“True Womanhood”

Gender Inequality gender-inequality

https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/do-we-need-to-think-in-new-ways-about-gender-and-inequality/

 

Similar to my last post, I would like to reflect on another one of my peers presentations from this past week in CTW II.  My friend and peer Taylor, discussed the gender inequality on college campuses.  Her topic is virtually the same as my own, but it was amazing to see the different perspectives we found in our research and the avenues we chose to pursue further.

 

Suzy-Homemaker-667x549

In her presentation, she discussed the idea of “true womanhood” which came from the value system of the nineteenth century “cult of domesticity.”  This value system emphasized women’s role within the household.  With this, they were told to follow four fundamental virtuespiety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity.

 

http://www.returnofkings.com/55516/deconstructing-the-cult-of-true-womanhood

hammerfeministhttp://www.returnofkings.com/55516/deconstructing-the-cult-of-true-womanhood

 

In her research she found a significant amount detailing the work of women in the home as mother’s and wives.  I, too, found various articles discussing women’s roles as wife, mother, and housekeeper.  Additionally, many articles touched on the notion of women as natural teachers.  Since women were given this foundation as teachers, they were in need of greater education.  It is quite challenging for one to teach a group of students with a higher education than she. 

 

While the idea of “true womanhood” may seem outdated, modernly, society still views women in a subsidiary light to men.

 

While the idea of “true womanhood” may seem outdated, modernly, society still views women in a subsidiary light to men.  The sexist definitions of women’s role in society still exist causing the unequal advantage of men to women in the college experience.  

 

gymoutfitmainFor example, in both Taylor and my presentations, we brought up the incident with “midriff girl” on the Santa Clara University campus.  Grace DiChristina was asked to leave Malley Fitness Center for her attire exposing a small part of her stomach.  Coincidentally, at the time of the incident men wearing muscle shirts or playing shirts vs skins basketball  were not asked to change or leave.  The policy has since changed to affect both men’s and women’s attire, but the policy was initially only seeming to affect female gym goers.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/woman-gym-midriff

Societies discriminatory attitudes toward women have existed since the beginning of women’s educational rights, and continue to persist today.  Whether it is subconscious or intended is beside the point, it is simply engraved in our culture and in need of change as we move forward.

 

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