ChickSpeak

Ever since I was a little girl, I declared myself the equal of boys. I never believed that a boy could do something better than me, and it became my small mission in life to prove any boy wrong when he said that he was better.

So, when Hillary Clinton announced her intention to run for President, I was ecstatic. I have always been a fan of hers, not only because she is an extremely intelligent and driven woman, but because she is trying her best to see that women are able to achieve all the same things as men.

She is a woman I have strived to be like myself, if only because I too wish to see women as the equals of men. Naturally, I was devastated when she did not receive a place on the democratic ticket. I so wanted to have a female president, to see women break just one more barrier!

However, I have been quite happy with the job President Obama has done so far. He has been an advocate for women since the beginning of his campaign, and he has proven that his advocacy for not for naught. President Obama wants women to have the same opportunities as men, and he is going to great lengths to make sure this equality happens.

In March, President Obama launched The White House Council on Women and Girls, a council devoted to ensuring the equal and fair representation of women. And to make sure that this new group is run effectively, the President has put women in charge! Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett will chair the Council, while Director of Public Liaison Tina Tchen will act as Executive Director.

The first order of business is for the Council to investigate each Cabinet and agencies to determine how their programs affect the female population and their families, and how these programs can be have an even greater positive impact for women. He hopes to create a balance between the workplace and the family.

During the first year, the White House Council on Women and Girls will work to improve the economic status of women (do I see a pay raise in the future?). The Council will also try to find new ways to prevent violence against women and educate the public on not only warning signs, but ways that they too can help prevent female-directed violence. The Council also hopes to improve health care for women, which would stress the importance of proper OB/GYN care.

Upon signing the Executive Order, marking the start of the Council, President Obama spoke of the various women in his life (his mother, his wife, his daughters, etc.) and his obligation to give them and their fellow females the best life possible.

He also has an obligation to the immense number of female voters he garnered during his campaign, all of whom are looking toward him to improve the status of women in this country. His goals are to ensure that women no longer hit those glass ceilings, no longer have limits to their dreams or to what they can accomplish, but are able to truly become whatever it is they wish, just as men have been able to do for centuries.

I know I am looking forward to the changes for females in the upcoming years. Women still earn only 70 cents on the dollar compared to men, despite the fact that we may work harder or accomplish more daily at our jobs (and let’s face it…we often do!).

 Just as Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream to see equality for minorities, we women have had a dream for centuries to be considered the equals of men. We have come a long, long way from the caveman days, but we still have not reached true equality.

Hopefully this new Council will help us achieve that balance between the sexes, and perhaps some of the countries across the world that still regard women as lesser beings will take note and step up to the plate.

For now, all we as women can do is continue to achieve and grow and fight for the changes we hope to see. You never know, the next President could be the girl at the coffee shop in the fabulous pumps. I thank President Obama for giving us a larger platform to stand on, so that our fists may be seen and our voices may be heard.

To read the official brief from the Office of the Secretary, click here

Kate Oncken is a graduate student at the University of Southern California in the Professional Writing department. She hopes to one day write a novel, own an estate in England, and travel the world.