ZuleBejines

AnyaConnelly
English5A
01.August.2016

TheBigChange
BroadTopic
Firstofalllet'smakesureweknowwhatexactlyfeminismis,GoogleScholarsdefinition,
Feminismisarangeofpoliticalmovements,ideologies,andsocialmovementsthatsharea
commongoal:todefine,establish,andachieveequalpolitical,economic,personal,andsocial
rightsforwomen.Thisincludesseekingtoestablishequalopportunitiesforwomenineducation
andemployment.Thisisn'tsomethingwehaven'theardofbefore,itsbeenaroundwaybefore
ourtimeSince1848womenhavebeenpushingforsocial,economical,andpoliticalequality
findingawaytobreakTheGlassCeilingandgoaboveandbeyondthanwhatpeopleexpect
fromthem.ThefirstwaveoffeminismreallyfocusedonwomensuffrageandSenecaFallsis
whereitallbegan.StartingatSenecaFallstheconventionthatcreatedanewchange,Elizabeth
StantonandLucretiaMottspearheadedthefirstwomensrightsconventioninAmericanhistory.
TheDeclarationofsentimentsandResolutionsissuedbytheconvention,whichwasmodeled

aftertheDeclarationofIndependence,detailedtheinjuriesandusurpationsthatmenhad
inflicteduponwomenanddemandedthatwomenbegrantedalltherightsandprivilegesthat
menpossessed,eventherighttovote(TheSenecaFallsConvention).Duetotheactionsofthese
bravewomentheywereabletosuccessfullyearntheirrighttovoteandevensharethesame
rightsandprivilegesthatthemenhadatthetime.Womenworkedhardandtobeabletohavethe
samerightsandprivilegesasmenbuteventhoughtheyhaveconqueredthatobstacle,inthe
1970sthesecondwavebegan.TheFeministmovementofthe1960sand70soriginally
focusedontheworkplaceinequality,suchasdenialofaccesstobetterjobsandsalaryinequity,
viaantidiscriminationlaws(The!960s70sAmericanFeministMovement:BreakingDown
BarriersForWomen).Evenforthosewomenwhodidhaveajobtheyweren'tviewedequally,
theywereonlyallowedasnurses,teachersorsecretaries.Notevenwhentheywereinthe
workforceweretheytakingseriously,assecretariestheywereobjectified.Thesecretarieshadto
bepretty,theyalwayshadtowearthesecutelittleoutfits,andtheyalwayshadtobepolishedand
dolledupalmostasiftheywereornaments.BettyFriedansgenerationreallywasntinterestedin
dismantlingtheprevailingsystembuttojustopeningitupforwomenmakingitequalfor
everyone.Feminismisntwomen,Feminismaremovementsenforcedbywomenwhodon'twant

totakeanyrightsorwanttotakethemanhoodofanybodytheyjustwanttobeviewedequally
andsharethesamerights.

NarrowTopic
JusthowImentionedbeforeinmybroadfocustheobjectificationofwomenintheworkforce,
formyynarrowIreallywanttobringforwardthehugeobjectificationproblemthatwomenface
todayinthemedia.Inmagazineswomenarephotographedhalfnakedandofcoursetheyare
extremelyskinnysettingtheexpectationthatallwomenmustlookthesameinordertobepretty
orattractive.Inthehispanicnewschannelscurvywomenaredressedinextremelyprovocative
skintightclothesjusttogivetheweatherforecastcreatinganotherstereotypethatallhispanic
womenmustlooklikethat.Musicvideosandinappropriatewebsitesreallyaresettingsomesort
ofexpectationthatwomenmustbesometypeofheight,withaskinnybodybutonlycurvywhere
isneeded,andbeextremelysexy.Beinganhispanicgirlweareexpectedtolooklikethegirls
givingtheforecastintheMexicannewschannel,andifwearenotcurvyorwearingtightclothes
thenwearen'tattractive.Notonlyiswrongformentoviewwomenasobjectsbutitisalso
hurtingthemleadingthemtobelievethattheywillneverbegoodenoughorprettyenoughfor
anyone.Sexualizationandobjectificationunderminesapersonsconfidenceinandcomfort

withherownbody,leadingtoemotionalandselfimageproblems,suchasshameand
anxiety(SexualizationofgirlsandcommonMentalHealth).Womenhavecometobelievethat
theyneedtolookacertainwayinordertobeattractiveandwillevengotoextremejusttoreach
seemtypeofbeauty.

MyInterest
AsawomanIhaveexperiencedmanysortsofobjectificationintheworkforceandinthe
classroom.Iliketothinkofmyselfasafeminist,Iwanttomakeachangeandhelpouteveryone
notjustyounggirlsandwomen.Wearefightingforequalitynottryingtotakeitaway,from
earningourrighttovoteandfightingforequalpaywomenhavealwaysstucktogethertobring
changetotheworld.Althoughwehavemadeprogressbyearningourrighttovoteandworking
towardtheworkforce,westillhaveamajorproblemwiththeobjectificationwithwomeninthe
media.Notonlyisitaffectingwomenbutit'salsoseverelyharmingouryounggirls.Theonly
waytofixthisisforuswomentosticktogetherandkeepfightingforwhatwewant.

TentativeThesis
Womenhavebeenthroughmanychallengesthroughouttheyearsandhaveconqueredmany
obstacles,thebiggestproblembeinghowtheyarerepresentedinthemedia.

ResearchPlan
FormyresearchplanfirstwhatIwoulddoisbringupthistopictoauniversity.Iwantto
surveythestudents,notjustwomenbutalsoincludingthemen,andseeifanyofthemhavefelt
objectified.WiththesurveyIwouldendupgettingpercentagesofhowmanywomenhave
actuallybeenobjectifiedatschool.AnotherthingIwoulddoismeetwithwomenfromthis
generationwhohavemadeachangewhetherit'sbigorsmall.Changewillnotcomeeasybut
bringingittoeveryone'sattentioninmanywaysthatwillcatchtheirattention.

WorkCited
SexualizationofGirlsIslinkedtoCommonMentalHealthProblemsinGirlsAndWomen.
Http://www.apa.org.AmericanPsychologicalAssociation,09Feb.2007.Web.31July2016.

The1960s70sAmericanFeministMovement:BreakingDownBarriersforWomen.
Tavaana.CollaborativeForCivicRights,n.d.Web31July2016

SenecaFallsConvention,1848.SenecaFallsConvention,1848.N.p.,n.d.Web.31July2016.