I'm a realist - not an optimist. I'm a social scientist who forms opinions based on facts, data, and in the instances of something like inequality, my own personal experiences and what I see happening to others around me. I help inform others about what's really going on in the culture (as opposed to the narrative about it) so that people can have a better chance to grapple with and hopefully improve it. But, you can't solve a problem you can't see or that you've minimized with rose colored glasses.

The UN says, "Despite progress in certain areas, none of the indicators and sub-indicators of Sustainable Development Goal 5—the goal for gender equality—are being met according to the report." This doesn't mean we don't have new goals or a new plan - it means that the world is still deeply attached to gender hierarchy and really doesn't want to give it up - something we see even in this culture, with the rise of the Manosphere, Andrew Tate, etc. What exactly is going to magically change to miraculously shift that which you are so hopeful and optimistic about?