Women Rights within The Antislavery Movement - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages In the world political history, it has been revealed that a group of courageous women stood tall and began to push for a fair treatment of the fairer sex .Among such outstanding female figures is Sklar and Grimkes disobeyed gender norms and began to campaign against the positioning of women in the kitchen. This paper therefore seeks to discuss the social, economic and political realignments that took place in the American continent in the wake of Anti-slavery movement.2 When this slavery abolishment was gaining popularity and spreading across the North America, some women took this chance to advance the right of women in the early 1830’s .The ensuing battle between women and men over this gender agenda is the subject of focus in this paper and it will shed light on how this turned social tables across the globe that its effects is in play to date. When the anti-slavery set in across North America, it came as a godsend to the womenfolk because they grabbed this opportunity to highlight the plight of fellow women. Sklar and Grimkes played an exemplary role negotiating for the rights of women in the society within the confusion of slave trade abolition. It has been believed from time immemorial that the societal framework gives men the absolute authority over women who are expected to submit in return. Some of the gender roles that the society imposed on women in the North were oppressive and demeaning to women. Before this social revolutionary movement, womanhood was associated with reproductive issues, home care, kitchen and total submission to the male counterpart. On the side of the coin, men boasted of autonomous decision making which gave them upper hand in matters revolving around social, economical and political aspects of the society. It should however be noted that during this politically tensed period, religious revival missions was sweeping across the continent and the major participants were women. It was relatively easy to drive points home with the revival campaigns and this made it a bit easy for the message to penetrate the society. With this atmosphere, there was a reckoning force that could not be contained by the long standing demands of the civil society.3 This finally forced a changed in the notion that existed concerning the confined role of women in the society and the patriarchal power of the male over female. Although the wind of anti slavery was an overriding matter of debate, it did not come to the realization of men that a gender coup was also brewing in the guise of religious revival dominated by women. The female members of the society made great noise about the recognition of their rights and they mobilised women to take up political roles and fight for their rightful place in the society. The word that persuaded many women is the perceived gender equality as stipulated creator in the religious scripts and the bible. This came as a surprise to men as it dawned on them that they were losing the equality war to women but it seemed too late. Sklar and Grimkes were themselves daughters to slave owners but broke the silence and were at the forefront of championing for recognition of women amidst the anti-slavery movement. The oratory skills displayed by women during that time were to the shock of many people and went further to win the heart of women and socially moderate men. At this point the womanhood had already begun to change its face and gain new position in the society. Gender mainstreaming in the political and economic decisions began to gain recognition and started extending its roots gradually across the world. In this respect, men started to face cut throat competition from women in ...Download file to see next pagesRead More