Despite significant progress towards gender equality in recent decades, women continue to face significant challenges in various aspects of their lives.

According to Sharon Sullivan, professor and chair of the theater department, these challenges range from systemic gender-based discrimination in the workplace to inadequate representation in positions of power, decision making, issues around reproductive justice, bodily autonomy and the issue of unequal pay.

“I think that one of the biggest challenges facing young women right now, of course, is reproductive justice and bodily autonomy. Not having the right to control your own reproductive system is a huge barrier for women,” Sullivan said.

While some progress has been made towards mitigating these challenges, significant strides are still required to achieve gender equality. Tiffany Mack, a sophomore mathematics major, believes that women live in a male favoring culture.

“Women, honestly, are living in a male dominated world because our societal norms are built around patriarchal ideologies and women are very much left to navigate within a male dominated society and operate in the shadows of the dominant male,” Mack said.

Mack added that women still suffer from discrimination from all fronts for the most part.

“Women are oftentimes discriminated against and there is just a general assumption that they are less capable than men, even if that is not the intention,” Mack said.

In the next twenty years it is likely that new and unique challenges will arise for women. In Sullivan’s opinion, some of the existing challenges will evolve.

“Twenty years from now we will see the issue of bodily autonomy as a medical situation between a woman and her doctor instead of trying to make it about a crime or legislating it through the government. I think that is a huge barrier,” Sullivan said.

It cannot be overemphasized that resources need to be tailored toward addressing some of these challenges that women face. Sullivan thinks that Washburn authorities are towing that line.

“I think Washburn has done a lot of really good work and continues to do good work in the area of programs geared toward addressing some of these challenges faced by women. I, however, do not think we are talking as much about the unequal pay issue. That is where I want to see Washburn doing more training on teaching women how to negotiate for pay,” Sullivan said.

To change the narrative in the next twenty years, “we need to empower women to create awareness to both men and women as to the toxicity that is interwoven into cultural norms, and the patriarchy that has compounded throughout the ages. For only then will women have a sense of belonging in the society,” Mack said.

Women still have to work towards belonging in a society built for men but with time and persistence of speaking out against the society that we live in, things can change in the next 20 years for the better of our society.

Edited By Simran Shrestha and LeSha’ Davis