Seeking Equal Rights
SEEKING EQUAL RIGHTS
Throughout history, women have been discriminated against based on a gender-biased belief system. They have had fewer rights and opportunities than men. They have been regarded as weaker, limited to roles as wives and mothers, and considered intellectually inferior. Educational opportunities have been denied them, ownership rights excluded them, and voting rights were non-existent until the 19th century as well ("Wic - Women's International Center", n.d.). Women have never been regarded equally in US history. Gender roles have always been biased to some degree against women. A woman’s success has traditionally been measured by her achievements in building and caring for her family. This has resulted in a stereotype that dictates “a woman’s place is in the home.” Women were not expected or encouraged to pursue careers outside of the home. Over time, as it became more acceptable for women to work, they were not protected under the same labor laws as men. This meant performing menial jobs, in horrible conditions, for puny wages. While time may have improved the state of women’s rights in US society, most women would agree that there is still significant progress to be made. Great strides can be seen in the professional world, placing women in leadership positions; however, even these successful women will likely encounter the glass ceiling, barring them from the uppermost levels of management, at some point in their careers. Many industries are dominated by males at management level, while positions of training and entry level are predominantly women. In one example, a personnel director from a well-known retail chain draws attention to the small number of women who have become top-level managers in the retail industry, which is dominated by women (“Scholastic”, n.d.). Women still don’t make the same as men either, regardless of their level in the workforce. According to “Scholastic” (n.d.), women have not achieved
Throughout history, women have been discriminated against based on a gender-biased belief system. They have had fewer rights and opportunities than men. They have been regarded as weaker, limited to roles as wives and mothers, and considered intellectually inferior. Educational opportunities have been denied them, ownership rights excluded them, and voting rights were non-existent until the 19th century as well ("Wic - Women's International Center", n.d.). Women have never been regarded equally in US history. Gender roles have always been biased to some degree against women. A woman’s success has traditionally been measured by her achievements in building and caring for her family. This has resulted in a stereotype that dictates “a woman’s place is in the home.” Women were not expected or encouraged to pursue careers outside of the home. Over time, as it became more acceptable for women to work, they were not protected under the same labor laws as men. This meant performing menial jobs, in horrible conditions, for puny wages. While time may have improved the state of women’s rights in US society, most women would agree that there is still significant progress to be made. Great strides can be seen in the professional world, placing women in leadership positions; however, even these successful women will likely encounter the glass ceiling, barring them from the uppermost levels of management, at some point in their careers. Many industries are dominated by males at management level, while positions of training and entry level are predominantly women. In one example, a personnel director from a well-known retail chain draws attention to the small number of women who have become top-level managers in the retail industry, which is dominated by women (“Scholastic”, n.d.). Women still don’t make the same as men either, regardless of their level in the workforce. According to “Scholastic” (n.d.), women have not achieved