Explanatory And Dig Deep By Sheryl Sandberg

“If my generation was too naïve, the generations that have followed may be too practical. We knew too little, and now girls know too much.” (Sandberg. Pg. 646) In the past, the call for women’s rights was heated as much as it was alive; many women today believe that they no longer need feminism in their lives. The misconception that feminist ideals are outdated has lead modern women to fall short in their desire to accomplish more. Sheryl Sandberg refuels feminist goals in the article “Lean In: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid.” She addresses lack of females in the work force, as well as, the way society prompts boys compared to girls. Bell Hook, in contrast, provides a deeper understanding of feminist ideals, along with, an in depth analysis of Sandberg’s work. The articles written by Bell Hook and Sheryl Sandberg express each woman’s perspective on modern feminism; although they both call for action, Sandberg focuses on the inequality between the sexes, while Hook broadens the overall argument to include topics such as race, sexuality and class equality.

Given these points, both women agree that there is a problem with equality in our society. They understand that not as many women are being recognized and are in positions of power. However, both women do not address the same reasons why. As Sandberg puts the reason for the lack of female leadership in corporate jobs and careers is because the lack of motivation that comes from the women in the workforce. This is so from fear of risking stability of finance, work, and home-life or contentment with them all. Hooks instead believes that our society that is dominated by white supremacist capitalist patriarchy only allows for certain white privileged females such as Sandberg to rise to power, enabling her to push a faux feminism agenda that only

Discriminating women because of their gender is common in the workforce and unfortunately, has become a norm. Discrimination begins from childhood and that is why it has become accepted in America’s society. Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook and author of “Lean In: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?” writes that “the gender stereotypes introduced in childhood are reinforced throughout our lives and become self-fulfilling prophecies (653).” I can relate to Sandberg’s point because when I was a child, I use to think that girls could not be police officers or fire fighters because it was not seen as an appropriate choice for a girl. I acknowledge Sandberg’s point because gender stereotypes are reinforced in television, the workforce, and at home during indoor or outdoor chores. hooks, activist and author of “Dig Deep: Beyond Lean In” would support this point; however, she would argue that patriarchy is the core issue, not stereotypes. In other words, hook believes that “we must understand that challenging and dismantling patriarchy is at the core of contemporary feminist struggle- this is essential and necessary if women and men are to be truly liberated from outmoded sexist thinking and actions (662).” If patriarchy is the focus then America can establish why women are treated unequally from the men. Stereotypes are important, but hooks’ think that Sandberg “Is simply taking old ideas and giving them a new twist (664).” I agree with hook because Sandberg mentions how women face stereotypical issues, however does not explain that patriarchy is the real reason women have difficulties in the workforce. Before jumping into conclusions Slaughter must focus on how patriarchy can improve.

Out of fear, Melanie expeditiously dismissed her long term goals. If one allows fear to stifle oneself, they will never know what could be, only what will never be. Raquel remained fervent in the quest for higher learning. The fear of failing can also be interpreted as a stepping stone to succeed or simply a mechanism to impede growth.

Though the media has maligned feminism as a drive for selfish fulfillment by female professionals, those who stand to gain the most are actually those who have the least. The demand for full equality for all women is profoundly radicalizing when it addresses the additional layers of discrimination women experience because of class, race, sexuality, disability, and

The first argument I’d like to point out is hooks’. This is her stabbing at her take on feminism. She says that “It almost seems as if Sandberg sees women’s lack of perseverance as more the problem than systematic inequality.” (hooks p. 662). From early on in Sandberg’s life story we see that she has recognized many weaknesses, and this is what one of her first arguments is. After she introduces her mother she goes on to say this, “When she graduated in 1965 with a degree in French literature, she surveyed a workforce that she believed consisted of two career options for women: teaching or nursing. She chose teaching. She began a Ph.D. program, got married, and then dropped out when she became pregnant with me. It was thought to be a sign of weakness if a husband needed his wife’s help to support their family, so my mother became a stay-at-home parent and an active volunteer. The centuries old division of labor stood.” (Sangberg pp.643-644). While this is more of an emotional argument then hooks’, it carries the same amount of meaning. We see that each of them address issues based off things that they have grown up with. We see that hooks’ addresses the systematic inequality because of her ethnicity and gender. Sandberg is addressing gender alone.

The main point I saw in this reading was that Samberg was explaining the assumption of women being less ambitious than men in their career and personal life even though women are just as determine or better in pursuing their desires. The three passages I chose:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that terrifies us, she said. I must overcome these barriers of fear, always searching for freedom. Freedom to be able to dream, to do what I was born to do, to be who really. Many doubt that young people like me can have a better

While the iterations of this movement have increased women's rights in the US, they are not without flaws. Many famous feminists took single-axis views on complex issues, not considering those of different races, classes, or gender identities. Contemporary platforms of expression, mainly the Internet and it’s myriad of social media forums, have brought attention to the the once muffled voices of trans women, women of color, and many others overlooked by first and second wave feminism. Exposure to these narratives lead me to reconsider my perceptions of feminism. Drawing from the works of Launius and Hassell, Brooks, and Kimmel, I will explain how the millennial feminist addresses privilege, oppression, and intersectionality.

“You need to stop being so afraid of these things,” said a great teacher of mine, Mrs. Stacey Hetrick. She was commenting on my reluctance to stand up for myself in a particular incident, but it applied to so much more. Everything in life daunted me, and I feared the challenge of taking on and overcoming its obstacles. While I had the potential to do great things, I was too afraid to act. She recognized this, sat me down, talked to me, and became the first person to attempt kindling the embers of potential lying dormant within me. She had that direct, piercing gaze that bores into yours and engraves its intent into the back of your eyelids; that tone of voice that leaves its message lingering in your ears; the smell of introspection clinging

The book “Lean In” is written by Sheryl Sandberg, who is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Facebook. Sheryl Sandberg has been ranked eight on Fortune’s list of the 50 most powerful women in business and has become one of America’s most galvanizing leaders, and an icon for millions of women juggling work and family. The book ‘Lean In’ was an outcome of the TEDTalk, which she gave in 2010 expressing concerns about the stagnation of progress for women in achieving major leadership positions. Lean In is a provocative and inspiring book about women and power. Ms. Sandberg throughout the book urges women to take risk and seek new challenges, to find work that they love, and to remain passionately engaged with that work at the highest levels throughout their lives, which I thought is relevant for women to succeed not just at work, but at family front as well.

Sheryl Sandberg, the current COO of Facebook and the former Google executive has written a book called Lean In, a sort of feminist manifesto about a women’s involvement in the workplace, acknowledging the lack of females in leadership positions and encouraging women to be more assertive in their career goals Her thoughts on feminism were of little interest. More significantly, there was next-to-no public discussion of feminist thinking and practice. Rarely, if ever, was there any feminist book mentioned as a bestseller and certainly not included on the New York Times Best Seller list. Those of us who have devoted lifetimes to teaching and writing theory, explaining to the world the ins and outs of feminist thinking and practice, have experienced that the primary audience for our work is an academic sub-culture. In recent years, discussions of feminism have not evoked animated passion in audiences. We were far more likely to hear that we are living in a post-feminist society than to hear voices clamoring to learn more about feminism. This seems to have changed with Sandberg’s book Lean In, holding steady on the Times bestseller list for more than sixteen weeks.

When compared to men, women are often left behind when it comes to advancement even if they have the same educational background and work experiences. But the work place is now changing. "Women are shooting to the top of high-tech companies, dot.com startups and Internet favorites, with a speed that promises to permanently change the way we think about women, work and power" (Gerber, 2000). Despite women’s advances in the workforce, they still strive to emerge and grow out of male oppression and move to a higher social position where they belong.

In 2015, The New York Times published an article chronicling the resurgence of the slogan “the future is female.” Coined for Labyris Books, a women’s bookstore in New York City, photographer Liza Cowan snapped a photo of her then-girlfriend wearing a shirt with the phrase on it in 1975 (“A Feminist T-Shirt Resurfaces”, 2015). Exactly 40 years later, the photo was uncovered from obscurity and posted on a popular feminist Instagram page, causing an influx of printing the phrase onto shirts, sweatshirts, and other pieces of clothing. Many feminists proudly shared their shirts on social media, recontextualizing “the future is female” to fit their respective agendas. While the phrase is a source of empowerment originally designated for women, I suggest to replace “female” with “feminine” to disassociate its meaning from biological sex. This allows it to encompass men, women, and those in between who act in a manner considered “feminine” and subsequently “lesser” in modern society. Corporate women, like Facebook COO and hesitant feminist Sheryl Sandberg, maintain that gender equality can be achieved if more women were not afraid to embody bold “masculine” traits whereas other feminists, including Roxanne Gay, argue that women do not have to “lead like men” (“Women Shouldn’t Have to Lead”, 2015). As if to substantiate Gay’s argument, John Gerzema penned a Harvard Business Review article, “Feminine Values Can Give Tomorrow’s Leaders an Edge,” that delineated the positive redrawing

When you think of high power names in the workplace it's more often than not associated with men. In fact, statistics show that of the top corporate jobs in America only 15% are held by women. What’s even more startling is that of all the fortune 500 CEOs only twenty-one of them are women (Sandberg, 2013). These eye-opening statistics show that although women have made great strides in the workplace throughout the years one question remains; Why are there not more women in leadership positions? Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook chief operating officer and author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead examined the causes of this halt in progress and the possible solutions.