A Leap of Faith (Part 2)

Chapter 314 - Council's Decision

Kara, Lena and Alura are now all walking away from the council building, and back in the direction of Alura's home. Each of them are nervous about the possibility of what the council's decision could be, as none of them can really read exactly as to what the mood of the council is, as it shifted throughout their discussion, and as Kara and Lena presented everything to all the council members. What Kara and Lena both do know for certain, is Alura was right when she told them that a few of the council members would not see Lena as a true Kryptonian or anything, as a few of them very much looked down on Lena, and gave her weird looks. Kara and Lena can't help but think that those members of the council are probably going to vote no automatically.

"How do you think that went, mom?" Kara asks her mother, as they continue walking.

"I.... honestly can't be sure." Alura replies, "As I said, I was invited to join the council to make sure they don't make the same mistakes as the government on Krypton, and give them some better insight into various things. Unfortunately though, I find that sometimes they listen to what I have to say, and very much take it into account completely, but then other times they completely ignore me. I can never tell which version of the council it is, until they come back with their results. However, I do think you both presented the case, and all the facts, very well, and I think a few of the council members will have been impressed with Lena challenging our scientists with her own scientific knowledge, and offering to use resources on Earth to help Argo will have also helped the case."

"That's good." Lena nods, "I know you told me to let Kara do the speaking, but I couldn't just stay quiet any longer. I had to speak up. I was worried that maybe me speaking up might have ruined things."

"No. They certainly didn't." Alura says, as she looks at Lena, "And the only reason I told you to let Kara do the speaking, is because, as you could see, some of the council members very much were judging you, and looking down at you, with them thinking you are not a real kryptonian. I apologise for that. It's stupid, and disgusting, but there's not anything I could do further to protect you from them."

"You don't need to apologise." Lena says, "You weren't the one looking at me, and judging me, that way. And I'm used to receiving looks like that. Back on Earth, as I mentioned, I run my own company, L-Corp, and as part of the company structure, while I am the majority shareholder, I do have a board which I have to 'answer to'. It is a bit of a strange situation, because due to how many shares I own, they could not fire me or remove me from my position or anything, but I still have to explain all the L-Corp decisions I make to them, and the decisions as to other lower parts of the company. The board's interests are always to the shareholders, therefore they want the company to be as profitable as possible. This does mean, at times, I get various judging looks from them, for some decisions I have made. Then previously, due to me being a woman, and owner of the company, and chair of the board, I was given judging looks for that too, and some sexist remarks too. Thankfully I have been able to remove most of the board members who said, or were clearly thinking those sexist remarks."

"Oh.... that.... that is sad to hear." Alura says, "But I see you do, unfortunately, understand the position of being judged by people, even for things out of your control."

"Yes." Lena nods.

Alura now turns to look at Kara.

"Does Earth have a lot of people who look down on women?" Alura asks, clearly picking up on what Lena said about the board judging her because she's a woman.

Kara sighs at Alura asking her that.

"A majority of people are not sexist to women, but there are quite a lot who are, unfortunately." Kara explains, "There are the older people, who just have sexist views, from decades early in Earth's history, as to what a woman's role should be. As previously, several decades before I got to Earth, women were basically seen as second to the men. Women didn't have the right to vote in many countries, and women were sort of just expected to marry a man, not get jobs, stay at home and maintain the house, and then raise their children, with their lives, and certainly their finances being very much controlled by their husbands, and men. Thankfully, Earth has moved on from that, but there are still some sexist older people who believe that a woman's place is in the kitchen, or to be that to just have children. Then, there are also some younger men, who just have sexist attitudes to women, and objectify us, due to our bodies. You have no idea how many times, as Supergirl, after saving people, or defeating a bad guy, I have just been leered at by a man, with them making a comment about my ass, or my breasts, or what they'd like to do to me. It's all disgusting. But, men on Earth are not like that in the majority, it's just a small percentage of the male population, it's just not as small a percentage as I'd like it to be."