for every woman

For Every Woman By Nancy R. Smith

For every woman who is tired of acting weak when she knows she is strong,

there is a man who is tired of appearing strong when he feels vulnerable.

For every woman who is tired of acting dumb,

there is a man who is burdened with the constant expectation of "knowing everything."

For every woman who is tired of being called "an emotional female,"

there is a man who is denied the right to weep and to be gentle.

For every woman who is called unfeminine when she competes,

there is a man for whom competition is the only way to prove his masculinity.

For every woman who is tired of being a sex object,

there is a man who must worry about his potency.

For every woman who feels "tied down" by her children,

there is a man who is denied the full pleasures of shared parenthood.

For every woman who is denied meaningful employment or equal pay,

there is a man who must bear full financial responsibility for another human being.

For every woman who was not taught the intricacies of an automobile,

there is a man who was not taught the satisfactions of cooking.

For every woman who takes a step toward her own liberation,

there is a man who finds the way to freedom has been made a little easier.