The Issues of Gender Inequality - Essay Example

Investing in women I have personally witnessed the kind of pain and suffering women and girls go through. I kept wondering why my society had to treat the female gender with such cruelty and brutality. I looked at the criteria of sharing out resources and realized females suffered in several occasions from neglect, or were merely overlooked by their male counterparts who feel superior and endowed to possess anything they so wished to have in this planet. My attention was particularly drawn to the array of challenges that women in my locality went through. Mine was perhaps, if not certainly, a chauvinistic society that practiced and fostered male dominance over the females. It reached a time when I also thought my own sisters were also lesser beings considering the kind of experiences and perception I had about the girls in the neighborhoods. A typical case that shocked me was the ordeal of a close female friend. In fact, it is without doubt upsetting and unforgettable. Philip and I looked at the scene helplessly as Jennifer; our best friend and classmate faced the wrath of her fuming father after she refused a proposal to abandon school for a rich man her father forced her to marry. What was even more disgusting was the age difference. We had just joined college together with Jennifer. I looked at her straight in the face and realized something was amiss. Emotions were literary overcoming the slender and innocent-looking girl. The next day, I sought to inquire from her about what exactly transpired. The young girl spoke candidly; she narrated her ordeal trying to break down the difficulties, as well as challenges she had gone through in the hands of her own parents. Jennifer was categorical that men had a huge influence on female lives (Mary Wollstonecraft). It was heart breaking to hear from the helpless girl how her efforts and pleas to evade attempts by her father to force her into marrying the wealthy 52-year-old man were always futile. It is beyond any logical reasoning for such a respected man to make a harsh resolve decide for his daughter when and the kind of man she should marry. It is even more complicated bearing in mind that the girl was industrious and focused to achieve her dream plan of sensitizing women in the society regarding the importance of fighting for gender equality (Mary Wollstonecraft). Against expectations, the extent to which the practice had almost become the norm in the neighboring community was even alarming. Philip and I were always against the stereotype that said women are the weaker gender. I have personally seen the positive, as well as negative sides of gender stereotyping and believed they were both harsh and discriminatory against women. It beat logic when some individuals argue that men are wiser than their female counterparts are (Mary Wollstonecraft). One of the most crucial steps toward attaining gender parity is to expand opportunities for women and girls to acquire a good education. Incidentally, the contemporary society has greatly attended to women education lately than it had before. It is imperative to underscore that many of the women spend most years of their lives acquiring things that do not improve their stake in the community and society as a whole. For several decades, even the courses they pursued in college were less attractive or unhelpful to the efforts to elevate them to superior positions in social and political spheres. Mary Wollstonecraft notes, “the strength of mind and body was another vital aspect in which women performed dismally”. In essence, they were weak in the body and mind, and held very low opinions about their capabilities. At some point, women were relegated to merely tools for procreation and leisure. Some men or even women believed that women could perhaps thrive in marriages, but strong enough to hold long-term ambitions and goals in life. Marrying them make them appear like the children who are expected to act or behave as per the desires and expectations of their seniors (Mary Wollstonecraft). I believe that our women require empowerment and capacity building strategies to attain the social, economic, and political heights of their male counterparts. If women want to liberate themselves, they must take matters onto their hands because no one will hand them liberation on a silver platter. As Martin Luther King Jr states, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” It is even worrisome when some quarters claim that women have a weaker understanding than men do. Before qualifying or disqualifying such allegations or claims that target the female gender, it would be prudent to highlight the fundamental privileges and freedom guaranteed to them (Mary Wollstonecraft). It is particularly fascinating to find people who have the intent to speak frankly about the current situation of women as far as gender bigotry is concerned. The society is increasingly getting diverse as more people stemming from different religious, social, and political backgrounds and affiliations interact and even try to co-exist. Solving the array of problems facing women and girls would involve a comprehensive reformation process to the social institutions and organizations in the country, state, or territory. Although contemporary societies are keen to transform altogether the kind of assumptions, beliefs and mentality that may people have had about the female gender, it is about time societies changed and focused on building a cohesive system where engage constructively with each other without violating or belittling the potentialities of others. Incidentally, the religious groups and political affiliations have regarded the women as merely someone whose place is just a house- kitchen to be precise. Today, more women are engaging in careers and activities that were initially the preserve of men. If women can govern their husbands without degrading them, why should men or society discriminate against women? In reality, a considerable number of women in the country hold diverse opinions about the situation (Mary Wollstonecraft). A typical woman, today, strives to acquire knowledge and relevant skills in the institutions of higher learning. The primary mission and objective is to transform their lives, as well as the lives of people around them. However, a few women are still reluctant to take their space in the transformational change. In fact, some women feel contented with the status quo – being subordinates to their husbands. This has impeded the overall ambition of modern governments and institutions to create a more cohesive society where gender equality is essential (Mary Wollstonecraft). It is even more disgusting when a section of their male counterparts regards them as sex tool that men can use and dump anyhow. Hence, it is about time women discovered their potential, broke the chains of male chauvinism, traditions, culture, and media, and repackaged themselves into a brand that earns same respect and opportunities like the males (Mary Wollstonecraft). Just like Mary Wollstonecraft, women should declare to fight for their rights, and engage in activities that develop them. Mary Wollstonecraft declares, “Wishing rather persuaded by the force of my arguments than dazzle by the elegance of my language, I shall not waste my time in rounding periods, or in fabricating the turgid bombast of artificial feelings, which, coming from the head, never reach the heart” (4). This indicates that women need to get out and claim what they want and what is their right. In contrast to the deep-rooted perception that societies have had about women, modernity has come along with considerable benefits, some of which goes directly to the women and girls. For example, education institutions have radically changed their systems to accommodate more women thanks to the policy on gender equality. Similarly, more women are increasingly realizing their potential and taking up careers and roles that were initially a preserve for men. To me, the process of deliberating women from decades of male dominance is never voluntary (Summers 54). In reality, the oppressor (in this context the men) do not give away the freedom so easily. I think women have extremely suffered from segregation and all forms of discrimination that has relegated them to merely helping men to achieve their vast agendas. Nevertheless, women deserve to enjoy the rights enjoyed by the men, as rights are God given and meant to be enjoyed by everyone regardless of gender. In Martin Luther King’s letter, he says, “We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights.” Similarly, women have waited a long time, and time is due for them to end segregation and claim their God given rights. Many nations around the world, particularly the US and European countries have put in place safeguards and legal structures that seek to protect women and girls against any forms of discrimination that had been witnessed before (Martin Luther King, Jr). Furthermore, modern societies have discovered the potential in women and have embarked on capacity building mission. Going by the legislation that sought to protect women, any attempts by individuals, social groups, or organizations to violate them would attract a legal action, which could further translate to huge penalty. It is important to emphasize that law and order exist for the sole purpose of establishing justice (Martin Luther King, Jr). Nevertheless, law and order would become the dangerously constructed dams that block the smooth flow of social progress if they failed the purpose of establishing justice. I have witnessed subjugation of women in the society especially with the story of Jennifer, which resonates with what used to happen, and in some places still happen in the wider society. Nevertheless, some efforts have been made to achieve gender parity such as increasing educational and career opportunities for girls and women. However, it is clear that women should take a more active role in liberating themselves from segregation among other forms of oppression. Similarly, the government should also assist by putting in place policies, and social and educational structures that would enhance and improve the lives and roles of women. Nevertheless, some governments such as the United States and European countries have already established legal structures, as well as policies that aim at protecting the rights of females from discrimination. Works Cited Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail Mary Wollstonecraft. A Vindication of The rights of women Summers, Lawrence H. Investing in All the People. Washington, D.C: World Bank, 1994. Print. Read More