Why the #Next50Years of Gender Equality Needs to Start Now
By Dyllan McGee If someone were to ask me if I was a feminist before I started what is now a nine-year journey of creating the largest video collection of women's stories ever assembled, I would have said - sadly - "no." Today, as that journey continues to unfold, I know for certain that I am a feminist who stands on the shoulders of the uncountable brave women before me who dedicated themselves to women's rights and equality, and that we must empower the next generation in order to move forward. I've learned so much documenting the last 50 years of the women's movement with MAKERS: Women Who Make America and creating the MAKERS.com video collection of trailblazing women's stories with the most remarkable team at AOL. But, what I find most shocking is how idle so many of us have become since.
Feminists over the last 50 years weren't calling for almost equal pay or almost equal representation on boards, in Congress, or in the media. There is still much work to be done, and it's the responsibility of future generations - both women and men, boys and girls - to get there. We know gender equality in the workplace has not yet been reached. We know that too few girls are pursuing STEM fields. We know the big picture goal of the women's movement which ignited 50 years ago has yet been reached. So at our inaugural MAKERS Conference this February we're gathering groundbreaking women profiled as MAKERS, trailblazing men pushing for change for women and families, leaders in the field of women’s advancement and millennials who will carry the torch forward. We know progress has to be made, so we're coming together to decide how exactly we can help the world get there. We are not holding back. We want to help reset the agenda for the #next50years of gender equality in the 21st century. Maybe in the #next50years declaring yourself a 'feminist' will be gratuitous because everybody will be on board with gender equality and we'll be living it. But today, we're sharpening our pencils to start drawing up the blueprint to get there. Stay updated with what we'll be adding to the agenda over the 36-hour action plan at The MAKERS Conference February 10-12th by following @makerswomen, #MAKERS2014 and #next50years.
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