Oppression of Women

Is it that women do the housework because it’s what they are supposed to do or is it their nature. This view is universal across most cultures and some may argue that genetics is the main factor of why there is inequalities within the home. However, ideology is a focal point behind all explanations of gender inequality. People's understanding of gender inequalities comes from an innate perception of what men and women are supposed to do within the home. Feminist sociologist argue that housework remains invisible and unpaid (Silvia 2010; treas and Drobnic

Throughout history, women have continuously found themselves as the subjects of oppression. Although the treatment of women has drastically changed over time, women are still exposed to much of the violence that exists today. Per the National Organization for Women, “young women, low-income women and some minorities are disproportionately victims of domestic violence and rape” (National Organization for Women, 2016). Women-centered violence is highly prevalent and reoccurring all over the world, even in our local communities. Individuals may be hesitant to consider just how much violence against women affects their communities.

Whether it is the past or the present, there have always been gender roles in society. In most homes, it is the woman’s responsibility to take care of the house. This includes cleaning, meal preparations, raising and taking care of the children as well as the husband. Compared to the men who take care of the more physical activities, such as yard work. It was known throughout many years that it was a woman’s responsibility to stay in the house while the man would go out and look for work to provide money for his family. Although the intensity of gender roles has changed, it still exists.

Women and men are to work side by side in the home. The truth that men are not as capable as women in the home is derived not from the innate incapability, but from the lack of practice. They were never taught to work in the home, as in their youth they were given the chores of the men, and left the housework to their sisters under the firm direction of their mother. As a result of this, they became helpless when it came to housework. This practice has left feminists in a horrified state. The training of young boys and girls starts now.

Reflecting upon your inquiries on the first paragraph, the male dominated perspective does not seem to serve men either. You mentioned sexual assault and violence in your post. Associating victims with female gender as well as perceiving female victims as weak does not seems to help understanding how to support male victims of assault and/or violence.

Frye opens the essay with defining what oppression is about which it targeted toward women and the minority people. Oppression happens when a woman or a person from minority group are denied the privilege that white male made to prevent from them to receive same rights as the white males experience. It results for them to be expected to smile, accept the fate and move on with daily life no what how unfair the situation is. Oppression is not only just limited to just one structure but also many factors in force which it includes the barriers and double binds. Oppression is not about not able to receive the privilege but the barriers that they had to face everyday that prevent them from able to move forward with their position. On the other side, double binds occur among to the barriers, mainly targeted toward the females because unlike males, they cannot win any type of situation. Women are double standard by white males, for example, women are expected to be prude, but not too prude which it leads for males to tell them to lighten up and be more flexible. They cannot enjoy sex too much or they will be labeled as slut, thus it shows how males set up structured barriers to keep women inferior from their social status. Oppression is more than just a group of people who are being treated unfairly, which Frye had explained one way to see oppression macroscopically by using an example, as to look at the birdcage. The first time you see the cage close enough, which you merely

Women in this society are still unable to gain control over their own lives. They are trapped with the illusion that they should justify the abuse they are receiving from men. Women in this culture do not just face physical and sexual violence, but also psychological, economic and patrimonial violence that these women must overcome. However, in American society, women are much more able to at least point out the injustice they are faced with. Protests and campaigns all over the country are in action to show current administration how many women in America

Our culture refuses to hold women equally accountable as men for their participation in Domestic Violence. Women’s behavior whether perpetrator or victim, is understood and passed off as socialization or poor economic status. On the other hand men are held fully accountable for all of their behavior. “Despite the tough guy stereotype all boys are encouraged to embody and the abuse many bear as a normal

The oppression of women has been brought into light in the recent years but it was the norm in many societies in early history especially in premodern east Asia. During that time, the roles of men and women in society were determined by great scholars that had the power to get their voice to be heard and set general rules in society. In China, scholars like Confucius, Mencius, and Mozi had great impact on the way people divided the roles between men and women. The overall oppression of women in premodern east Asia can be seen through quotes from great scholars about how women should be obedient to men, should not make important decisions in their families, and are not spoken of equally to men in society.

Though America has been listed as one of the top superpowers of the world, known as a land of vast opportunity, it has not always been that way for everyone. Most Americans today tend to ignore these problems, even when they are staring them in the face. There are many issues obtaining to oppression, such as equality for women. Even after fighting for their rights for over 100 years, women still aren’t seen as equal to men, and more of an accessory to them. The issue isn’t a local one either, as women all over the world struggle to be seen as equal people with the right to make their own choices.

Women and men have had certain roles in society that were understood amongst them to be specified for their particular gender. Males were known to have the leading role as head of the house hold and the bread winner while the woman’s duty was to stay at home and take care of the house and children. While many people years ago deemed this way of life and practice to be the right and ethical thing to do, times have changed and so this kind of treatment towards a woman’s equality must be questioned. Even though times have changed, this mindset of a woman’s ability to be as good as a man has not completely gone away. In today’s society a woman contributes to the economy and her family as equally as that of a man. Therefore, women should share equal rights and opportunities as their gender counterparts.

In order to further comprehend the reason for women’s oppression, one must first understand the root and history of this problem. Sexism and the idea of patriarchal societies have been around since ancient times. Journalists of the Macmillan Social Science Library define sexism as discrimination based on gender. They mention that such types of discrimination are often directed toward women: “Sexism may occur in major life events and in everyday behavior. Acts of rape, abuse, and sexual harassment are generally committed against women. In their daily lives, women have to deal with suggestive remarks about their appearance, sexist portrayals in the media, and pressures to behave in a way that reinforces gender stereotypes” (Macmillan Social

Broadly speaking, the term ‘housework’ is used to describe the management of the home, which ‘involves a range of activities, the purpose of which is to maintain household members’ (Hatt 1997: 39). Hatt discusses how the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism created a tidal wave of mass social change; causing production to shift from within the household to the factory. The home is now the site of the ‘reproduction’ of labour, a role which has become strongly gendered; shaped by social policies and ideologies that maintain gender roles(Malos, 1980, Cooke, 2009). There have been a lot of significant changes occurring in the area of housework since

Feminist perspective developed with the ideology that women face large amounts of inequalities in a patriarchal society. They aimed to address and rid the social world of this oppression of women by men. According to Bishop, (2015) “oppression occurs when one group of people use different forms of power to keep another group down in order to exploit them. The oppressor uses the power; the oppressed are exploited” (p. 133-134). Oppression must be by individual experience and not grouped into being the same for all. This includes understanding the original ideology of feminist theory being critiqued as only considering the experiences of middle class, white women. That black women, of lower class experienced oppression much different from the other women. Women are oppressed, thus has to be understood in a different construct that women are similar in some sources, experience of oppression but also experience oppression very differently from one individual to another. Feminist theories have further been expanded do its continuation throughout society and decades to encompass many more issues and arenas than just men and women relationships. Now it seeks to understand and address oppression based on culture, race, class, etc and not only for women but for all. Therefore, Bishop (2014) outlines five components that seem common to all forms of oppression and serve to maintain its presence in society.

Sexist oppression is the intersection of all systems of dominance that women face. It encompasses the forms of subjugation that predominate society, including racism, classism, colonialism, ableism, etc., and the societal structures that enable them to exist. As bell hooks notes, "feminism is the fight to end sexist oppression" (24). Dismantling sexist oppression is vital because it is at the epicenter of all repression and discrimination. Women cannot liberate themselves from the profound experience of sexism without addressing sexist oppression. In order to begin combatting this issue, humans must act to eliminate gender norms, violence against women, invisible labor, and promote female leadership and historical self-evaluation.