Why is it that the first thing many people think of when I say ‘feminism’ is an angry woman, sign in one hand, other fist raised in the air?  I can think of countless other examples of more effective PR for the feminist movement.  Like a woman in a pantsuit negotiating a raise.  I’d much prefer that portrayal of feminism.

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I know, how dare I associate women’s lives and the importance of feminism with something as seemingly ‘shallow’ as PR?  Well, it’s simple.  Women want to be successful in business and reach higher positions with higher income, so why not bring the business mindset to feminism? 

Public Relations is just one example of a business mindset, however, it’s not the one I’d like to focus on.  See, feminist culture doesn’t simply need rebranding; it needs to be re-engineered from the inside, out.  That woman in a pantsuit I mentioned is a mere representation of the personal mindset shift needing to take place in order to close the gender gap more efficiently.  Protesting isn’t the strategy feminism should be centered on.  Let’s step away from juxtaposing men and women for a minute, and instead adopt a mindset primed for success and inspired by those very people in the leadership positions we wish to occupy. 

Firstly, a truly successful person isn’t fixated on their shortcomings or disadvantages.  They’re looking forward and learning every skill it takes to get them over each hurdle.  They see challenges in a positive light and process setbacks through an alternate tunnel in their mind, one that’s well lit, with a light at the end.  They’re limited only by their perspective or ignorance of any particular subject.  Women seeking equality in the workplace must know the stats, be aware, and then do what it takes to override them.  Even the women only concerned with freeing their nipples and not shaving their armpits still need other women high up in leadership roles to even out the patriarchal foundation our society was built on.

Perhaps in order to reconstruct feminism, we should first understand the principles that contributed to our feminist ideology and why that ideology is not entirely sufficient today.  In 1953, French philosopher and political activist, Simone de Beauvoir, claimed that women are not born feminine, rather socially constructed to be that way by a male-dominated society.  And in order to subdue the pressures to be beautiful and perfectly subordinate to a man, we must reject such constructions.  It’s important to note that this 'socially constructed femininity' is not just frilly dresses and pink lipstick; it’s how we conduct ourselves.  It’s our inclination to stand aside, be submissive, and politely apologize, sometimes unknowingly.  

So what's inherent to a woman and what's constructed by society?  This is where it gets fuzzy.  Are we biologically nurturing, gentle, and empathetic?  Or do we learn to be?  To avoid the ‘maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s socially constructed’ uncertainty, we should look at femininity and masculinity as separate from male and female beings.  It's important to have a balance of feminine and masculine energy within each of us.  There's no need for feminists to feel compelled to over-correct and eliminate all traces of femininity to be equal to a man.  I think Beauvoir was right in saying women must reject their social constructions, but I will elaborate and say to reject only the ones that deter us from success (not shaving may even be counterproductive).  Of course, to each their own, but to me, this is the most efficient way to close the gap.  And I’ll say part two is learning the social constructions for professional success originally designed for men, and making them our own.

Women want to be successful in business and reach higher positions with higher income, so why not bring the business mindset to feminism? 

This brings me back to that success mindset.  Program yourself to always be learning.  And I’m not referring to a college degree; although admirable, women have plenty of them.  Unless we’re talking space travel, every challenge you encounter has previously been written about in a book (or article).  Even in the unlikely event it hasn’t been, inspiration can be gathered from the past.  It's true that successful people are always reading.  Billionaire business magnate Warren Buffett still reads 500 pages a day even at the age of 86.  But be strategic with what you read.  If you want to learn how to be appropriately compensated for your value in a company, read up on negotiation.  If you want that promotion, study every aspect of the requirements.  If you’re unsure how to balance work and motherhood, look to women who’ve done it before.  It’s like renowned sales strategist Tom Hopkins once said, 'No one limits your growth but you.  If you want to earn more, learn more.'

There are also plenty of other channels to learn from: podcasts, Ted Talks, audio books, ebooks, online courses, online publications such as Medium and, of course, bSmart Guide, and even Pinterest for quick and simple solutions.  The Art of Charm is a series of podcasts explicitly geared toward men, teaching advanced social skills for high performance in their career: negotiation tactics, networking, body language, confidence, public speaking, etc.  Am I going to protest this exclusivity?  No, that would be wasting valuable time.  I’m going to learn every tool men use to be successful in their careers and how to implement them in mine.  If you’re like me and get anxious when you're not productive, then make sure you're always learning and, of course, implementing what you learn.  A day where you’ve learned something new is never a day wasted.  I’ll leave you with this: earn that corner office by working hard and acquiring and implementing the knowledge to get you through every obstacle, not simply by demanding it, fist in the air.

Morgan is a soon-to-be college grad excited by entrepreneurship and anything she can apply her creativity to.  Whether it’s promoting a new app (Meanwise) or blogging for Bsmart Guide, she loves creating content that resonates with people and strategizing ways to grow businesses through marketing, PR and design.  For more about Morgan follow her on Instagram or check out her Linkedin.