Synthesis Essay - Feminism

What does it really mean to be a man or a woman? Masculine or feminine? Different cultures and communities have assigned certain characteristics and attributes which define each sex. But do these traits describe every man and woman’s behavior? Individuals should have the free will to act in any way they wish to, whether in favor of society measures or in favor of their own conscience. Throughout the course of history, men have been viewed and perceived to be chivalrous, audacious, dauntless, and despotic. Women however, have been depicted as weak emotional subordinates who obey their man’s orders mindlessly. David’s portrait shows a father proudly giving his three sons swords for battle, while in the background we can see the women weeping helplessly. The Tsu-busu tribe in Africa is known for their boldness, bravery, and “masculinity”. As soon as a teenage boy in the tribe hit puberty, his parents hold a whip-slashing ceremony where the men of the tribe gather to whip the half naked boy until they bleed heavily. If the young man moves or screams for help, they do not consider him a man. Is this how men should be treated? The twenty-first century man doesn’t necessarily have to possess these virtues. Why should only women be allowed to display emotions and not men? Shakespeare once wrote, “Those waters from me which I would have stopped; But I had not so much of man in me.” It is lucid from this extract that it was dishonorable for men at that time to weep and exhibit their emotions. However, as time progresses, previously set standards fade away gradually. It is more acceptable nowadays for a man to weep in public, as in the funeral of a loved one for instance. What does it really mean to be feminine? With the sheer abundance of feminists nowadays, this has become a very controversial topic. A woman doesn’t have to follow certain standards and rules to be classified as a woman. Sexism has decreased to a great extent this century, but women are still not