Beyoncé Writes Essay on Gender Equality

Submitted as a contribution to The Shiver Report, Beyoncé has written an essay on gender equality, arguing that it is a myth within modern day life and still has a long way to come. Notably vocal within her music for a movement towards gender quality, her recently released surprise album Beyoncé is also largely fueled by themes of female empowerment. Titled Gender Quality is a Myth, B’s essay is featured alongside pieces from Hillary Rodham Clinton, Eva Longoria, LeBron James and more.

We need to stop buying into the myth about gender equality. It isn’t a reality yet. Today, women make up half of the U.S. workforce, but the average working woman earns only 77 percent of what the average working man makes. But unless women and men both say this is unacceptable, things will not change. Men have to demand that their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters earn more—commensurate with their qualifications and not their gender. Equality will be achieved when men and women are granted equal pay and equal respect.
Humanity requires both men and women, and we are equally important and need one another. So why are we viewed as less than equal? These old attitudes are drilled into us from the very beginning. We have to teach our boys the rules of equality and respect, so that as they grow up, gender equality becomes a natural way of life. And we have to teach our girls that they can reach as high as humanly possible.
We have a lot of work to do, but we can get there if we work together. Women are more than 50 percent of the population and more than 50 percent of the voters. We must demand that we all receive 100 percent of the opportunities.

Head here to download The Shiver Report for free, and head here to watch B discuss liberation in Part 4 of Beyonce’s Self Titled mini-documentary.