WMS 103 Brianna Gomez W. Ho 10/31/17 We Don’t Want No Bargain Patriarchy is a system that exists in societies in which the domination of men persist in every aspect of life and thus positioning women as “the other” (de Beauvoir). The classification of women as “the other” essentially positions women in a submissive position thus causing any progress within the patriarchal system to be almost impossible without conforming to it. This idea of women conforming to the system looks different in each society because of the fact that not every patriarchal system is the same thus not all women must conform to the same ideals or way of being. The term “patriarchal bargain” was coined for these actions by Deniz Kandiyoti in her 1988 article, …show more content…
Women are constantly obsessing over the way that they look and if it is deemed as attractive. Women feel the need to wear makeup, dress feminine, have no body hair, (etc.) in order to be deemed as visually presentable or desirable. These beauty standards go beyond the desire to please the eyes of a man or to correlate with the right sexuality that women should have. If a woman was to work in a professional setting there are certain things a woman should wear that would be considered appropriate for the line of work in which she was in. Wearing items such as heels, tight skirts, etc. are all deemed as appropriate attire for a woman. Women who are either born with or achieve vast amounts of wealth and status, patriarchal bargaining may look different. Their relative financial privilege may shield them but, it keeps them from its critical eye. Culturally prominent women are relentlessly picked apart on the basis of their appearance. As a society, we create women who embody the patriarchal women. The ability to assume this mold and do it well allows some women to advance in their …show more content…
causing upward mobility within the limiting patriarchal structure of society. However, the larger repercussions are that the patriarchal institution is not questioned nor dismantled instead it continues to pit women below men thus reinforcing “the other” and the devaluation of women. Some women do not have the same opportunities to patriarchal bargains as others thus the individual woman is entrapping others in a system where they have no autonomy. Conforming to the patriarchy through patriarchal bargains oppresses women further thus doing more harm than good. The system must be dismantled in order to ensure that women truly do have full autonomy. It is easy to say that these choices are easily made but the blame is to be placed on the institutions that reinforce patriarchy instead of solely on the individual women. It is important to remember that women wouldn’t even be in the position to make these bargains were it not for our socially constructed world. We need to critically examine the culture and institutions that celebrates these patriarchal bargains in order to reconstruct our society rather than expect women to do all the legwork of dismantling patriarchy at their own personal expense. Bibliography Bauer, Nancy, translator. “Simone De Beauvoir: The Second Sex.” Oxford Scholarship Online, 2017,
Throughout history, women have been portrayed as the passive, subdued creatures whose opinions, thoughts, and goals were never as equal as those of her male counterparts. Although women have ascended the ladder of equality to some degree, today it is evident that total equalization has not been achieved. Simone De Beauvoir, feminist and existential theorist, recognized and discussed the role of women in society today. To Beauvoir, women react and behave through the scrutiny of male opinion, not able to differentiate between their true character and that which is imposed upon them. In this dangerous cycle women continue to live up to the hackneyed images society has created, and in doing so women feel it is necessary to reshape their ideas to meet the expectations of men. Women are still compelled to please men in order to acquire a higher place in society - however, in doing this they fall further behind in the pursuit of equality.
‘Women and men are different. Equal treatment of men and women does not result in equal outcomes.’ (Corsten Report, 16: 2007) According to Covington and Bloom (2003) numerous feminist writers have demonstrated and documented the patriarchal nature of our society and the variety of ways in which the patriarchal values serve masculine needs. ‘Despite claims to the contrary, masculinist epistemologies are built upon values that promote masculine needs and desires, making all others invisible’ (Kaschak, 11: 1992).
As a result of this we can question if we are seeing a shift from third wave feminism to fourth wave feminism. As a result of third wave feminism women realise that they are modern women and accept femininity and embrace it, rejecting the chins in which religious beliefs think that being attractive is wrong. Femininity is our generation’s battle with women needing to accept it without having social stereotypes placed upon then, many in which have thought women to fear their bodies. Fourth wave feminism is our generation and future generations crying out to fight for what is right, not what society deems as acceptable. Women have the right to vote as well as equality, therefore they should also have the right to be accepted for whom they are and what they choose to wear, as it is their femininity not for others to place judgement
It seems if a woman does not follow what the television or magazines do, they will be considered a ‘disgrace’ to society. “By the 1930’s, mass advertisements on radio and in magazines persuaded women to purchase cosmetic products by appealing to her fear of growing old or being rejected by social acquaintances,” (Gourley 56). The beauty industry specifically targeted women, using the ideas of an often highly feminine related idea of vanity. This also talked about women’s apparel in clothing and how they weren’t able to dress casually since they would be titled, slob. As looks represent a lot in a woman, the body type of a woman has always struggled with maintaining since the ‘perfect’ body types are not what everyone has. “In the 1890’s women had full bosoms, round hips. In actual measurements they were probably no rounder than Miss Cox but they seemed so because they were shorter, tightened their waists into an hour-glass effect … Now, though, the ideal figure must have a round, high bosom, a slim but not wasp-like waist, and gently rounded hips” (“This is What…”). Ideals women that society has pushed onto women to be for them to have any chance in romance. Though many women can drift away from this the women, though they won’t admit to it, had struggled to meet the ‘set standard’ for women. This shows how after women have gained the rights of voting, gender roles
Johnson argues that patriarchy is made up of more than just individuals. Systems are more complex than people (Johnson 92). Within a system there are different parts the come together to form a whole. In terms of patriarchy, these parts are the different standards and ideals that patriarchy upholds. The three facets of patriarchy are male centered, male identified, and male dominated. Also patriarchy is not just driven by men, women can also play a role in its continuation. Believing in the equality of men and women is not enough to challenge the system (Johnson 94). Our culture must break down and question the parts of the patriarchal system in order to lessen its grip on our culture.
The mass media over the years has had such a profound role in creating an image on how women should be viewed. From their appearance to what their duties are in everyday life, the media has made sure to depict unrealistic images of women. These images have caused not only the male public but women themselves to believe that they must attain a certain kind of body or occupation to fit into society. Women often feel obligated and pressured to comply to this praised image of perfection.
explores not only the way in which patriarchal society, through its concepts of gender , its objectification of women in gender roles, and its institutionalization of marriage, constrains and oppresses women, but also the way in which it, ultimately, erases women and feminine desires. Because women are only secondary and other, they become the invisible counterparts to their husbands, with no desires, no voice, no identity. (Wohlpart 3).
Simone de Beauvoir, in her 1949 text The Second Sex, examines the problems faced by women in Western society. She argues that women are subjugated, oppressed, and made to be inferior to males – simply by virtue of the fact that they are women. She notes that men define their own world, and women are merely meant to live in it. She sees women as unable to change the world like men can, unable to live their lives freely as men can, and, tragically, mostly unaware of their own oppression. In The Second Sex, de Beauvoir describes the subjugation of woman, defines a method for her liberation, and recommends strategies for this liberation that still have not been implemented today.
Putting this theory into practice it changes the phrases to ‘don’t be a woman’ and ‘grow a man’. This is an attack on all those who think women are a bunch of “pussies” (Grossman & Tucker, 1997). Consequently, this creates a sense of conflict in the society between men and women in society (Frisby, 2010). The society wants to maintain the patriarchal perspective whereas many more seek for
The term “feminism” tends to have a negative connotation in today’s culture. Feminism is now focusing on female dominance and male disrespect. Women are fighting for equality, yet using personal bias to define equality, claiming identical rights for all will produce an equal culture. The mainstream feminist movement is using this corrupted view of equality to force rights of women. Contrary to popular belief, true feminism fights for true equality for women, as well as other people groups. The false view of feminism causes women to distort gender roles, dishonor themselves, and degrade men.
As women, those of us who identify as feminists have rebelled against the status quo and redefined what it means to be a strong and powerful woman. But at what cost do these advances come with?... ... middle of paper ... ... Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.feminist.com/resources/artspeech/genwom/whatisfem.htm Bidgood, J. 2014, April 8 -.
Throughout history, women have remained subordinate to men. Subjected to the patriarchal system that favored male perspectives, women struggled against having considerably less freedom, rights, and having the burdens society placed on them that had been so ingrained the culture. This is the standpoint the feminists took, and for almost 160 years they have been challenging the “unjust distribution of power in all human relations” starting with the struggle for equality between men and women, and linking that to “struggles for social, racial, political, environmental, and economic justice”(Besel 530 and 531). Feminism, as a complex movement with many different branches, has and will continue to be incredibly influential in changing lives.
When a person hears words like feminist or feminism, notions of what it means to be feminine, or consequently unfeminine, begin to dimly form in our mind’s eye. Although we cannot definitively answer the question of what is feminine, we are able to recognize it when we see it or its absence. This conception, however, is arbitrary at best. What is it about an evening gown that seems to define and dress the feminine aura while a woman spitting would be denounced as inherently unfeminine?
... will allow the lesser gender in society the chance to expand and experience growth in many dimensions. This growth and development will allow for equal and various opportunities for those at a disadvantage within society and around the world. For centuries, men and women have had completely different roles in their daily life, but with the advancements made towards gender equality, a shift has been made from a male dominated society to one where both men and women can interact in a manner that prevents a patriarchal society.
Outline and assess the view that patriarchy is the main cause of gender inequality (40 marks)