The Source March 2020

READING ROOM
THE LONG WALK TO SUCCESS
A Woman’s Journey
I am sure this is a subject that has been
explored in so many ways - yet, even
with the awareness of it all, there is no
real resolution to gender equality. The
stereotype was set long ago, a woman’s
place is in the house, with a baby in her
hip and her hands full cooking and being
the perfect homemaker. The place
and value of a woman today should not
be taken for granted. In scripture we see
that when God formed Eve, from one of
Adam’s ribs, He sanctioned Eve (woman)
to be a helper. Adam declared in
Genesis 2:23 “This is now bone of my
bones; And flesh of my flesh; She shall
be called Woman; Because she was taken
out of man.” Today, the concept of
woman being a helper is still a stigma
that threatens the growth and success
of women in societies. A woman must
work twice as hard as a man to gain recognition
in almost every avenue of life.
The question that needs to be asked is,
how do we change the perceptions of
society towards women holding higher
positions than men, or to women being
providers in a home, or to women doing
jobs that are categorized as men’s
jobs? For example, in the Super Bowl
LIV (2020), Americans had the very
first ever woman coach and take a team
to the Super Bowl. American football is
considered a male sport (if we will add
gender to it), therefore, it is only logical
that a man coaches a team not so?
Today we have women, who are pilots,
contractors, electricians, CEOs, Vice
Presidents. Basically, any job that a man
can do, a woman can do to. Women have
crossed the gender barrier to prove that
they are capable and do even better than
male counterparts in most cases. Still,
there is still a long road that women
must cover to get to that point where it is
not totally frowned upon or challenged
for a woman to succeed. The role of a
woman naturally, is being a nurturer, a
caregiver, a strong hold to whom one can
run to for support. Yet you will hear that
women are weak, emotional, not steadfast.
The bible even states in 1 Peter 3:7
– a call of action to husbands, Likewise,
ye husbands, dwell with them according
to knowledge, giving honor unto the
wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as
being heirs together of the grace of life;
that your prayers be not hindered. This
scripture does not imply that women are
weaker vessels.
Patricia Odani
Patricia Odani, (SA, CompTIA Security, CyberArk Trusted
Advisor) is a Cyber Security Analyst for a Fortune 50 company.
She has diversified skills in management, leadership, and
Agile delivery methods. She is currently pursuing a Masters
in Cybersecurity as well as serving on various cybersecurity
committees on her company’s campus. She gives back to her
community by mentoring young technologists entering the
workforce and by writing insightful pieces on cybersecurity
best practices for public edification.
This scripture does not talk about male
hierarchy in marriage. It is rather calling
for mutual respect and partnership
in a marriage. In the passage, “Weaker
Vessel” does not refer to an intellectual
or emotional weakness, but to the woman’s
weakened position as it was in the
early Jewish and Roman cultures. This
scripture has been diluted so much that
it is used to justify that a woman is not
and cannot succeed unless under a man’s
authority or name. This is not so. Most
women finally find success in the later
years of their lives. This case is mostly
so for women of color. The opportunities
accorded to women of color are not as
forthcoming as they are to other races.
As a result, women must work twice as
hard, and twice as long to see the fruits of
their works, even though they are more
than qualified. When woman was formed
from man, and given to man, man gained
a helper. A suitable helper. Both male and
female were to compliment each other to
succeed in everything as a team. There
is an adage that says, “Behind every
successful man there is a woman.” Who
is behind the success of a woman? Is it
not supposed to be man? In as much as a
woman will support a man achieve more,
men are also supposed to support women
to achieve more that the norm expected.
It is no longer a requirement today
to have a woman’s place in the kitchen,
baby on hip in front of a stove cooking
away or hanging up the laundry or cleaning
the house. It is time for women to rise
and take their rightful place as mutual
partners in creating a better society for
our descendants. It is time to encourage
the girl child to try and be that astronaut,
or boxer, or aero-mechanic. It is time
to encourage women to dream and step
into the requirements of their dream to
achieve them.
We need to be the biggest cheerleaders
they will have. It does not matter your
race, gender or religious affiliations,
when one succeeds, we all succeed.
Women, the walk is long, but we are getting
there. Step by step, we are getting
there. When we get there, we should remember
that we have not yet arrived, because
there are others following our path
that will need our help along the way.
“Anything a man can do; a woman can
do better!”
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