Jill's Final Presentation

An important aspect of Jill's presentation that I especially liked was that she focused a lot on music uniting a group of people. They find comfort through music, so it becomes more important that just providing entertainment. An example of this was the new remake to Michael Jackson's song, We Are the World. Dozens of famous artists came together to reproduce this song in order to raise money to support in Haiti. In this case, artists were not recording music to get more money, but to help a good cause. On the plus side, they created a great remake and were able to do something positive with its profit. The song goes back to the major theme of Jill's blog of unity. While the artists came together to make the song, they also were able to unite with Haiti and help them out of the difficult time. A quote that I thought was interesting was, "Nothing separates the generations more than music" (Cosby). This also demonstrates that music changes over time. As we learned in class, jazz was important for blacks when they were segregated. It was a way for them to enjoy themselves and see the beauty of music. Even though jazz is not as popular as it was back in time, there are other types of music that act as an escape. For instance, the sometimes vulgar and inappropriate lyrics to rap songs are ways for rappers to open up and share their feelings about a certain topic without feeling like less than a man. The stereotype of rappers usually has to do with violence and drugs, however sometimes the lyrics of their songs are just as powerful as any other genre of music. For instance, Jill gave a great demonstration of the intelligence in Tupac Shakur's music. He talked about this difficulty of life that no one understands, however most would not see that side of the song if they simple labeled it as "rap." That goes to show a lot about America, though. I believe it is true that we have a tendency to judge people based off their race or background. Tupac lived a very harsh life fill with violence, but his music was there as an escape to unite him with his listeners. However, some never gave it the chance because they let his outside life affect them. As Jill explained, rap is a type of expression, and yet people are becoming segregated based on how they express themselves. Personally, I think it's ridiculous and will continue to listen to rap if that's what I like. It is the fault of America if we continue to let racial barriers stand in the way of good and thoughtful music. I think the main part of music though is it allows everyone to come together. It brings common interests together to unite them as one. It benefits people not only for entertainment but through connecting many emotions and even helping a worthy cause.

Danielle's Final Presentation

Before I watched this presentation, I already knew a decent amount about my religion, Judaism. I have a good understanding of our belief in God, and our history. Along with that, I knew about Christianity and some of their religion, but I have never really learned about Atheism. All I knew was that it wasn't exactly considered a religion. After reading some more information on Atheism, I learned that they base their views off of ideas that have been proven. Because Atheism is different from many other religions, people tend to not agree with their values. Most people want everyone to have the same belief in religion, and everything else besides that one religion is wrong. However, this is not the way we should be thinking. As Americans, we need to be open to the diversity that makes up our country. We are lucky to have such a large variety of religions, and we should focus on appreciating other traditions instead of disliking them due to different opinions. The short story Danielle read was very interesting to me because not only did it relate to Judaism, but it also talked about the punishment some people have to go through if they go against their religion's belief. The main character in the story, Ozzie, disagrees with how the world was started according to the Jews. I have never really considered the Jew's perspective with God creating a baby without intercourse, but after reading the narrator's opinion, I understand some of the reasoning behind Atheism only believing in ideas with evidence. The Jewish point of view brings up many ridiculous thoughts that cannot possibly be explained, so in the eyes of an Atheist, it did not actually happen and would not be part of their faith. Ozzie explained this idea to his Rabbi and ends up getting slapped because of his "nonsense." The result of this was a protest he had on top of his synagouge. He refused to come down unless everyone says they'll "Promise you'll never hit anyone over God." I agree with Danielle's explanation of this quote. She talked about the idea that no one should be threatened for having a different view about a religion. Everyone is open to their own ideas, and they should not be physically or emotionally hurt when religion is based off of an opinion. The video Danielle chose represented this idea very well with the Characters Unite. She brought up the point that all the actors and actresses in the video had something different about them. Whether it was religion, race, or where they came from, it didn't matter because they were all American. As it said in the video, one must "appreciate each other for who they are" and not by their religion or other characteristics that are considered different. Our country is so unique because we are able to incorporate so many different religions. However, it is taking it to that next step and accepting other religions besides your own that will provide a whole new level of comfort within the United States.

Matt's Final Presentation

After reading the beginning of Matt's presentation, I was much more aware of why Americans had a dislike for Native Americans. It began with the Native Americans choosing to fight for the British instead of the colonies. When the colonies won, the Native Americans were forced to live close to villages that hated their tribes. Due to the hatred between the two groups, the colonists often forced Native Americas off their land because of how deceived they felt. Although I do not agree with colonists' unkind treatment towards the Native Americans, I can see how difficult it would be to accept the "enemy." The Native American had made the choice to help the British succeed, little did they know that it would seal their fate with Americans for many years to come. After reading about the short story he read, I felt that one of his points referred back to a discussion we had in class. The two main characters remember a story of how they celebrated the Fourth of July as children. However, they celebrated the fact that the United States gained freedom on this day while the Native Americans lost it. They were only celebrating this day because it's a tradition in America. They completely disregarded their own culuture because of all the pressure there is in America to all be the same. Immediately after reading this part of the book, I thought of Washington's Fourth of July speech about how African Americans shouldn't celebrate it since they were not free on that day. They had celebrated if for so long because it was the tradition of white Americans, not African Americans. I think that this shows the lack of loyalty most have to their cultures. A reason that the Native Americans could be sturggling so much is because of the little recongnition they give their own culture. They decide to focus on integrating to American culture, however this is not entirely their fault. Our society definitely has put pressure upon Native Americans to change thier way in order to properly fit in. Another main topic that I did not know was that many Native Americans own casinos. There are very limited ways for Native Americans to make money, but they have found success in running the casinos. Even though some Native Americans have become very wealthy from this lifestyle, not all of them live like this. Many are still suffering through the worst poverty in America. Some Americans do not recognize this case, thus making them not want to support Native Americans. What the Americans do not understand is that the Native American problem is our fault. They lack opportunity because of the American government's actions. Going back to what I first read about, we forced unfair treaties upon the Native Americans, and encouraged the Americans to take their land. We caused their poverty now, so it's up to our government to fix the terrible poverty they live in.

Works Cited

Berkeley, Kathleen C., The Women's Liberation Movement in America, 1999; Hoff, Mark, Gloria Steinem: The Women's Movement, 1991; McQuiston, Liz, Suffragettes to She-devils: Women's Liberation and Beyond, 1997.

"Equal Pay Act (1963)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 31 Jan. 2010.

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "Turned." Scribbling Women. Ed. Elaine Showalter. New Jersey: New Brunswick, 1996. 367-376. Print.

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, "Women and Econmics." The American Reader. Ed. Diane Ravitch. New York: New York, 2000. 354-356. Print.

Graff, Evelyn Murphy and E.J. "Women Still Earn Less Than Men Because of Sex Discrimination." Opposing Viewpoints: Working Women. Ed. Christina Fisanick. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010.

Graham, Sara Hunter, Woman Suffrage and the New Democracy, 1996; Spruill Wheeler, Marjorie, One Woman, One Vote: Rediscovering the Woman Suffrage Movement, 1995.

Mansbridge, Jane J., Why We Lost the ERA, 1986; McGlen, Nancy E., and Karen O'Connor. Women's Rights: The Struggle for Equality in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. New York: Praeger, 1983; Shipley, Amy, "Playing Field Levels at Texas," The Washington Post, July 7, 1997.

Perry, Joellen. "She's a money player now.(Heather Sue Mercer wins sexual discrimination case against Duke University)." U.S. News & World Report. 129. 16 (Oct 23, 2000): 18. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010.

Rampell, Catherine. "Women Now a Majority in American Workplaces." NYTimes.com. The New York Times. 5 Feb 2010. Web. 8 Feb 2010.

"Women Are the Victims of Sexism." Opposing Viewpoints: Feminism. Jennifer A. Hurley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 5 Feb. 2010 .

Pictures and Youtube:
http://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/jstratton/images/rosie_riveter.jpg
http://www.bp.blogspot.com/_Scr9xDXOiX8/SwRmUpdp8KI/XwSJKPqQGaM/s1600/Susan_B_Anthony_Older_Years.png
http://www.brookings.edu/gs/cps/ga/images/kennedy_equalpayact.jpg
http://www.general-anaesthesia.com/images/elizabeth-stanton.jpg
http://www.keebleantbks.co.uk/Bin_Ends/c_p_g.jpg
http://www.ourvoiceourcountry.org/img/timeline/Womens-Liberation-Movement-L.jpg
http://www.womenshistory.about.com/library/graphics/opposed_suffrage.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dPF0SGh_PQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjwn9wOLf5I

Analytic Entry on Current Events

Women have come a long way from the discrimination they used to face. They now acquire most of the rights that men have and are considered to play a much more significant role in our society today. Even though our country has helped women gain equal rights, sexism does still exist. It continues to be evident based upon the fact that women still have not gained equality in business, the military, sports, politics, and even in their own household. Because women still face obstacles in many aspects of their daily life, the importance of their role in society can be questioned. In the business world, “Some women have found cracks in the glass ceiling, far more have not” (Poe). The reason behind his is that women are not trusted with the jobs of corporate America. Large businesses still have more faith in men than women, showing why only a small amount of them have found those “cracks” in business. With sexism in the workplace, it is no wonder why, “Women continue to be the primary engineers of the cooking, cleaning, and the running of time-consuming house chores” (Poe). Women are put through the struggles of having to defy the unwritten rules of the public. They understand the problems that would come about if they tried to take on a job that was uncommon for women to have. For that reason, women make little effort to change the perceived notions that men have for them. Along with this, women tend to struggle with having a large role in politics. There still has never been a female president; however we have made progression after Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Even though this shows that women are still fighting sex discrimination within the government, they have been able to gain a more powerful voice over past decades due to the creation of the Nineteenth Amendment. That amendment allowed women to move forward in politics, and also paved the way for progression in today’s government. The fact that women are also paid twenty-three cents on the dollar less than men does not support the progression they have made. Employers do not care about the unfairness of this payment technique, and also do not consider the affect it has on each woman’s life. They still continue to treat women as less than men forcing similar to how they did in the twentieth century. Contrary to this, the country’s current problem with the economy has caused the jobs of working women to be valued much more than it has in the past. Men have been losing their jobs fast than women causing, “women to outnumber men on the nation’s payrolls” (Rampell). This was believed to be a monumental moment because of the progress women have made over the past century. No one in the 1920s would have believed that women surpassed an employment rate of fifty percent. What also proves women’s progression is that in 1964, “less than a third of the nation’s nonfarm payroll jobs were held by women” (Rampell). This further proves the significance of the historical jump women had in the workplace. In past decades, women were seen as objects, and had typical, low-wage jobs. Now, there are plenty of other jobs offered to women that never would have been considered in the past. It is clear that they have gone against the stereotype of being “objects” and have further progressed to having successful and well-paid jobs. Women have been able to overcome many difficulties with discrimination against their gender. However, there are still many more problems that they have to work through. This brings up the question of how far have women come if they still face many problems amount our society today?

Analytic Entry on Literature

"Turned," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a short story about the main character, Mrs. Marroner, discovering the affair her husband was having with their maid, Gerta. In the beginning, both Mr. and Mrs. Marroner cherish Gerta's physical beauty and willingness to learn. They see her as so close to perfection that it would be difficult for any man to resist her. Mr. Marroner unfortunately acts upon his feelings of attractiveness with the hope that Mrs. Marroner would never find out. However, when Mrs. Marroner accidentally reads a letter to Gerta, the secret is revealed and she sees no other option but to fire her. Even though Gerta is too vulnerable to resist Mr. Marroner, Mrs. Marroner still feels the need to become furious at only Gerta. She ordered her to, "Go and pack your trunk" (Gilman) demonstrating her anger towards the young girl, but not her own husband. Because men were imperative during this time, women treasured their existence. Mrs. Marroner did not want to believe that her husband could do such a terrible act, so she had no choice but to punish Gerta. This revealed the fear Mrs. Marroner had of losing her husband. Women were shaped to believe that they needed a husband in order to be successful in life. She believed that her husband was the only way to achieve happiness, so she did not put the blame on him at first. However, Mrs. Marroner came to the realization that although she was hurt by her husband's actions, she felt more pity for Gerta than anything else. She stated, "All that splendid, clean young beauty, the hope of a happy life, with marriage and motherhood, honorable independence, even-these were nothing to that man" (Gilman). Gerta had hoped for all that the typical women had wanted during this time in America. While she became emotionally attached, Mr. Marroner saw her as a simple fling. He had taken advantage of her vulnerability without considering her feelings throughout the whole affair. This proves the lack of respect men had for women at this time, and in some cases, still do today. They believed they could ignore any emotions, and do whatever they please because they were superior. Women were just objects to them, and although he may have loved his wife, it did not affect the actions he committed to fulfill his happiness. This further shows the small role women had in society by the way men took advantage of them. Women were not considered to be a real threat to a man's happiness, so they acted similar to the government by disregarding any opinions or feelings that they had.
After Mrs. Marroner's realization, though, she is able to begin the process of progression. She takes back her anger at Gerta, and instead turns that into a rage against her husband. She is no longer allowing herself to be viewed as more inferior, so she decides to fight back by leaving her home with Gerta. She put her life into her own hands and began to support herself and Gerta on her own instead of relying on the job and decisions of Mr. Marroner. As women began to earn more rights, they became stronger and no longer had to wait at the side of their husbands. Similar to Mrs. Marroner, once she had a solid foundation, she saw the power she could have had all along. It took a painful event to begin changing Mrs. Marroner, but at the end of the book, Mr. Marroner comes back and wants forgiveness. He has finally come to terms with the respect that women deserve. She now had the decision of what to do with their marriage, making her have a much more significant role in her husband's eyes.
Even though Mrs. Marroner blamed Gerta for the affair in the beginning, she was still being blinded by the reliance she had on her husband. Like most women during this time, she believed that having a husband was all that mattered. She soon learned, though, that women do not need a man in order to obtain happiness. By fighting back, and leaving her husband for a new life, she was demonstrating the willpower she had to eventually have a more important role in society.

Analytic Entry on Background

The role of women in our society today has significantly changed throughout the course of our history. In the past, they were forced through a difficult path of unfair laws and were also deprived of many civil rights that men had. This period for women is not often discussed because of the equal opportunities women have now. However, reviewing these events demonstrates the progress women have made leading up to their significant role in our society today.
In the nineteenth century, women did not even have the right to vote. No one questioned this until Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony became two of the most well-known activists for the women’s suffrage movement. They began to challenge the government after the Fifteenth Amendment was created, giving African American men the right to vote, but not women. The two women felt that, “the amendment merely expanded male suffrage” (Graham). As a result, Stanton and Anthony started the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) in order to try and appeal the Fifteenth Amendment to include women too. Along with this organization, Anthony collected ten thousand signatures from twenty-six states to present to the Senate. To much disbelief, the Senate “responded with laughter” (Graham). This demonstrates that even the government had no respect for women’s rights. They disregarded the effort Anthony had put forward only creating a bigger obstacle for women to overcome. Although it took many decades, women worked to display their power to the government. In 1919, Congress approved an amendment that would guarantee women the right to vote. This finally gave women a voice in the government, and showed their determination to change their role in society.
Even after the major breakthrough of the Nineteenth Amendment, women still had to continue their fight against sex discrimination. The government considered women as second-class citizens, and ignored most of their attempts for equality. However, this perception of women was soon turned around during World War II. While all the men were busy fighting, it was clear that America would only be able to succeed if they enlisted a large number of women for employment. Women were needed to do the very untraditional jobs such as building planes, tanks, and ships to even have a shot at winning. They proved to be just as capable as men at completing their jobs, however when the men returned home from war, women were forced to give up their jobs. The government viewed women as "a labor reserve that would be used only in times of crisis" (Mansbridge), and wanted them to go back to the jobs they were accustomed. Even though women illustrated the necessary skills to maintain their jobs, the government chose to ignore their efforts. This shows the little authority women had in their own society. They were not trusted with responsibilities that the government believed only men could handle, thus leading them to have little significance within their communities.
The struggle women had in the workplace continued even after Congress enacted the Equal Pay Act in 1963. The act was an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act because women were being treated much differently than men when it came to getting paid. The Equal Pay Act allowed women to receive the same amount of money as men for jobs that required equal skill, effort, responsibility, and work conditions. It also made sure than a company could not discriminate against women when hiring someone for a job. Although this seemed like a very positive action towards women's rights, employers worked hard at finding the loopholes in the amendment. What was not correctly defined in the act was the definition of "equal work." Jobs did not have to be identical for them to be considered equal. Because of this, "It did not prevent employers from reclassifying certain types of jobs according to a lower pay scale" (Equal Pay Act). A woman could potentially be doing the same work as a man, but paid less due to the title of the job. This goes to show that women were taken advantage of during this time because of their lack of recognition in the workplace. The skills women had were not valued as much as a man's, so companies wanted to avoid spending more money on paying them.
The lack of respect women received was evident during this time. It took several laws and amendments to give them the equality that they deserved. Through this long process, women were able to advance into a much greater role in society. It took these even, though, to show the rest of the world that women were ready for change.

Women Now a Majority in American Workplaces

Many of my recent articles have discussed the difficultly women have had in the workplace. They believed that they were not given equal opportunity or pay as men. However, the whole idea of male dominance within the workplace has started to change. Due to the poor economy, men have been losing their jobs faster than women causing "women to outnumber men on the nation's payrolls" (Women Now a Majority in American Workplaces). Historians believed this to be a monumental moment because of the progress women have made over the past century. No one in the 1920s would have believed that women surpassed an employment rate of fifty percent. Back in 1964, "less than a third of the nation's nonfarm payroll jobs were held by women" (Women Now a Majority in American Workplaces). This further proves the significance of the historical jump women had in the workplace. In past decades, women were seen as objects, and had typical, low-wage jobs such as working in their home. Even though many women still work in their home, there are plenty of other jobs now offered to women that never would have been considered in the past. It is clear that they have gone against the stereotype of being "objects" and have further progressed to having successful and well-paid jobs. The main reason for the increase in women's payrolls is the recession. Although both sexes have suffered greatly, men have lost 7.4 million jobs, whereas women have lost 3.9 million jobs. The large gap between men and women is explained through the type of job they hold. A typical job for a man, such as working in industries like manufacturing, will rise and fall depending on the economy. Women on the other hand, "are more likely to work in government, health care and education, among the safest categories in a downturn" (Women Now a Majority in American Workplaces). However, I believe that this fact should not take away any pride from women. They have come a long way from where they began, and will hopefully continue this trend for years to come.
In the beginning of this article, it mentioned that men were losing more jobs than women were. It did not give the reason why until later in the article, but my first guess was that it was possibly because women are paid less. Paying women less than men would make them more affordable, and in the time of a recession, that type of cheap labor is exactly what companies are looking for. I thought that this article would be an example that women are in fact still paid less than men, however as I kept reading, it said that it was because the typical jobs of women are safer during the recession than the jobs men have. From what I have learned from past articles, the typical jobs of women are still somewhat low paying jobs. This goes to show the increasing amount of women with jobs because even if they are getting paid less, they are exceeding men in the nation's payrolls.

Rampell, Catherine. "Women Now a Majority in American Workplaces." NYTimes.com. The New York Times. 5 Feb 2010. Web. 8 Feb 2010.

Women Still Earn Less Than Men Because Of Sex Discrimination

Many articles have agreed that women bring it upon themselves to be looked at as less than men in the workplace. However, this article proved that there is still a gap between how much men and women make due to sex discrimination. Evelyn Murphy and E.J. Graff argued that even though women have made successful progression in the areas of education, experience, and opportunities, they still make twenty three cents on the dollar less than men. Some may beleive that twenty three cents does not make that big of an impact on the income of women. This is because they do not consider how much money it could have added up to in their lifetime. They do not realize that the difference women make compared to men could affect their retirement fund, mortgage, food budget, and many more. Along witht this, employers do not see how their unequal technique of payment is affecting the lives of women. Many families have to go through the struggle of only relying on their mother to bring home enough money. This brings up the question, "Why should families be punished simply because the breadwinner is a woman?" (Women Still Earn Less Than Men Because Of Sex Discrimination). It seems unfair that a family should have to suffer because they are victims of sex discrination. Women should be paid equally if they have the same skill as men, but that clearly cannot be the case in our society today. This is especially important for women that bring in the majority of the family's income because they could have a harder time helping their family simply due to their gender. Many of the excuses companies use have to do with women having babies that they choose to take care of. They said that this causes the women's average wage to be lower, however "Only full-time workers' wages are added in" (Women Still Earn Less Than Men Because Of Sex Discrimination). This proves that this is no excuse for companies to be using. What they do not want to admit is that it is their discrimination against women that cause the gap. The authors then brought up the point, though, that sex discrimination isn't necessarily intential. Sometimes "Much of it happens through mindless bias and careless sterotyping" (Women Still Earn Less Than Men Because Of Sex Discrimination). But reguardless of whether it's intential or not, is it not the responsibility of our country to fix what is unfair? Companies have preconcieved notions about women not having the same ability as men, which causes women to be cheated unequal wages. And although many will protest again the progression women have been able to make, this process must continue until women are considered equal to men, especially in the workplace.


Graff, Evelyn Murphy and E.J. "Women Still Earn Less Than Men Because of Sex Discrimination." Opposing Viewpoints: Working Women. Ed. Christina Fisanick. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010 .

She's A Money Player Now

In the previous article, Andrea Poe discussed how we would never see a multi-million dollar football player be a women. She believed that our society could never take a female football player seriously enough to give her the same respect male football players recieve. This theory was proven correct after Heather Sue Mercer filed a suit against Duke University in 1997. She claimed that the Duke football coaches cut her from the football team because she was a women. She said that she was treated differently from the male players, thus, the university violated Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 prohibiting gender discrimination.
After starting on her high school team, Mercer wanted to be the first female Division I kicker. As a Duke walk-on, she kicked a 28-yard field goal earning her the opportunity to play on their team. Soon afterward, former head coach Fred Goldsmith banned her from summer training camp and season practice until he made the decision to cut her altogether. He then continued to ask her, "Why do you insist on playing football?" and "Why not try something like beauty pageants?" (She's A Money Player Now). Not only do these type of statements imply sex discrimination, but it also shows men's lack of respect for women in sports. Goldsmith clearly believed that football was a sport for men, and strictly men. He crushed the dream of Mercer, and disregarded her skills in football. Along with that he added in a stereotypical comment about pageants, going back to the idea of women being treated as objects. He did not take her seriously as a player, so he tried to convince her to participate in an activity that he saw as more appropriate for women. I believe this comment is as sexist as can be because of the little value he sees in women. He makes it seem that women are only useful for physical needs, and does not take their opinions and feelings into consideration. However, after a two week trial, Goldsmith got what he deserved. The jury ruled that Duke discriminated against Mercer, and awarded her with two million dollars in punitive damages. Although Duke planned to appeal the jury's decision, the case still had a major impact on the number of women who played on their school's football team.
Duke University could still say that Mercer's skill was not good enough to be on the team. Regardless of that, though, Goldsmith never should have made those remarks referring to Merce's decisiion to play football. It shows that even today, men consider women to be extremely unequal in sports, but how can they know that if they never give women a true opportunity to play? Mercer took a stand against this unfairness, and in the end succeeded. This could only be more motivation to women everywhere to play sports even if they're against the odds.

Perry, Joellen. "She's a money player now.(Heather Sue Mercer wins sexual discrimination case against Duke University)." U.S. News & World Report. 129. 16 (Oct 23, 2000): 18. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010 .

Women Are The Victims of Sexism

This article discussed how sexism is still common within American society. It continues to be evident based upon the fact that women still have not gained equality in business, the military, sports, politics and even in their own household. From multiple sources of background information, I have come to the conclusion that women refuse to challenge traditional gender roles. Instead, they carry on the typical positions of women such as a teacher, cook, or housewife.
The author, Andrea Poe, tries to convince feminists to defy this stereotype, and become even more active in today’s culture. She demonstrated the need for change by explaining how some aspects of our daily lives have still not progressed over time. In the business world, “Some women have found cracks in the glass ceiling, far more have not” (Women Are the Victims of Sexism). The reason for this is because women are not trusted with the jobs of corporate America. Men have little faith in the capabilities of women, showing why only a small amount of them have found those "cracks" in business. With sexism in the workplace, it is no wonder why "Women continue to be the primary engineers of the cooking, cleaning, and the running of time-consuming household chores " (Women Are the Victims of Sexism). Society makes these unwritten rules too difficult to change, therefore making women continue these trends currently, and for years to come. Women also tend to struggle in having a big role in politics. We still have not had a female president, however we have made progression after Hillary Clinton's campaign. Once a woman becomes president, I believe there will be much more respect for women all over the country. That action would show that Americans have begun to make real gains in providing women with equality.
Even though the struggle for equality continues today, Poe believes that "It may be women, more than men, who perpetuate traditional gender roles" (Women Are the Victims of Sexism). This explains that women are in their current position because of their own choices and actions. Poe further discussed this idea by mentioning some of the traditions of the American home-life. On Christmas, parents usually give their daughters dolls, make-up kits, or a kitchen set, which only allows the present gender roles carry on. They get their child the typical gift instead of getting them a soccer ball, or some other gift that may be given to a boy. In this case, society is not having any input in the decision of the parents. They are following the trend of each gender role, and increasing the chance of their children doing the same thing. With this idea in mind, are women really the victims of sexism like the title implies? It seems that even though women keep fight for equality, at the same time they are pushing themselves farther from any real achievement. And in some ways I do believe that it is the women's fault for conforming to the opinions of society. However, there are many more cases that still need to be fought against that make women the victims. I do believe women should be treated fairly in business, especially when it comes to being paid the same amount as a man. Women deserve to have equal opportunities, but that chance can never come without the effort and unity women had in the past.

"Women Are the Victims of Sexism." Opposing Viewpoints: Feminism. Jennifer A. Hurley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 5 Feb. 2010
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Turned by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

After reading Women and Economics by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I felt that it was an obvious choice to read one of her many short stories as a literary connection. In Women and Economics, she discussed the small role women had in the economy. She explained that this trend continued due to the pressure of society to keep women out of the workforce. In her short story, "Turned," Gilman focused more on the topic of marriage, instead of women's attempt to work. The main character, Mrs. Marroner, discovered that her husband had been cheating on her with their maid, Gerta. As Mrs. Marroner reflected upon the beginning of Gerta's services, she remembered her physical beauty and willingness to learn. Along with these traits, Mrs. Marroner described Gerta as "perfection in a servant, but almost a defect in character" (368). This description troubled me even before I knew that Mr. Marroner and Gerta had an affair. It was obvious that Gerta was so close to perfection that any man would be physically attracted enough to cheat on their wife. When Mrs. Marroner first discovered this, she was outraged with Gerta. She ordered her to, "Go and pack your trunk" (371) clearly taking her anger out on Gerta without thinking of the part her husband took in the act. Mrs. Marroner's lack of anger towards her husband proved the respect women had for men. She believed that her husband was the only way to achieve happiness, so she did not put the blame on him at first. However, Mrs. Marroner came to the realization that although she was hurt by the situation, she felt more pity for Gerta than anything else. She stated, "All that splendid, clean young beauty, the hope of a happy life, with marriage and motherhood, honorable independence, even-these were nothing to that man" (373). Gerta had hoped for all that the typical women had wanted during this era. While she became emotionally attached, this was a simple fling for Mr. Marroner. He had taken advantage of Gerta's vulnerability without considering her feelings throughout this affair. This demonstrates the lack of respect men had for women at this time, and in some cases, still do today. They believed they could ignore any emotions, and do whatever they please because they were superior. Women were just objects to them, and although he may have loved his wife, it didn't affect the actions he committed to fulfill his happiness.
Mrs. Marroner's response to the cheating could be considered a solution to women being taken advantage of due to their role in society. She left her own house with Gerta, and took put her life into her own hands. She supported herself instead of relying on the job of her husband, and along with that, she took care of the "sacrificed and injured" child. The way Mrs. Marroner handled her situation is an example of how economic independence would release women from their subordination within marriage. She was able to leave her marriage, which was so important to her, and make a provide a sturdy foundation to start a new life.

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "Turned." Scribbling Women. Ed. Elaine Showalter. New Jersey: New Brunswick, 1996. 367-376. Print.

Where I'm At Now

Throughout this project, I have been overwhelmed at the amount I could discuss about women. However, after getting more background information, I believe that I have a solid foundation for what I want to discuss. One thing that I have found especially interesting was women working while the men were fighting in World War II. I think it shows a great demonstration of the power of women because in many of the other topics, they talked about the incapabilities women have to have a part in the workforce. With the information that I have so far, I think it all surrounds women trying to become equal to men. I have not really discussed any ideas about the present problem with sex discrimination, but I definitely want to continue looking into it. The idea of women in sports seems interesting, however I have not learned as much about it because my main focus has been on the rights of women in the 20th century.

Women and Economics

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was best known for her book, Women and Economics. She discussed how women could have a positive impact on the economy, however they are never allowed the chance to become involved. They are stuck behind the superiority of men, which gives them the credit for human progress. The reasoning behind this is that women succumb to the roles of women working in the household, which typically was passed down to their children. They never had to give them opportunities to have more successful jobs because they of how common it was to be an unpaid worker in their own home. Gilman best described the little chance women had in the job world when she stated, "She might work as she had worked from the beginning,-at the primitive labors of the household; but in the inevitable expansion of even those industries to professional levels we have striven to hold her back" (AR 355). Even though new advancements were being made, women took no part in them due to their obligation in the household. It was the goal of many men to keep it that way, and make sure women stayed out of the job of a laborer. Gilman found that if women had been accepted into this type of work, the economy could have seen far more advancements. However, Gilman stated that "The smothering 'no' which crushed down all her human desires to create, to discover, to learn, to express, to advance..." (AR 356) overpowered the women's voice in anything but the typical job of mothers. Because of all the negativity towards women working, Gilman believed that women started becoming more dependent on their husbands. It was a necessity to be married in order to receive, "Wealth, power, social distinction, face-not only these, but home and happiness, reputation, ease and pleasure, her bread and butter,-all must come to her through a small gold ring" (AR 356). This demonstrates that women began to believe that because they could not have a real job, the only way to happiness was through marriage. Having a husband would have them to have enough money and a stable lifestyle instead of depending on themselves to get the job done. I believe that we had society to blame for women believing this. It was the creation of the Women's Independent Citizenship Act that made women believe that being married was everything they needed. The act said that women could not even gain citizenship without a husband, so instantly it was implanting the necessity of a husband in their brain. By women having this lack of motivation to work, it becomes no surprise that they do not have recognition for success in America. However, I do agree that the power of women could have improved the workforce like how it does currently.

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, "Women and Econmics." The American Reader. Ed. Diane Ravitch. New York: New York, 2000. 354-356. Print.

Women's Liberation Movement

No matter how many protests they had or how many new laws were enacted, women could not win the battle for equal rights. In the 1960s and 1970s, women still struggled to break free from their traditional roles in society. Most would view women as objects, and inferior to men in every way. For that reason, the Women's Liberation Movement used the Miss America Pageant to protest male oppression and racism. They viewed the contestants in the pageant to be perfect examples of women being treated at "things." They also fought for the rights of other races because the pageant had discouraged nonwhite contestants from entering. The women tried to prove their point when, "They threw away bras and girdles, tore up an issue of Playboy magazine, and shouted 'Liberation Now!'"(Women's Liberation Movement). By throwing their undergarments away, I believe they were showing their strength in that they weren't just there to look a certain way. They wanted to be noticed for their feelings and opinions, so they were throwing away the objects that enhanced their physical appearance. Along with that, ripping up pictures in the Playboy magazine demonstrates the same idea as women being seen as objects, not humans. It shows women acting a certain way in order to please others-typically men. They were not allowing the ideas of the female be heard, but just being used for their physical attraction. By ripping up the magazine they are making it away that they will not be used for entertainment, but to finally let their voice be heard throughout their whole community. During this time, government hired very few women as professionals. At Universitites, only ten percent of the faculty included women, and although women mainly made up most of the staff at elementary schools, very few were the principal or superitendent.

Berkeley, Kathleen C., The Women's Liberation Movement in America, 1999; Hoff, Mark, Gloria Steinem: The Women's Movement, 1991; McQuiston, Liz, Suffragettes to She-devils: Women's Liberation and Beyond, 1997.

Women's Liberation Movement

Equal Pay Act

The success women had in the workplace during World War II was only the beginning of their fight against sex discrimination. Employers were still unfair when it came to women working, forcing Congress to pass the Equal Pay Act of 1963. The act was an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act because women were being treated severely different than men when it came to getting paid. The Equal Pay Act allowed women to receive the same amount of money as men for jobs that required equal skill, effort, responsibility, and work conditions. It also made sure that an employer could not discriminate against women when hiring someone for a job. Although this seems like a very positive action for women, there are loop holes similar to many solutions of the government. What was not correctly defined in the act was the definition of "equal work." Jobs did not have to be identical for them to be considered equal. Because of this, "It did not prevent employers from reclassifying certain types of jobs according to a lower pay scale" (Sex Discrimination). This demonstrates that a woman could be doing the same work as a man, but because they are not referred to as the same job, a woman could potentially be paid less. Once again, women were being treated similar to blacks in the way they were cheated when being paid for work. Blacks were taken advantage of because they were willing to do difficult labor for a cheap price. Although women were not doing the same physically demanding work as blacks, they were still being treated as if they were worth less than a white man. Reading this article made me gain much more respect for women that are on the higher end of the working scale. Those are the women that were able to defeat the loop holes of this act, and show the true capabilities of a woman. I believe that because this act is still in affect today, it has only caused a greater tragedy. Any person that wants to base someone's salary off their gender does not believe in the power females have. Even though we have laws forbidding discrimination in the workplace, our society continues to find way around this law due to the lack of appreciation there is for women.

"Equal Pay Act (1963)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 31 Jan. 2010. .

Equal Pay Act

Sex Discrimination

Although the Ninteenth Amendment was a major achievement towards women's rights, the fight against sex discrimination was just beginning. The government still believed that women were inferior to men, so in 1922, they passed the Married Women's Independent Citizenship Act. This act made women unable to gain citizenship without a husband. The government treated women as if they were second-class citizens, and ignored most attempts they made at equality. However, this perception of women was turned around during the time of World War II. While all the men were busy fighting, it was clear that America would only be able to win if they enlisted a large number of women for employment. They needed women to do very untraditional jobs such as building planes, tanks, and ships in order to fight in the war. It became the "patriotic duty" of women to go out and work, ultimately making them successful in the workforce, and more powerful within the government during the 20th century. I see this as a very crucial time for women because they were able to experience a sense of social and economic mobility. Women were suddenly faced with choices, and by exercising these choices they were able to explore their own individuality and independence. The government was able to change as well seeing the great impact women could have on the economy. Congress passed the Equal Pay Act of 1963, "mandating that women receive equal pay as men for equal work" (Sex Discrimination). Following this was the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Even though women were gaining more civil rights, there were still political groups trying to prevent them from earning anymore. This forced the creation of the National Organization for Women (NOW). I believe one of the most interesting accomplishments of NOW was that, "It stipulated that every federally funded college and university had to provide equal opportunities for men and women in their varsity sports roughly equal to the proportion of each gender in the school" (Sex Discrimination). Because I play volleyball, I think it's imperative that women and men have the same chances when it comes to sports. Schools often feel that that men's sports are more important, but NOW was able to change that by defying any public or private sports program that targeted women for discrimination. Many of these cases were brought to court where women used the Fourteenth Amendment to prove certain laws as unjustifiable. This technique was used during the Plessy vs. Ferguson case when they tried to prove that the law "separate, but equal" was unreasonable. This further proves the connection between women and blacks. They were both treated as inferior to white men, and frequently had to fight for equality through laws that were unjust.

Mansbridge, Jane J., Why We Lost the ERA, 1986; McGlen, Nancy E., and Karen O'Connor. Women's Rights: The Struggle for Equality in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. New York: Praeger, 1983; Shipley, Amy, "Playing Field Levels at Texas," The Washington Post, July 7, 1997.

Sex Discrimination

Women Suffrage Movement

Allowing women the right to vote was a major stepping stone in providing equal rights to all women. This was no easy task to accomplish seeing that everyone considered women inferior to men. In 1848, the first women's rights convention took place in Seneca Falls, New York, where Elizabeth Cady Stanton asked the assembly to vote on a resolution demanding suffrage for women. The assembly made no effort to fulfill Staton's request. However, their unappreciation for women's rights only made them want to work harder towards their goal. After the civil war, Stanton continued with her fight along side of Susan B. Anthony. Susan B. Anthony is one of the most well-known women that fought for women's suffrage for more than fifty years. They strived for equal rights, however when the Fifteenth Amendment was created giving African American men the right to vote, Stanton and Anthony, "felt the amendment merely expanded male suffrage." I believe it is extremely unfair to start giving black men more freedoms, but completely ignoring the proposals for women. It shows the male dominance during this era and the little respect men actually had for women. I could only see this obstacle as motivation for women to work hard to gain their rights, and that's exactly what Stanton and Anthony did. They started the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) in order to try and appeal the Fifteenth Amendment to include women, too. Along with this organization, Anthony tried to vote in 1872, but was arrested and found guilty. This reminded me of Rosa Park's attempt at equal rights when she refused to sit in the white section. Women were treated with the similar disrespect as blacks because they were somehow "inferior" to men. Women had to fight for laws that women today often take advantage of. When I reach the age of 18, there is no doubt in my mind that I plan on voting, and would be offended if anyone ever questioned my freedom to vote because I am a women. I could only imagine the unfairness that women had to suffer through in the 19th and 20th century. Anthony refused to conform to the lack of rights for women no matter what the consequences were. She collected 10,000 signatures from 26 states to present to the Senate. To much disbelief, they "responded with laughter." This demonstrates that even the government had no respect for women's rights. The government during this time was clearly biased and only worked against women in fighting for what they believed it. Although it took many decades, women worked to display their power to the government. In 1919, Congress approved an amendment that would guarantee women the right to vote. Without this amendment, the opinions and power of women would still be looked at as inferior to men. Along with this, Stanton and Anthony are perfect examples of the power women do have to change society and the government.

Graham, Sara Hunter, Woman Suffrage and the New Democracy, 1996; Spruill Wheeler, Marjorie, One Woman, One Vote: Rediscovering the Woman Suffrage Movement, 1995.

Women's Suffrage Movement

Women

My topic for the research paper is women. This topic is interesting because I have to go through the advantages and consequences of being a woman. Over the past years, I have learned about the determination of women to be considered equal to men. Even though we are supposed to be treated the same, are we actually? There's always a silent prejudice against women in the government, sports, and even in every day jobs. Just recently there was an episode of Desperate Housewives that showed one of the main characters, Lynette, being fired from her job because she kept her pregnancy a secret. Had she voiced her pregnancy, the company would have let her go due to the money a company loses with a pregnant worker. Although the company is legally not allowed to fire a woman for being pregnant, they always try to find the loop holes. Women face disadvantages every day, but I find the power women have had in the past to be inspirational.

Response to Obama's State of the Union Address

Barack Obama's State of the Union Address was said to be defiant, similar to Ronald Regan's address in 1983. He admitted to the many problems with our country's economy, however, he had an optimistic tone when referring to our future. One of the main topics of Obama's address was the job crisis in America. Due to the poor economy, finding a job has been a difficult task for those looking for work. One of his solutions was to export more goods because increasing the amount of productivity would give the opportunity for more jobs in America. During the next five years, Obama plans on doubling exports in order to provide two million jobs across the country. He then continued to discuss the need to help small business owners maintain their jobs. The problem with small businesses is that banks are only willing to lend money to bigger companies. To solve this, Obama proposed that thirty billion dollars from Wall Street banks be given to less significant banks in order to support small businesses. There would also be a tax credit for small businesses to hire new workers or raise their wages. I found this topic to be extremely important seeing that my father owns a small business. I know that he was in favor of Obama's proposal because small businesses employ almost half of all Americans. By allowing smaller businesses to expand, Obama is helping to decrease the problem with America's unemployment rate.

Obama continued by describing our country as every day being election day. Since Americans tend to look for embarrassing headlines about the opposite party, they are not playing to win, but for the other party to lose. We feel the need to obstruct every single bill just because we can. I believe this shows the high level of competition in our society today. The poor economy has brought American citizens to work against each other instead of focusing on improving the conditions of our own country. After Obama discussed topics that I was somewhat unfamiliar with, he touched upon the idea that all men are created equal. He insisted that if you abide by the law, you should be protected by it, too. To further encourage this idea, Obama plans on strengthening laws to protect against those affected by hate crimes. This includes the argument over gay marriage. He agreed on working with congress to allow gay Americans to be married. Obama also mentioned the idea of freezing government spending once the country was done hurting, and also touched on the idea of health care. Regardless of the amount of applause President Obama received after each section of his address, there is no doubt that many disagreed with his ideas. Members of the Supreme Court made it very evident that they opposed some of his solutions by remaining silent as the rest of the administration applauded him. Even though the two parties will not be agreeable on every topic, President Obama seems eager to begin the process of rejuvenation of our country.

Clooney Gets Involved

George Clooney recently teamed up with MTV to gain support for relief in Haiti. Clooney, and other celebrities, encouraged the rest of America to get involved by supporting other organizations for Haiti.
For more information Clooney's telethon, click here.

How to Help Haiti

The people of Haiti need our support now! You can donate to relief funds through the following website:
World Vision Support