OK folks, I need to get something off my chest. I need to put it out there - even if only 3 people read this blog - because we need to be reminded that this country has not progressed as much as we may be led to believe. As someone who has spent her life in the worlds of the arts and religion, and as someone who is quite the feminist, I need to raise my voice. Why is it that these worlds are still so male-dominated? Think about the theatre. I look at directing, whether it's the theatre or film, and I'm hard pressed to find enough female directors to count on more than one hand. Think about music. I can't think of a single female conductor of an orchestra. Think about the church. Most church leaders - head pastors, bishops, etc. - are men. And now, I sit here and watch the Academy Awards. You know the drill: they save the important ones for last. So, I want to know why the award for best actress is given halfway through the night, but the award for best actor comes at the end. How far have we actually come, people? When are women going to be more than second-best?