March Essay Competition

March 9 — March 22, 2026,

Prompt

The average man, regardless of creed, family background, religion, personal convictions, or social, economic, or marital status, will always feel threatened or intimidated by a successful, strong, independent woman.

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Celebrating Her or Competing Against Her?

By Oluwatoyin Odunuyi

March 12, 2026 · 770 words · 4 min read

Men are.But real men aren’t.I recently watched a Netflix film titled Fair Play, in which two employees who were secretly engaged worked at the same company. At one point, the female character overhears her boss suggesting that her fiancé would get the promotion. But in a twist of events, she gets the promotion instead.At first, the man appears supportive. He congratulates her and tries to be a good partner. But as the reality of the job sets in with the pressure, authority, and the fact that she now gives orders, something changes. His support slowly turns into resentment.And then come the words many women have heard before,” You probably slept your way to the top.”Unfortunately, this accusation is one many successful women face. When a man climbs the ladder, he is applauded. People say, “Well done. You deserve it.” But when a woman rises, whispers start.“Maybe her skimpy skirts paid off.”It’s a frustrating double standard. The problem is not always the woman’s success. The problem is how society has conditioned people to interpret it. Let’s even bring the conversation closer to home. In the Bible, there is a verse that says, “Wives, submit to your husbands.” Yet somewhere along the line, many people began to interpret this to mean that women should submit to everyone. But that isn’t what it says.The instruction was specific to a marriage relationship, not society at large. Yet in many environments, when a woman steps into a position of authority, whether in the workplace or in a leadership role, some people still struggle with it. A woman gives an instruction, and someone responds with a subtle resistance, “Are you sure you want to do it that way?”Other times, it is more direct with dismissive comments or constant questioning of her competence. To understand why this conversation even exists, we have to look at history. For centuries, many societies positioned men as providers and leaders, while women were expected to focus on caregiving and domestic roles. Then a plot twist! Women entered the workforce in greater numbers and began to change the game.Suddenly, we had women who were CEOs, politicians, innovators, and entrepreneurs. That change came with a new conversation on gender and power. There are two reasons why I believe men are intimidated by a woman’s success: one is traditional expectations. We all grew up believing men belonged in the workforce and women should be confined to the kitchen. Now, things have changed. Women are building companies, leading teams, and, in some cases, earning more. When a woman’s achievements challenge age-old expectations, it can create internal conflict for someone who still believes in those older roles.In this case, the problem is not the woman’s success. The problem is the pressure of outdated expectations.Then we have the Green-Eyed Monsters: Jealousy, Ego, and Comparison. Success naturally brings comparison, even amongst ladies. If a man is insecure about his own achievements, being with someone who is thriving may make him feel inadequate. Instead of celebrating her success, he may see it as competition. And when competition enters a relationship, adoration may turn into anger. The issue may not be the gender, but rather insecurity. There is a foundational problem with their personal confidence and self-worth.But let me go back to what I said at the beginning.Real men are not intimidated by a woman’s success; they support it. Role model Dr. Ibukun Awosika once shared that in her marriage, there were times when one partner earned more than the other, and it was completely fine!And that is what partnership looks like.A real man does not compete with her achievements; he supports.Instead of asking, “Why is she doing better than I?” they ask better questions like,What can I learn from her story? How can we grow together? How can we support each other?Those questions create stronger relationships and healthier workplaces.I will have to give credit to the 21st generation. Today, more people are challenging outdated norms and redefining partnership and success. There is still progress to be made, but the change is happening. Both men and WOMEN can be successful. So, yes, men are intimidated by women’s success.But real men aren’t.At the end of the day, success is not a competition between genders. It is the result of hard work, talent, and opportunity, which everyone deserves. I believe a woman should never tone down or hide her success for anyone, and a man should be able to pat a woman on the back, say ‘well done’ without secretly planning to run down her success.The truth is simple.The sky is wide enough for many birds to fly.And everyone deserves the chance to win, regardless of their gender.