...American women’s history has been on a rollercoaster ride since 1877. While American women’s history has experienced numerous themes or ideas, two that have been consistent throughout history is that of women’s rights, which encompasses the second theme of gender roles. From the beginning of this course, we have studied and read about gender and the roles that society believes the different sexes to be responsible for. Since the beginning, women were not granted or afforded a life independent from their spouse or significant other. They were considered property of their spouse, allowing them to do with as they please. Women were seen as inferior to men and were denied the same luxuries as men. Societal beliefs were that a woman’s role was as the homemaker. She was responsible for taking care of the home and children and keeping things in order for her spouse, who was the party responsible for financially caring for the family. It was thought that if women were afforded male luxuries, such as voting, gender roles in the home would change, something that males did not want to see happen. When the National American Women’s Suffrage Association formed in the 1890s, women lacked many of the rights that men had and were fighting to obtain voting rights equal to that of men. These rights would be the first step in gaining equality for women. This was the beginning of what would pave the way for the great women’s movement and what we know as the Equal Rights Amendment today. Gender roles...
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...of feminist approaches to social work in today’s society. It will first look at the different types of feminism that are present in society. It will then trace and highlight the emergence of feminism in society. This essay will then delve deeper into the different types of approaches that were taken on by feminists within the field of social work. It will discuss what effect these approaches had on society especially women. According to Hooks (2000) as cited in Considine and Dukelow (2009:141) “Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression”. It is necessary to explain the different types of feminism that are present in society first. Freedman (2001:5) states that there are many different strands of feminism present in society, but the three most commonly recognised are liberal feminism, Marxist feminism and radical feminism, her explanation of these are as follows. Liberal feminism is based on the idea that everyone within a state should have the same rights and women should be treated equally to men. Marxist feminism is based on the belief that women’s maltreatment is linked back to capitalism. Radical feminists believe that men’s authority over women has a connection with patriarchy. The above explanation has been a brief introduction to the different types of feminism present in society. At a later stage within in this work, it will be examined what effect feminism has had on social work and society as a whole. Now that the meaning of feminism has...
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...The women’s right movement is an ongoing campaign to abolish inequality between the sexes on a multitude of platforms. The movement has been a prevalent part of history around the world, with origins as early as the 1500s with literature sprinkled with the mention of women having mind, reason and a voice that is equal to that of a man. This fight for women to be placed on the same level as men has seen much struggle and oppression that is still prevalent in today’s world. However, the fight for women in today’s world is labeled as feminism, which quite literally means the social, political, and economic rights of the sexes. Rebecca Lewin depicts feminism as a “model for a social state – an ideal, or a desired standard of perfection not yet attained in the world”. Lewin expressed this in 1983, and still today’s society has failed to reach this goal. Feminism has transformed into the second “F” word, where society labels feminism as a harmful, extremist movement. The feminist movement has become synonymous with man – hating, bra – burning, lesbians who engage in radical protests to ultimately eliminate men from society and become a female dominated world. Which, is why this world needs a continued women’s rights movement to eradicate the ideology that fighting for the equality of women is obscene or unnatural. Feminism eventually inspired the term “Herstory”, which emerged in the 1960s, a very exciting time in American history full of social change. Herstory aims to look at history...
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...Children learn from their parents and society the conception of "feminine" and "masculine." Much about these conceptions is not biological at all but cultural. The way we tend to think about men and women and their gender roles in society constitute the prevailing paradigm that influences out thinking. Riane Eisler points out that the prevailing paradigm makes it difficult for us to analyze properly the roles of men and women in prehistory "we have a cultural bias that we bring to the effort and that colors our decision-making processes." Sexism is the result of that bias imposed by our process of acculturation.Gender roles in Western societies have been changing rapidly in recent years, with the changes created both by evolutionary changes in society, including economic shifts which have altered the way people work and indeed which people work as more and more women enter the workforce, and by perhaps pressure brought to make changes because of the perception that the traditional social structure was inequitable. Gender relations are a part of the socialization process, the initiation given the young by society, teaching them certain values and creating in them certain behavior patterns acceptable to their social roles. These roles have been in a state of flux in American society in recent years, and men and women today can be seen as having expanded their roles in society, with women entering formerly male dominions and men finding new ways to relate to and function in the family...
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...views women and their roles in society. Specifically, how life for Canadian women has changed and how women from different cultures and countries each face unique problems in being respected and treated as equal members of society. Women have gone from being valued only as housewives in the fifties to CEOs in modern times. This is a remarkable achievement which should have come sooner. Although, even in today’s society women are still subjected to unfair and unjustified prejudice, stereotyping, sexism and conservative old fashioned gender role ideas. Women were believed to be passive and weak which is a complete contrast to how most of the world views women today. When compared...
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...and men as stronger and as the rulers. Women years ago were not seen as individuals, they were basically their husband’s slaves. Women were the ones to stay home, make dinner for their cranky and tired husband, look after their children, clean the house and answer to their husband. It was pretty safe to say that women were never the ones that over ruled this society, but “there have been huge changes…” (182) in gender equality. Gender equality has changed dramatically over the years and the shift toward gender equality will continue over the next years to come. It all started in the 19th century something important was born and it was the birth of the women's rights movement. Women were tired of being the “caregiver[s]” (Gender Roles Within American Marriage) while the men were the “breadwinners” (Gender Roles Within American Marriage). Women had to do change things around because they could not live the same life they were living. Many of the “women were suffering under the dominance of men in their lives” (Gender Roles Within American Marriage). It was time for women to fight for “gender equality in family and society economics, social, cultural, and educational fields” (Gender Roles Within American Marriage). It was not easy for women to fight for their equality. The ones who did were punished for speaking out what they believed in. One has to remember that women did not have any kind of power or a say decades ago, but that did not stop them from fighting for their rights...
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...Ziesing 4-13-11 Jenni The Change Throughout the past four years of my life at Redwood High School just north of San Francisco, I have noticed a significant amount of transformation that feminism has made over the past couple of decades. Growing up near San Francisco I was exposed to women fighting the typical stereotypes and issues surrounding their gender. However, the women’s rights movement has come a long way, and women are now usually seen as equals to men. They have succeeded in almost all endeavors men have. Women in today’s society occupy powerful political positions, commanding jobs, such as CEOs of large corporations, and are no longer exempt from stereotypical male jobs such as firefighters, policemen, and doctors. Although some would argue that feminism is still a necessary movement, from personal experience I would disagree. Education has allowed feminism to become less relevant because it has given women the opportunity to be successful amongst men in today’s society. My previous school, Redwood High School, is a small-scale example of how feminism has transformed throughout society. Freshman year of high school, I was outside of the basketball gym talking with a friend. As I was waiting for basketball practice to begin, I turned to my friend and said, “We have to wait for girls practice to end… What a joke!” I was unaware of my surroundings and failed to consider the impact my words could have on women. At this point, a senior girl on the varsity basketball...
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...There have been numerous social movements that affected specific gender groups in society and transformed the world they live in. Well-known women’s movements have existed throughout the century, one of the best known movements of current times was the movement led by a feminist group called the suffragettes; the Suffragettes fought for equal rights for women they fought for their right to vote and an equal right to work, the basic equal right that many young women in society take for granted. During the civil rights movements in the 1960s and 1970s women’s right movements rose once again when women entered the workplace in masses and the controversial introduction of abortion and the pill changed the face of the world women lived in. Women are not alone in their battles for equality, the gay rights movement that started in California in the 1950s and finally made large ground in the late 1960s with the riots at the iconic stonewall inn changed the way minority gender groups lived in society. The Suffragettes was a was a women’s movement group in search of equal right for women, in particular women’s rights to work, much like their male counterparts and be able to cast their vote. It took over 70 years for the movement to gain the right for the ability for women to vote, it was in 1928 that all women could legally vote. During the time of war from the 1940s to 1950s the suffragettes fought for women’s rights to work and during this time when labor was needed in the masses to support...
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...Having to go back in time to women’s rights suffrage movement In the United States brings up the unfair treatment and powerless rights women had to deal with through everyday. The unfair rights and treatments had women doing everything they possibly can in order to have their voices heard, overall they stand here today fearless and courageous knowing it is always possible for change. Throughout time things have changed then how it was back in the day. Back in the 19th Century women weren’t treated or viewed the same for simply being a women. Men had more rights than women did, men weren’t judged based on their opinions or actions like women were. The unfair political, social, and economic status of women in the United States have changed throughout...
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...Abigail Slekis Mr. Jacobs Research Paper May 24, 2016 Betty Friedan and the Women’s Rights Movement For many years, women in the United States were trapped within a strict set of social norms: they were expected to marry young and have children, not attend college, and quit their jobs in order to care for their children. It was not until the mid-1800s that women began to break away from this norm, but even then they were cautious not to disrupt society’s rules. Betty Friedan, a graduate of the University of California Berkeley and Smith College, was a key revolutionary whose involvement became a turning point in the women’s rights movement. Born Elizabeth Naomi Goldstein, Friedan was the daughter of former journalist Miriam Goldstein and...
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...How has Women's Suffrage movement from the progressive era affected lives of women today? Think of the life you have today and imagine not being able to have the rights that other people do have. From 1848-1920 many women in the US fought to achieve the same political ranking as men. The women had to go through hard strikes and had many conventions to reach there goal. The women's suffrage movement during the progressive era affected the lives today in many different ways. In 1848 women and men gathered in Seneca Falls, New York (July 19-20) to talk about the problems of women's rights. The demands for women's suffrage began to get stronger in 1840s. For almost 100 years, women (and men) had been fighting to be able to vote. Women were made...
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...Women’s Rights Organizations Growing up as females has never been easy. Should all women be equal to their status, opportunities and rights? Every woman should have the ability to express their freedoms and rights, deserve equal treatment within their society and region, and every country needs to reinforce the rules for women. There is no dignity and respect for women universally. Gender equality is still out of reach for many women worldwide. Presently, women have gained legal rights throughout the world. The women’s rights movement changed society into what we know today. I am very strong about women’s rights and there organizations just because of what they stand for and believe in. This is such a topic that has diverse meaning that is could mean so many different areas. Such as discrimination in a workforce, to abuse and even being married off young. The meaning of women’s rights is so wide spread across the globe that this topic is such a strong topic to write my essay about. Presently, women have gained legal rights throughout the world. The women’s rights movement changed society into what we know today. One of the most famous women's organizations that has been leading the fight for women's rights since it was established in 1966 is the National Organization For Women, or NOW. NOW has been a major source of protection for woman on every subject important to women from workplace equality, to reproductive rights. NOW was there in 1967 to adopt the passage of the...
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...Women's rights “We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” Women and their rights may have succeed since the past, but there is still a suffer of educational rights,violence and discrimination against women all over the world every day. Women should be treated equal to men as they are no less. Back in the middle 1800’s there was a movement called the Women's Rights Movement, this movement changed the lives of women. To begin, before the Women's Rights Movement women didn't have equal rights as do men, they weren't able to file for divorce,be educated or legally own land (“History Of Women's Rights Movement”). Since, the Women's Rights Movement took place on a hot muggy day of July.13.1848, this movement happened because of one house wife named Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She is the reason women's lives are so different today. She's the reason women have freedom(“History Of Women's Rights Movement”). Lastly, when this movement was over women got their rights and today are now able to vote, own land, file for divorce and custody battles(“History Of Women's Rights Movement”). If...
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...Feminists study society today through the viewpoint of oppressed women who are seen to be subordinated by men. Their main aim is to liberate women from men, patriarchal society and the socially constructed stereotypes of women. In order to do so, there are different strands of Feminism, which are, Liberal, the least extreme or violent, Marxist, who link in capitalism to Feminism and Radical Feminists, the most extreme. These groups seek to bring about equality through different means and on different levels of severity. In addition to these, there are smaller and more modern groups of Feminism which are Dual Systems Feminists, who are similar to Marxist Feminists and Poststructuralists who believe other Feminists disregard differences between women. Liberal Feminists are concerned with the human civil rights, therefore they seek legal reforms and changes in attitudes and socialisation to bring about gender equality, which does not require a violent revolution. They are the closest Feminist theory to a consensus view on today’s society even though it focuses on the conflicts between men and women. Liberal Feminists reject the idea that biological differences make women less competent or rational than men or vice versa. They distinguish between sex and gender; whereby sex refers to the biological differences such as their reproductive role and physical differences and gender refers to culturally constructed differences between ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ roles. As gender is culturally...
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...enforce this article by appropriate legislation (US Congress).” This short statement immediately inspired those who supported it and continues to act as fuel for the fire of feminists today. Many events led up to the ratification of the nineteenth amendment. In July of 1848, the woman suffrage movement got a great start in the Seneca Falls convention headed by Elizabeth...
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