Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Wollstonecraft Journal (Double Journal)
In an organized, reflective journal, evaluate the relevance of Wollstonecraft's essay to our modern time. Do her observations about the role of women hold true today, or are her arguments limited to the social realities of the eighteenth century?
Which, if any, of her observations about men and women remain valid in 2013? Use quotes from the text and examples from real life to support your response.
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Women's rights is something that has been fought for for years. men have been the dominate species in the world but women said “ no” and rose up to get equal rights as men. Many forms have been made to protest for women's rights such as sit ins protests themselves, marches, or through literature. One person in particular is Mary Wollstonecraft who through her essay named “The vindication of women's rights” through her essay she talks about how women act and are treated when compared to men. Although many have of her observations are still seen today in modern times. Even though women's rights have been fought for women today are still holding true to Wollstonecraft's observations.
ReplyDeleteOne example of women holding true to Wollstonecraft's observation is when Wollstonecraft says “strength and body and mind are sacrificed to libertine notions of beauty to the desire of establishing themselves” in this quote Wollstonecraft talks about how women basically dumb themselves down for pleasures. This observation that Wollstonecraft makes is still seen today, especially in high schools from my experience. Women in high school would dumb themselves down so that they can get what they want whether it be an object or for pleasures. Although the observation was made in the eighteenth century it is still being seen today. When it does come to men family however women are questions on the topic according to Wollstonecraft.
In her essay Wollstonecraft says “Can they be expected to govern a family with judgement or take care of the poor babes whom they bring into the world”. What wollstonecraft is saying is that it is questionable to have a women go out into the world for she might just end up taking care of the baby at the end of the day. If a woman were to end out in the world would she be able to go out with good judgment. This quote although is limited to her time period. Women today can most definitely can both have good judgment take care of the baby and more so this observation cannot be seen or held in today's world. Although this may apply to men for even in today's world we are faced with me who do ask themselves this when they see an women out in the world. Although a women can clearly take care of her self in the world men still questions women for they may feel their pride may be at stake knowing that a women can outdo them. Even though Wollstonecraft talked about how some women dumb themselves down to receive pleasure or prizes she does say how women can rise.
Wollstonecraft says in her essay that”Indeed the word masculine is only a bugbear there is little fear that women will acquire too much courage or fortitude.” This quote use verbal irony saying that those who look down on women should fear them for they will can courage and fortitude to be better than men, yet in fact over time women have gain courage and fortitude to overpass men and have gained their equal rights. Rather than an observation to men and women this quote serves as a prediction for both men and women. A prediction for women saying that women will gain women's rights and for men saying that they should fear women gaining their rights..
With many of wollstonecraft's observations of men and women some of them only served value during her time only. Although some of her points did apply to modern times. With women dumbing themselves down to men, Women being able to take care of themselves out in the world, and wollstonecraft predicting that women would rise and gain their rights she was able to write an essay that applies to her time period and ours. Now you should ask yourself this, do you think that women fully have gained their rights or are they just vexed in a way to make them think they have equal rights?
Mary Wollstonecraft was a woman before her time, or maybe, just on time; she was one of the first to loosen the chains of the female sex on women, helping her gender achieve some type of balance with, rather than equality to, men. Her work is continued today in the form of feminism (although there's a large amount losing sight of the goal) in hopes of further weakening the ties on women and how they should act in the eyes of men. Her observations from her time also continue today, where women still have the expected roles and are inferior to men by at least a physical force. Her past arguments on how women should counter their predicament seem to be relative, but not totally, to the eighteenth century, just because of how society is forming around the standard of what is to be.
ReplyDeleteAlthough long gone, Wollstonecraft still lives today through an idea, a movement. Men still 'rule' in many areas of the world, but there is that stronger group of women (and men) that fight for their equality in their own perception of it. Women don't use their brute strength but their brute minds and words to persuade or stuff down people's throats that the way society treats women right now is wrong, and there's nothing wrong with it, we're all entitled to an opinion. But don't think Wollstonecraft as violent for 'fighting', so to speak, but take from her perspective in her quote: "Yet, because I am a woman, I would not lead my readers to suppose that I mean violently to agitate the contested question respecting the equality or inferiority of the sex; but as the subject lies in my way, and I cannot pass it over without subjecting the main tendency of my reasoning to misconstruction..." Wollstonecraft's idea of strengthening women mentally is a thriving idea that keeps women active in the fight for total equality, and even so now, the fight is going global.
Take for example the middle east and its roles for and restrictions on women. Women aren't allowed to reveal themselves, drive on holy days (or at all), choose whom they marry, or have a greater opinion than that of a man. This is exactly what Wollstonecraft wanted to abolish: sexism. Her observations of the 1700s are still relative to today's issues on gender, where some women have to worry about whether they abide to a society's way of life, instead of living in it.
Wollstonecraft's arguments about how women aren't treated with the right mentality that men and women should treat the female sex still apply to today in almost every aspect. Women are expected to dress a certain way, even if they wear jeans like the men do; they have to grab the skin and show off curves, but if not, those aren't appealing. Women are expected to paint their faces in an attempt to be appealing to men. Women are expected to be the housewife, the soccer mum, the trophy wife, but why would they work all their lives to become a label, and why is it programmed into people's heads before they have a better understanding of gender?
Wollstonecraft's validity of her observations still remain intact and her proposal is well underway. She was a woman before her time and was a part of the domino effect into the fight for balance in gender. The movement to improve mind rather than body was the only decent course of action and has proved effective as more women are breaking the glass ceiling into better opportunities. The battle is not over, however, and may never be over unless we plan and educate the world to have their rightful opinion without forcing it on others, and that plan lies in our generation.
The argument of women’s rights has been going on for centuries and still is today. Men is always seen as the superior gender, the strong ones and the ones that go out and get the job done while women are stereotypically the object that are owned by the superior gender, the males. Despite many successes of empowering women today many fatal flaws throughout the country, the world still degrades the gender of women and is an issue still going on in many parts of the world today.
ReplyDeleteThe argument of wollstonecraft’s rights for women is unlimited. If it were to be limited, women today would have their complete rights and the stereotypes for women would be over. But it isn’t therefore leaving the argument of women’s right being unlimited. The legacy of Wollstonecraft’s argument for women’s rights is still being held today as her literature is being carried out and taught to schools today.
In the Vindication Of The Rights Of A Woman, Wollstonecraft mentions “how women can be expected to govern a family with the judgement or take care of the poor babies whom they bring into the world.” This shows the potential that women are capable of having. They are the backbone of a family, they carry out the family in a unique way that men can’t yet they are still seen as the degraded gender. Women at a young age are taught into the ways of this direction due to all the stereotypes. How women are not as smart as men when they could be, how women can’t do a better job than men can, and how women are only useful for housework materials like cooking, cleaning, and watching the kids.
Though most of these may be true where majority of the women in this society is born into, in some factors women are completely capable of exceeding more than just the stereotypes. The fear of women to get educated is through being seen as growing more masculine prior to where men who are the masculine ones should be the only ones that can endure education and think not only outside the box but thinking like there is NO box. If women can break through this barrier of thinking they can’t do what they want then the argument for women’s rights is unlimited prior to where women will only receive their rights if they do something about it.
The observation towards men and women are still valid today prior to how stereotypes still remain today. People are ignorant in this society and will continue to carry out the stereotypes between not only women but anything in general. Nothing has changed in general though the argument for women’s rights may have evolved throughout time. Though women have more opportunities to become more than they can be the stereotypes will live on and will suck up all the momentum that a women has. The argument for women’s rights is far from over and will continue until one day there will be a complete change or movement for complete women’s rights.
-Darren Nguyen
If someone were to ask the question, who is more dominant, man or woman? In the eighteenth century most people, if not all, would say “man”. And if you were to ask someone in the twenty first century, most likely you’d get an answer of an equal vote of men and women. In Mary Wollstonecraft’s “A Vindication of the Rights of Women”, she expresses her views and where she stands when it comes to society and society’s view on sexes. She points out that women are degraded when they actually have more potential than given credit for.
ReplyDeleteViews of what women “have to be” are depicted everywhere. From movies to books, women are given an outline of what and how they should act. Because social media is everywhere, children at a very young age are taught what exactly a man’s duties are and what a woman’s duties are (according to
society’s standards). A woman is to clean, take care of the children and act like a “lady”. “Dismissing then those pretty feminine phrases, which the men condescendingly use to soften our slavish dependence and despising that weak elegancy of mind, exquisite sensibility and sweet docility of manners, supposed to be the sexual characteristics of the weaker vessel, I wish to shew that elegance is inferior to virtue,
that the first object of lateral ambition is to obtain a character of sex and that secondary views should be brought to this simple touchstone. Viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood, unable to stand alone”. Here Wollstonecraft points out exactly how men treat women like they are children.
Weak and unable to take care of themselves, like it is of importance to have a man in the picture. She is appalled by the thought that men have the audacity to think less of a woman simply because women aren’t physically matched up with men.
Women are always being degraded by men. They aren’t given as much credit as they should have because they are seen as weak because they are women. “Let men become more chaste and modest, and if women do not grow wiser in the same ratio, it will be clear that they have weaker understandings.” Here Wollstonecraft challenges society and the plastered views because she believes that women are just as good as men. Women are able to grow wiser at the same time as it takes a man to be modest. She is trying to make a point that women are not as stupid as men think they are. Women are just as intellectually sound as men.
Women can be just as masculine and smart as men. “a profound conviction that the neglected education of my fellow creatures is the grand source of misery I deplore.” Wollstonecraft makes it a point that women are wrongly educated on what a woman should be. Because it is a set of rules of how one should act, and what duties have to be done, women think that it is to let men take over and not stand up for themselves. “Women of present century, with a few exceptions are only anxious to inspire love, when they ought to cherish a nobler ambition.” Women fall for adoration and that is what sinks them down and bring themselves down just so they can be loved. If women were to pay attention to other things, men wouldn’t see women in this way.
In conclusion, women for many years, even today, are still seen as weak and will never compare to man and his power. Women are degraded and given unfair treatment just because they are
one of the opposite sex. If only women were given the chance to be more as one seen to make a difference in the world, to be seen as more as an asset instead of an accessory, the world would be a step closer to equality between men and women.
Time brings the end, for as time grows, more gets withered away by it. This goes for all, may it be from the boldest of life to the most brilliant of ideas. Time forces change whether or not the participants are ready, time will not stop for any man or woman for it is an unchanging force. Like time, ideas set into stone and paper are unchanging and the only force which drives their change are the people observing them. And those observers, being mere patrons on time’s great ride, hold mere opinions and interpretations on the ideas, but they do nothing as to the truth which is displayed. For if one were to look at the original bible at the time of its creation and now, there is no difference, but should you look at the way it was worshipped then and now, the difference would be great. Time works to desecrate another work however, the one in question is, “A Vindication on the Rights of Women”.
ReplyDeleteToday we face numerous concerns which plague people across the globe, many of which are unanswerable, while others are being fought against in a constant war. One has been seen throughout the history of mankind, and that issue is of the womankind. For centuries women have been seen as lower than men and as mere objects, but not until recent times have women fought openly against it. “A Vindication on the Rights of Women”, displays the issues with women’s rights and expresses the basic ideas of feminism from the view of Mary Wollstonecraft. And although the manifesto she had created over 200 years ago may seem like an aged opinion on women’s rights, it expresses the issues of women’s rights just as well as any feminist could today. It requests for women to act as individuals free to act as they please without men ruling them in addition to calling for equality between the sexes.This work by Wollstonecraft is just as important as any modern annunciation of feminist cries to action.
People say that everyone should be able to support themselves in their lives and be able to sustain a stable life without the help of others, but it is not the case for women, “-the only way women can rise in the world,-by marriage. And this desire making mere animals of them [...] it can be proved that in aiming to accomplish them, without cultivating their understandings, they are taken out of their sphere of duties, and made ridiculous and useless when the short-lived bloom of beauty is over”. This isn’t entirely the case today seeing as any man or woman can accomplish nearly anything they want should they try. So in this case, Wollstonecraft cannot apply her idea of women being unable to rise as an individual seeing as just about anyone can get anywhere they please regardless of gender. But one cannot simply become a self-sustaining individual without the intellect to do so.
“Let me become more chaste and modest, and if women do not grow wiser in the same ratio, it will be clear that they have weaker understandings. [...] Many individuals have more sense than their male relatives; and, as nothing preponderates where there is a constant struggle for equilibrium without it has naturally more gravity, ome women govern their husbands without degrading themselves, because intellect will always govern.” It’s clearly shown that Wollstonecraft seeks nothing more than for women and men to be at an equal stance and stature without having one or the other be lessened in any manner. Which according to Wollstonecraft, can be achieved should the woman have the intellect to match the men around her and create the perfect balance of individual power. This is relevant now just as it had been then, and seeing as it’s such an important concept, will always be relevant.
In all, “A Vindication on the Rights of Women” is indeed significant and applicable today as it had been in it’s time. Although the issues which had been faced then have been quelled to a less substantial amount, they still exist to cause havoc for women’s equality. Should Wollstonecraft's work be followed, equality for all genders may be achieved after hundreds of years of turmoil.
According to Wollstonecraft based on what she claimed and said, i believe its true till this day and century. The given fact that women are still viewed as a sign of weakness and how men usually are like animals to women.
ReplyDeleteHer claim on what she said, "The only women can rise in the world by marriage" I assume that that somewhat is true today, if they're married they now have benefits and money and they can use that to rise and achieve goals. Once men are married to women, men tend to act such as children and want that center of attention.
Our generation is still involves with many men being sexes to women in general. Women are mostly classified as weak, degrading, small ego, less smart human beings. But woman don't need to be all physical strong, they can be mentally strong which is better than being just a meat head like guys. Being mentally strong is just as superior as being physical strong. Mental strength can be viewed stronger than physical appearance strength, you can make more money by being smarter.
But in our generation, women are just as strong and equal as men, women has the same equal opportunities and job options just like men have, we live in a world where equal rights are made of, but of course there's going to be people out there that's just going to be sexes and degrading women claiming men are more superior than women. Many years in the pasts, questions would always pop up, "Are men more superior than women?" So many sexes terms were made of in the past, but luckily women's civil rights came along and brought equalization into this world.
I still believe many issues need to be solved on women's rights. It is true that women are more cleaner than men, reason for that, its just natural for women to be more cleaner than men are. I believe in order for a woman to rise and achieve her goals, woman don't need to be married to men, they can be just as successful as single men. Women can achieve on high paying jobs just like men can. If they work hard for it, why not give them the job for it? We need smart independent women of integrity because they too are an important factor of this world and made many impacts as well.
In conclusion, I believe women rights should be still taught today in school so students can learn about their rights and girls can study and learn something from it, that women can picture big things just as men can. There is no such thing that women cant do this or that because that's only for men? Everybody has the same rights, male is not superior than woman and same vice versa, we're all equal as one on the same level term. From now on till the future, there will still be views on sexes terms for women, its a never ending trend, a controversial subject to talk about.
-Roman J. Nava
Alexandra Barton
ReplyDeleteMary Wollstonecraft’s essay, from A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, is about a declaration of the rights of women to equality of education and to civil opportunities. In this essay, Wollstonecraft argues that true freedom necessitates equality of the sexes. This is a common idea that arose during the eighteenth century and that remains valid today in 2013. She argues that women in the eighteenth century had little education and women had expected roles to fill. These roles involved cooking, cleaning, and many other household tasks. Men were designated the duty of physical labor. This involved working outside and fixing household appliances. Today, the general societal roles and cultural expectations and perceptions of women have not changed much from that of the eighteenth century. However, today, women have more educational opportunities than women in the eighteenth century.
Wollstonecraft discusses the misogynistic views of men towards women in the quote, “In the government of the physical world it is observable that the female in point of strength is, in general, inferior to the male . . . men endeavor to sink us still lower, merely to render us alluring objects for a moment . . .” This quote connects to the present role of women in that women remain inferior to men in terms of the adoration and perception of women as sex objects by men. To some men today, women still remain “things” that should consist of beauty and obedience, rather than individual, strong people.
Wollstonecraft describes the characteristics that men find attractive in a woman in the quote, “Dismissing then those pretty feminine phrases, which the men condescendingly use to soften our slavish dependence, and despising that weak elegancy of mind, exquisite sensibility, and sweet docility of manners, supposed to be the sexual characteristics of the weaker vessel . . .” Wollstonecraft then launches into a contradictory message with regards to the list of mannerisms men expect in women. She says that “elegance is inferior to virtue,” meaning that women should prioritize their pride before vanity. She says that it is honorable to achieve the status of a human being, rather than an object of pleasure and admiration by men.
Wollstonecraft finally expresses her opinions relating to the education gap between men and women in the eighteenth century and why this unfortunately occurs. Wollstonecraft states, “. . . yet they are still reckoned a frivolous sex, and ridiculed or pitied by the writers who endeavor by satire or instruction to improve them.” Wollstonecraft is saying that women are deemed too useless of a gender to even bother with formally educating themselves. Wollstonecraft also says that writers are possibly so embarrassed by women’s lack of opportunity that they take advantage of this situation in the form of a critical satire. Only until 1972 did a major turning point in women’s education take place. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states that: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Education today is different from the eighteenth century. Today in this era women earn a greater percentage of master’s degrees than men. Women’s education is becoming more attainable by the work ethics they present. Education today is looking promising for women; for example, woman of color are working towards higher education and have a good job because of the education that they achieved. Education is the key to building your future, for woman if they want to work towards a particular goal, then they now have the opportunity to attend school and achieve the education they need to succeed in their life. Although women are still arguably trapped inside their societal and cultural expectations (to be beautiful, obedient, and alluring to men), women have nonetheless come far in their journey towards liberation.
The gender scale has and will most likely always be tipped in favor of one sex because, as Mary Wollstonecraft put it herself, “This is the law of nature; and it does not appear to be suspended or abrogated in favor of woman.” However, balance has become more achievable thanks to all the acts, protests, reforms, and methods being used by individuals and groups to eradicate sexism from societies. Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman amplifies the unbalance that was present in her society during the eighteenth century. She describes how women were displayed and taught to display themselves as objects and uneducated creatures whose only purpose was to entertain and satisfy gentlemen. This is the spark that ignited the many feminist acts that were yet to come. Our societies have improved¬¬ very much since then in respects to this issue; we now allow and condone women to be more “masculine” as Wollstonecraft put it. Her observations hold true to this day, but their severity has been reduced to an extent. There are many aspects of her observations that can still be seen in the media and many regions of our country and world; however, in America at least, we are seeing an increase in the balance of genders that signals progress and a more welcoming future.
ReplyDeleteHer primary observations were stated very boldly: natural, physical inequality, males and society abusing this to deprive women of freedom, choices, and a voice, and the engraving of this trait into the mind and functions of women. Men were taught to see women as inferior creatures that are merely there for their entertainment or, according to Mary, “alluring objects for a moment”. “civilized women of the present century, with a few exceptions, are only anxious to inspire love, when they ought to cherish a nobler ambition, and by their abilities and virtues exact respect.” Women should be allowed and encouraged to pursue much greater aspirations than to satisfy men. Unfortunately, these norms are still displayed and embedded in our societies and clear evidence is the small percentage of films that pass the Bechdel Test. Some of these observations are just as disgusting, if not more, than before. In certain areas, society wants to keep this norm alive, but the individuals now allow for more acceptance.
“But not content with this natural pre-eminence, men endeavor to sink us still lower, merely to render us alluring objects for a moment.” There is some difference in this topic and the prime examples can be found in modern music lyrics. Tupac Shakur exemplifies a positive change with his song Keep Ya Head Up. Yet, other lyrics that are more current encourage what was encouraged during Mary’s time. Such is the case in rapper YG’s retake on Dr. Dre’s Bitches Ain’t Shit. This is largely due to their marketing tactics and ideal that sex sells, which is true. Media is one of the largest enemies of change and progression because, generally, it maintains emphasis on topics that benefit business not communities and societies. However, there are instances quite often that applaud the progress being made.
Women are being mentioned in more media sites for doing heroic and “masculine” acts. The media began to include more stories about women participating in politics, medicine, and community service. A few examples are Hilary Clinton obtaining so much attention when she was running for office. Actresses are also being congratulated for donating their hair for cancer victims who undergo chemotherapy treatment. They are applauded for their intellectual achievements and supporting nobler ambitions rather than looking attractive and focusing on their fascinating graces based on society and male standards.
The scale is still tipped and Mary Wollstonecraft’s observations of society are still present in our modern days. It’s terrible to know that we haven’t gotten rid of the roots, and maybe won’t for another few centuries, but it is refreshing and comforting to know that we are progressing in some way. We are progressing slowly, but surely.
The framework that Mary Wollstonecraft has established has tremendous similarities that are still applicable today. She states that women are considered weak, unintelligent, and when they are somewhat intelligent, they don't use their intelligence. She also states that they are sacrifice their, “strength and usefulness for beauty.” Meaning women are taught to be only beautiful instead of useful. The same corresponding evidence is valid, still applies to the women of the present. Which is surprising since this was wrote in 1792.
ReplyDeleteToday, we can use a multitude of examples when women are considered, “weak.” The first piece of evidence where we see this absurd statement is when it comes to misfortunes. The archetype of a damsel in stress comes from women not being able to solve their problems and needing a masculine man to come out of nowhere to save them. This can be seen in children's movies such as Snow White, Rapunzel, and even Shrek. In each movie a woman who is also a princess is trapped or is in dire need of saving. Young girls watching this movie are immediately influenced by the archetype and try to imitate it. They grow up acting as if they are a princess and need help by everybody. Whether they need help in homework, problems, arguments, it doesn't matter. In the end they all try to wait for someone to rescue them instead of helping themselves. This one of the many reasons why the women can't help themselves, another contributing factor to why they can't help themselves is because of the educational system.
Women are allowed education, in particular the rich and middle class. Wollstonecraft targets the middle class women. However it is rather difficult for the women to learn when the books and education that are taught, are teaching them to be inferior. Young girls are taught from an early age to not develop their minds, instead to do “pretty” and “delicate” things. You can see this from a perspective of their time when boys were given better education then girls. The young girls were also domesticated and taught the household trade. This still can apply today when young girls are taught how to clean the house, while the boy usually just takes out the trash or gets a job. Girls are taught to become a good housewife, but also become beautiful.
Mary Wollstonecraft states that, “strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty.” Women are taught that they have to be beautiful and should not be smart either. Because being smart is part of the mans' jobs. A relevant idea that is seen in modern time, you can see that being beautiful is better than an education. Makeup was invented for these women to fit the archetype of being a beautiful lady. Girls as they grow older are taught that if you are more intelligent than the boy then they're not going to like you and you're also considered ugly. In certain children's movies you can see this happening when a masculine, strong man is around ladies. He shows off his muscles and his past, then the women ask simple questions or act interested.
Although being written in 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft's ideas can be seen in today's time. Is it as frequent and reoccurring as it was in 1792? Not so much because of evolution of women's roles, although there are still instances where women have a disadvantage over men. An idea that comes to mind is the Glass Ceiling where women are not paid as much as men for the same job. This displays the inferiority we still see in women compared to men. Women are still considered weak, physically and mentally, when it comes to certain tasks such as physical labor and intelligent jobs. Women do still sacrifice their intelligence for beauty in order to attract the man that they want and not scare him away. That being said, women will eventually outgrow these stereotypes and standards to evolve into intelligent, human creatures, although it will take a Wollstonecraft successor to ignite the flame.
Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the first women advocates to fight for women’s rights. She was an influential person that made women different than they are today. She is also a well known writer who has written a story called A Vindication of the Rights of Women. She talks about how men and women should be treated equally and not treated as some other being. She also talks about how women are always governed by their intellect. They don’t use their own intelligence, but rather act the way they see others act. The question is, does Wollstonecraft’s observations still stay the same today? In my opinion, its a mix of both. It has changed dramatically, but some women are still treated the same.
ReplyDeleteWomen back then were treated a whole different way than they are today. They weren’t given any opportunities to show how useful they could be. They were still living in a world where men was always on top of the women. The women’s main priority was to stay home, cook, and take care of the children. Women were treated differently than the men were. They were always considered weak. The whole female sex was disrespected. Thats why Wollstonecraft created an idea where men and women can be treated as the same type of individual rather than two separate beings. Her main goal was to achieve equality for both genders.
Wollstonecraft was not shy on talking about her own experiences. In the Vindication of the Rights of Women she says “Surely these weak beings are only fit for a seraglio! - Can they be expected to govern a family with judgement, or take care of the poor babes whom they bring into the world?” This quote talks about how labels are always placed upon women even if they might not be true. It states that if women are not good enough for anything, then they might as well leave their home and live in a seraglio which is a home where women live. This was how women were treated during her time and it is not so different today.
In her story Wollstonecraft said “The only way women can rise in the world, - by marriage.” This quote states that if women want to play a bigger role in society then they must be married to a man. This may be how women became famous back then, but in today’s society it is so much different. Women over the years have began to earn the respect that Wollstonecraft believed they deserve. Today, many women are considered higher in rank than the men. Women such as Oprah are now higher than a men like former football player Ryan Leaf. This may seem like the way women have been treated has turned around, but some women are still treated the same as before. I can use my own life experiences as an example. I went to Las Vegas last summer and as i was walking on the strip, I see a women being called names and being abused by several men. This shows that women are not always considered equal to men.
Comparing how women are treated today and back then, it is now considered more different than the same. In today’s society, women are treated with more respect and are sometimes considered higher in rank than the men. I think women are starting to understand what Wollstonecraft was trying to say in her story. Using your intelligence and not letting your experiences change your look on life, will make it better for yourself. Giving women a better education should ensure that women will not be treated the same as they were back then. Some stereotypes still exist about women. Women may still not be respected as much as the men, but their respect and popularity in society is slowly growing. They will soon have respect that is corresponding to the respect a man gets. In the future, this could all be reversed. The women can have all the respect where men don’t get any respect, but for right now, women are becoming more important in today’s society.
... continuation from my second body paragraph
ReplyDeleteWomen have not been seen equal since the dawn of civilization. Women did not the opportunity to be educated, vote, gain influential power and/ or seen as independent humans. Women has always been treated irrationally then and now. This is shown in the 2008 election, whereas Hillary Clinton, the only women candidate to be president, was not elected. This shows that America was ready for a black president, but not a women president. Mary Wollstonecraft even supports this as she says “My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them like rational creatures, instead of flattering their fascinating graces, and viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood,” this quote shows that women is jaded into being treated as irrelevant and unequal creatures that has accepted the role that was given to them.
Women have more to offer than a physical anatomy defines or naked eye could see. Women are strong, independent and clever. The only reason why women has not broken this barrier of stereotypical mold is because men has made women inferior to them logically, formed them into things of entertainment and treat them like unequal beings. Men always had knowledge first and shutout women from the right of education. Conniving men use emotional appeals logical appeals and pressure to make women into whatever they want. Finally men treat women unequally as they set them to be a type of stereotypical man-made mold to please them. Women have grown a lot since the eighteenth century, however many of the gender roles on how women and men act has not changed.
In Wollstonecraft's Essay and our modern time are very different in some ways because back then women We're seen as a weak dumb girls who could do anything with out a men and have to deepen on them in everything. In her essay all she wanted to do is open the eyes of every women and see for them selves that they don't need a men or have to dumb themselves just for men to look at them. She wanted to encourage them to be more smart and try to be seccuful in life with out a men.
ReplyDelete"Let men become more chaste and modest and if women do not grow wiser in the same ratio it will be clear that they have weaker understanding" women need to stop caring about what men want them to be and have a mind on there own be who you are because if your not them you will just be a weaker dumber women that can't do anything by themselves. If women don't stand out and come out of there comfort zone they won't be nobody but a men's shadow. Her point of view is not trying to attack women or making them look bad but to show them n teach them that they are better then just a man's shadow and she is tried of women looking dumb or downgraded them self just to make men fall for them.
"Men endeavor to sink us till lower merely to render us allowing objects for a moment" women are seen dumb and dumb themselves for men to pay attention. She don't say women she refers them as creature because they don't respect themselves like they should because they are to busy trying to get a guy's attention. She also saying if a women try and but themselves out there they won't be as strong as a men but if they do them they would be as powerful as them and be as smart then they won't have any problems being in control." Some WOMEN govern their husbands without degrading themselves because intelligence will always govern.
Right now in This period of time women have came along way because now women are themselves they do what they want have respect themselve they don need a men. Women are now independent and are smarter and tbey make the right choices for themselves. She is persuading women to be stronger and be more dominant and not let men put them down. Her point is that if women don't grow wiser in the same ratio as men they are seen weaker. "A women of the present century with a few exceptions are only anxious to inspire love."
"Viewing of flattering as if they were in a state of perperal children unable to stand alone" women can't stand alone they need a men in order to be somebody. WOMEN don't need this they have there own mind and could do anything they don't need a men. Women were seen as house wives and should only take care of there children but that's not all tbey could do. They could be anything they want and what she is trying to do is tell them that They are more then that tbey could as equal as a men if they actually try to.
The basic roles for women the author accepts is that women should take care more of themselves and don't let men tell them there nothing because they are if they have better education and actually try to be smarter and stronger them they wouldn't have a problem. Now women are seen differently because we see them as more dominate ad stronger and they don't let peopel bring them down anymore tbey but there foot down and is changing people point of view. Having to see what women went through was not satisfying and they shouldn't suffer.
-Marcus Herrera-
ReplyDelete2nd Period
Online Journal
Mary Wollstonecraft the author of the Vindication of The Rights of a Woman, had evaluations of what she saw from women in the 18th century, her evaluations actually correspond with evaluation of women today. Mary Wollstonecraft believed that women were actually cunning although did not act like it, needed motivation to become smarter, and wanted women to break the barriers that of which they are bound to. I can see the same evaluations today, which means that her evidence corresponds with mine.
First evaluation is that women are actually cunning and do not use their potential. Mary Wollstonecraft stated this and this is true because women can get whatever they want using cunning techniques. In the modern days we can see by a lot of women. Women use the techniques of seduction, attraction, and the way they dress to get a man or whatever they want. They are cunning and smart enough to do this, but still dumb themselves down to look better for a man. What would happen if a woman stayed cunning and at the same time taught herself even more information?
Mary Wollstonecraft already established that women are already smart, they just dumb themselves down to attract men. She then targets the middle class women because they aren't corrupted by the rich or poor. She targets them because she wants them to be the next generation of women who are willing to take a stand to change the status of women. Because women are considered to be inferior by men, they are considered just to be objects they play with, and that they need men to have a happy life. Mary Wollstonecraft objects to this idea and believes that if women would stop trying to be what every man or expectation that they're supposed to be, then they can develop into independent, smart women. In today's time there are more women that are successful and independent than those of the past. Although there is a growing number of women like that, it still is not enough to change the perception of women.
Women are held to a certain standard especially in the 18th century. In the 18th century they had to beautiful, not smarter than the man, and had to take care of the family. Today women are held to a standard where they have to be delicate, kind, and appeal to every man's standard. Women definitely have it harder than men because of the things they go through. If a woman were to have multiple partners then she would be called a slut. Where for a man, the man would be praised. You can see Mary Wollstonecraft plea to change the perceptions the men had for women. She tried by targeting the women and used satirical framework.
Women are held to a higher standard than men. They have to be dumb yet beautiful, an easy object to obtain yet precious, a woman yet still a girl. Women were perceived as inferior by men in the 18th century and were held to a conventional standard. Mary Wollstonecraft observed and evaluated what women were held to. She concluded that women needed to become more independent and to stop giving in to the pressure of the orthodox way. Although she did succeed in changing some women, which can be seen today, there still is not enough to change the perception of women. Well, at least not yet, as time passes just as it did in the 18th century, more people will become tolerant towards women.
Mary Wollstonecraft was not simply thriving for the resolution to sexual injustice, but also for the promotion of women’s awareness of their own sex. Today, gender inequality is still omnipresent, ranging from something as minor as children’s toys to something as major as work salaries. Her essay was structured so that it would make women realize their status in society. Because women’s rights are still an issue today, as it was before, this essay is still very much relevant to our modern time. The essay serves as a base for a comparison between the degrees of how well women were treated now and then.
ReplyDeletePlenty of those aspects still hold true today. Her main observations include society’s expectations of women, women being seen as “different,” women subjugating themselves to men, and the flaws of the educational system and its female pupils. In paragraphs 5-9, Wollstonecraft explains that society expects a lot from women. Women are expected to act accordingly, especially when out in public. This means acting like a “Lady,” and avoiding any sense of masculinity. When she stresses this, a reader can easily think of the double standard in modern society. If a man were to be seen as topless, it would not mean anything more than modeling, but when a woman poses topless, it’s a completely different story. The picture would receive titles such as pornographic, vulgar, and even degrading. The way that the picture is perceived has been set by the code that men, over time, have created. Men even control the degree of our humility, which Wollstonecraft finds extremely ridiculous. Predominantly in the 50s, pink-collared jobs were introduced. The softer, gentler, and easier jobs are associated with women. This is even seen in children’s toys. From a young age, girls are taught to be mothers, cook, and clean with “toys.” Also from a young age, education has molded the young female mind into seeing that men are tougher. Wollstonecraft says, “A profound conviction that the neglected education of my fellow creatures is the grand source of the misery I deplore.” There’s a lack in education, as well as a lack in absorption for the females. She basically says in paragraph 16 that if men were to stoop down to the female level, some women wouldn’t understand the significance of the fact that woman is really inferior to man.
It’s obvious that men have it easier in society today. Wollstonecraft’s idea of women not governing society, but the home was completely true in the eighteenth century. Now, it’s a mixture. Women are now allowed to have a say in society, and it’s evident in our government that is made up of some women. Women are still expected to rule the house—clean, feed, and serve, although househusbands do exist. Women earn 77 cents to a man’s dollar. Wollstonecraft wants women to educate themselves. Some women don’t even know what women’s suffrage is, and some did not know of the inequality that they experience on a day-to-day basis. Why does it go unnoticed? It’s because it has become a norm in our society to put women at a lower standstill, although some cultures regard women as sacred. Even that fails at being gender-equal. Even if women are revered, they are kept from doing masculine tasks because they are seen weak and helpless. Like we were saying in class, women are the damsels in distress. Women are still seen as creatures. They’re creatures constantly put on display—on television, movies, and magazines. They’re respected in a degrading way, and women are unaware of this because they’re so blinded by the fact that men are just praising them for their appearance, rather than their intelligence and intellectuality. Wollstonecraft was telling the truth when she said in her last sentence “Intellect will always govern.” Women should use her essay as fuel to the women’s rights fire that burns brighter and brighter by the day.
Marquis Corpuz
ReplyDelete2nd Period
Mary Wollstonecraft Analysis
Can the standards of the past really affect the future? Do we see the past standards still being applied in the future? Mary Wollstonecraft evaluated that women in the 18th century were considered weak, needed to accept learning, and that they needed education to help their family. These concepts can be held true today, and is corresponding evidence that directly connects with Mary Wollstonecraft's ideas.
The general statement of men being stronger than women is believed by most people, either man or woman. They both believe this statement, but women only believe this statement because that is how they were raised. As young girls, women never participated in dirty or manly considered things. If somebody would as a girl what they would rather do; play in the mud or play with their doll, the girl would mostly choose playing with her doll. Why is that though? It is because women have an image of being weak, and as soon as they can learn by themselves, they are influenced to be what society wants them to be: conventional. Mary Wollstonecraft did not believe in that idea though, she herself was a strong woman, but she grew to be strong. She was unconventional and intelligent because she accepted learning instead of disregarding it.
Mary Wollstonecraft states that women shun intelligence for beauty, which is true. In the 18th century men did not like smart women and preferred dumb, beautiful women. This is similar to today because more women would rather be attractive than smart. They're rather be that way because they know what attracts men and it is not intelligence. However what women failed to realize in the 18th century is that they are mentors to the children they will soon raise. By having a unintelligent mother caring for easily influenced children, it does not bode well for the children's future. This a reason why Mary Wollstonecraft encourages women to receive knowledge because she accepts the duties of women, but she wants them to do their duty while being intelligent at doing it.
Education is needed for women to succeed, without it, they are just considered tangible rarities for men. However women need education for their household, so that they can stop a reoccurring cycle. This cycle is; have children, teach them the conventional way on how to act like either a boy or girl, let them mature, they repeat the cycle. By repeating the cycle than society will never know the struggle it takes for women to become considered less inferior to men. Mary Wollstonecraft believed if that if we could stop this cycle then we could eventually the way women and men grew up. Which means that men would consider women to be equal.
A daunting idea it is that most men would consider women to be equal to them. If men were to do that, such things such as the glass ceiling would not exist anymore. It would also provide an equal opportunity for men and women when it came to education and jobs. Women would no longer feel inferior and they could obtain power. Not to say that some women don't already, but the goal Mary Wollstonecraft set is for all women in the middle class to become educated and strong. When that happens, the women can then extend their influence to the rich and poor.
Jose Maciel
ReplyDeleteMary Wollstonecraft’s essay can still hold true today depending on what you are comparing it to. It may not be 100% completely relevant in America but it is in other countries without a doubt. Women have so many more rights in America than they do in other places around the world. Stereotypes are now being broken. Ladies are not expected to stay home and raise the kids anymore. They are no longer required to be housewives. It is okay in society for them to go out and have a career and be successful. The constraints on women on women are slowly being broken in the US. Females are allowed to do what they want. They can pursue any career, run for president, or be independent.
Men are no longer needed to make women feel secure. They can do that on their own because they have all the freedom they want. That is not to say that there is still an unspoken bias against women. Men still believe that they are far more powerful and should still be the ones to provide for their family. But you can see that some men are okay with making less money than their wives now. They are okay with being less educated than a women. Women are now CEO’s of companies and head honchos. Society is being more welcoming to the rise of women.
Although women are becoming close to equal with men there are still exceptions. There still remains people who are old fashion and believe that a woman's rightful place is in the kitchen. Women still make less on average than a man. Even though society is becoming more accepting of them being a bit more dominant, they are still seen as weaken than men. Especially physically. People cringe at the sight of a manly women because it is weird to them. It is perfectly okay for a man to have facial hair but a women cannot. Men can walk around shirtless, a women cannot. A man being married multiple times is not seen as bad as a lady being married many times.
In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Wollstonecraft says that Islamic women are especially treated less in their culture. That is true. In Saudi Arabia it is against the law for women to drive. That is something that is so simple in America. It is not something that is odd or that people are not okay with women doing. That is just an example on how women are not treated the same in other countries as they are in America. Women in America are lucky to be treated so well because in other countries they have no freedom at all. They are not even allowed to get an education.even though people can argue against it, women are treated and regarded better in America than in any other country and that is important.It will take time but women will be equal with men one day, it is something thay is bond to happen, it has to happen.
Some of Wollstonecraft’s observations remain valid in 2013, especially in third world countries But I am proud to say that they are not so true in America. I have always viewed women to be equal to men and I can see that many other people feel the same way. her arguments are mostly limited to the social realities of the eighteenth century not so much in current times.
Brandon Estrella
ReplyDeleteThere are an a bunch of negative statements that someone can make about women today. You can call them weak and dumb, for example. Stereotypes such as being dumb and weak are derived from the habits that women are accustomed to. Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote a Vindication Of The Rights Of A Woman, observes her “fellow creatures.” What she sees is something not to be proud of, she sees that women are; considered weak, have a tendency of being beautiful rather than intelligent, and there must be separation from women being classified as a sex.
Right off the bat, Mary Wollstonecraft states that women are, “rendered weak.” She believes that women are mistaken for being weak because that's usually the way they act. However, Mary Wollstonecraft only believes that women are considered weak is by their actions. The women have a different maturity than what is expected. They still want that “Prince Charming” that is going to swoop them off of their feet and have them live a life full of happiness. This can also be seen in modern times, especially when women are looking for a man in their life. They look for a man who is strong, rich, brave, and perfect. Only to have their dreams crushed because there is no such thing as man with those characteristics, it is only an embedded fantasy that they've grown to want when they first were introduced to him at a very young age. “Prince Charming” is not the only thing that women fantasize and want, beauty has become a necessity for them.
It's crazy to believe that the Doll Test can be evidence to the matter of women sacrificing themselves for beauty. They are corresponding because young girls growing up are taught that being white is beautiful, not only are they taught to want to be white, but they are also taught that they must be beautiful. The archetype of being a beautiful princess that will attract their prince charming or knight in shining armor is what's on their mind. Today, we see this trait when women wear a lot of makeup and do anything to seduce or attract a man. Women rather sacrifice their time to learn the art of being attractive instead of sacrificing their time to learn.
Mary Wollstonecraft wants women to become educated and not just try to be pretty and find a man. Wollstonecraft wants women to become strong and more intelligent so that they are not considered inferior anymore. She wants women to show their capabilites and be the best that they can possibly be, while being independent. Wollstonecraft expects more out of women and would like to see it happen so that women aren't always below man.
Today, women are still considered weak to some degree, are still sacrificing themselves for beauty, and there is still a distinction between both sexes. However, evolution and time has helped Mary Wollstonecraft's ideas become real. Nowadays we see women becoming more independent, women that do hold power and are successful, and women being able to attract a man with their intelligence they've acquired. It is a long process, but change is upon women, it will just take more time and more strong women to change the way we see them.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMary Wollstonecraft uncovers the truth about the standard and regard which women are held to by society. Women's rights have always been secondary to the rights of men and being a woman ahead of her time decided to help the cause. She brings up topics such as men's dissatisfaction of their “natural” dominance and having to lower the role of women because of it, women's susceptibility to succumb to their inferior positions, and society's naivety to these criteria. The different points which she hit in this piece of work were prevalent in the eighteenth century and are still commonly found in today's world.
ReplyDeleteMen have always been depicted as the dominant character. Men are given the god-given right of masculinity and supremacy, yet they aren't satisfied with it. Wollstonecraft mentions how men's discontent with their “natural” dominance causes them to find other ways which they overpower women. Not only do they have their given qualities which make them better, but they must make sure that women can't surpass them in any other category, besides the governing of family. This is definitely still an issue in today's world with so many women being demeaned in the media. If a woman were to do something praiseworthy, she'd still receive negative attention and stir up controversy. Males control all fields of work which hold any kind of high regard to society. Men obviously play their superior roles in degrading women, however the key factor to this is of course women themselves.
Wollstonecraft makes it a significant point that women should do something about their inferior positions in society. She believes women neglect education and focus more on what pleases the male's eye. They allow themselves too often to be degraded and yield to society's norm. “My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them like rational creatures, instead of flattering their fascinating graces, and viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood, unable to stand alone.” She is aware of women's lack of self-respect to themselves and tries to let them know it too. Women don't find themselves as anything but appendages to males. She recalls, “I heard exclamations against masculine women; but where are they to be found?” This problem is extremely prevalent in today's society. You have women dumbing themselves down for men, acting lesser than they give themselves credit for. Of course there have been an increase in dominant female figures through the years, but the majority of women today have not stepped up to the plate to support those women's actions. The lack of opportunity and ignorance to opportunities ruin women's roles in society.
There are different standards held to women than men. They are expected to only be good for family matters and not much else. According to Wollstonecraft, women will have no worthiness if an opportunity strikes and they don't take it. “Let men become more chaste and modest, and if women do not grow wiser in the same ratio, it will be clear that they have weaker understandings.” In the eighteenth century girls were taught that they were meant to merely act better than boys, never really be better than boys. Nowadays, girls are slightly more introduced to equality, but still then do a lot of them grow up to simply surrender to society's standards.
Yes, we have gotten better over the past few centuries pertaining to women's rights. No, we haven't gained the fullest potential of gender equality. Men's alpha-instincts, women's susceptibility to expectations, and society's ignorance all contribute to our current world's lack of women dominance. Despite Wollstonecraft's brilliant attempt at bringing awareness to women on these subjects, we still haven't learned. We have gained extraordinary, inspiring female figures since Wollstonecraft but they're always rare. Will we learn soon enough, or does a man need to tell us to do so first?
Throughout time, women have been criticized almost every moment. They have been tested both mentally and physically because some individuals do not yet see them as equal to man. In the eighteenth century, Mary Wollstonecraft was a woman who showed social realities of what women had to go through in her book “A Vindication of the Rights of Women.” Majority of her observations in the past are what we still see today in modern times. Her observations are of the women who usually sacrifice their intelligence in order to appear more attractive, allow men to be more sexually modest and that these women should be a character that is not judged based on gender.
ReplyDeleteMary Wollstonecraft states in her book, “Strength of the body and mind are sacrificed to beauty.” This means that women usually will dumb themselves down in order to attract a male. This situation still shows in today’s society because some females believe that if they appear smarter than a male, they will scare him away. These females are the sort of people that want the attention and will do anything in order to achieve that it. There is also a problem that involves men who are on the hunt for these dumb downed beauties.
Today, many men are more sexually active than in the eighteenth century. Mary Wollstonecraft also states that “Men should be more chaste and modest, and if women do not grow wiser in the same ratio, it will be clear that they have a weaker understanding.” This shows that both sexes should become wiser when it comes to sex. If a woman can’t catch on to men who are less active, then it proves that they are clearly weaker. This is an ongoing issue today, because sex isn’t what it used to be back in the eighteenth century. There is always a comparison between the male and female and what they can and cannot do.
A final statement by Mary Wollstonecraft is, “The first thing is to obtain being a character as a human being and regardless of the distinction of gender, there should be secondary views brought to the judgment.” Every moment in time, there is always an individual who will say that a woman cannot perform the same physical tasks as men. There are times in the past where women were unable to perform such tasks at hand, yet they continued to prove the world of men wrong. There are women everywhere who are just as equal as the men in our world. The past doesn’t prove anything, but the present and future are what the times where these women will continue to shine among the limelight alongside men.
Mary Wollstonecraft continues to show the modern world that women have come a long way from the eighteenth century. The way she wrote about women, has caught the attention of many females and they shining brightly. There are some ways where the man and woman are different, but the woman is continuing to show the world of their strong women. It takes time for these women to come out into the open to show the world where they stand.
Mary Wollstonecraft was an innovator. She didn’t care that women were not supposed to be educated. Mary was unorthodox and spoke out on womens rights. In her essay A Vindication of the Rights of Woman she talks about how womens were dumb creatures that fell under mens power. If times were still like when Mary wrote her essay then yes it is still true , but since it is 2013 a lot has changed.
ReplyDeleteWomen today are highly educated. In recent studies the United States ratio for genders that graduate from college is fifty six females to forty four males. More than half the people who graduate from college are female! That just shows the difference that in Mary's time that was no where near the ratio we have today.
Mary points out that women dumb themselves down in order to make her husband feel like she has more power. In a few cases this is true. For example, in the movie Mean Girls Katy has an A+ in her math class but the boy she likes (who is not at all a well performing student) is also in that class. She pretends to not understand the math in order for the boy she likes can tutor her in math.
Another point she brings up is , that after you get married you become “a damsel in distress”. You should succumb to your husband and just paint pictures or have kids. Although this is not the case in 2013. Usually when couples get married both still have to work. When I get married I will continue to work because painting is cool in all but sad story I am not creative.
All in all I agree with Mary. Every single women should be educated. There is no reason for you to dumb yourself down. Instead people should try to get on your level of intelligence. I don’t understand why it took so long for women to change. Remember it's okay to have the looks and the brains you just have to find somebody who except you for who you are.
-Emely Perez
Leila Harara
ReplyDelete11/21/2013
Period 2
In my personal opinion, from what I have witnessed in our flawed(but progressing society), Wollstonecraft’s essay is relevant to some aspects in modern times. You would be blind not to see the rapid riding of women in our world today. Women are no longer standing for inequality. But that does not excuse the fact that that stigma against women still remains standing. That men are far more powerful than a woman could ever be.
When she says “Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison.” You can see how this still hold true today. American culture places a tremendous amount of pressure on young girls and older girls alike to be beautiful. You must coincide with society’s beauty norms to be pretty. Women are expected to go through countless routines just to be acceptable in the eyes of society. We must have long, pain our faces with outrageous beauty supplies, dress feminine, and remain lady like at all times. Women must maintain a certain weight, height, and persona to be considered beautiful. Men face almost none of these impossible to meet expectations. Women are normal human beings and should not be expected to be cute and feminine all of the time. If a woman would dare to walk out of their home with facial hair, body hair, a buzz cut, and masculine clothing, most people would be revolted by the sight. Simply because these are not the standards that society holds women to. This collective presumption that women must abide by this standard of beauty puts an indescribable amount of overwhelming pressure on young girls. This can lead to issues such as anorexia and bulimia, just so they can can be skinny and beautiful.
“I earnestly wish to point out in what true dignity and human happiness consists. I wish to persuade women to endeavor to acquire strength, both of mind and body, and to convince them that the soft phrases, susceptibility of heart, delicacy of sentiment, and refinement of taste, are almost synonymous with epithets of weakness, and that those beings are only the objects of pity, and that kind of love which has been termed its sister, will soon become objects of contempt.” Women must stand out and be strong and not allow themselves to be considered weak she says. We need to stop being delicate and be open like men are. Women are not allowed to be sexually open because that is shunned in our nation.That shows our contemptness. A lady can not freely speak about the amount of sexual partners that she has had or anything of that like. Women are taught to be ashamed of their anatomy and their sexuality. Men cringe when they heard about a menstrual cycle or w women giving birth. Women are counted on to hide their bodies yet accentuate them. They must wear form fitting clothing to look appearing yet covering up any “inappropriate” or “offensive” body parts. We are taught from a young age that modesty in ladies is a must. While I agree with that, there still lies that double standard. A man can walk out of his home shirtless and hairy. He may get a few second glances but people would shrug it off. A women doing the same thing would be nothing less than freakishly outrageous. A man can be open with how many women he has had sex with but a lady cannot.
Leila Harara
ReplyDelete(...CONTINUED)
Wollstonecraft says “My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them like rational creatures, instead of flattering their fascinating graces, and viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood, unable to stand alone.” Some still expect that women need a man to be happy and successful. Ladies cannot be masculine and take charge of themselves. Its as if an independent woman is rarity in some parts of society. Parts that are less open minded. That is something that is frowned upon. Masculinity is restricted to only males. Men are allowed to be powerful and strong while women should act weak and needy.
But in American society, it is blatant how women are close to become equal with men. We now have more opportunities to be successful like a man, get the same education as a man, run a household like a man. After 22 years of marriage my father is now okay with my mother being the one working ful time, paying rent, and taking care of the household. That was a long fought battle but it worked in the feminine favor. Not treating a woman a your equal is too old fashioned now a days. You can cleanly see how women are strong and just as good as men but you can also clearly see the underlying serotypes that refuse to diminish.
There is a paradox for women in modern society. While it seems that women have rights that give them equality, at the same time it seems that women are still stuck in the dark ages in terms of equality. But what creates this paradox in society? Mary Wollstonecraft expresses many indignities against women’s rights in her 18th century work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. While many of her points express issues specifically for that time period, many of those same issues still linger today. In today’s society, we still see women held to a feminine standard culturally and women being denied the same economic benefits as men.
ReplyDeleteWhile we have made strides in making sure women are not judged by their gender, our culture still holds them to a standard of femininity. Femininity is seen as by society under some traits that include grace, submission, and weakness. This standard has been around for a long period of time, and Wollstonecraft acknowledges this standard in her essay. Wollstonecraft says, “Dismissing then those pretty feminine phrases, which the men condescendingly use to soften our slavish dependence, and despising that weak elegancy of mind, exquisite sensibility, and sweet docility of manners, supposed to be the sexual characteristics of the weaker vessel…”. Women are held to certain standards by society as seen here, as they are expected to be weak, elegant, and docile. Today, this is still the case in Western society. Women are still seen in many circles as weak and submissive, unable to rise above dependency to men. Outside of cultural views, issues of women’s rights can be seen directly in the workplace and economy.
One way that women’s inequality with men can be measured is through economic inequality. As with cultural standards, while women have made great strides in improving their condition, they are still held down by society. One example of this is through the glass ceiling. Advancement in the workplace is limited by the presence of the glass ceiling which prevents women from gaining the same benefits and wages as men. For example, in 2010, while the median salary for women was $56,134, the median salary for men was $60,963. This problem was especially prevalent in Wollstonecraft’s era, as women lacked the rights to even pursue work in the first place. While we have made large strides in women’s work rights, there is still issues present that date back to Wollstonecraft’s time.
While women have a different environment and society today compared to Wollstonecraft’s time in the 18th century, the issues from the past still linger today. We still see women held to degrading cultural standards disguised as “femininity”, and they are still discriminated in the workplace via the glass ceiling. Wollstonecraft was considered a visionary and revolutionary at the time. Her views on women’s rights both enlightened and shocked people at the same time. While her views were incredibly radical at the time, do we still consider her views radical, or are women’s rights just another part of life?
According to Mary Wollstonecraft, women in the 18th century did not have equal rights as man. If you were to compare the two genders than you would see that men were indeed treated better. But for a woman, this was the normality. Women were taught to just be beautiful, not smart, and to run the household. However Mary Wollstonecraft is urging for women to take a stand against the laid down foundation of how their life should be. She urges them to learn and be smart, take a stand on how their life should be, and to stop being just an object to men.
ReplyDeleteMary Wollstonecraft immediately states that women are “rendered weak,” and “strength and usefulness is sacrificed to beauty.” Meaning she that women are not considered to be able to be strong. She also says that women sacrifice the strength that can get for beauty. These things can be seen today when you think about a woman. Our first instinct when a woman watches a scary movie is that she is weak and needs someone to comfort her. Another example is when women learn how to put on makeup instead of learning how to understand difficult concepts. Mary Wollstonecraft wishes to break these typical statements of women and targets the women who she wants to, “see the truth.”
Mary Wollstonecraft was a strong, intellectual woman, but she doesn't want to be the only one. She purposely calls out the middle class women because they aren't affected by certain circumstances that rich and poor women go through. She calls them out because she wants them to stop being conventional. Instead she wants them to be able to be independent and not need a man/husband in order to be smart. Mary Wollstonecraft is trying to promote women to be independent. When you look at today, you do see more independent women than before, but it's still not enough to create a change.
Women almost have a destined future set for them. This future involves marrying a rich, smart husband, becoming pregnant, taking care of the babies, and take care of the house. That was the mindset in the 18th century, but this is not true today. Instead women are actually getting a hold of their future. We now see women that are independent, successful, and intelligent. The only con is that there are not enough women that Wollstonecraft envisioned.
In the 18th century and today, there are definitely similarities that women share. They share being still considered weak, they try very hard to become beautiful, and dumb themselves down to get a man. However there are also differences that we can see such as women being more independent and successful. It is almost common now to see women succeed in education, finance, and household. It is a slowly but surely change, it will only take a matter of time before women can finally be free from the foundation of being a woman, they're attached to.