To celebrate International Women’s Day, the niece of Kamala Harris, Meena Harris famously wrote about why women need men in their lives. To paraphrase her words, Wonder Woman takes place in a nation that is all-female, where women help each other and lift each other up and live in perfect harmony, sans any masculinity. This is similar to how she grew up.
Meena came from a community of females and they shaped her into who she is today. Her mother was a single mom and hardworking. She was a great example to Meena. Her grandmother taught her to seek to make constant positive changes in the world. Her aunt taught her the meaning of a true public servant. All of these women showed her what was possible for the future of strong women.
The notion that one could have a role model that was male was foreign to Meena Harris. She did not have any male presence in her life. According to Meena, the future is female. However, what she has noticed is that men need to help be a part of this change, too. If men have all of this so-called power, then they need to utilize this to help us take down the barriers that women face on a daily basis, whether it be in media, in the workforce, at home, etc.
Meena Harris will never forget her first day as a new associate at a big law firm. She was invited to a huge meeting. Most of her co-workers were men, and she was grateful to be included and invited to this meeting. She got to the conference room for the meeting and there were no seats left at the table. She would have to go sit in the back, which was fine by her, as she was just grateful to be included. Before she grabbed a seat in the back, someone got up and offered her their seat at the table. It was a person of color, and also the youngest partner there. This gesture was so small but made a huge impact on her and everyone else who witnessed it. It showed that diversity matters, and that people with influence have the opportunity to help the voiceless have a voice.
As far as Meena is concerned, when allies open up the space for women, they do not diminish the power that they already hold, instead, they make everyone’s power greater. More representation will lead to smarter decision-making. It will lead to more innovation and higher profits. The issue of equality for women is not just an issue for women, it is for everyone and everyone can play a role in it. Having male allies is a huge priority for those who work at the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, and they are always trying to find ways to engage and include men. During Equal Pay Day in 2017, this organization had men take charge of bringing awareness to the gap in pay between men and women. According to Meena, the answer is right in front of her eyes. Be that young partner who got up for her. Be that for the women who are in your life. Men need to step up and make the space for women to have a voice and take a stand. When we work together as allies we can make sure that we are all equally represented.