Minority Status of Women in History

Running head: Status of Women

Minority Status of Women

Minority Status of Women Women are a minority because they are identifiable, have limited access to power, often are treated negatively and have a collective consciousness. Gender studies have enabled us to realize that from the minute a baby is born, they are put on a different path because of their gender. They are socialized differently, have different social experiences, they are expected to have different reactions and orientations to the world. Despite the fact that females often outnumber males, males are put on a pedestal and receive greater benefits and rewards than do women. The result of Patriarchy is the viewpoint that men are inherently superior to women. Our society reinforces this viewpoint in social structures in which the fields dominated by men are more highly compensated than those dominated by women. There is also this notion that specific jobs are “women’s work.” For example, house work, cleaning, cooking, nursing etc. This definition of what is feminine dampens women’s aspirations and puts up a barrier to upward mobility of women in society. In Early US History, women were often treated as property. Their husbands often treated them as children, they couldn’t vote or own property, and they had no voice in law making. The women’s movement started because women began to make the argument that ‘biology is not destiny.’ In other words, being born a female should not dictate the course of your life. From this idea, two women’s movement groups developed. One group wanted to reform all social institutions and abolish all distinctions between men and women. The other group focused their attention on women gaining the right to vote. We recently celebrated the 90th anniversary of the 19th amendment to the constitution, which gave women the right to vote. These freedoms were achieved by brave women who risked ridicule and imprisonment to confront the gender inequality of their times. The passage of the Amendment in 1920 concluded seventy-two years of intense work by women across the nation beginning with a hastily organized, 1848 convention in Seneca Falls, New York. Described by its organizers as a convention "to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman,” it was attended by about 300 people including 40 men. Of all the signers of the Seneca Falls Declaration, only one lived long enough to cast a ballot in the first election open to women. Although 1920 to 1959 was tranquil, the 1960s brought a flurry of social legislation, which has continued to date. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and he appointed Eleanor Roosevelt to be the chairwoman. Reports issued by the commission showed that there was still substantial discrimination in the workplace, and it made specific requirements to improve this. In 1963, Betty Freidan published her highly influential book Feminine Mystique, which became a best seller. That same year, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act making it illegal to pay a woman less then a man for the same job. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 proved to be defining landmark legislation for women. It made discrimination on the basis of gender illegal. In 1994, the Violence Against Women Act tightened federal penalties for sex offenders and added funding for victims of rape and domestic violence. It also provided special training for police officers. The glass ceiling effect limits women’s access to jobs and positions that lead to top management. The glass elevator effect shows that men in jobs held traditionally by women accelerate more rapidly than women because of gender bias. There are many other issues that surround women. 1 in 4 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Sexual assault in the workplace and on college campuses is very prevalent but often not reported. SCCADVASA reports that in South Carolina alone in 2010 there were 1,439 cases of forcible rape. Also in South Carolina in 2010, 5,104 people received services from sexual assault organizations. A lot of this abuse comes from the idea that men are in power and control over women and when some men don’t feel like they are in power anymore, this is their way to get back in power. It is important that has a community; we are raising awareness of these issues and educating others of ways that we can prevent violence against women.

References

Kelley, M. (2011) Seneca Falls Convention. About.com Guide. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/womenssuffrage/a/senecafalls.htm

Feagin, J. R., & Feagin, C. (2011). Racial and ethnic relations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

http://www.sccadvasa.org/

References: Kelley, M. (2011) Seneca Falls Convention. About.com Guide. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/womenssuffrage/a/senecafalls.htm Feagin, J. R., & Feagin, C. (2011). Racial and ethnic relations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. http://www.sccadvasa.org/