Economic Equity: The Superpower of Being a Woman (Understanding Betty Friedan’s Quote)
Imagine you have a superpower. This superpower lets you make your own choices, feel safe, and decide how your life goes. Betty Friedan, a very important thinker and writer, believed that for women, having economic equity is that very superpower. This quote, “Economic equity is enormous empowerment of women,” might sound a little grown-up, but we can totally break it down!
What Exactly is “Economic Equity”? (Explaining to a Sixth Grader)
Let’s start with the big words.
- Economic just means anything to do with money, jobs, earning, and having what you need to live comfortably—like food, a home, and clothes. Think of it like the allowance you get, or the money your parents earn to buy groceries.
- Equity is a fair way of sharing things. It’s not always about everyone getting the exact same amount (that’s called equality). Equity means making sure everyone has what they need to be successful. Think about a race: if one person starts miles behind the starting line, giving them a little head start (equity) helps them have a fair chance to win, even if everyone runs the same distance.
So, Economic Equity means that women have the same fair chance as men to get jobs, earn the same pay for the same work, own businesses, control their money, and have a say in financial decisions.
Empowerment: Your Personal Superpower
Now for Empowerment. This means having the power or authority to do something. When you are empowered, you are in charge of your own life.
Think about saving up your allowance to buy a cool new book. When you have your own money, you get to choose that book. No one else can tell you what to buy with your savings. That feeling of control and choice? That’s empowerment!
Betty Friedan saw that when women couldn’t earn their own money or had to depend completely on a husband or father, they had fewer choices about where they lived, what they did all day, or even if they could leave a situation that made them unhappy or unsafe.
To help you think about earning and being responsible, maybe you’d like a cool new way to keep track of your savings goals? Check out this fun Piggy Bank for Kids with Goal Setting Slips – a small step in understanding managing your own money! (Affiliate Product 1)
Connecting the Dots: Why Money Equals Freedom
Friedan realized that in the mid-20th century (and still today in many ways), women were often stuck. If a woman wanted to go back to school, start a new career, or even just leave a bad marriage, not having her own money made those big life changes almost impossible.
Economic equity breaks those chains. When a woman earns the same amount as a man for the same work, she can:
- Choose her path: She can afford to start that business, take that advanced class, or move to a city with better job opportunities.
- Have a voice: In a family, when both parents (or partners) contribute financially, they both usually have an equal say in big decisions. Economic equity means women’s opinions about housing, education for children, and future planning are respected because their financial contribution is respected.
- Be secure: If something unexpected happens—like a job loss or a health issue—having her own savings and earning power means she and her family are much safer.
It’s about having a real seat at the table of life, not just being invited to watch from the sidelines.
The Ripple Effect: How Women’s Earnings Help Everyone
When women are economically empowered, it doesn’t just help them. It helps everyone around them!
Imagine your mom or dad is doing a great job at work and earning good money. What happens? The family can afford better things, like healthier food, more books for you, or maybe even a family vacation. When women earn fairly, the entire community benefits because money flows into education, healthcare, and local businesses.
For those interested in learning more about the history of powerful women who fought for these changes, reading about them is inspiring! You might enjoy a great biography like The Story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg to see how one person can change the rules for everyone. (Affiliate Product 2)
The Fight Isn’t Over
While things are much better now than when Betty Friedan was writing, the fight for full economic equity continues. This is often called the “gender pay gap”—the fact that, on average, women still earn less than men.
Achieving full economic equity means:
- Making sure women are promoted to leadership roles just as often as men.
- Creating workplaces that support both mothers and fathers who are raising families (like good childcare options).
- Ensuring that jobs traditionally held by women (like teaching or nursing) are valued and paid as much as jobs traditionally held by men.
When these things happen, the empowerment Betty Friedan talked about becomes a reality for all women. It’s the freedom to choose, the security to live well, and the ability to shape your own destiny—all built on a foundation of fair pay and opportunity.
Your Role in the Future
Even as a sixth grader, you can support this idea! How? By treating everyone fairly, respecting your female classmates’ ideas, and understanding that everyone deserves a chance to be successful, no matter who they are. Fairness in the classroom today leads to fairness in the workplace tomorrow.
To help you keep up with current events and see how global issues affect economies, a dependable tablet for homework and research can be very helpful! Consider looking into a versatile Android Tablet for School Work to explore the world of knowledge. (Affiliate Product 3)
Economic equity isn’t just a grown-up topic; it’s about making sure every girl today has the enormous empowerment to be whatever she dreams of tomorrow.
Affiliate Disclosure:
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through the links provided in this article. These links are included to suggest helpful resources related to the topics discussed, and they support the creation of this content.
