Are Women Treated Equally as Men in American Society Today?

By: Khushi Patel

July 16th, 2021

A patriarchal system was first introduced in 3100 BCE when societies around the world were significantly less modernized and family tribes were prevalent. As many women reluctantly married men of different tribes to forge alliances and prevent invasions, men began to view them as products that could be easily obtained by conquering other areas or bartering with other men. Many historians believe that this essentially marked the origin of patriarchy, a system that has led to centuries of oppression and discrimination against women in the United States and across the world.

But when a group of people is systemically oppressed for centuries, they are bound to resist. Feminism became an official wave in America in the year 1848 when the Seneca Falls Convention occurred , with three hundred women and men rallying for equality among the sexes. Since then, feminists have been considered huge activists for decades, making great changes such as the passing of the 19th Amendment (granting many women the right to vote), more equitable financial opportunities, a right to initiate divorce, and greater education rights. However, despite all of the major accomplishments feminists have achieved throughout the years, there is no doubt that the remnants of misogyny are still woven into American society today.

One of the many ways that misogyny persists in American society are school dress codes that attempt to avoid “distracting boys” from their learning. When a girl is dress-coded and sent to the office to change her attire, her learning experience is interrupted. Rather than dictating what a woman should or should not wear, boys should be taught from a young age that respecting women of all ages is crucial. Although sexism is still interwoven into the mindsets of many people today, it is expressed in more subtle ways than before. For example, women in positions of authority in the workplace are oftentimes held to different standards than men because they are believed to be weaker and less assertive. Of course, because of how far society has progressed with the multiple waves of feminism, many people believe that this is not the case. The double-standards between men and women are definitely fading as time is passing, as men are more comfortable with having a female boss today than ever before; however there is no doubt that this issue still persists in American society. This extends from the practice of ignoring the presence of women in the workplace while greeting other male coworkers, to the issue of sexual harassment that is yet to be resolved.

As of 2021, sexual harassment runs rampant in American society, and the workplace is one of the most common crime scenes. Approximately eighty percent of women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, three quarters of it being by someone who was held in a higher position than them. About seventy percent of women that experience sexual harassment do not report it, mainly due to factors such as a fear of losing their job over something that is often seen as “petty” in society, or the judicial processes’ inadequate ways of handling sexual harassment cases. For the Supreme Court and many federal courts, acts of “groping” in the workplace are not often seen as cases worthy to be looked at. Although almost all companies in the US hold sexual harassment policies, only about half of them take these policies seriously and provide training.

As a sixteen year old girl growing up in the US, I can say that I have been held to a standard my brother and male cousins do not have to worry about. Recently, my family and I went out of town, and being July, the weather was extremely hot. I was wearing shorts that I was immediately ordered to change out of due to them being “too high” up my thighs. One of my family members remarked that if a man tried to kidnap or harass me, the fault would be mine. It is very unfortunate that girls and women are taught to dress modestly in the presence of men. Society should be set up in a way that emphasizes to young boys and many grown men to not touch women without permission. The problem is that we as a society are not taking this seriously. Another expectation that has been pushed on me since I was a kid was the idea of marriage and remaining “physically presentable” so that a man can find me “attractive enough” to marry. I was told that it is more important for a woman to look attractive than it is for a man.

A very controversial subject today is the argument over abortion rights, and whether women should have a right to choose. Many people on the pro-life side of the argument argue that if the woman doesn’t want a child, then she should have been mindful of the possible consequences before engaging in sexual activity. Many women who do not desire kids take all methods possible prior to and after sex to ensure that they don’t fall into unwanted pregnancies. However, contraceptives are not one-hundred percent safe from preventing pregnancies. Also, many women are experiencing unwanted pregnancies due to rape. It can be mentally traumatizing for a rape victim to carry their abuser’s child. Many women also live in environments where raising a child would not be appropriate.

There is a huge double standard between the sexes on the subject of intercourse. Women are not allowed to express their sexual desires or engage in sexual activity without judgement in the same way that men are. Male masturbation is seen as a very normal and “typical” thing for teenage boys to discover. However, girls and women are oftentimes scared or held from speaking about their sexual urges, mainly due to many years of societal expectations for women to remain “pure” and “angel-like” for the public eye. For men, sexual urges are viewed as a valid need. For women, sexual urges are viewed as something they should suppress. When women express their sexual desires, they are typically called a myriad of sexist slurs. Sex is a natural thing that most humans of both sexes will desire—it is not “impure” for a woman to want to discover that part of her.

With a rise in political, corporate, and social positions of authority, women today have more rights than ever before. American society is heading in a positive direction with unlearning misogynistic beliefs and practices. However, there are still many areas that need time and attention. I believe that if we educate young boys about sexual harassment, continue to normalize women acting in the same manner as men, and elect more politicians that see misogyny as a valid issue in American society today, we will continue to improve the daily lives of women of all ages in all societies.

This article was edited by Austen Wyche and Elizabeth Swaine

Recent by The Teen View