Women's Struggles

1166 Words3 Pages

Life is not easy, nor has it ever been. Thousands of years ago, prehistoric man focused his attentions on simply surviving. Everyday he awoke to daily struggles, whether it was obtaining food, shelter, or clothing; that list does not even include fending off the occasional hungry

saber-toothed tiger or voracious pack of wolves. Fortunately, achieving these basic needs has become easier since then thanks to technology and innovation. As a result of improved quality of life, however, new difficulties have arisen. Now, people must deal with societal views and cultural pressures that constantly add more stress and worry to life. No one has a harder and more stressful life than a woman. A woman’s life is more difficult than a man’s because she must endure reproductive responsibilities, maintain an attractive appearance, overcome discrimination, forfeit a career, and adapt to a naturally weaker physique.

Although men must endure some natural difficulties, such as a cracking voice during puberty, facial hair, and balding, these sufferings pale in comparison to those of women. In order for the human race to carry on, Mother Nature bestowed upon women the responsibility of conceiving and carrying offspring. Aside from the nine months a woman carries a child during pregnancy, she is forced to suffer through menstrual cycles. For up to a week before their periods, women can experience premenstrual symptoms, including mood swings, bloatednesss, tender breasts, acne, drowsiness, and cramps. This cycle occurs every month, from adolescence through about age fifty when women experience menopause, in which they suffer from hot flashes, continuous mood swings, and depression (*). When women do decide to conceive, they face the ...

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...hings against their will. The leading cause of injury to women aged fifteen to forty-four is domestic violence (*). Physical disadvantages not only limit women in their struggles against men, but their general struggles in life. Everyday chores such as lifting boxes or furniture are made more difficult. Add that to the fear of being taken advantage of, and one cannot feel but overwhelmed.

The life of a woman is filled with difficulties. Some of the obstacles, such as menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and inferior strength, are natural and unavoidable. They add stress to daily existence that men can only imagine. Other struggles, including maintaining an attractive appearance, overcoming inequality, and forfeiting a career, are engendered by societal pressures. Whatever the cause, the life of a woman certainly is not easy; compared to that of a man, that is.

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