ENG 100
James Brausch
15 September 2014 Why We Need Feminism
Ask anyone what it means to be a girl or a boy, and you will most likely hear very detailed and distinct descriptions for each gender. Girls would be described somewhere along the lines of feminine, soft, emotional, and sensitive, whereas a boy would be described as masculine, tough, and strong. Part of the reason that these gender stereotypes exist is because our society has created a social norm of what is expected for each gender. Because these gender “rules” exist, women can never truly be seen as equal to men. The belief that women should be treated as equal to men is known as “feminism”. However, many people believe that feminism is a movement where …show more content…
Women at the same level of employment as men receive a significantly lower pay for the same amount of work. According to recent studies by the White House, women only earn 77% of the same income that men make (Did You Know That Women Are Still Paid Less Than Men?). Over half of America’s workforce is female, yet the paycheck leaves no evidence that women are just as important in the workplace(77 Cents on the Dollar Isn’t Fair). Unequal pay is a clear indication that women are not yet equal to men in today’s world. If men and women are not bringing home the same paycheck for the same work, then we have a serious problem of equality on our hands. We need to regulate the wages in the workplaces and make sure that men and women are payed equally. In addition to a wage gap between genders, women must also experience the struggle of harassment more often than …show more content…
Due to the fact that rape is such a prevalent issue in today’s society, women must take extreme measures in order to prevent being a victim of this crime. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, “17.7 million American women have been victims of attempted or completed rape”(Who Are The Victims?). And although rape is indeed a very serious issue, people tend to ridicule the victims or guilt trip them into thinking that being raped ws their fault. “Rape culture” is very real in today’s society, where the case of rape is desensitized and where the victims are blamed for the wrongdoings of the rapists. Women should not be shamed for wearing short skirts, getting drunk, or being a little too flirtatious. Women are taught to fear men, are provided with pepper spray and self defense classes, and are told to cover themselves so that they do not entice men. Men should also be taught about the importance of consent and how to treat women. Instead of blaming the victims in rape issues, we should be teaching about the crime of rape, why it is such an important issue that needs to be addressed, and why it should never be