“The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, ‘It’s a girl,’”once said Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968.

There is no denying that there have been great inequalities throughout history when it comes to the treatment of women in comparison to men. This discrimination is not exclusive to any location, religion, or time period. The Bible is filled with instances that suggest men are superior to women and that trend has continued into present time.

In almost all aspects of today’s society, such as politics, business, and even family life, men often take on the controlling role. Studies have shown that there are subtle differences and undertones in the way women are viewed and treated, as opposed to men. Some of the findings showed women were interrupted more than men and were given easier questions to answer in an educational setting (people.mills.edu). These little things are proof of how the belief that men are superior to women is so deeply engrained into society.

On a more extreme level, there are the Islamic women who have little to no freedom and may never be able to obtain it. They can be punished for crimes against them committed by men, such as rape. Girls are kept from receiving an education and have been killed for announcing their desire to learn, and women are viewed as objects.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been progress, but even today, the involvement of women in the U.S. and British governments are limited – so limited that the need is felt to celebrate when a women enters the political scene. The day that women are truly equal is the day a woman’s achievement isn’t celebrated solely because of her gender.