“Ours souls ought to be on fire and yet no one seems to be awake.” – Susan B. Anthony. These strong powerful words were spoken in fight for women’s right to vote. Susan B. Anthony had been fighting for the right 22 years before the law was passed that gave women their right to vote. Women in all decades have fought for their right to be viewed as equal individuals. They have fought for equal pay, the right to love, and the right to choose. But still in today’s society women have to fight to be seen as equal. But some issues may not be as black and white as others. Women are urging for more societal acceptance. Putting an end he double-standards between men and women, to not be second guessed on our looks, choices, and personalities.
In today’s society the most influential source is the media. The media spans from news channels to broadcast television to children shows to magazines to newspapers.If you look at any magazine with a women on the front, odds are she will be thin,tan, and tall. The way we perceive women has been influenced by magazines, movies, and tv shows. Women “should” be tall, then, skinny, beautiful,young, with no blemishes. Our beauty also corresponds with or intelligence or lack thereof. For example in the show the Big Bang Theory, There is a very smart women named Amy, but she isn’t just perceived as smart, she is looked at as socially awkward, repugnant, and undateable. While there is a girl named penny who is beautiful and perceived promiscuous and ignorant. These women are being judged by society on nothing but looks, placing them into boxes and closing them off. But this doesn't just happen with looks it happens with age, Take into example, actors and actress, actors like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo Dicaprio as they age they are seen as more desirable. They are taken more seriously as actors and put into leading roles. But for women in this field of work, they are seen as if their time is up and they can only play the grandma role and do infomercials and yogurt adds. Women like Jamie Lee Curtis and Sally Field use to play lead actress in their 20’s but now play the “mom role”. In today's society, beauty,brains, and age define women, and put them into boxes limiting their potential.
The judgment and discrimination against women doesn't just stop at looks and age, it also spread into the average day women’s life choices. Young girls get bullied everyday on “being different” or having low self esteem, and this judgement continues even into their adult life. One very common judgment placed on women is their choices about their own sex lives, and whether or not they have one. If a women wants to wait until marriage to have sex she is seen as a prude, and if she doesn't she is seen as being promiscuous. But yet whatever a man does pertaining to this matter he is seen as a “go-getter”. Secondly, women are judged on their decisions to have children, or not to have children.Women who choose not to have children are seen as selfish, “they aren't using their god-given gift as a women” implying the only natural talent a woman has is baby making. Lastley, there is a term used in political jargon, referring to a women having kids and having a powerful career with the intentions on advancing. The term is “ a women trying to have it all”. Usually, these women are seen as irresponsible. That is said because it is “believed” by many that these women are not properly raising their children, because the do not spend enough time with them. But if a woman is a stay at home mom, she is seen to be living off her husband. So honestly, is there any choice a women can make that won't be second guessed ?
Women in a positions of power are not always looked at in a positive light. Women in government are seen as if they are trying to walk all over men instead of being seen walking beside them as equals. For example Hillary Clinton has been on politics for 40 years and yet is still looked at as if all she wants is the women's vote. Instead of being looked at just like every other male politician, wanting to make the world better. Another example is female CEO’s, when women are in charge of something on a large scale and have to make tough decisions they are called “bossy” and “rude”. When a man is in charge he is seen as strong and powerful. Lastly, young girls their entire lives are told to be submissive, and to listen more and talk less. So, when women say what they think they are called “unladylike” as to say a women can't say what she thinks. So in conclusions girls who have strong,powerful, and confident personalities in society will be seen as if they are trying to prove themselves and be better than men, instead of equal to men.
Every woman in every decade will face their own sort of discrimination.In today’s socieity when will be judged on who they are, their persoanl choices, and how smart, beauitful, and thier age. We all feel pressured to make choices without fear or rejection, we feel pressured to keep my mouth closed to please the people around me to be “ladylike”. But we will fight to overcome that pressure and be the women we were meant to be. Myself and millions of other women have been inspired from the strong powerful women of our past. Fighting for the rights we now take for granted today. They have inspired us to stand up and fight for equality, and when the fire is lit, to do everything in our power to wake the world up, to unite those impacted, and make a real change.
