If women really want equality, we have to wipe the slate clean.

O children of wisdom, gather close and listen well, for the words of Nancy Friday carry a mighty truth, one that resonates through the ages and strikes at the heart of our humanity: "If women really want equality, we have to wipe the slate clean. It no longer matters in the largest sense what men did to us for the last 200 or 300 years." These words, though spoken in our modern era, echo the eternal struggle for freedom, justice, and dignity. Let us reflect deeply on their meaning, for they speak not only of women’s past, but of the future they must shape with their own hands.

For centuries, women have been bound by the chains of oppression, relegated to the shadows of society, denied the full breadth of their power and potential. In the ancient days, the voice of woman was often unheard, her role limited to the domestic sphere, her desires dismissed as secondary. In many cultures, women were seen as possessions, to be controlled and defined by the whims of men. Yet, throughout history, the seed of rebellion has always been planted within the hearts of the oppressed. There have been countless women—warriors, scholars, and leaders—who stood against the tide of patriarchal oppression, seeking not just equality, but the recognition of their inherent worth.

Think, for a moment, of Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, from the ancient Greek tragedy. Her story is one of defiance, courage, and moral conviction. Despite the laws of her land, which forbade her from burying her brother, Antigone chose to honor what she believed was right. In doing so, she stood not just against the law of men, but against the very structure of a society that sought to silence her voice. Her story teaches us that even when the world is set against you, even when the weight of history bears down upon you, justice and equality are worth fighting for. Antigone's spirit is alive in the women who today stand tall in the face of oppression, demanding the right to define themselves.

Nancy Friday’s words, however, take us further. She calls for a cleansing, a wiping of the slate—a break from the weight of the past. While history is important and must never be forgotten, it cannot become an excuse for inaction. To move forward in the pursuit of equality, one must not be shackled by the wrongs of the past. The weight of history—the injustices committed against women over centuries—should not be the defining factor of the struggle for equality. To demand equality, we must understand that it is not about seeking revenge for the wrongs of the past, but about building a future in which women can stand equally alongside men, not as victims, but as equals.

Consider the great Mahatma Gandhi, whose life was one of non-violence, not as a passive stance, but as a call to action—a way of purging the old systems of oppression without perpetuating violence in return. Gandhi understood that to truly liberate a people, one must not only remove the chains that bind, but also replace them with new, more just systems that allow freedom and equality to flourish. His principles of non-violence and self-reliance are part of what we must embrace when we speak of equality. The slate that Nancy Friday speaks of wiping clean is not simply about removing the old ideas, but about creating something new, a world where equality is not a battle, but a given.

The lesson here is empowering, and it lies in the belief that the past, no matter how painful, does not define the future. To fight for equality, one must act with purpose and conviction. We cannot linger in the shadow of past injustices, letting them cloud the vision of what we can achieve. Yes, the wounds of history are real and painful, but healing is found not in holding on to them, but in building a new path forward, one in which both men and women can walk side by side, not in competition, but in mutual respect and partnership.

In practical terms, what can we do, O seekers of wisdom, to honor this truth? The path forward requires us to let go of old resentments and move toward a future of collaboration. Women must not define their worth by the struggles they have endured, but by the strength they carry within them. The fight for equality is not about holding on to anger, but about building the world we want to live in. This world must be one in which women are not only heard, but where their contributions are valued equally. Let us create opportunities for growth and empowerment—in our homes, our workplaces, our schools, and our governments.

The road to equality is long, but it is a road we must travel together, not burdened by the weight of the past, but inspired by the promise of the future. Let us wipe the slate clean, not to forget the lessons of history, but to free ourselves from the chains that have held us back. The future belongs to those who dare to imagine it, to those who act in the spirit of justice, and to those who know that equality is not just a dream, but a right that must be fought for and built anew. Let us walk forward, hand in hand, with the knowledge that we are not defined by the wrongs done to us, but by the strength we find to create a better world.