Sean Campbell Campbell I

ENGL 1010

Professor Tyler Barnum

March 25, 2017

Womens Rights

The fight for womens rights has a major affect on everyone from

around the world. Unfortunately, the movement has led to segregation of

our society, and false misconceptions about the fight for womens rights.

Especially having been conditioned by a media whos the messenger, and

the message. The constant connection to the media has increased people to

form false misconceptions about what it is to be a woman. Leading people to

form biased opinions of the opposite sex.

Women are individuals with rights, and freedoms. The fights for

womens rights are to secure those freedoms, and are not only important to

them but to you. The social constraints of society, division of labor, and our

media representations have an oppressive affect on our women today.

This is a serious issue when it starts to affect our development as

people. Causing us to be more segregated, and to form false misconceptions

about the opposite sex. Without women we wouldnt be in the position we

are in today. Many females have held respectable positions of power,

contributing to the development of society. They too, are people with ideas

having

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the same integrity as men. This is crucial because our system is

oppressive limiting the opportunities women receive.

If their choices are limited so are we, because it affects our

progressions as a whole. We need womens ideas as much as mens. Thats

more than 51% of the nation that could be applied to the well being of

society.

A major cause of this controversy is the social constraints women

face, and how its affecting them psychologically. In the article, feminine

mystique, Betty Friedan argues that housewives are unhappy because

women are living for an image that wasnt created independently. That in the

many years of development within society they shouldnt not desire a

greater destiny than the one created for them. Women learned to pity

neurotic, unhappy women who were scientists, engineers, or political

leaders. Arguing women had been taught that true femininity didnt

represent striving for the overall advancement of ones self. (7)

She claims that the mystique of feminine fulfillment has become

a self-perpetuating core of the American culture, and others having been a

manual to living the ideal life. (9) This often leaving women unhappy,
question their true lifes purpose. Revisiting the argument claiming that its

impossible to live an individual life if youre living someone elses perception

of it.

Similar to feminine mystique the article Mens-men, Womens-

women Robert Kemper argues that producers, and advertisers have

reinforced patriarchy in linking it with the economy. He explained how

industries (automotive, cosmetics, and fashion) are

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predicated on the assumption that people will behave according to

their stereotype. (8) Thus the conditioning of women continues, constricting

them to a false way of perceiving themselves. This is detrimental being if the

way women perceive themselves affects unification as one. Constraining

themselves to social norms which wouldnt allow room for self development,

which enables collaboration of thoughts and ideas to advance the existence

of humanity.

The work force is also crucial in the development as a society. Jobs are

needed by everyone to help innovate new ideas, and to provide for peoples

well-being. Giving people a sense of purpose, and meaning to their personal

self. Women very much have dreams, and are wanting to pursue an identity

for themselves.

The division of labor is another result in segregation, and learned

gender identity. In the article written by Aleaez-Aller , Ricardo, Juan Carlos

Longas-Garcia, and Miren Ullibarri-Arce titled Do Mediterraneans really do it

better? Explaining The Lower Gender Wage Gap in Southern European

Countries shows an example how gender gaps are reinforced by

segregation in the labor market. The 80% of women working in sectors of

health, education, and HR will be valued less than men, even though those

sectors are dominated by women. A problem being how womens

competences are recognized in comparison to men. (5) This behavior is an

example that results from cultural norms, and what is deemed acceptable. In

most cases men take a hierarchy between the two sexes. The authors give

an example of a store run predominantly by female cashiers can earn less

than a few selected males. Those few

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are involved in more rigorous work, and are getting paid more than the

majority of the women. Research evaluated the performance of both sexes

and showed the pay level may have biased to favor men. (7) This being an

issue, as it limits the well being of someone based on their appearance. The

author gives an example how cultural background influences the behaviors

of society, and what is considered normal.

Similar to the article Do Mediterraneans Really Do It Better Claire

Cain, Miller gives an example of labor segregation Why Men Dont Want Jobs

Done Mostly by Women. Men often finding themselves out of work because

they cant let go of a stigma attached to new service-sector jobs. (2) These
new jobs require different skills, pay less, and employ mostly women. A

learned behavior where if jobs fall within that stigma are devalued within the

American labor market. Simply because these occupations are seen as

Womens Work. (5) An example provided by the author claims in American

Society, resistance to these jobs correlates with the idea of masculinity. The

learned identity that women are supposed to be sensitive, empathetic, and

caring while men must be a strong figure. Quoting the article from another

psychologist she claims that We have a cultural lag where our view of

masculinity has not caught up to the change in the job market exemplifies

the segregation of our society, and what we considered to be normal. (11)

This conception of normal is causing men to lose jobs, and women to be

oppressed based on their circumstances.

It is not fair for women to be generalized based on a false

conception of what it is to be feminine. Similar to the previous articles above

Feminine mystique gives an example

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of how labor has become divided through a learned concept in the

American culture. Freidan relates to the lack of women in the work force with

problem where women feel obligated. In the sense to follow a duty infringed

upon them by what society may consider ideal. She asks if the problem

simply can be in relation to the domestic routine of the housewife. (30)

Giving examples of research conducted by psychologists concluded that the

problems women described correlated those with daily life. The author

expresses that women could simply trapped by the demands of her role as a

house wife. To be a wife, mistress, mother, cook, nurse, educator and a

provider isnt easy. The day is fragmented only leaving someone with so

much time for themselves. (30) In issue deeply relating to the division of

labor. Women not having enough time for themselves to be able to pursue

their vocations in life. Instead they are living for an image created by the

superior sex which is biased. The men soon take over a majority of the work

force, and when women do try and take an opportunity they are shunned.

Simply because now what was to be equal is not. Relating back to Do

Mediterraneans Really Do It Better? and the relationship of how women are

treated and how their work is valued compared to mens. (2) Certain jobs

that are seen as equals yet arent being treated that way, based on the

recognition of womens competence. This all relating to what the author

suggested to be cultural behavior, especially in certain regions of Europe.

These factors contribute to the division of labor, and how its important to

include everyone for the sake of development. Engineers, mathematicians,

psychiatrist, and teachers are all needed regardless of anything. These

factors affecting the rights of women dont just correlate with

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 our social constraints, or the divisions of our workforce. These factors

are all related like a chain beginning with how we represent women in

society.

Today is the age of technology, and new innovative ideas are shaping

the way we express, listen, and communicate to each other. The media is

crucial in delivering messages to the public audience. Internet, movies,

shows, music, and games are all crucial in influencing society. If the

representations of women through media is explicit, crude, and exploited

constantly it affects how they should be truly seen. As in the film

Misrepresentation director Jennifer Siebel Newsom gives an example of

media as the messenger and the message. The media constantly portraying

this image of what the film referred to as the perfect woman. This image

being the catalyst in destroying the image of so many young women.

According to the statistics in the film, more than 65% of females had

developed an eating disorder leading depression to double over a decade.

The film explained how girls find themselves comparing themselves to an

impossible image. Images that are always manipulated by the many forms of

media through software programs such as Photoshop. The films narrator

explained this as making people feel anxious. The body types generate the

products. In relation to the article Mens men, and womens women

exemplifies how producers and advertisers work together to promote their

products. Leading to the idea if they buy the product, they think they can

look like the body. This is detrimental as the film refers this as to girls seeing
themselves as objects. This is limiting to their potential found within every

woman because they have the capability to do anything. That potential can

be possibly wasted when the Conditioned as the

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film referred it to be, dont see their self worth. Instead they see

themselves as things leading them to objectify, and become more depressed

as the film explained it.

Another example similar to that of Misrepresentation found in Mens

men, and Womens Women states that television programming is gendered

in such a way to accommodate certain fantasies of the opposite sex. (4) The

author Kemper explains how producers of televises broadcasting have

invented the ideal images of a mans man, womans woman, womens men,

and mens women. Providing research of 4 commercials signifying how

producers have created their commercial to accommodate their selected

audiences. (6) The commercials were selected to give pleasure to the

audience. In supporting this Kemper states that advertisers portray images

to the opposite sexes to exploit deep-seated motivations and anxiety

linked to gender identity. Relating back to feminine mystique and this

conception of gender identity and how it closely related to the housewife.

Kemper explains that advertisers are quite willing to manipulate these

fantasies, especially concerning gender identity to sell a product. (9) Not only

is the exploitation of the opposite sex occurring, but also a conditioning of a

false conception of what a woman is, and what things are considered

womanly. The author Kemper including those 4 commercials demonstrates

how patriarchy is major influence within our society. Mens men are

describing women as object of desire, mens women are how women admire

the possession of men, and womens women will be the someone to be of

approval for a man. All these revolving around a concept in correlating with

the Feminine Mystique of what the idea of true femininity is. These

concepts contributing to the oppression

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of women, and all the factors concerning womens rights. The author

gives an example of how industries are predicated on the assumptions that

people will behave according to their stereotype, being a broad example how

our society is affecting certain factors.

In relation to the film, and the article Feminine Mystique

confirms a correlation of representation through media. The author providing

an example how this mystique of fulfillment became a self-perpetuating core

of the American culture having been a manual to living this feminine life.

Explaining how millions of women lived their lives in the images perpetuated

by society of those pretty pictures of American suburban wives, kissing their

husband goodbye, depositing their station wagon full of kids, and smiling as

they waxed the floor. (19) The author gives an example how for fifteen years

there was no word of this yearning in the millions of articles written about
women. In these articles for women, books and columns by experts were

telling women to seek fulfillment as wives and mothers. The media

influencing society based on a false conception of what it is to be feminine.

In conclusion to why this is important, and being concerning to every

individual. The factors including social constraints, dictions of labor, and how

media represents media is crucial in our progression. Everyone has a mother,

a sister, and some form of a mother figure they would hate to see oppressed

based on a false conception. These three affect the development, and the

progression towards women rights and equality for women. The current

struggle being women have been oppressed to due a false conception of

femininity. This concept being the reason why women are insecure, denied

rights, denied equal opportunity, and are earning 80%

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of every dollar a man makes. These factors are in contribution to the

lack of progression in politics, the work force, and in the economy because

women are a part of this society as men. Half of our nations population is

female being limited to what they can and cant do based off culture. Gender

is a social structure. Men keep wanting to play the role of masculinity which

is killing them. Females want to do manly things because it rises them up,

and makes them equal to a system that is biased. Even then they arent fully

respected due to this learned behavior perpetuated by society. Men dont

want to do girly things otherwise theyd be in the submissive gender. This

correlating again with a social structure created thats oppressing women.

That women are seen as this weaker sex making them almost useless. To be

more related to prizes than people with self worth. This is detrimental

because this limits everyone. This limits humanity because this is what

humans represent. The unification of all, and learning to develop through one

another to make sense of our existence on this earth.

Its almost inhumane to limit anothers persons potential based on an

idea. Everyone functions the same, and everyone deserves a shot at self

fulfillment. Whether you want to do and pursue things that seem unordinary.

No on should be restricted based on a circumstance. This is why it should be

an issue concerning everyone. Mothers are the givers of life, and mothers are

women. Women are being oppressed, and the factors concerning womens

rights need to be taken into serious consideration.

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Works Cited

Works Cited
Alaez-Aller, Ricardo, Juan Carlos Longas-Garcia, and Miren Ullibarri-Arce. Do
Mediterraneans Really Do It Better? Explaining the Lower Gender Wage
Gap in Southern European Countries. International Journal of Social
 Welfare, vol. 24, no. 2, Apr. 2015, pp. 120-132. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.1111/ijsw.12111.
Courtenay, Will H. "Constructions of Masculinity and Their Influence on Men's
Well-Being: A Theory of Gender and Health." Social Science & Medicine,
vol. 50, no. 10, 15 May 2000, p. 1385. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=aph&AN=2905023&site=ehost-live.
Craig, Steve. Mens Men and Womens Women: How TV Commercials
Portray Gender to Different Audiences. Issues and Effects of Mass
Communication: Other Voices. edited by Robert Kemper, Capstone
Publishers, 1992, pp. 89-100.
Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1963.
Miller, Claire Cain. Why Men Dont Want the Jobs Done Mostly by Women.
The New York Times. 4 Jan. 2017,
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/04/upshot/why-men-dont-want-the-
jobs-done-mostly-by-women.html?smid=tw-
nytimes&smtyp=cur&referer=http://m.facebook.com/&_r=1
West, Lindy. If I Admite That Hating Men Is a Thing, Will You Stop

Turning It Into a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?. Jezebel, 28 March, 2013,

http://jezebel.com/5992479/if-i-admit-that-hating-men-is-a-thing-will-you-

stop-turning-it-into-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy