Growth in Equality between Men and Women- January

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 19^th 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.