Is this what we call equality?

Today was characterized by 

the extraordinary large number of gender references that I came across,

so I feel pretty much obliged 

to dedicate this post to the topic.

I woke up to the news that 

Saudi women will not need a male guardian

to run or vote in the municipal elections in 2015.  

While I first took the news as positive, 

 I was soon after shocked by the fact that this was in fact news 

and became even more shocked 

when I was reminded that

contemporary Saudi women cannot travel, work, study abroad, marry, get divorced or gain admittance to a public hospital without  permission from a male guardian.

While I was still digesting this,

I ironically stumbled upon an article in The Washington Times

reporting on Obama's new "national action plan"

aimed at giving women a bigger role in resolving conflicts around the world 

cause as the President states

"women can make the world more peaceful."

Yet, we women still feel the need to

build educational institutions dedicated to

illuminating the role of women in transforming society 

and our contributions to the social, cultural, economic and political life.

Coincidentally I was then forwarded a video 

in which Daniel Craig

undergoes a makeover as he puts himself in a woman's shoes

as part of a gender campaign initiated by Annie Lennox.

These were just a few of the references received in one day

So I ask, how can we still argue that we are equal?

When are news about men having the right to vote news?

When does a president need to launch an action plan to give a bigger role to men? 

Why does in 2012 Daniel Craig need to put himself in a woman's shoes ?