Oppression Of Women Essay

Shirley Chisholm recognized the suppression of women in society by saying, “The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: “It’s a girl.” Through their entire lives, women face repression caused by idea that they are inferior to men. The oppression and exploitation of women are an inherent part of society, displayed by the institution of marriage, political documents, and previous political movements.
As an illustration of this, in “The Story of an Hour,” writes about a character who faces marital oppression reflective of the time period the story was written in. Chopin's stories are renowned in feminist literature, and show how society denies female independence and sensuality. ("Katherine
Chopin" 2003) When her husband dies, she feels that she will no longer suffer a “powerful will bending her.” This implies she did not have a voice before and her husband silenced her. She also feels free after his death, showing that she had felt trapped in the marriage. Additionally, she is seen as the wife of Brently Mallard for most of the story, rather than Louise. The reader does not learn her name until the end of the story after she declares herself free. Once she is out of her husband's shadow, she becomes an individual.
Not only is "The Declaration of Independence" believed to be a key expression of freedom for Americans, it is also seen as encompassing the American Dream.
In the document, Jefferson writes about how all men are created equal and that when a government becomes tyrannical, "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government." He goes on to state the problems King George had caused and how they make him a tyrant. Ironically, it does not mention women or the oppression they faced. To emphasize this irony and compare the suffering of women to that of the colonists, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote "The Declaration of Sentiments." Stanton was a leading figure of feminism in the 1800's and inspired many women through this document (Giesberg 2011). Women felt like slaves because they had just as many rights and were treated as property. She writes that men have made women "civilly dead," if married and "taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns." This shows the hypocrisy of a country that clearly displays how much they value freedom and liberty, but still oppresses women. They had no rights and couldn't vote to change that, yet they still had to follow all of the laws and pay taxes. This document was so controversial and inspiring that it started the women's rights
movement.
In order to talk fully talk about the oppression of women, one must not only talk about the actions of the oppressors, but also the consequent response of the oppressed. The women's rights movement lasted from 1848-1920 and led to the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote. In 1878, Susan B. Anthony, a renowned women's rights activist, wrote and proposed an amendment that would grant women the right to vote ("Women's Rights Movements" 2014). Twelve years later, Wyoming became the first state with women's suffrage. This success encouraged many supporters and attracted more people to the movement. Eventually, the amendment that Anthony proposed was added to the constitution. It was a huge triumph for women, but taking 72 years of action to gain just one right displays how our society and government suppresses women.
In conclusion, the oppression of women is clear in society. It can be seen in marriage, political documents, and in the political movements it has caused. In marriage, women lose individuality and used to be treated as property. Even when women have tried to be granted rights, it took almost a century. Elizabeth Cady Stanton compared female oppression to the colonist's, yet they got their rights in less than ten years.