The Role Of Oppression Of Women In American Society

Today women in developed countries enjoy many freedoms from social stigmas and oppressions in the work force, although, they are still not completely equal to their male counterpart. There are still women being paid less than men doing the same job and there is the idea that prices for female products are raised slightly higher than it is for men for the same products; however, this does not compare to the kind of oppression women went through in the 1890s. Charlotte Perkins Gilman embodied the oppression of females in the 1890s in her short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” which depicts a mother and wife going through postpartum depression while struggling with her male physicians and husband over her treatment plan. Critic Frances Baskerville sums Gilman’s intention for her story stating, “Her [Gilman’s] fiction was intended as a vehicle for her feminist and socialist themes, a means of persuading a general audience” (Baskerville line 2). Although one of the issues of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is dealing with postpartum depression, one of the main themes of the short story is female oppression and what everyday life was like for women in her time.

In the world today, women have a say in what they want to do and things that they desire to do. Back in the day, before the 1800’s, women had to be submissive to their male counterparts and do according to what was required of them. In the end, this led to the demeaning of the woman and the concept that women were inferior to men. Even though this concept and perception changed, there have been some countries and regions of the world that have not yet recognized the equality that women deserve. Such areas do not allow women to vote, attend school, have a say in the community, and the women are at the mercy of their husbands, fathers or male superiors (Hartmann, Susan M).

Not just women many other have been oppressed as well. Such as African Americans who were discriminated because of their color of skin. They were mistreated in their work place and other parts of society, they were unable to vote, and they were segregated from education and social spaces, and violence from the authorities. Chicanos almost the same as African American they were discriminated because of the color of their skin they were limited in what they could do in school. They weren't allowed to speak their native tongue in school they were limited on their education since the Anglos thought they would not get far in education. In some parts they were limited to vote. Gays and lesbians mainly oppressed since of their sexuality that mostly face discrimination of their sexuality and limited on where they are able to go. How have all of these groups faced their oppressor there are many. The simplest one it being that they had meeting, looking up at all of these movement there is a part in which all of them had meeting to discuss about their movements. Many used communication to get the attention of people by newspapers, speeches, protest, and art they also had other things as well

Women and men are nestled into predetermined cultural molds when it comes to gender in American society. Women play the roles of mothers, housekeepers, and servants to their husbands and children, and men act as providers, protectors, and heads of the household. These gender roles stem from the many culture myths that exist pertaining to America, including those of the model family, education, liberty, and of gender. The majority of these myths are misconceptions, but linger because we, as Americans, do not analyze or question them. The misconception of gender suggests that biological truths no longer dictate our gender roles as men and women; they derive from cultural myths. We, as a nation, need

The discussion that has debates like no other is that of feminism, either you are for it or against it, but could there be more to the black and white that has been created? We live in a country that is said to have equal opportunities for all, often using this as an insignia to push our standards upon others. In order to understand and approach the topic of feminism, I have to understand what is feminism exactly and how is it perceived; just because we think we know what something is, does not mean that is how it is perceived socially.

The title of the chapter underscores the subservient status of women in American society. Their role in the life was restricted to the domestic sphere in which they were expected to maintain the house and teach basic skills to the children. As Zinn illustrates, their physical characteristic became a convenience for the men who could use exploit, and cherish someone who was at same time servant, sex mate, companion, and bear-teacher warden of his child. This line demonstrates that men overpower women, yet the tension between the husband and wife were confined to privacy of their homes. Zinn argues “Society base on private property and competition, in which monogamous families became practical units for

Due to the time period, one is raised in there are certain things that are considered to be the norm. In the late 1900’s women had no voice to speak out or give any of their opinions regarding any matters. In those types of society’s, the women are oppressed because the males were dominant. Edna Pontellier from The Awakening by Kate Chopin and Janie Crawford from Their eyes were watching God by Zora Neale Hurston are two women who are oppressed in the society they are brought up in.

For a long time, America has been at a standstill, a period where the citizens, government, and states failed to recognize the desires of the oppressed. America was prosperous and patriotic, yet failed to acknowledge minorities groups suffering to be included. The oppressed groups, such as women, African Americans, and immigrants were often left with the crumbs that tyrants left in society. The oppressed had a dream, envisioned a life where their children could one day make it in this world. America was supposed to be that dreamland, the melting pot where people, of different ethnicities, had the chance to thrive. A place where women did not have to worry about being limited to certain roles and individuals with dissimilar racial status would

During the evolution women in different cultures have faced obstacles, that have led us to where we are now. For example caucasian women weren't treated any better, around the 1600s they were sold for the purpose of procreating,

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.

Women in the early 1900s did not have any rights and were oppressed and held against their will to many things, such as housecleaning or taking care of the children, however, they started to protest for, and eventually gain, the rights that were due long ago. Due to the traditional family structure, prevalent throughout the 20th century, women were oppressed and not considered full, independent human beings. Furthermore, the existing literature suggests that all of these accusations held against the government were true and woman were, in fact, oppressed. They protested for their simple rights such as, the right to vote or the right to work. Back then, it was known men held a higher position on the social scale rather than women, however,

During the 1950s, women’s identities slowly changed; there were positive adjustments for women and for the equality of the sexes, but some things continued to remain the same, which is portrayed in The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath, and Mona Lisa Smile. The 1950s was the decade after World War II came to a close, so there was a want for stability but also change from many minority groups, such as women. In the war, women were given many responsibilities, some of which transferred over into the next decade, so they had more freedom and control over their lives. However, many limitations persisted into the 1950s.

The oppression of women has been brought into light in the recent years but it was the norm in many societies in early history especially in premodern east Asia. During that time, the roles of men and women in society were determined by great scholars that had the power to get their voice to be heard and set general rules in society. In China, scholars like Confucius, Mencius, and Mozi had great impact on the way people divided the roles between men and women. The overall oppression of women in premodern east Asia can be seen through quotes from great scholars about how women should be obedient to men, should not make important decisions in their families, and are not spoken of equally to men in society.

There have been many unspoken agreements made in the past 250 or so years of western culture. There’s an understanding in our community that some things just are because they are, especially when it concerns gender. In America, men don’t wear makeup or dresses. Girls aren’t supposed to be doctors, athletes, or CEOs. And in western culture, it’s the simple truth that the only genders that exist are boy, and girl. There’s basis behind some of it, but one of the only reasons that it’s western philosophy is because it just… is.

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.