Fight Against Sexism Research Paper

‘Natasha Tavakolzadeh
Professor Modesto
ENG 105
June 18 2013
The Fight Against Sexism Sexism, in the form of gender discrimination and gender-based violence, too often results in female children being aborted before birth or raped and sexually tortured at some point in their lives. Furthermore, gender discrimination limits the economic opportunities for many women around the world, as they cannot work or are not seen as needed. Sexism is dangerous to society, especially in low-income countries. Where preferences is given to male babies over female babies, which contributes to limitation of women’s economic choices and creates a culture of violence against women and girls.
Sexism is dangerous to society, because it is causing a population decrease in women. Sheryl WuDunn, the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for her book Half the Sky stated in her 2010 Ted Talk lecture that there are approximately 60-100 million missing females in the population, due to women being discriminated to death, or aborted before they are even get a chance at life (Wudunn). Furthermore,
this is a very big issue in society and in low-income countries. The fact that women are disrespected in low-income countries shows a lack of knowledge and cultural differences between more modernized countries and in these low-income countries. In many poor countries, women abort a child just because the fetus is female. India is an example where sex selection is common. Most of the abortions in India are done privately; therefore there is no good statistics available about the frequency of abortion of female fetuses. However, anecdotally, there is substantial evidence that female fetuses are now being aborted in hugely disproportionate numbers after the parents visit a sex-determination clinic. It has been legal in India to have an abortion through 20 weeks of pregnancy since 1971. The reason given most often for India 's preference for males is that farming fathers need male children to work the fields, and about 70 percent of all Indians still live off the land. In addition, there is no social security system in India, and male children are expected to support their parents in their old age; female children traditionally move in with the family of the husband at marriage and all their earnings stay with that family. It costs 500 rupees ($42) for the amniocentesis test, and 50,000 rupees ($4,200) is the cost of a modest dowry today for a marriageable daughter. If a couple has a son, they not only avoid paying a dowry, but they can instead look forward to being on the receiving end when marriage time comes (Kaufman). This shows that a girl is a burden in India, consequently there is more beneficial to have a boy then a girl. This is the reason for the huge amounts of abortion in India.
Furthermore, girls are often raped and tortured in some low-income countries because of their gender. Sexism is very dangerous in poor countries such as India, because of the deeply rooted stereotypes regarding the worth of women and girls. Sunitha Krishnan, the co-founder of a group in Hyderabad that rescues women from brothels and educates their children to prevent second-generation prostitution, in her 2009 Ted talk lecture notes that a little girl from an unknown background was found in a truck. She had been raped by many men. Shaheen had to get 32 stitches in order to get her intestines back inside her body after being raped by hundreds of men. Still today no one knows who her parents are; all we know is that hundred of men had used her (Krishnan). Of course, boys are also raped and tortured; however, the majority of victims of gender-based violence are girls and women. This is a gender issue that is very dominant in poor countries. The reason for this issue is because men feel it is their right. If raping little girls is not seen as a harmful thing, then what is? Men have the power in these low-income countries, and women are seen as nothing. This means that women are seen as people that just have children and do as the men say.
By excluding women from either the work place or from certain industries, low-income countries are denying themselves a vital workforce that would increase their economic prosperity. Low-income countries do not understand what a major problem this is, because men in these countries believe that women cannot provide any money; and therefore, they do not have power. For instance, Sheryl WuDunn in her 2010 Ted talk lecture notes that Bill Gates got asked by a Saudi Arabian man if he believed Saudi-Arabia could be one of the top ten countries when it comes to technology. Bill Gates stated that Saudi-Arabia had no chance of reaching that goal unless they began utilizing the other half of the resources in their country, meaning women (Wudunn). With this statement, Bill Gates illustrates that by eliminating women from work a country would never be as successful as countries that respect women’s right to education and their rights to work. Furthermore, this statement implies that the more modern a society or culture is, the more inclusive it tends to be and the more prosperous. However, in some countries such as Saudi- Arabia or any Muslim country working under sharia law, the culture will not allow women to work. This is their belief and sexism is a massive issue in some Muslim nations. Saudi-Arabia is successful however; the country will not become prosperous if they do not use the other half (women).
Sexism is everywhere, in commercials, the workplace, regular activities and so on.
Furthermore, more and more women in 3rd world countries are being trafficked and put up for prostitution and rape then ever before. Even though many people believe women now have equal rights, sexism still thrives in many situations. Social networks are one of the major factors of all the problems people face with trafficking, prostitution and rape today. Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings, and has become a massive business in poor countries, and a profitable illegal industry in those nations as well. Statistics show that roughly eight hundred thousand women are trafficked into forced prostitution across borders, not including the women within the borders. This is dangerous because women are necessary to a country and them being trafficked is very dangerous for their life, health and
safety.
In conclusion, sexism is very dangerous, and if society would be more aware of this problem and not only talk about it, but also take action, perhaps governments could save many children and women. This is a responsibility society needs to assume. If society does not prevent sexism there could be grave implicative for human race. Inspirational advocates such as Krishnan and WuDunn are leading the charge, but they need help if they are to succeed. As Sheryl Wudunn notes: “Our focus has to be on changing reality, not changing laws” (WuDunn). This statement is very honest; instead of worrying about little aspects of life people need to actually open our eyes to what is really going on out there, and try to help if they can.

Work Cited:
Christakis, Nicholas. "Nicholas Christakis: How Social Networks Predict Epidemics." TED:
Ideas worth Spreading. TED@Cannes. September. 2010. Web. 29 May. 2013.

Half the Sky Quotes." By Nicholas D. Kristof. Good Reads, n.d. Web. 29 May. 2013.

Krishnan, Sunitha. "Sunitha Krishnan: The Fight against Sex Slavery." TED: Ideas worth Spreading. TEDIndia 2009. Dec. 2009. Web. 29 May. 2013.

Kaufman, Marc. "Fetus-Gender Clinics in India Lead to Abortion of Females." The Ottawa
Citizen: 0. Feb 27 1988. ProQuest. Web. 17 June 2013 .

Wudunn, Sheryl. "Sheryl WuDunn: Our Century 's Greatest Injustice." TED: Ideas worth Spreading. TEDGlobal 2010. Aug. 2010. Web. 29 May. 2013.