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Letter: Being woke — that is, being open to others thriving in society — is a wonderful thing

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Miranda Gilvarry holds her daughter Be a, 1, as they join the rally on Women’s Equality Day at the Capitol on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021, to encourage Utah to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

When women are free from institutionalized and societal sexism, women perform as well, or even better, than the other sex. Women are graduating from college at rates much higher than men.

Despite the continued wage gap, single women are buying more homes than their male counterparts. Women give more to charities. Women commit less crime, and much less violent crime. The list goes on and on.

Female independence, let alone female success, is terrifying for the historical status quo in Utah, and in America. Everything masculinity has been based on is subject to becoming “feminized.” This means that a once completely dominant group within society will have to change, or (as we see currently in conservative states) try to enforce their dominance, yet again, through policies and laws like anti-woke bills, forced pregnancy laws, book banning, and traditional gender role enforcement through anti-trans laws. In short, a throwback to the good old days of their forefathers when inequality was literally the law of the land.

Power structures in Utah, and America, are based on anti-wokeness. Being woke, or put simply, being open to others (i.e., non-white people, women, and/or non-straight people) thriving in society is a wonderful thing. I embrace my wokeness wholeheartedly.

Angela Tarbet, Harrisville

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