Men Make the World Better

Men (literally) do most of the heavy lifting in society

When we look at statistics like the ones in the infographic below, how should we feel?
Radical feminists say we should be jealous. We should grumble and shout about how more women should be out there building things. We should beat our chests about how unfair it is that men are so “overrepresented” in certain fields.

You know what I think? I think we should be grateful. Grateful that men drag themselves out of bed every day and go do hard things—things I don’t want to do and that frankly, most women don’t want to do. Do I do hard things too? Yes. Everybody does. But I’m really glad I don’t have to do some hard things because men are willing to do them.

When I was in New York City in March, I was walking down the streets early in the morning, and guess what I saw? A lot of men out working. Picking up gigantic piles of garbage bags. Dangling from the sides of buildings. Driving trucks.

Men working in NYC

I thought about what a veritable wonder it is that all these men were out there early in the morning working in less than enjoyable conditions in order to make the magic of city life possible for the rest of us. I’m guessing that most of those men were working so that their kids could still stay tucked in bed at that hour of the morning and have food to eat for breakfast when they got up. Not so they could prove they were better than women.

Women can work construction jobs if they want to, and some do. That’s just fine with me. But we don’t need to train up our daughters to think they need to chase after STEM jobs or construction jobs just so that women can be “equal” to men. Men and women are already equal. They are equally valuable—even if on average they tend to choose different kinds of work most of the time.

Our daughters and sons should be raised up to appreciate the work and contributions of men AND to appreciate the work and contributions of women. Sometimes, this is the same kind of work. But often it is different. And that’s okay.

So next time you see a man out working hard, maybe point it out to your kids and offer praise or positivity about the hard work men do that enriches and sustains life for all of humanity. And then maybe talk about how there would be no humanity without women—or men.

Having distinct gifts does not need to divide men and women. It unites us if we appreciate and express gratitude for the work men and women do.

With love,

Kimberly

Me and my boy recently at a tiny lake at the top of a mountain