Sexism and the mythology of the weaker sex - Essay Example

In the Ebony Magazine of August 1966, Era Bell Thompson evolved out with the article where she desperately and deliberately discussed the evolution of women as a ‘weaker sex’. In her article bearing the title, “What Weaker Sex” she ogles out her despair, “MEN CALL her a member of Weaker Sex and make exaggerated allowances for her family. They also sing songs to her fair beauty. Like a priceless vase, this gentle creature- so pure, so sweet, so untouchable was created to be worshipped from afar” (Ebony, 1966).

The terms like, ‘weaker sex’, ‘second sex’ or ‘fairer sex’ has been assigned to the women only since ages. Men do not hold any special position in the literature, myth or folklore because he is common and general. This is not because, he is mundane but the reason for making women special, placing her on pedestal and chiming the songs of her beauty and aura is done with a vision to make her a piece from aesthetic cult or a toy to playful banter in the mighty hands of her master actually lies in the politics of dehumanizing her.

History of the Idea of Women as Weaker Sex Depicting women as a feeble creature persisted since ages in the society. Women are undermined when it comes to the virtues like valor, strength or courage in present day society. If one focuses on the introspection of this mindset or thought process, one can easily come to the conclusion that over the ages a stereotype depiction of woman subjugated to the male member in the society has actually resulted in the culmination of this sort of idea for woman as a ‘ weaker sex.

’ Women are not weak in physical or mental challenges. Yet, there are certain epithets like chivalry as and when was associated along the name of a woman, it has evolved out as an exemplary phenomena. And, it is a well accepted fact that exceptions cannot be considered as examples in society. Women were treated as a commodity and traces of women as a mode of exchange in the barter system evolves out in the research work of many scholars. They were slaves, and goods that can yield satisfaction or luxury since the ancient time already.

Flesh trade is regarded as one of the most ancient occupations after agriculture and all these indicate to a trend where women were easily preyed and subjugated because they are physically weaker than the male members of the society. In the book, “Subordinated Sex: A History of Attitudes Toward Women” it is found that scholars have traced and argued the ancient way of acquiring a woman as wife and her position in the society. The book puts forward a very significant point where the exchange of money with bride is affirmed, “Some scholars have argued that the earliest form of marriage required the bridegroom to purchase his bride, emphasizing even further the woman as property” (Bullough, Shelton & Slavin, 2004).

Exploration of Sexism over Time Peter Sterns argues that in the pre-agricultural societies, women had the privilege of sharing same positions along with power with men. It was merely after the invent of agriculture, and invention of deskbound jobs that women were subjugated and men initiated the process of institutionalizing the