Growth in Equality between Men and Women
Is there discrimination against women in our country or have
we risen and overcome? Equality between men and women has been a controversial
issue in the past century, making it hard to not hold an opinion on the
subject. Personally, I think we are somewhere in between complete
discrimination and absolute equality. When I say “we,” I am referring to American
Society. There is obviously still gender discrimination in other countries, but
for this blog’s sake, I am solely focusing on America. There is a noticeable
difference in gender equality from 1920, when the 19th amendment was
passed, allowing women the right to vote. Back then, it was strange for a women
to be independent of a man. Today, however, nobody would look down on a single
mom; if anything a single mom is to be congratulated for her strength and
independence. The same holds true for a single dad. Today, it is not absurd to
see a single father dropping his kids off at school. Women have also grown in
their careers. When my grandmother finished high school, going to college and
pursuing a career was not an option for her. She was expected to marry her high
school sweetheart (my grandfather) and raise their growing family. While this
is not unheard of today, women are now held to a different standard. Women are
expected to continue their schooling and pursue a career that will allow them
to function independently.
Henry Ibsen’s play, A
Doll’s House, focuses on the topic of gender equality. In A Doll’s House, the main character,
Nora, is suppressed by her husband.
While Nora loves her husband, she desires to be in control of her own
life. She thirsts for the ability to make her own decisions and not be held
down by the standards of society. This play takes place in 1879, a time when
women were expected to play the role of an obedient housewife. I believe that society
has come a long way from this point. As I stated earlier, women are now able to
pursue careers and leave their positions in the kitchen.
While discrimination is no longer “in your face,” it still
exists. If you were to ask a group of boys whether or not they would have a
problem with their wives “bringing home the bacon,” the majority would reply, “yes.”
It appears that men today do not have a problem with women thriving in the
workplace, but they feel it is their “manly duty” to provide for their
families. I do not believe that this feeling is irrational; I understand where these
boys are coming from. Do I think, however, that this is an example of a need
for gender equality? Absolutely. Do I feel that this lack of equality prohibits
me from succeeding and living my life to the fullest? No. While I know that sexist
discrimination still lingers, I feel that we have reached a point where women
are no longer stifled and held down, but are free to live how they choose. We
definitely have more room to grow in gender equality, but there is comfort in seeing
at how far we’ve come.
