We all know the old gender stereotypes. Men go out and provide for the family while women stay home to take care of the kids. Countless civilizations throughout every point in history have demonstrated these ideals. The United States, among other countries, has been making large strides towards gender equality, but the number of men in powerful positions far outnumber the women. With the improvements the world has made, why aren’t the women rising?

One theory is that people are still living in the past. No one is going to argue that change can be hard, and for some people, that is reason enough to stay in the same place their ancestors have been for centuries. There is nothing wrong with women wanting to maintain old traditions, but many feminists or women’s rights activists argue that the women are being held in these roles by men. If women are making the choice to stay in the home, then more people may be willing to accept it.

It is not only the unwillingness to leave the home, but the public perceptions that make it difficult for people to accept women in positions of power. In American society, women have held positions of power, but their numbers pale in comparison to those held by men. It seems that the public is accustomed to placing their trust in men.

Fortunately for women, the times appear to be changing for the better. We are now in a position where a woman could potentially hold the most recognizable leadership position in the United States, the presidency. In the past, women have attempted to make a name for themselves in politics. Michelle Bachmann was a potential candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2012 election, but lost out to Mitt Romney who faced democratic nominee Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has become a well-known name in politics, and is a likely candidate for the 2016 presidential race. While Clinton has not yet confirmed her candidacy, both she and other female political leaders serve as beacons for those who believe that it is time for women to step up.

Whether it is something as large as becoming the leader of a nation, or owning a small business, women now have the potential to become very powerful in today’s society. With this potential, one would think that there would be more women running the place. Leadership and prominent roles for women will only see higher numbers when the public mass is able to put its trust in the manicured hands of a woman.