Op-Ed of the Day: Stephen Colbert Explains Why His Talk Show Will Have Tons of Gender Equality

Stephen Colbert took a break from making random cable access shows in Michigan with Eminem to write an opinion about gender equality in Glamour magazine.

Ever since he left The Colbert Report to take over for David Letterman's The Late Show, which begins September 9, Colbert has been staying in the headlines through both hilarious stunts like the one above and drawing attention to his personal causes.

His editorial in Glamour combines his irreverent, often silly, humor with real questions about the state of gender equality:

And mine is not the only field that lacks enough women. Where are all the lady blacksmiths? What about the bait-and-tackle shopkeepers, pool maintenance professionals, building superintendents, or CEOs of Fortune 500 companies? Why are all those minions shaped like tiny phalluses? Why did Mad Max get top billing in Fury Road when he was essentially just a grunting tripod for Charlize Theron's rifle? Of course, historically, our thriving U.S. president industry definitely skews male—but that could change in 2016. Carly Fiorina, all eyes are on you.

Even when women do succeed, their stories often aren't told. Did you know that the first computer, ENIAC, was programmed by six female mathematicians? If it weren't for those pioneering women, we might not have computers at all. And then how would people read empowering listicles like "20 Hot Actresses Without Makeup! (#5 Will Make You Question God!)"?

And through out it all, despite falling into some strange tangents, he presents a promise for how The Late Show will function under his hosting.

Point is, I'm here for you, and that means I'm going to do my best to create a Late Show that not only appeals to women but also celebrates their voices. These days TV would have you believe that being a woman means sensually eating yogurt, looking for ways to feel confident on heavy days, and hunting for houses. But I'm going to make a show that truly respects women, because I know that there's more than one way to be one. Maybe you're a woman who likes women. Maybe you like women and men. Maybe you're a woman who's recently transitioned. Maybe you're a guy who's reading this magazine because your girlfriend bought a copy and it looked interesting.

It's just another example of how proactive Colbert is about his influence and how he chooses to use his promotional time.