We live in an era in which the word "equality" has begun to surge into prominence, taking over political podiums, being read out in institutional statements, and spreading en masse as a slogan and a symbol of progress.
Modern society creates the impression that the battle for gender equality has been won, but the moment we look at the reality we live in with a more critical eye, that reality collides sharply with the illusion we have built in our own minds.
Gender equality has been turned into public decoration, into elaborate theories and organizational initiatives, yet in reality it runs up against the deep prejudices that still keep women in the shackles of inequality. Our "modern" society has begun to applaud the women who have brought revolution to society, while still judging them with great harshness. It promotes girls and promises them the right to pursue their dreams freely, but the moment they set out to make those dreams real, they meet limitations and prejudices of every kind.
The more we talk about equality, the more we come up against its real absence. In many official institutions it amounts to nothing more than an ideal statistic, there to uphold a progressive image. It is the woman who falls victim to gender inequality, who endures economic and professional inequality, while in everyday life women carry on their shoulders burdens that are rarely placed on men.
Almost always, the woman is discriminated against under the disguise and camouflage of words like "care" and "protection." But in reality, through this very act, our society begins to normalize inequality and discrimination, treating women as beings who must always remain under the care and protection of men.
To be precise, gender equality is not a struggle for power or authority between men and women; it is an effort to treat every human being equally, regardless of gender. A society that obstructs and prevents the emancipation of women is a society that holds back its own development.
Therefore, the question is no longer how many of us dare to speak about gender equality, but how many of us manage to put it into practice. History is not built with speeches, but with actions. And as long as gender equality remains a slogan and a narrative, our society will go on hiding behind the pretext of speaking about justice, while tolerating inequality within itself.
