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Sophia Burke
FHS 2400
March 9, 2016
Chapter 4: Gender Equality
Gender equality can be a delicate subject to discuss because as human beings we have a
bias that has been formed throughout the last hundreds of years about what types of roles men
and women are supposed to be practicing. We praise masculinity, and we discriminate
femininity. An example would be such as when we find it attractive when a woman is wearing
mens clothes, yet when we see a man wearing a dress, society shuns him. This is because, as a
society, we praise women for expressing more like a man, than a man expressing more like a
woman, as we have an unconscious belief that masculinity is superior and that femininity should
be avoided.
With the new generation of millennials, there are a lot of terms being thrown around.
Feminism, for example, is on the rise, usually within the democratic community in America.
Feminism can be defined as the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social,
and economic equality to men (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The feminist movement, which
started within the 1960s and 1970s, has led many women to reexamine their assumptions about
womens roles, (Strong & Cohen, 2014, p. 80). As well as feminism there is also misogyny,
usually within the conservative community in America. Misogyny is typically a hatred towards
women that men form early in life involving a model male figure abusing a significant female
figure, giving them the idea that women are useless (Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., 2015). Both of
these categories can be very extreme, always a constant antithesis. Personally, I identify as an
independent feminist because I have a personal belief that both liberals and conservatives are a
bit much; however, I find myself agreeing with the democratic arguments most of the time.

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Feminism is the idea and belief that men and women should have equal rights and
opportunities. Conservatives will take this idea and morph it into the idea that feminism is
defined as women hating men and wanting to become rebellious with the government on the
account of what outrageous rights they can try to get away with. Democrats will take this idea
and morph it into the idea that men are pigs and women should rule the world. As an
independent, I take this idea and say that men and women are equal.
In saying this, I support a lot of controversial issues. One issue I support is equal pay
within men and women. According to a study by The American Association of University
Women (AAUW), women are paid significantly less than men for the same work, and it doesnt
just stop at gender. Caucasian women have an earning of 78% to a Caucasian males earnings for
the same work; nonetheless, a Hispanic woman has an earning of 54% to a Caucasian males
earnings (Catherine Hill, 2016). That is 54 cents to a dollar just because the employer is a
Hispanic woman instead of a white male (Catherine Hill, 2016). This is outrageous, and there is
no purpose as to why this is in place.
As well as equal pay, I also support women registering with Selective Service System.
The legal grounds for their exclusion from Selective Service are no longer valid, says Ruth
Ben-Ghiat, The 1994 Department of Defense Direct Ground Combat Definition and
Assignment Rule, which did not permit women to be assigned to units below brigade level that
had combat as their primary mission, has been rescinded since January 2013. There is no reason
women should not have to register for the draft besides not wanting to be called in for a time of
need. A lot women have embraced the equality of gender within movements that benefit them,
but the second that it becomes a negative consequence, they turn away. Its important to embrace
every aspect, and not just the ones that are most helpful to us.
I also support Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive
health services internationally, and the services they offer. I have went in myself for birth control

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and came out with extensive knowledge of sexual education than I didnt even plan having.
People who do not support Planned Parenthood are misinformed, and should consider the
actualities before they make any assumptions. Under 3% of all services they offer are abortions,
which are legal in the United States (Planned Parenthood, 2014). Aside from abortion, they also
provide educational programs and outreach to 1.5 million young people and adults each year
(Planned Parenthood, 2014). As someone who has gone to them in a time of need, they have a
very supportive and non-judgmental environment, which is crucial to the type of customers they
have going in for their support.
Planned Parenthood allows teenagers and children who dont feel like they can confide
within their parents go to them in a time of need with ease and confidentiality. This is extremely
significant as this is a huge breakthrough, and now teenagers have the opportunity to become
informed about their bodies and how to have safe, consensual sex. 80% of Planned Parenthood
clients receive services to prevent pregnancy, which is 80% less children who will not be
burdened or put into an adoption agency (Planned Parenthood, 2014).
Through being responsible with our bodies and becoming informed, I support women
being sexually active and men practicing abstinence. Women are not defined as who they sleep
with, and men are not defined as how many women they can convince to sleep with them. With
women, there is a myth that the more men she sleeps with, the less desirable she will be for a
future partner. This is especially hurtful for rape victims, such as Elizabeth Smart, who have
been forced into sexual acts against their will. "I remember in school one time I had a teacher
who was talking about abstinence and she said, 'Imagine you're a stick of gum and when you
engage in sex, that's like being chewed. And then if you do that lots of times, you're going to be
become an old piece of gum and who's going to want you after that?'," said Smart. This is
particularly degrading to women, as they are not defined by their sex lives.

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In like manner, there is a myth that the more women a male is able to get to sleep with
him, the more impressive he is. It is in their nature to crave sex, and some even describe it as a
need. However, there is a surprisingly large amount of men who have no desire to have sex.
David Jay, an asexual activist, has said, Sexuality is like any other activity. There are people for
whom skydiving, chocolate cake and soccer are their world. But some people don't like
skydiving, chocolate cake or soccer. There's no reason to focus your energy and attention on
something you feel no reason to do anything about. Sex is not entirely what men think about,
even though it may seem like it to some individuals.
In the same fashion, I support female and male rape victims and strongly believe that
abuse is under no circumstances the victims fault. According to 1in6, a nonprofit organization
that recognizes male abuse victims, it is estimated that 1 in 6 men are survivors of sexual
violence (1in6 , 2016). However, statistics like this are also probably underestimated for several
reasons. One reason being that males who have such experiences are less likely to disclose them
than are females (1in6 , 2016). Men are scared to reach out for help after sexual abuse, and this is
because as a society we dont believe in male rape victims. Men are supposed to enjoy sex, and
they are praised for doing so. This kind of thinking is not okay.
We should not be praising the notion that victims of any type of abuse is okay. It is never
the victims fault. With this, there is a term called Rape Culture where there is an environment in
which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence is normalized and excused in the media and
popular culture (SCSU, 2016). Sexual violence being desensitized within the minds of society is
especially supported within the media, with current court cases such as the court case Kesha v.
Dr. Luke which occurred on February 19, 2016 (Rogers, 2016).
Since 2014, Kesha has been fighting to be released from her contracts with the megaproducer and his labels parent company, Sony Music Entertainment, asserting that Dr. Luke had
subjected her to years of abuse, including rape, and unfair business arrangements (Rogers, 2016).

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In this court case, Kesha was not accusing him of drugging her and raping her with the desire of
seeing him behind bars, she just wanted to get out of a recording contract with him. The court
ruled against the case, and Kesha is forced under contract to continue working with her abuser
such there is not enough evidence he truly did abuse her (Rogers, 2016). Children who are
witnessing this occurrence are experiencing rape culture, and will not think it will be okay to
speak out if they have been or if they will be abused. This is particularly not okay. Those who
have been abused should be encouraged to speak about their cruelty, and should be encouraged
to get help from those who are able to.
Together with abuse, I also support the LGBT community, and everyone who identifies
as queer. With someone who has a lot of experience within straight cis-gendered culture, there is
a strong belief that we are born with a default of being straight and cis-gendered, when in fact
that is not true. We are all born completely diverse from one another, and this is not a bad thing.
Across the globe, there remain many instances where an individuals' sexual orientation or
gender identity can lead them to face execution, imprisonment, torture, violence or
discrimination, (Amnesty International USA, 2016). Individuals who identify openly to being a
part of the LGBT community are experiencing disgust from others for feeling love. Its irony
within itself, especially since the group that LGBT individuals receive detestation from the most
are those who identify within the Christian faith. It doesnt look like love to the family of a
transgender high school junior, who cant find a church family that will welcome them or include
them or acknowledge them, says John Pavlovitz. The problem faced here is that Christianity is
supposed to be about love. The faith itself teaches to love your neighbor, not to disown them
when they dont agree with your values.
As can be seen, the controversial issue of gender equality can be very extreme, and will
continue to become even more so. Men are not inherently better than women, but neither are
women in the same manner. Our society needs to become informed to remedy this lack of

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equality, or we will continue to go towards being a violent nation with no advances in being a
peaceful place. We put ourselves in such a bubble of our bias opinions that we refuse to listen to
the realities of what is happening around us. If instead we didnt make assumptions about one
another, and listen to what we all have to say about our experiences and beliefs, there would be
harmony with mankind. The world is not black and white, rather it is a considerably large,
colorful assortment of experience and emotion.

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Works Cited
Strong, B, & Cohen, T. F. (2014). The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships
In A Changing Society (12th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
1in6 . (2016). The 1 in 6 Statistic. Retrieved from 1in6: WEB
Amnesty International USA. (2016). About LGBT Human Rights. Retrieved from Amnesty
International USA: WEB
Ben-Ghiat, R. (2016). Women Should Have to Register for the Draft. Retrieved from Cable News
Network: WEB
Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., P. (2015). Spot a Misogynist. Retrieved from Psychology Today: WEB
Catherine Hill, P. (2016). The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (Spring 2016). Retrieved
from American Association of University Women: WEB
Jay, D. (2010). What It's Like To Be a Man Who Doesn't Want Sex. Retrieved from Alternet:
WEB
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (n.d.). Feminism. Springfield, MA.
Pavlovitz, J. (2015). Love Doesnt Always Look Like Love. Retrieved from Gay Star News: WEB
Planned Parenthood. (2014). Planned Parenthood at a Glance. Retrieved from Planned
Parenthood: WEB
Rogers, J. C. (2016). Kesha vs. Dr. Luke: Inside Pop Musics Contentious Legal Battle.
Retrieved from The New York Times: WEB
SCSU. (2016). Rape Culture, Victim Blaming, and The Facts. Retrieved from Southern
Connecticut State University: WEB
Smart, Elizabeth. (2013). My Story. St. Martin's Griffin.