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Gender bias in everyday life
Womens rights in the united states
Womens rights in the united states
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Although The United States is known as the land of the free, equality for all, the Constitution masks the fact that this country is all but equal and free. Dating back since the beginning of its’ rise, the country's government system fails to seek equality for everyone. Even though not all members of society are treated unfairly, the majority of women are not provided the same opportunities as men. A man walks into an interview for a new job. He walked into the room feeling confident and prepared for the new opportunity. This job is well paying and will allow him to start a new chapter in his life. A woman walks into an interview for the same job. She too, felt confident and prepared for the interview. Although she was highly qualified, she …show more content…
Although both of these people had the same qualifications for this job, in most cases, they will not be treated equally nor paid the same wage. The fundamentals of laws that everyone needs to follow; The most important thing keeping the U.S under control is the U.S Constitution. By the law of the Constitution: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” (US Const. amend. XIV, sec. 1). Everyone by law needs to be treated equally. All U.S citizens should be protected by the law. In many cases around the country, people are stripped of their human rights. In society’s eyes, women have to act like women and men act like men. These are stereotypes that everyone must follow or they are bound to be made fun of or discriminated. There are certain times in To Kill a Mockingbird that this came
Social Justice There are many responsibilities and duties that one should fulfill to rid the world of social injustices and inequalities but if no one doesn’t step in then how is this issue supposed to be put to rest? In To Kill a Mockingbird, the fictional town of Maycomb County isn’t a perfect little town but one that is filled with racist, critical, and judgmental people with no morals. On the other hand, there are people like Atticus Finch who do what they believe is right. Atticus filled his responsibility for this issue by defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping Mayella Ewell. This was a pivotal moment in the book because Atticus took the case when no one else in Maycomb would because they are too afraid and racist to defend a man like Tom Robinson, an African American.
"We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won't be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys."(Lee, 127)
One way Harper Lee develops gender inequity through stereotypes is through Scout’s experiences with the women in Maycomb. Scout is laughed at for wearing pants under her dress. Scout prefers pants over dresses because she’s a tomboy and can be more active in “britches.” On Sunday, Scout dressed up, but still had pants under her dress. When Scout is at the gathering with the women, Miss Maudie says, “‘You’re mighty dressed up, Miss Jean Louise,’ she said. ‘Where are your britches today?’ ‘Under my dress.’ I hadn’t meant to be funny, but the ladies laughed. My cheeks grew hot as I realized my mistake” (Lee 307). Because Scout is laughed at for wearing pants and not for something she thought was funny, she feels singled out and degraded. The ladies of Maycomb laughed at her because she had done something “wrong” in their eyes. She wore pants
The fight for equality is a continuous theme in the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ in the 1930s, a period of racism and intolerance. Throughout the novel Scout will constantly be taught the importance of treating everyone equally. Atticus shows a different moral background than this community. He judges no one by his or her socioeconomic status race. When Walter Cunningham embarrassingly refuses to take his teachers quarter, Scout kindly helps to explain his situation; “The Cunningham’s never took anything they can’t pay back….”. This event helps to foreshadow the theme fight for equality when Scout decides to defend someone less fortunate than her, instead of treating him differently or letting him be treated differently. Atticus Flinch will
Few people are the same as they are on the street in their homes. Few people can treat others equally; no matter what colour their skin is. Atticus Finch is one of those precious few. Racism in the town of Maycomb is nothing but disguised by the polite smiles and ladies missionary meetings; although it is the strongest belief that each person of the town holds apart from some such as Atticus. Racism is an issue of great importance, yet to the eye of a visitor waltzing through, it's just a slight whisk of air.
In all societies around the world, women are treated as if they are a minority group, just like any racial or ethnic group that is out of the norm. The justification for considering women as a minority group and the existence of sexism becomes clear through the examination of social indicators, including education, employment, and income.
The idea that a woman must be proper shows the historically accurate gender role that existed in the 1930’s. A woman had to wear a dress or she wasn’t considered a proper woman. Stephanie Crawford communicates with Scout and states”…you won’t get very far until you start wearing dresses more often” (Lee 196). Stephanie provides the argument that women must wear dresses to follow proper etiquette. Not only was wearing dresses was important, but careers played an immense part of the gender role, where men went to work and women stayed home. The thought of a woman not being in the house and providing a day’s meal was frowned upon. Atticus, whom is an exceptional gentleman, states, “…Mrs. Maudie can’t serve on a jury because she is a woman” (Lee 188). Through Atticus’s statement, Harper Lee reveals that women did not obtain as many privileges as men
In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the idea of masculine versus feminine behavior is often present as these views are dependent on society and upbringing within it. Set in the 1930’s, gender roles were quite prominent throughout this time, leading to prejudice and gaps between the male and female genders, similar to today. At this point of the story, there have been several incidents with Scout acting in a way that is seen as improper. For example, the way Scout dresses, which is in trousers instead of frilly dresses, and how she plays with the boys, is seen as unladylike. Several orthodox people in the town demonstrate frustration with these actions, like Jem. Jem shows his vexation with Scout by reprimanding her when saying, “It's time
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the obvious lack of the female gender is surely evident. The main character in this novel, Scout Finch becomes influenced in the wrong way as a result of the lack of female rolls in her life. Although she hangs out with males most of the time, the times she hangs out with mother-like figures opens up her eyes for only a short bit of time and makes her realize that being a girl isn’t half as bad as she has been influenced to think.by the men in her life. She is impacted by Atticus’s views on how women should be treated, Jem’s teasing towards Scout for being a girl, and she is influenced by certain women in her life when she accompanies them that being a lady isn’t all that bad. If Scout were to have more women figures around her, she would have known better during all the times she was being downgraded for being a girl.
Sometimes no matter how innocent we are, no one believes us. The issues of race, justice, and equality presented in To Kill A Mockingbird more than 50 years ago, prove to be prevalent even in today's day and age. Despite our countless advancements and progress in numerous fields, we, as a society, are still fixated on and adhere to the primitive and outdated ideas that plague humanity from moving forward. The unjust boundaries and barriers of appearance and status we put up for ourselves, will only lead to our own downfall. Though Tom Robinson's tragic story was fictitious and set in the past, the principle and the premise of it was not, as we see in the story of African American teenager, (unnamed) . Time is the only factor that separates the tragic fate of these two people, who suffered the same prejudiced and discriminatory treatment, despite being completely guiltless.
Gender discusses the different roles, identities, and expectations that our society associates with males and females, which is an aspect of life that plays a significant role in shaping identity. In in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout Finch struggles with many issues involving gender roles. The aspect of gender has influenced both Scout’s and my identity because it impacted the outcome of our lives. In the novel, Scout displays tomboy characteristics and struggles with the concept of being a stereotypical girl. This can be seen when her aunt Alexandra repeatedly tells Scout that she should be wearing dresses and to start acting more feminine. Scout expresses this saying “I could not possibly be a lady if I wore breeches;
but other types of discrimination exist in the novel. Many people ridicule others for many things
Women have always had certain social standards and high expectations on how they carry themselves that they are expected to meet. In multiple circumstances Scout doesn’t understand why being called a girl by Jem is a bad thing, but it must be. ¨I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl,
In most countries, women only earn between 60 and 75% of men’s wages, for the same work. Sexism is still a problem in today’s society, but it has improved since Scout’s generation in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Scout believes from an early age that girls aren’t good, and that she can avoid the judgement that comes with being a girl by not acting like one. Being a girl for Scout is less a matter of what she's born with and more a matter of what she does. Scout’s elders influence her perception of womanhood by putting preconceived sexist views in her head. In “To Kill a Mockingbird” Harper Lee shows the reader how all women are expected to act lady like and be proper through the actions of Mrs. Dubose, Jem, and Atticus.
When Scout (in a tire) rolled in front of Boo Radley’s house and did not bring the tire out with her Jem got mad at her and scowled “‘I swear, Scout, sometimes you act so much like a girl it’s mortifyin’’” (Lee 50). Jem’s tone implies that he views girls as being scared. Hence, he thinks her getting too scared to get the tire, in front of the house of the most feared man to children in Maycomb, is her acting like a girl and he condones her for it. Also at the tea party, Miss. Maudie asks Scout, “‘Where are your britches today?’ ‘Under my dress.’ I hadn’t meant to be funny, but the ladies laughed” (Lee 307). By the ladies laughing at Scout, the author reveals how Scout finding comfort in her tomboy ways is frowned and laughed upon by society. Afterwards Miss. Stephanie, a town gossip at the tea party, proceeds to tell Scout “‘you won’t get very far until you start wearing dresses more often’” (Lee 308). The purpose of Miss. Stephanie telling Scout this is to demonstrate to Scout that in Maycomb without acting ladylike she will not get anywhere in their society because if was a tomboy all her life she would be considered