Girls Still Can’t Do It

Girls Still Can’t Do It

Or so many still think. It is the year 2017. Star date 7.21. On the starship Career Woman, obstacles of immense proportions are still faced everyday. Their mission, to boldly work where no woman has worked before and possibly do it better. Although there have been many advances in what a woman is allowed to attempt and what the weight of her opinion is in the matter, there are still jobs that many view untraditional for women.

Factory Work

Many people attempt to gain access through schooling, who they know, or just plain experience, to the best white collar jobs available; women included. However, the blue collar jobs, such as factory work, have traditionally been viewed as too physically demanding for most women or as having too many working parts for a woman to understand. In the 1850’s, they even created a union to help female industry workers. They are still fighting skepticism.

Construction Work

Another occupation traditionally run by men. The heavy lifting of materials, operating heavy machinery, and the drastic swing in temperatures from season to season definitely make it more difficult to succeed as a woman in this field, but not impossible. Unfortunately, only 9% of the constructive working force is female. Some women are just not interested. Some are not physically fit enough for the job, and sometimes, women are still excluded from these jobs through the politics in the workplace.

The Military

While the fact that women can now serve their country in several different ways in all branches of the military, there are still several jobs that women are not invited to attempt. Currently, women cannot serve as special forces soldiers, serve in special operations units, serve on a submarine, serve as Navy Seals, or in the Army’s Ranger Regiment. When asked why, the military simply states that things take time, in short. A vague answer that is continuing to slow the progress of a woman’s well deserved chance to serve her country.

Pilots

As little girls, there are several who stare into the sky and dream of flying. Few are encouraged. In the year 2016, only 7% of pilots worldwide were female. Did we forget who Amelia Earhart was? Studies have shown that women have better acuity of sight and that their peripheral vision is greater than men’s. This, alone, could make them a better choice for flying an airplane.  

No matter what the job, there will always be some women and men who cannot achieve the requirements of the position. Times change. Slowly, as it may seem in the case of what a woman can or cannot do in her chosen field, but eventually every position in every field will be considered fair game for the woman willing test her limits.

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