhere, and without a tangible plan for social action or a single crack thus far in the gl-ss ceiling, they are unproductive and detrimental to the cause of gender equality. as has been stated, legislative changes and cultural pressure for men to treat women fairly in the workplace have simply not proved adequate. only a direct, forceful fist punch at the gl-ss ceiling will be able to break it once and for all, and dueling is that punch. let us remember that dueling is not a practice of indiscriminate violence, nor a practice of violence perpetrated against women. it is a practice of targeted, honorable male death, by which men will select themselves out of the labor market, paving the way for women to -ssume their rightful place in the societal hierarchy

please do understand that i am not so myopic as to believe my proposal is perfect. tarnishing women’s image as long-standing exemplars of peace and gentleness is not the ideal solution, simply the necessary one. we can no longer demurely stand aside and watch as the goals of equal pay for equal work and adequate representation in the upper echelons of american corporations stay forever just beyond our fingertips. therefore, i repeat, let no person state that i am a bloodthirsty, brash woman. i -ssure you this is not the case. until someone develops a clearer, swifter, and more effective way to break the gl-ss ceiling for women, one that is as appealing and as fair to both s-xes as my proposal, let no objections be raised. in the interest of promoting gender equality, let dueling prevail

- lena snow

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