Gender equality has come a long way since what it had been 40 years ago. Denying the progress that was made during that time is pointless, as many changes were made, for the better. I recall watching old movies, which were dominated by male actors, with women largely given the role of eye candy and “reward” for the hero. I also remember the news media being dominated by male reporters, with women holding a token position and barred from writing or presenting serious subjects. Nowadays, I believe the landscape of the media workplace has changed for the better. Parity between genders is approaching 50%, and no one will dare publicly discriminate against women based on gender without facing a major outlash. Nevertheless, there is still much to be done. Parity in the high leadership in the media is still not reached, and the #MeToo movement showed the dark underbelly of cinema industry. I think that, to achieve true gender equality, all of these issues need to be addressed in full.
As I prepare to head out into the work world, I believe that the matters of gender equality will impact me, as they impact everyone in the profession. I am looking forward to competing with other talents and making the best of myself, in fair competition. I do not want nor seek privileges, or any sort of upper hand against my peers, and I firmly believe that talent and hard work should be the determinants of success in any industry. At the same time, I understand that our world is far from perfect, and that to eliminate the gender-based prejudices it would take many more decades. Only generations born without embedded and internalized prejudices would be able to truly eliminate gender-associated biases.
It is not hard to imagine the barriers I will encounter in the media industry, associated with gender. Reactionary forces are still present, and they will turn their efforts not only against women trying to make their way to success, but also against people trying to support them. The subject of equality for other genders besides men and women, such as trans people and others, is even further away from the perceived notions of true parity between genders. I will approach these issues by being a determined advocate for gender justice, despite whatever shortcomings my active social position would earn me. I believe that silent conformism is why the problem still persists, despite the fight against it having been waged for decades, and I will not stand for it.
In ten years from now, I believe the dynamic towards liberalization and gender equality will continue. Activist and progressive stances will continue to become a new norm of behavior, internalized in the working environment. Women will appear in the leading roles more often, but not as often as men, still. Trans individuals will also see more exposure, further pushing against the male-dominated status quo, to the point it will start disappearing. Major players will be held accountable, and I expect more scandals pouring light on the misdeeds going behind the curtains. But the issue will not be completely eliminated. I hope that in these years, I will remain true to my vow of upholding gender equality for all.