Knight 1

Jordan Maria Knight

College Composition I Period 2

Mrs. Cramer

7 December 2018

Ladies and Gentlemen: Leadership Shall not be Determined by Gender

Why is Female Leadership important? Female leadership is important because females

need equality and discrimination needs to stop. 1 Female leadership is and has been an issue since

the early days of humanity. Female leadership had been frowned upon for centuries. This is the

21st century and female leadership is important for workplace because there needs to be a sense

of equality in leadership roles. Since the dawn of humanity, men were picked as leaders for the

most part. The early days were tough on women. Back in the early times of humanity, patriarchy

became a trend for the most part. Back then, women must do as the man says, or else they’ll get

a punishment from their authority figures. As time progressed, however, the empowerment of

women starts to increase and patriarchy gradually decreased as women in certain countries,

especially America, gained independence. They gained the right to choose their destiny, instead

of their male comrades making every decision for them. Women were able to choose their

destiny. While “conservatives” disagree on the female independence, women have the right to

pursue their dreams, especially becoming leaders. 2 There should be females in leadership roles

because it will help with the productivity and economy and will create positive role-models.

1 Hypophora- Asking then answering a question. A question about the topic is asked, then a brief answer directly
follows the question.
2 Anecdote- Tells a brief story about a topic. The anecdote talks about the history of females and how did women

get their right to pursue their dreams, especially leadership.

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Firstly, there needs to be female leaders because women can help with productivity and

the economy in the company. Maureen Soyars states that wages rise when there are females in

management career roles. (1+) This illustrates the fact that women are highly likely to be fair and

raise wages, unlike most of their male counterparts. To be honest, most men are selfish for

money, but women are highly fair individuals willing to raise the wages. Women are selfless

individuals and caring as well. Women are perceived as selfless individuals since older times, but

this is the 21st century and select women are selfless. Soyars also states that females are highly

skilled at matching employees with jobs that are in line. (1+) This also concludes that women are

much more efficient at finding their employees work fairly, and female leaders are less biased

than men when it comes to finding people jobs suited for their individual needs. If employers

want to hire people, they shall not hire a person based on stereotypes, especially conventional

gender roles. Employers must decide what job to give the applicant based on their work

experience, skills, and education. Employers shall not hire women to “low-rank” jobs that are

gender-specific. Employers must hire women into jobs based on their resume, not their gender

nor looks. Furthermore, female leaders will result in increased productivity and raise the

economy.

On the contrary, people who are against female leadership think that female leaders

would not help with the economy and the workplace. The opposing side might say, “A man is to

the breadwinner, as a woman is to the stay-at-home mother.”3 Despite their ideas of what each of

the two genders should be like, this is the 21 st century and their statements became outdated and

untrue. The opposing side’s opinion is untrue because women are capable of increasing

3 Analogy- Comparison of two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. The analogy refers to
the traditional gender roles. It compares men and women with breadwinner and stay-at-home mother.
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productivity and wages. Women can make positive changes in the economy and public places

alike. For example, female African American leaders are determined to get rid of the social

injustices, even racial ones. No individual wants to be discriminated. (Gaetane) Also, sales will

raise about 14% higher. (Soyars) This means that females would raise the wages significantly

and change the economy. The productivity will rise in the workplace since women are highly

organized people. Furthermore, women of all races have the capability to end the bigotry that’s

been going on for centuries. Female leadership will end discrimination.

Additionally, if there are more female leaders in workplaces, then there will be an

increase in positive female role-models According to G. Capkowski, a successful leader is a

positive role model if they have vision, integrity, trust, selflessness, commitment, creative ability,

communication be risk-taking, and have visibility. (10+) Women have all the above qualities to

be a leader. For Example: Women have ideas they want to share to the workplace. Women are

more likely to be honest than men. Women are trustworthy individuals because females won’t

backstab people as ladies and that makes them true leaders. Women are naturally more selfless

than men since they become mothers and mothers are intended to be selfless, that makes them

worthy of being put into leadership roles. There are more women engaged in their work than

men. Women are just as creative as men are. Women are tougher than men, more likely to live

much longer than men. Women are more communicative than men. Women could take risks too.

Women could be visible too. From “Strategy for Aspiring Female Leaders”, Margaret McKenzie

states that if females want to be leaders, then they must follow their hopes and dreams. (18) This

shows that if one person wants to become a leader, they must have determination. Positive role-

models are determined people, they never give up on their dreams because naysayers told them

they can’t be something. The female leadership is an example of female determination. Females
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in leadership roles will be an outstanding result of determination. All females need to become a

leader is determination. Determination is the most outstanding factor of success, not gender.

Therefore, female leaders will be positive role models for younger females.

Conversely, other people would be against female leadership because they think women

don’t have the qualities of a leader. The opposing side is bigoted, only because they don’t like

seeing women in leadership roles as much as the supporters of the pro-female-leadership side.

The opposing side’s view is wrong because women are capable of being a leader and can destroy

the gender norms that would prevent that from happening. Traditional gender roles are fought by

feminist women and that’s impressive. It’s impressive to see females standing up for themselves

and being capable of doing anything, if they put their mind into it. Capowski states that there is a

lack of the right kind of leaders. (10+) Female leaders may be put into the category of the “right

kind” of leaders. Females have the qualities to become leaders that’ll make positive impact to the

future. The right kind of leaders are determined to follow their dreams. In addition, the right kind

of leaders are determined to rise to the top. Whether or not a person is a true leader is not

determined by gender, but their determination, honesty, and leadership style. It’s not gender that

makes a person a leader; It’s their other qualities that makes them a leader. If they have positive

qualities, that makes them positive role-models as well. Nevertheless, gender will not determine

leadership because females are just as capable as men are at becoming leaders.

All in all, leadership shouldn’t be determined by gender because it will benefit the

economy and the workplace, with producing positive role-models for younger girls. Female

leaders are beneficial to the economy and productivity because they are productive and

organized. Female leaders also are examples of positive role-models because they have the

qualities that males have too. Females are also determined to go far in their careers. It’s highly
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recommended that there shall be female leaders in the workplace because it will create a sense of

female equality. Therefore, female leadership is important because if that happens, then the

world will benefit from female leaders.

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Works Cited

Capowski, Genevieve. "Anatomy of a leader: where are the leaders of tomorrow?" Management

Review, Mar. 1994, p. 10+. Academic OneFile,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A14878410/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=f5bf

f4b3. Accessed 15 Nov. 2018.

Gaetane, Jean-Marie. "Welcoming the unwelcomed: a social justice imperative of African-

American female leaders at historically Black colleges and universities." Educational

Foundations, vol. 20, no. 1-2, 2006, p. 85+. Academic OneFile,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A158958885/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=aa478

a11. Accessed 19 Nov. 2018.

Soyars, Maureen. “Firms’ productivity rises as women become executives.” Monthly Labor

Review, 2017, p. 1+, Student Resources in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A485538382/SUIC?u=pl1949&sid=SUIC&xid=1728

713a. Accessed 15 Nov. 2018.

"STRATEGY FOR ASPIRING FEMALE LEADERS." Physician Leadership Journal, Sept.-

Oct. 2018, p. 18. Academic OneFile,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A556694835/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=c4

e8bb17. Accessed 19 Nov. 2018.