Social Equality and Women Empowerment - Essay Example

?Gender Inequality: The Us versus Them Divide is Real I. Introduction Despite numerous decades of promoting social equality and women empowerment, differences, biases and abuses between the male and female species still exist in the world today. Although, it is universally assumed that the burden of gender inequality is only inclined towards women, an in-depth analysis would prove this time-honored assumption wrong. Undeniably, men are also substantial victims. As inequalities in gender take many faces and various forms, both sexes could hardly escape the massive and multifarious consequences of such a fact of life. Gender 101 The term ‘gender’ has been defined by many scholars in different and opposing views. For a time, an intellectual compromise seemed an unreachable destination. Until the World Health Organization offered an operational elucidation, which for decades now, holds the title for acceptability and universality. WHO states that gender pertains to the socially created roles, behaviors, activities and characteristics that a particular group of people deems appropriate for the male and the female (WHO). Gender systems, on the other hand, are binary and hierarchic classifications and distinctions based on empiric (biological) or social considerations: male or female; man or woman. This set of categorization, which determines how society looks at and deals with a person, is a matter of great importance. But “even though there are actual differences between the two human beings, these do not signify that one sex is better than the other” (Lippa 2). From Mars, from Venus The school of Gender Fundamentalism posits that men and women are absolutely and intrinsically different in so many ways more than the physical. That an attempt to ask which genitalia is better than the other is way too nonsensical. The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, originated this concept with his postulation that biological and anatomical differences between the male and the female readily render them dissimilar personalities. An essential unlikeness cannot be disputed, according to this belief. This viewpoint, nevertheless, is a rough translation of John Gray’s Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus. Gray purports that men and women possess contrasting features in the departments of emotions, logic and sociability. According to him, both sexes have communication patterns that are situated in opposite poles. In times of stress, women cope by narrating their stories with others, while men just shy away and retreat before any resolution is achieved. In terms of intimate relationships, men desire to be trusted, appreciated and needed; while women long to be cherished, cared for and affirmed (Gray 15-16). But a close examination of Dr. Gray’s bestselling book tells readers that aside from the unmistakable differences in behavior, outlook and character, men and women still have fundamental similarities with each other. This point-of-view is supported by a book written by communication connoisseur Deborah Cameron in 2007, as a seeming rejoinder to Gray’s nonfiction masterpiece. She points out that the theories of Darwin hold water in the case of social roles and relationships between the sexes. In her dissertation, she also cites that the linguistic variations between the male and the female ‘discourse patterns’ are rooted from childhood when the socialization process begins. “The need to create and to express personal meaning and identity are significant players in the characterizations of men and women. Both desire to be understood. Both need to be accepted. The difference only lies in how society views their actuation” (Cameron 55). Another insightful discussion on this matter shall be undertaken in the succeeding portion of this paper. History versus Herstory Since the dawn of civilization, societies are governed by leaders who are identified with the ‘male’. Anthropologists and even the members of the laity know that societies are inclined to be patriarchal, if not chauvinistic in favor of the male figure. This notion can be seen throughout the wide array of humankind’s historical, literary and religious products. The Old Testament sees women in the persona of Eve. Passages such as "Sin began with a woman and thanks to her we all must die" (Ecclesiasticus 25.33) and “I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her” (Ecclesiastes 7.26), are written evidences of the ancient world’s inferior treatment of women. Both St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 BCE) and Martin Luther (1483-1546) conjectured that the only purpose of a woman’s existence is childbearing. Their well-documented speeches verified this standpoint. On the other hand, Pope John Paul II issued an ecumenical canon that speaks the church’s stand on the matter: “God’s saving plan is revealed in creation attributes equal dignity and worth to women, but it also affirms the uniqueness of the gift of femininity... the luminous and holy figure of the Lord's Mother shows how only by self-giving and self-forgetfulness towards others is it possible to attain authentic fulfillment of for one's own life.” (Pope John Paul II 11) It cannot be denied, however, that the world has also produced so many a great women who attained power that is only thinkable for the opposite sex. The likes of Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I, Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher seemed to possess the strong and competitive male spirit. Highest respect and adoration from people were also accorded to Marie Curie, Evita Peron, Eleanor Roosevelt, Corazon Aquino and Princess Diana. The American Civil Rights Movement in the 50’s and Martin Luther King would not possibly emerge without a Rosa Parks. The world’s first novel, Japan’s The Tale of Genji, although a story of a male hero, was written by a female author Murasaki Shikibu. In a male dominated world, women’s contribution to history cannot be downplayed. There is a long list that can be produced to prove that the ‘second sex’ in the words of French intellectual Simone Beauvoir, is worthy of leadership and commendation. Inequality in Gender In most cultures, women are made to believe that to be dominant and aggressive is to transgress the rules of femininity. This dictum was institutionalized in the state, church, school and workplace (Kimmel 66). Kimmel believes that the greatest hindrance to gender equality remains what men do towards women. Discrimination against the female sex can be seen all over society and it practically starts in the family. In most Asian countries, daughters were only second to sons in terms of socio-economic and political opportunities. Parents deem their male children to have better capabilities than their female counterparts; that is why the former receives much from the family’s attention and the latter only the least. Although laws were emanated to protect women, domestic violence is a seeming taboo word in most societies that haunts almost every household. Wives never divulge their horrible experiences of verbal, psychological, financial and physical abuse from their husbands as they are apprehensive that their marriage will be judged as a failure. In several Arab countries, spousal rape is not a criminal act; husbands hold an absolute right to their wives’ bodies the moment they were pronounced married. Some penal codes in the region also include provisions that legitimize the police and judges to quash complaints against a rapist if he agrees to marry his victim. At work, not only that women do not enjoy full job opportunities but also suffer from unfair financial remuneration for their labor. Global statistics show that women are paid lower wages than men. This double standard view springs from the notion that earning opportunities for women should only be limited because they are only supplementary income earners for the family. Women, accordingly, are the preferred choice by employers due to their docility, exploitability, frailty ad innate patience (Fuentes and Ehrenreich 12). Ascending the corporate ladder will also be very hard for a woman. It would be an epic struggle for her to obtain a deserved promotion. She remains a second option in the race of executives and leaders in the company. “No woman shall ever be secured in her job as long as all forms of discrimination, material or immaterial, will be eradicated totally” (Fuentes and Ehrenreich 57). Gender-role spillover, a term coined by sociologists, to denote a career or profession to be regarded as either male or female depending on the dominant population, is a common sight nowadays. The euphemisms of linguistic geniuses and the double-speak of the masters of political correctness could hardly erase this fact. The sphere of law and order has long been regarded as a dominion of the descendants of Adonis. Hence, if a member of the club of Venus joins their midst, she could only expect a second-class treatment, if not a laughingstock position. At present, in the United States, the education world is dominated by female personalities. From the administrators to the support personnel and the teachers themselves, students are overwhelmed by the female presence. Reasons for this can be attributed to the concept that the profession of teaching is specifically for women. This poses an obstacle to the educational system. Practically, the students are not being taught completely; they lack one aspect of learning if they only have female teachers as interaction from both male and female figures, educational psychologists assert, is necessitated in the formative years of the person. Another issue is that because of this stereotyping, many men whose dream is to become a teacher, may not enter the profession anymore. Thus, the academic world is deprived of educators who may contribute much to the successful delivery of educational services to the people. Men are also at a disadvantaged point when speaking about health. Worldwide data reports that male mortality rate is much higher than the female’s. Incidence of suicide among men outnumbers those of women, while social isolation, alcohol addiction and substance abuse are principal problems that most men confront (Neimanis and Tortisyn 7). Indian academic Amartya Sen appropriately remarks, “gender inequality damages the interests not only of girls and women, but also of boys and men, through biological components (such as infant undernourishment and cardiovascular ailments at later ages) and also through societal conditions (including in political, economic and social life)” (Sen 9). In the Department of Romance The confusion over the issue whether men and women were from different planets and speak different languages is an absolute certainty. The ways they handle romantic relationships and the means to becoming successful in this situation have perplexed psychologists and baffled love gurus for a long time. A definite answer to questions that revolve around this topic was hardly achieved, until scientific findings and evidence-based declarations came into view. In a study conducted among college students at a large southeastern university in the United States, it was found out that majority of women desire to have control over their men and acquiesced to the statement that women want to control men (Abowitz et al. 35). The authors also inferred that men tend to believe that living together improves marriages, that clubbing is a good way to meet a future wife, and that people cheat because they know they cannot be caught; whereas women are likely to believe that couples cease trying after the wedding, that love is what really matters than the differences in race or age, and that they know when a man is lying (Abowitz et al. 40). Another research that looked into the perception of power among couples concluded that “men see themselves to be influencing their partner from a position of considerable strength, while for women is the reverse: they perceive themselves to be influencing their partner from a weaker or submissive position” (Falbo and Peplau 625). This statement verifies that both sexes acknowledged that they possess some sort of power with varying extent or magnitude. Whether or not women hold a subordinate role in the relationship, the fact remains that they could actually influence their husbands and command them attention. In another perspective, it was revealed that Western men were more willing to marry without love (pragmatic) and idealized romantic features in the relationship (erotic) as compared to their Eastern counterparts. Asian men’s belief that physical pleasure is important for maintaining marriage is stronger than that of the North American’s (Sprecher and Toro-Morn 136). The study confirmed that there is no difference in the beliefs about love and romantic relationships among men and women, only in the racial background and culture that a significant level of difference was noted. Men are more affected in the ups and downs of relationships than women did, pronounced Simon et al. (175). In their research undertaking, they observed that stressful romances bear severe impacts on men’s emotions than on women’s; only that they vent out distress in different manners. In an attempt to destroy baseless misconceptions about how men handle romantic relationships, the authors elucidated that the main source of intimacy for young men is their romantic partner; whereas women hold close connections with their family and friends. Thus, any type of trouble in the relationship will bring down the psychoemotional health of men since their primary emotional support is gone (Simon et al. 179). III. Conclusion Gender inequality has become an embedded part of human existence. It brought about countless unfavorable circumstances to both men and women, especially in their inextricable relationship. Though inequality is a fact of life and has stood the test of time and space, it also cannot be denied that people only aspire for peace and harmony. This universal aspiration could only be achieved when society does not look at people according to their gender and only sees them based on mutual trust and respect. Works Cited Abowitz, Deborah A., David Knox, Marty Zusman, and Andrea McNeely. “Beliefs about romantic relationships: gender differences among undergraduate.” College Student Journal 5.21 (2009): 102-110. Print. Cameron, Deborah. The Myth of Mars and Venus: Do Men and Women Really Speak Different Languages? New York, NY: Oxford U.P, 2007. Print. Falbo, Toni, and Letitia Anne Peplau. “Power Strategies in Intimate Relationships.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 38.4 (1980): 618-628. Print. Fuentes, Annette, and Barbara Ehrenreich. Women in the Global Factory. Boston: South End, 1983. Print. Gray, John. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (eBook). 1992. Web. 15 March 2011. . Kimmel, Michael S. The Gendered Society. New York, NY: Oxford UP, 2000. Print. Lippa, Richard A. Gender, Nature and Nurture. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002. Print. Neimanis, Astrida, and Arkadi Tortisyn. Gender Thematic Guidance Note. National Human Development Report (NHDR) Unit of the Human Development Report Office and the Bureau for Development Policy (BDP), 2003. Web. 15 March 2011. . Pope John Paul II. “Mary sheds Light on the Role of Women.” L'Osservatore Romano (Weekly Edition in English) 13 December 1995. Print. Sen, Amartya. “Many Faces of Gender Inequality.” India’s National Magazine (The Hindu) 09 November 2001:15-23. Print. Simon, Robin W., and Anne E. Barrett. “Non-marital Romantic Relationships and Mental Health in Early adulthood: Does the Association Differ for Women and Men?” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 51.2 (2010): 168-185. Print. Sprecher, Susan, and Maura Toro-Morn. “A Study of Men and Women from Different Sides of Earth to Determine If Men Are from Mars and Women Are from Venus in Their Beliefs About Love and Romantic Relationships.” Journal of Behavioral Science 46.5 (2002): 131-147. Print. The Old Testament Bible. Daily Devotions, n.d. Web. 15 March 2011. . World Health Organization. Gender. WHO.int., n.d. Web. 15 March 2011. . Read More