by Dr.RB
The Burden of Always Proving Themselves
Women’s History Month is often framed as a celebration of progress, a time to honor the accomplishments of women throughout history. But if we are truly listening, we must go beyond celebration and tell the unfiltered truth—particularly about Black women. Their stories have been edited, sanitized, or erased altogether. When history is written, it highlights their resilience but ignores the exhaustion—the constant proving, the overlooked labor, and the expectation that they must carry everything without complaint.
This isn’t just happening in the workplace. It happens in homes, relationships, and communities, too.
Women are asked to prove themselves in spaces that don’t fully see or value them.
They are overworked yet rarely the ones getting promoted, recognized, or paid what they deserve.
They are carrying institutions, teams, movements—and entire families—while being told to “be patient” or “wait their turn.”
Women have carried these burdens for generations, but we must ask ourselves: At what cost? And why have we allowed this to continue?
The System That Keeps Women Overworked and Undervalued
As the President and CEO at THEACADEMY365, and community advocate, I have worked with mom's and women who have spent their entire careers navigating systems that were never built for them. But this isn’t just about careers—it’s about life.
Women are the backbone of their families, communities, and workplaces, balancing caregiving with their ambitions.
They manage households, children, and loved ones—while still showing up for work every day.
They lead movements, schools, and organizations—often unpaid, unrecognized, and unsupported.
They are expected to “hold it down” for everyone—while rarely being held up in return.
Here’s a truth we don’t talk about enough:
Society benefits from keeping women in a constant state of proving themselves.
But let me ask you this:
What if the issue isn’t that women need to “push harder” but that the institutions and relationships they invest in need to be held accountable for equitable recognition and shared responsibility?
What if we stopped expecting women to handle everything and started asking why we demand that in the first place?
What if we, as men, stopped assuming “strong women” can do it all and actually made space for them to rest, lead, and be valued—without conditions?
This isn’t about individual resilience. It’s about collective accountability. And once we acknowledge that, everything changes.
Rewriting the Narrative—For Women, With Women
Women have never waited for permission to lead.
Sojourner Truth stood in rooms that weren’t meant for her and demanded to be heard.
Harriet Tubman freed herself—then went back for others, again and again.
Shirley Chisholm refused to wait for a seat at the table—so she brought her own chair.
Toni Morrison told women’s stories unapologetically, refusing to let others define whose voices mattered.
These women weren’t just resilient—they were visionary. They were powerful. And they didn’t wait to be valued.
Neither should the women of today. And neither should we allow them to keep fighting alone.
Now It’s Our Turn to Step Up
For far too long, women have waited—for recognition, for respect, for a real seat at the table. But what if, instead of waiting, we built a better table together?
What if we, as men, stopped standing by while women carried the weight of their families, workplaces, and communities with little support?
What if we applied this beyond work—to our homes, our relationships, and our communities?
What if true partnership in relationships meant more than emotional support—it meant shared labor?
What if we stopped expecting women to say yes to every family and community obligation simply because they’ve “always done it”?
What if we redefined what it means to be a “strong woman”—not as someone who does it all, but as someone who is valued, supported, and prioritized?
A Call to Action: This Is Our Responsibility
This Women’s History Month, I’m challenging myself—and every man reading this.
Where have you benefited from women’s labor, leadership, or emotional support without fully recognizing it?
Where have you assumed women should “handle it” instead of asking how you can share the load?
Where have you witnessed inequity and stayed silent instead of speaking up?
Because real support isn’t just about celebrating women’s strength—it’s about ensuring they never have to carry everything alone.
And that starts with us.
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