Inequality of Women and Men

Bianca Rodriguez

Ms. A. Mastee

English 10.4

May 5, 2014

Inequality of Women and Men

Men and women are two very different yet very equal genders of human society. Both women

and men are very much identical in the forms of command and potential. However, yet despite this,

based on various forms of media and evidence based research, it is shown that women are treated

differently than men, insisting that both sexes are essentially different. (Women & Men)

In the past, women were treated differently than men because most women were not skilled as

men were. Men had the skills for labor. During the pre-war times, no one would have believed in

women and their abilities, meaning they were to be treated differently. This mind-set had changed after

World War II. Women 's participation in the war, not as fighters but as servers to the men. Thus, the

mind-set of women perceived as house wives and not so intelligent was conceived (Why Were Women

Treated Differently Than Men?).

Today, women are viewed as delicate and fragile who are meant to keep their appearance and

remain polite and lady-like. Women are not meant to speak out of turn or hold too many questions if

curious. Women are perceived by men as less superior. Men have a mind-set that has them think they

have some type of hold on women, and because of this, men consciously believe that women are less

capable.

Women are treated unequally in many ways. They are treated both unfairly and not equally

even in the subtlest ways. In the work place, women are interrupted more than men and are often asked

fewer or easier questions than men; both men 's and women 's accomplishments are not treated the same

(same for girls in school). Women 's successes are often doubted or mocked with jokes about their

intelligence. Women are discouraged through degrading politeness and research show that women who

go against the caring, nurturing feminine stereotype may be taken negatively into consideration when

being hired or evaluated. These comportments in all likelihood might have a small effect, but when

they transpire several times, the actions offer a forceful message to women: women are not as valuable

as men nor are they anticipated to take part fully in classes, in college, or in life in general (Sandler)

(Ways that Males and Females are Treated Differently).

Sexual objectification of women is very apparent in these effects, and is not a recent

phenomenon. Sexual objectification is the exploit of an act toward a person purely as an object of

sexual pleasure, thus establishing them a "sex object".

Objectification of women entails the act of disregarding the personal and cognitive strength

abilities, and potential of a woman, consequently lowering a woman 's value or capacity, in society to

that of a tool for the sexual pleasure that she can cause in the mind of the male gender. Objectification

of women also occurs during the sexually placed portrayal of women in marketing and broadcasting.

Women are often represented as fragile or obedient through the use pornography and are more than

often depicted in main stream media, where men shamelessly judge women sexually.

Sexual objectification can cause negative, harmful, psychological effects to women such as

despair and desperation, and can give women cynical self-perception due to the impression that their

intellect and ability will ever be accepted by a male dominated society.

Another aspect of sexual objectification is when women are fraternized to objectify their own

physical qualities from the third person perspective, defined as self-objectification. The sexual and self- objectification of women is presumed to impact the social gender roles and inequity between the

genders. Girls and women begin to form an anticipated physical image for themselves, from judgments

of others, and they are very mindful that others are presumably going to scrutinize moreover.

Immediate consequences of sexual objectification are affiliated to sexual victimization, for

example, rape and sexual harassment (Moradi). Sexual harassment is one of the most common

difficulties women face in the work environment, including sexual jokes or inappropriate, degrading

remarks (Doob).

Not only is sexual harassment an issue with sexual objectification, but the harsh mental effects

of self-objectification are also very apparent as well. Most of the images portrayed in the media can be

interpreted and translated into mental health issues by women. Psychological consequences in women

include intense self-consciousness, severe anxiety, strengthened mental health scares (depression,

anorexia, bulimia, and sexual dysfunction), and strengthened shame of the body.

Feminism is the support of women 's rights on the basis of political, social, and economic

equality to men. "Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.” famously said by British

suffragist and journalist Rebecca West, meaning committing to achieving equality of the sexes.

To this day, women have been fighting for the equality they deserve (Feminism 101) and is best

described as “waves”.

The First Wave Feminists focused their struggles mainly on obtaining legal rights, including the

right to vote, to own property rights, a voice in regard to their children, and the right to own property

and inherit property.

Second Wave Feminists focused on a more broad range of issues during the 1960’s, 70’s and

early 80’s that included discrimination in workplaces and in bigger society, pay equity, issues of rape,

domestic violence, pornography, sexism in the media, and reproductive choice.

Third Wave Feminism occurred during the 1990’s in retaliation of the repercussion from the

gains second wave feminists had made in the 1970’s and 80’s. While women made notable gains

during the second wave of feminism, equality was still a far dream from reality. Race and Status had

become significant issues for deliberation and operation within the movement, dominated by white,

middle-

class women.

Men often view feminism as a man-hating cult. Feminists do not hate men, far from it in fact,

Feminists are here to educate men on the oppression women have been through (A Short History of

Feminism).

I believe that women and men should be treated as equals. As blatantly clear society makes it,

men and women are not treated equally and they should.

In conclusion, the media and society have made it very clear that women and mean are not

treated equally, despite how very much alike both genders are due to the insistent mind-set that they are

fundamentally different.

Works Cited

“A Brief History of Women 's Rights Movements.” May 5, 2014. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/

article/history-womens-rights-movements

Doob, Christopher, B.. “Social Inequality and Social Stratification in US Society” 2013. May 5, 2014

“Feminism 101”. May 5, 2014. http://www.redletterpress.org/feminism101.html

“Men and Women: No Big Difference”. October 25, 2005. May 5, 2014. http://apa.org/research/action/

difference.aspx

Moradi, B., & Huang, Y.-P. “Objectification Theory and Psychology of Women: A Decade of

Advances and Future Directions.” 2008. May5 , 2014

Sandler, Bernice. “The Chilly Climate: Subtle Ways in Which Women are Often Treated Differently at

Work and in Classrooms”. July 1999. May 5, 2014. http://www.napequity.org/nape-content/uploads/

R1l-The-Chilly-Climate.pdf

“A Short History of Feminism”. 2010. May 5, 2014. http://www.ffaw.nf.ca/Docs/

a%20short%20history%20of%20feminsm.pdf

“Should Men and Women be Treated Equally?”. June 28, 2010. May 5, 2014. http://teenage- feminist.blogspot.com/2010/06/should-women-be-treated-differently.html “Timeline: Woman 's Rights and Feminism (U.S.)”. May 5, 2014. http://backtohistory.osu.edu/

resources/events/Suffrage%20and%20Feminism%20Timeline.pdf

“Ways that Males and Females are Treated Differently”. May 5, 2014. http://people.mills.edu/spertus/

Gender/pap/node7.html

“Why Were Women Treated Differently Than Men?”. May 5, 2014. http://www.ask.com/question/

why-were-women-treated-differently-than-men

“Women & Men”. May 5, 2014. http://apa.org/topics/women-men/index.aspx

Cited: “A Brief History of Women 's Rights Movements.” May 5, 2014. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/ article/history-womens-rights-movements Doob, Christopher, B.. “Social Inequality and Social Stratification in US Society” 2013. May 5, 2014 “Feminism 101” “Men and Women: No Big Difference”. October 25, 2005. May 5, 2014. http://apa.org/research/action/ difference.aspx