My short stories (linked at the top) are a bit off-the-grid. Underlying my stories are contemporary issues meant to empower women who have been mentally closed in by unwritten rules of society. These rules are in place even today.

Women often feel helpless going against the so-called norms of expectations. There is an underlying fear of being criticized for non compliance. In the stories, sometimes women succeed in breaking the invisible shell around them that dictates gender behavior and sometimes they don’t. I try to dig deep into self-awareness and examine closely what roles society has demanded of women. Are these rules fair? Here are two major ones, and I’m speaking generally. It is not everyone who falls into this mode.

Women are weaker, not as bright as men. The myth of the blond ditz still prevails. But the difference is that today it is under the radar since we can’t say this in public. Many times it is very hard to define it since it is defended with a million irrelevant excuses that don’t expose the real reasons.

If a woman is assertive she’s too aggressive, too much like a man. If a man is assertive, he’s dynamic. In just about every segment of life women are kept from ascending the ladder in their chosen field. Some break through but it is with a huge effort and they can’t care if they are called overly aggressive and unfeminine. Women are still expected to be in supporting roles while men solve the problems. This takes place even if they are in equal positions. I’ve seen this in crime movies and TV, even commercials.

The man is the clever one. If it is a cleaning product 90% of the time a woman, just getting home from work, carrying grocery bags is going to clean up the mess. At times it is so subtle and, if you’re caught up in the story, it becomes hard to detect. Men also, by and large, are the ones who solve financial problems.

It’s changing but not fast enough. Usually, if there is a female hero in an action story, she’s busty, beautiful and scantily clothed. She’s tough, but she resembles a bad girl. There is a smattering of a break-through but generations of children have been inundated with cartoon stories where the man is the outright hero while women have supportive roles. What do you think is buried deep in their minds?

We can’t forget that although women comprise 50% or more of medical and law schools they are only about 16’% of law partners or in the upper echelons of medical practice. Does anyone wish to add to the list?
Does anyone want to volunteer what they see as the perfect world for a woman?

Copyright 2025 Frances Metzman
Share your thoughts below!