The motivation obviously comes from a desire to make things better--to improve a situation.
However, to improve a situation, you need to have a realistic understanding of exactly what the situation is, and how various courses of action might affect the status quo.
You also have to have an understanding of what the limitations are--how reality prevents you from having the ideal you may wish to attain.
This is particularly true in matters of gender equity. For example, I don't want some petite little thing becoming a firefighter. I want some big-ass dude with substantial upper body strength. Numbers and quotas be damned--a firefighter has to be able to carry an unconscious person out of a burning building, and with a few exceptions, most women are unable to pass the physical strength tests given by most fire departments. I most definitely do not want women to be given a "modified" test so that more will pass and the numbers will pass muster with fucked-up organizations like N.O.W.
You've watched TOS. Why is Kirk such a phenomenal leader? Because he takes the best of McCoy and Spock. And that Spock part is important. Very important.
