The Inequality Of The Sexes During The Mid-Twentieth Century

Up until the early 1900’s, women were seen by society as people with household roles that consisted of cooking, cleaning, and tending their children. As time progressed, the view of women in society gradually changed, but their opinions still did not seem to matter. It wasn’t until 1920, that women gained suffrage with the 19th amendment. This amendment was a huge step in gaining full and equal rights for women, but unfortunately discrimination against them still happens today. There are various different situations in which the issue of gender inequality occurs. Although the law states that everyone has equal opportunities and rights, women are highly discriminated against in everyday roles such as employment, extracurricular activities, military, and in the government.

Throughout the twentieth century, American women fought for the right to vote, the right to make choices regarding their own bodies, and the right to be their own people. The disparities between men and women were often overlooked or blindly accepted, but as Gloria Steinem said, “history is herstory too.” After nearly 200 years of struggling, women made up only 10% of Congress, received wages less than 75% of their male counter parts, and are stigmatized based on their class and race. By the end of the century, female citizens were still treated unfairly in every aspect of American society. Women did not achieve equality in America in the 20th century, based on their roles in politics, the widespread views of female sexuality, and the

“Thus humanity is male and man defines woman not in herself but as relative to him: she is not regarded as an autonomous being” (Beauvoir xxii.) Following that train of thought, it is no surprise that man perceives woman to be the second sex. “Man can think of himself without woman. She cannot think of herself without man” (Beauvoir xxii.) However, in contrast to Sartre’s analyses of oppression, the subjugation of woman is unique because through the history of time, this perception has never been contested or reversed, whereas in oppression due to racism or colonization, the Other race has at one point in history been free. When comparing women to other oppressed groups such as “American Negroes or Jews,” Beauvoir makes the distinction that the latter’s original state was one of independence; a state only changed due to historical events. She maintains that although oppressed, those people still retain memories of their former days of autonomy. “…they possessed in common a past, a tradition, sometimes a religion or a culture” (Beauvoir xxiv) Beauvoir claims that women have been denied their history, that their independence and agency has been conditioned out of them. “They have no past, no history, no religion of their own” (Beauvoir

“We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.” This quote was said by Beyoncé, a famous female singer who embraces the woman she is. Even though gender inequality is present for women in both societies, there are many differences between the expectations of females in the 1930’s to females today.

Equality twinkled through in the birth of the civil rights movement. Homogeny was a central point in American life in the 1950's, whether known or not. One may contend that people have a natural preference for their kin, at least at an instinctual level. American immigration policy reflected this on non-European nations, excluding Russia. Americans feared migrants would change the present culture, supplanting the population. This revolution ignites in Brown vs. Board of Education. Overruling Plessy vs. Ferguson, it ended public segregation. African Americans saw "separate but equal" would change, igniting a civil rights movement. For example, the 1957 forced integration of the Little Rock Nine came in the wake of the decision. Nine African-American

Many ancient laws and beliefs show that women from all around the world have always been considered inferior to men. However, as time went on, ideas of equality circulated around and women started to demand equality. Many women fought for equality and succeeded in bringing some rights. However, full equality for women has yet to be fulfilled. This issue is important because many women believe that the rights of a person should not be infringed no matter what their gender is, and by not giving them equality, their rights are being limited. During the periods 1840 to 1968, total equality for women did not become a reality due to inadequate political representation, economic discrepancy, and

Gender inequality has been the main focus for many centuries through the use of discrimination and oppression women were exploited. Where women had very little rights of their own or a voice in society but made many sacrifices to achieve equal rights whether it be in employment or other areas of inequality. As men were seen as masculine breadwinners and women as more feminine by looking after the family and raring of children.

The 1950’s was a time period were men and women came together and started a family with a white picket fence; this is a very inaccurate observation of this time period. One thing we won’t miss about the 1950’s is the gender inequality. During this period women were inferior to men, women didn’t have the same opportunities as men. According to page 31 “ Women who became pregnant specialized in raising children” were as though today women can have children and return back to working, and they also have the same chances as men. The family concept in the 1950’s was something we lack in today’s society, almost everyone was married with children in the 1950’s whereas though is less likely for people to get married today. The economy flourished there

Gender inequality plays a critical role when it comes to social progress. As a woman,

During the 19th Century women and men were expected to fill and shape different parts within society. Men were expected to be out in the public, whether working in a factory, socialising with other men in bars, clubs or meetings, whilst women were expected to remain homebound and take care of the cleaning, cooking and children. In addition to this, gender roles were reinforced through the use of fashion and attire being worn. Fashion evolved to emphasise men and women’s biological gender and encouraged them to act and behave in certain ways based on their gender. Therefore women began to wear restrictive corsets, long skirts and layers of petticoats because this fashion denoted a woman being a true lady.

There is supposed to be equal protection for everyone in the United States, but in reality, there isn’t. People who are minority and of color get targeted, because of their race, gender, and class, while wealthy white people are put on a pedal stool and hardly ever get in trouble by the law. In many case the wealthy are not arrested nor are they given a sentence for their wrongful doing, they are allowed to get away with murder (86). In the meantime, poor people are not given the same treatment and can be sentence to 15 years, 25 years, or life in prison for committing minor offense. The Social sphere is inequality that has increased, women who work the same hours as a man are looked down on because they are supposed to be at home with the

Gender inequality, from its very name, implies an uneven treatment based on ones gender. Essentially, gender inequality is theprejudice that one gender, usually the female, is secondary and subordinate to the more capable and hence superior male gender.Many societies practice gender inequality, with the men reinforcing it and the women passively receiving it, because it is consideredpart of an enduring patriarchal culture. Deviating from this norm means that one runs the risk of being branded a weak husband or abad, undeserving wife. Both cases are an embarrassment to the individual and the family. Introduction Women were historicallysubjugated to inferior roles, tasks and perceptions by society, even by the Holy Church. WIC described how St. Jerome, a 4th-century Latin father of the Christian church, pointed out: "Woman is the gate of the devil, the path of wickedness, the sting of theserpent, in a word a perilous object Womens History in America). The struggle of women for their rightful place with men from the confines of their homes to the highest steps of economic andpolitical ladders began in the 19th century. Women Power in the 19th century In the 19th century, the civil rights movement was infull swing, while Industrial Revolution started in the cities (Encyclopedia Britannica, Women in American History: The 19thCentury). During this time, men and women left their rural homes to engage in industrial work of the urban cities. Women from othercountries migrated to

During the 1960’s, women were often regarded as little more than her husband’s housekeeper and cook. In 1963, women made approximately fifty-nine cents to every dollar a man in the same job made (Walsh). Frequently, women in the workforce could legally be fired from their job just for being pregnant, and most banks would not allow women a credit card unless it was signed under her husband’s name (McLaughlin). These forms of oppression in everyday life fostered a general need for change, and eventually sparked riots and protests. Inequalities in the workplace were a main source of dissatisfaction among women.

Gender inequality is defined as men being favored by society. Men are more superior than women because they are more physically strong and do not have to prove to society, unlike women. Thus, men will have more rights than women. Women rights were never mentioned during the 15th century, which is Christopher Columbus era and 17th century in which the memoir of Lieutenant Nun was written. During Christopher Columbus and Lieutenant Nun era, religion was the most crucial part of people’s lives. Although Christopher Columbus wanted to help Europe find new trade routes his other goal was to also spread Christianity so people can worship God. Lieutenant Nun, on the other hand, was declaring herself of becoming a nun at the age of fifteen. Mostly

In the words of the famous Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “a feminist is a person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.” I believe that though some might argue that ever since women got the right to vote men and women have been equal, it simply is not so and it is evident in so many different aspects, from a parent 's desire to abort a fetus when they learn the gender is female to the unequal pay in the U.S. working class between the genders. In all societies men and women have different gender identities assigned to them from birth which include, but are not limited to differences in dress and actions, social responsibilities, and of course job roles. We live in a world where a man is ridiculed for taking his wife 's last name or in the case of my mother, the cost of choosing to hyphenate her last name with my fathers is for her to be singled out and marked as a red flag by United States airport security every time she travels. We are systematically ingrained to hold men and women to different standards and roles which then expands into the workforce, creating inequality because in the fight for the same role the men will eventually dominate over the women. Gender inequality in the workplace is a very common, important social and economical issue that has been around for many years and, at today 's rate, will be around for the next one hundred years.