The Consequences Of Being American Women

America viewed from the rest of the world is known by many names, the land of opportunity, the land of choice, and the land of freedom. In America, women can hold professional jobs, obtain advanced degrees, and make choices about their health. Every day, the media shows how women are still oppressed throughout the world. It is naive to think that American women do not struggle, but at least they can go outside their homes without needing a male chaperone. Being an American woman means not only making decisions without having to worry about life threatening consequences, but also having the ability to be a contributing member of society. Being American means the right for all women to receive an education. In Nigeria, which is the third richest country in Africa, almost five and a half million girls will never be enrolled in school (Education 1). These women will continue to live a life without access to human rights, education, or a chance of a better life. In 2014, more than 30.2% of women in America received a
bachelor’s degree from a college or university, surpassing the 20.9% of men who received a degree (Kelly). This was the first time that more women had graduated from college then men in American history. As women continue to advance their education, men start to view women as their equal, not as someone less. Women in America are born with the knowledge that they have the same chance to succeed in school as their male counterparts. Women in some underdeveloped countries never get the chance to think about going to school for more than a year, let alone twenty. Women have not had it easy to reach their current position in society. It was not until 1980 when women started attending higher education in numbers equal to men (The History of Women and Education). Harvard, which opened in 1636, was the first college to allow women to attend, but it still it took 200 years to open the doors to women (History). Women in America have risen through the ranks of society in a way that would seem impossible in major parts of the world, including Africa, parts of Asia, and India. Although there is still a level of inequality in the education system of America, women can be anyone, do anything, and achieve everything that they put their minds to. Being an American means having the opportunity for a person to be anything they want: an astronaut, a doctor, or an engineer, which applies to both men and women.
Up until the late 1970s, most women only cooked, cleaned, and raised the children while their husbands worked to pay the bills. Today, that is no longer true. According to the U.S. Department of Labor in 2012, over 57% of all American women are part of the work force. Over 70% of those women working have children under the age of 18. With more women working, all parts of America benefit, including the economy, gender equality, and future generations to come. Women in America are able to contribute to society by having a say in what they want to do with their lives, not what their husbands want. In many male dominated places around the world, including the countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and Afghanistan (Kemsley), women do not have a voice in choosing what they want to
do.
Being an American means having the chance to be successful, no matter status or gender. America has shown the world how capitalism can work. The definition of capitalism according to Dicitonary.com is “an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit”. It never says anything about who can take part in the economy. Many citizens view America as a country ruled by men, but now times are changing. In 2014, 50 women were on the Forbes top 400 wealthiest American list for the first time ever (Jedeur-Palmgren). Their combined income reaches over $273.5 billion, making it huge progress for women. In 2015, there were 21 female CEOs who were a part of an S&P 500 company (Women CEOs). America is only as strong as its citizens are and as more women enter the work force, it will increase the position of power women have throughout the world.