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Inequality: Losing Faith In Social Justice By Ann Duffy And Nancy Mandell

Decent Essays

Reading Reflection
Synthesis: The two themes in this week's reading, "The Growth in Poverty and Social Inequality: Losing Faith in Social Justice" by Ann Duffy and Nancy Mandell, are the perspective society has of women in regards to working and being independent, and the vicious cycle of being born into poverty and continuing the never-ending loop. The perspective that society holds of women towards idea of working and freedom is something abstract. The reading talks about women struggling financially because of traditional gender stereotypes. The concept of women making their own living is blasphemy because she should be at home supporting her husband, who is making a living. Women are encouraged to stay at home and be good wives and mothers, …show more content…

Being an Indian, Muslim, female, my first priority was to learn how to be a good wife when I grow up. I was taught regardless of what I do in life, it was mandatory for me to learn how to be a good wife at the end of the day. Learning how to cook and clean was a necessity and was taught at a young age. By the time I was 13, I knew how to cook meals enough to feed a family. Although I was expected to do well in school, it was a given idea that I need to know how to cook and clean, not for my own needs but especially for being a good wife and mother. While writing this reflection, I was talking to my mom about the reading, she reassured me that being a good wife, and mother is seen as an end goal and regardless of what I do in school, being a good wife and mother beats it all. She told me that being born as a girl, this is what is expected from me. Along with this 'norm', it is also normal for women to stay home. I know from personal experience because when my dad lost his job, it was a horrible thing and when my mom lost her job, it was bad but not that bad because she is supposed to stay home and be a mom. That is her fulltime job. She was just working to help my dad to help the whole family. My dad got another job to help support the family. Most of the men in my family work two jobs and the women either do not work or work one job, only if their kids are over the age of 10. This reading really made me realize the role of women in our economic society and how it influences the way, we perceive the role of women in the workplace. As well as, where we place them in society. This reading made me feel like I have been living in this box, where I am told that these things are normal and to live my life according to it, not realizing that it is unfair and unjust. I realize that now that I know

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