The Importance Of Gender Oppression

Women and men are born equal. However, females are receiving unequal judgement and unfair treatment in the society, and thus Marilyn Frye brings up the notion of “oppression”, claiming that women are oppressed. Throughout the essay, I will first give the definition of Frye’s oppression and then list 5 critical qualifications to be considered oppressed. After that, I will explain my appreciation on Frye’s perspective on elaborating oppression using the “bird cage” analogy. I will support Frye’s “double-bind” argument for sexism followed by flaws in the argument. Furthermore, I will point out some social group are mistakenly placed inside or outside the parameters of oppression, once the theory of oppression extends over other marginal groups.

For my Final project in WS, I have chosen to talk about the oppression of women, and women of color. To narrow more in on the topic, I have chosen to discuss the oppression of women in the work force and all the different forms of oppression women face. Oppression is defined as, “A situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and prevented from having opportunities and freedom,” (dictionary.cambridge.org). Oppression can be caused by many different things. People can feel oppressed because they are being compared to the opposite gender. People can be oppressed being compared to other age groups. And people can feel oppressed when being compared to different races. Women of color feel oppressed because they are constantly being compared to white women, and some may say they do not always have the same privileges as others. I have enjoyed reading and researching about this topic, but at the same time have had a hard time truly understanding it. To be completely transparent I am a privileged white girl and throughout my whole life I have never felt that I faced oppression. I have witnessed it, but never experienced it. The oppression I have witnessed has only been in the work force; which I will discuss later on.

Frye opens the essay with defining what oppression is about which it targeted toward women and the minority people. Oppression happens when a woman or a person from minority group are denied the privilege that white male made to prevent from them to receive same rights as the white males experience. It results for them to be expected to smile, accept the fate and move on with daily life no what how unfair the situation is. Oppression is not only just limited to just one structure but also many factors in force which it includes the barriers and double binds. Oppression is not about not able to receive the privilege but the barriers that they had to face everyday that prevent them from able to move forward with their position. On the other side, double binds occur among to the barriers, mainly targeted toward the females because unlike males, they cannot win any type of situation. Women are double standard by white males, for example, women are expected to be prude, but not too prude which it leads for males to tell them to lighten up and be more flexible. They cannot enjoy sex too much or they will be labeled as slut, thus it shows how males set up structured barriers to keep women inferior from their social status. Oppression is more than just a group of people who are being treated unfairly, which Frye had explained one way to see oppression macroscopically by using an example, as to look at the birdcage. The first time you see the cage close enough, which you merely

As a consequence of gender discrimination, women as human beings aren 't getting the same respect as men instead they were seen as commodities. Consequently, living with gender expectation causes harm to either one of the gender.

By Marilyn Frye’s conception of oppression, men cannot be oppressed. She sees sexism in terms of mainly its institutional and structural states, with interpersonal and personal expressions perpetuating the oppression. Because of her views, she concludes that men as a group cannot be oppressed. However, there are problems with her analysis and ultimately I will argue that men can be oppressed as a group - but only by other men. They can suffer under the institutional sexism that Frye describes but the institutions and structures are created by and mainly perpetuated by men.

Many will make the argument that we must all understand each form of oppression due to our all facing oppression under capitalism, a system build upon the inherent oppression of many, however I would like to - using social, political, and historical context - make the argument that all forms of oppression are fueled by and normalised through different (completely harmful and often deadly) ideas and thus, the experiences of those who are directly affected by the aforementioned will be different - and argue that we must address both patriarchy and other forms of special oppression, as well as capitalism, not ignoring, nor favouring either, as even with capitalism alone eliminated, patriarchy would exist independently, at least through societal norms which - without challenge - would be sustained across economic systems, due to its rooting itself in various aspects of our culture and society, I will

Gender inequality is a battle that is still being fought today. There is need to change the way women are treated in work, at school, and across the world. When women realize - that intentionally or not - they are being treated unfairly, their confidence diminishes. Today’s society is in need of some major changes towards equal treatment.

What is oppression? Oppression is a socio-political system designed to purposely restrict, shape, manipulate people of certain class or genders only for illogical reasons or for the advantage of another class, race or gender. . Marlyn Frye states "a woman in an oppressive society is somehow like a bird in a cage. Women are oppressed in many ways from issues of sexuality to harassment in the workplace. They are in one simple example neither sexually active nor nonsexual active women are in the right. A sexually active woman will be thought of as a whore or a slut. A nonsexual active woman will be thought of as someone who cannot keep a man or a lesbian. Even though women out do the population of men in the United States, women are considered a minority due to the fact most of the higher positions are held by men. Women of color are treated worst compared to white women because of their race and color.

In this response, I will focus on how gender oppression is exemplified in the lens of race and racism. This paper will demonstrate how Fausto- Sterling, Preves, Messerschmidt, Crittenden and the film Senorita Extraviada have helped us understand the gender oppression itself. While still keeping Intersectionality, the system in which multiple categories intersect to contribute to who you are, in mind. These categories may consist of gender, race, socioeconomic class and sexuality. Intersectionality aids our understanding of oppression, not just by focusing on one variable, but several that lead to social inequality. We will come across the women of Juarez, Intersex, gender regulation of children, gender labor, heterosexuality, homosexuality

Oppression signifies an authority over another group, disengaging that particular group from the rest of society. “The term oppression encapsulates the fusion of institutional and systemic discrimination, personal bias, bigotry, and social prejudice in a complex web of relationships and structures that shade most aspects of life in our society” (Bell, 1997). In one way or another every individual experiences some form of oppression, whether it be through race, sex, gender, religion, age, wealth and/or sexual orientation. These cultural minorities experience inequality where a dominant culture casts its authority and power through exercises of unjust and cruel methods; these methods have been experienced through the Women’s Movement, the

Feminist perspective developed with the ideology that women face large amounts of inequalities in a patriarchal society. They aimed to address and rid the social world of this oppression of women by men. According to Bishop, (2015) “oppression occurs when one group of people use different forms of power to keep another group down in order to exploit them. The oppressor uses the power; the oppressed are exploited” (p. 133-134). Oppression must be by individual experience and not grouped into being the same for all. This includes understanding the original ideology of feminist theory being critiqued as only considering the experiences of middle class, white women. That black women, of lower class experienced oppression much different from the other women. Women are oppressed, thus has to be understood in a different construct that women are similar in some sources, experience of oppression but also experience oppression very differently from one individual to another. Feminist theories have further been expanded do its continuation throughout society and decades to encompass many more issues and arenas than just men and women relationships. Now it seeks to understand and address oppression based on culture, race, class, etc and not only for women but for all. Therefore, Bishop (2014) outlines five components that seem common to all forms of oppression and serve to maintain its presence in society.

Social status and structures have definitely shaped the construction and experience of gender inequality. Men and women are constantly analyzed, compared, and grouped together in society. The result of this yields discrepancies in how sexes are viewed by society. Throughout my examination and explanation of gender inequality, I concluded both men and women are victims to gender inequality.

Gender discrimination is an unfavorable treatment based on gender. It causes the elimination of individual’s right and opportunity (Reeves and Baden, 2000: 2). Gender discrimination usually disadvantages women because women are considered inferior in society. Virginia Woolf states that gender discrimination is a result of the imbalance power between men and women (in Dobie, 2012: 114). Apparently, women have already suffered the discrimination since a long time ago.

Furthermore, it is my hope that anyone reading the above essay finds resonance - both men and women, young and old, from all demographics all over the world. By invoking an emotional reaction from readers, a writer hopes to align his/her beliefs/feelings with those of the audience. This establishes a solid connection and can perhaps motivate someone to respond positively/proactively. This is especially the case with the subject matter of women’s oppression. Of course, I assume that women would find such material to be especially stirring and rousing of a desire for serious, global change. It all begins with concept. This is where the seed of oppression is planted. In certain corners of the world, women are viewed as secondary to

The oppression of women is based on false assumption and preconceived notions by the male domination world, has been obvious and responsible for paving the way for serious gender issues to emerge. Due to the narrow realms of activity in society, deprived from essential human rights, restricted educations scope, open to unhealthy physical and mental abuse, this society has not given women the opportunity to rise to their full potential. The impact of gender discrimination has not only affected the future of the women today but it has resulted in the slow progress of human mind in general.