Category: Woman

Feminist science studies can be considered as heterogenous and amorphous body of work that include scholars in women’s studies, science studies, cultural studies, and visual studies to scholars located in traditional disciplines (Subramaniam). It is very broad and covers the ranges of ideals these feminists believe in because in retrospect not all feminists have the same beliefs. However, what does it mean to be a woman in the sciences? Feminists and women in general have fought blatant sexism and marginalization to be involved in sciences and while it has been an uphill battle there has been almost exponential change in the last two decades. Feminists that have successfully made their way in the door are going steps further to critique epistemologies and methodology of different branches of science while also opening new avenues for feminist science studies and research.

Prior to the nineteenth century, women had been restricted to dame school level learning mostly because it was believed boys were smarter and more superior and it was simply not the female’s role to be knowledgeable in subjects that were deemed manly. Surprisingly enough, some prolific female authors of the eighteenth century agreed with the paradigm. An example is Anne d’Aubourg de la Bove, Comtesse de Miremont (1735–1811), who wrote a seven-volume course on girls’ education (1779–89), which summarizes as follows: “Women were not destined to learn anything in depth. The study of religion and the accomplishments was to be enriched by the three Rs, [that is, reading, writing, and arithmetic,] grammar, geography, history, and natural science … [but] women should never appear learned”. However, there is evidence of women contributions to early science, astronomy and philosophy, some as assistants to male scientists. Botany was on of the sciences that benefitted the most from women in these earlier centuries.

Educated women in the nineteenth century and centuries before, as well as educated women in less developed societies today, were seen as a threat rather than an asset to the community. Society was more rigid when it came to gender roles and it was made clear the boys were to work and be educated while girls were only to be educated to a certain degree and about select topics that would make them good wives and mothers. It was believed that educated women would start to exhibit social and political defiance, for example refuse to do housework and the like if they were educated. Men felt threatened that women might want to be included in activities they deemed for themselves or want to take their jobs, thus making the women more ‘masculine’ and less acceptable as wives. One particularly strong excuse at the time was that it went against the words of God in the bible. With all these fears, it wasn’t too hard to stifle female involvement in education prior to the nineteenth century as men were in almost, if not all, leadership positions and most women at the time believed their health and social status at risk.

In the nineteenth century, there was a rise in higher education for women in the United States. This spike in female higher education was encouraged by advocates who did not intend for women to use their newly gained knowledge outside of the what they deemed ‘womanly’. They believed that women were to use this new knowledge to become better mothers and wives. Women in these times knew that to go against this belief was to tarnish the little if not reluctant support they had to get a higher-level education. These educators went on to work carefully within the restrictions they were given while gradually expanding and upgrading their institutions as years went on. By the end of the nineteenth century, there was significant transformation towards female education in the United States.

With this progression, more schools for girls and institutions for higher learning for women were established. Higher learning for women were being created solely for women because at first, women were refused entry into prestigious universities on account of ‘no precedent’. Those that could enter had found it harder obtaining their degrees and were not acknowledged by most men on campuses. The first co-educational college in the United States was Oberlin College, which admitted women in 1837 and awarded its first degrees to women in 1841 (Murray 2001, p. 2).

Although universities were admitting women in most countries in the twentieth century, women in the sciences were relatively few. This is because women often went on to establish careers in other female dominated professions, a pattern which is still evident that goes on the show unconscious gender stereotyping. During the World War II there was an understandable fall however, in both male and female admissions to higher institutions. It was during this time that women were encouraged to take more jobs even in male dominated industries as the men were sent to fight the war. During the twentieth century, there were dips and rises in women’s involvement in sciences due to different situations e.g. the world war II, but overall the progression was great. This unfortunately did not mean all of society had come to accept women in professional field. Sadly, on December 6, 1989, a man entered the École Polytechnique, an engineering school in Montreal, and killed fourteen women with a semi-automatic rifle. This was his war on feminism. It is still evident even today that people don’t think women are supposed to be involved in the sciences as the memorial of the victims of the Montreal massacre were recently defaced with misogynistic messages (Toronto Sun, 2019).

The visibility of women in the sciences has always been an issue even when women managed to get their foot in the door. In early times, female writers of subjects of science and philosophy often had to publish their work under male pseudonyms. In the twentieth century, female scientists were shunned by most of their male colleagues. An example being Rosalind Franklin who co-discovered the shape of DNA for which Watson,Wilkins and Crick received a Nobel prize. Being the only female scientist working in the laboratory in the 1940s and early 1950s, it was not surprising that she was ignored by her male colleagues who did not have good things to say about her. She was shunned from companionship at work which meant she mostly had to work alone. During a work holiday, Wilkins looked through her files and found her crystallographic pictures of DNA which was an essential part of discovering the shape of DNA. Wilkins showed this to Watson in February 1953 and two months later they published ‘their findings’ for which they won a Nobel Prize.

While there are unfortunately more unfair instances like this, some that may have not even been discovered, there have also been wins for women in science. Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics for her work in radioactive decay and later another Nobel Prize in chemistry. Seventeen women in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology and Medicine have received the Nobel Peace Prize which goes to show women are now more recognized for their contributions in science.

Feminist critiques of science are studies by feminist scholars which focus on epistemologies and studies that enforce gender stereotypes and the theory that men and women are categorically different in science. These show how gender ideals has an impact in science. They can be easily divided into six categories:

Feminist scholars queried objectivity and neutrality of science in its production of theories of biological determinism which is the belief that human behavior is controlled by an individual’s genes or other biological attributes. The influence of social beliefs on this particular branch of science was made apparent after some feminist scholars went ahead to analyze such bodies of work and found many faults in experimentation and conclusions. This was clearly a power issue as those deemed to be the elite in society were ‘found’ to be superior racially and sexually in these studies due to their biological attributes. These studies exposed the cultural and gender normative ideals that had unintentionally been embedded in scientific theories and law. Dr. Camila Benbow published a paper linking testosterone, hemispherical specialization of the brain and greater mathematical ability. This study has been disproven but it has done its damage. It went on to show that badly done research based on biological determinism can have a negative effect on the ability girls think they have. This essentially can influence girls to limit their horizons and what they think they can achieve. The fact that some women also believed female intellect to be inferior shows that this is not just a problem of men but a problem of wrong long held biases. These scientists were not bad or evil, they were mostly just a product of their environment.

One such case of cultural ideals in science, in particular normalization of rape culture, is in Barash’s sociobiology. The general goal of sociobiology is to identify and understand interactions between animals. The aim of Barash’s and E.O. Wilson’s sociology however, was to become ‘a study of biological basis of all social behavior’ which included human behavior. A particularly disturbing study of Barash’s that showed influence of his ideals was his study of ‘rape’ in plants and animals. Barash saw rape as rampant in nature. In one of his studies, he explained how the pollination of a female flower by the insertion of pollen tube of a male flower into the ovary of the flower is rape. He then went ahead to imply that these plants and animals that ‘rape’ are just following strategies derived from their genes to produce healthy offspring. Barash therefore goes on to say that humans are not much different implying that rape is just a response to male’s genetic makeup to produce offspring casting the ‘pitiful’ rapist as just listening to his body’s need to reproduce without being able to control his urges. This study literally absolves males of purposely committing rape with the excuse that it cannot be helped.

Feminist scholars did research to refute studies these studies and as a result opened new discussions about science and gender. While most early feminist science critiques are in biological science, more recently scholars have expanded to engineering and physical sciences.

The challenges women face today is nothing short of the barriers that women have faced since the beginning of time or human development. I’m not sure if those issues aroused when Eve took a bite of the apple that men really feel that women should be beneath them or if women are really not made to be of equal to them. I often hear men say things that can be degrading of women or attempt to stroke a woman’s ego such as “it’s a man’s world” or “men were born to lead”. Anyone that supports equality of sexes is said to be practicing feminism. In 1950, Betty Hutton lyrically battled Howard Keel in the classic movie “Annie Get Your Gun” singing “anything he can do she can do better.” The late James Brown produced the hit song in 1963 “It’s A Man’s World.” Before analyzing the lyrics, I wasn’t sure if James Brown realized that a woman had given birth to him but then I realized he was implying that he met a would be nurturing woman by the name of Betty Newsome, whom sources say he was dating at the time and he was acknowledging that she pushed him to his greatest limits. Today’s society is slightly torn between patriarchy and matriarchy but the late James Brown went on to admit in the song that he would be nothing without a woman. Women are known to be great leaders or have the ability to become great leaders because of the many attributes they possess despite the challenges or barriers they may encounter in pursuing their level of success desired. I cast a poll on social media, mainly on Facebook, to find out the barriers of other women in today’s time when it comes to challenges other women are faced with that prevents them from succeeding. I won’t reveal the poll results just yet but I must say the responses from men and women of all races were in fact intriguing.

Feminism is the belief of equality for both men and women. Since the beginning of time women were excluded from men dominated jobs or couldn’t participate in activities such as socialism, politics, or economics without the presence of a male figure, whether it was a father, brother, or husband. During the late nineteenth century early twenty century President John F. Kennedy formed a commission that focused on the issues women were facing. The commission was formed by twenty members who were actively involved in women’s rights and equality. The commission’s primary goal was to examine the policies set forth for women. Some issues was pertaining to labor laws, wages, the quality of legal representation for women, lack of education, counseling for working women, and federal insurance and tax laws. The commission discovered a widespread of discrimination against women in the workplace. Recommendations were suggested to include affordable childcare for all levels of income earning women, hiring practices, and overall promoting equality for women. The commission did not bring immediate change but the results played a critical role in promoting equality for women. Feminism was introduced in three waves. The first wave of feminism focused on women and the emphasis to vote. The second wave focused on the women’s experience politics, work, and the family. Lastly, the third wave reiterated the second wave but emphasised the race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other defining characteristics.

In 1867, Sarah Breedlove was the first of five siblings to be born free on a cotton plantation. Breedlove became orphaned at the age of 7 after the death of both parents. Breedlove later moved in with her sister and brother-in-law where she had worked in the fields picking cotton and doing housework. Breedlove found a way to escape the mistreatment of her brother-in-law and the horrible work environment. In 1885, age fourteen proceeding the death of her first husband, Sarah and her daughter moved to St. Louis with her brothers who had become barbers. In St. Louis, Breedlove gained employment earning 1.50 a day to support her and her daughter, merely enough to send her daughter to public school while she attended night school herself. Breedlove developed a scalp disorder that caused her to have a major hair loss. Breedlove began to experiment and test home remedies and over the counter products to improve her hair loss condition. Her second husband, whom she met in St Louis, worked in advertising, created advertisements that promoted her hair care products. He also suggested that she should go by the name “Madam C.J Walker” to become more recognizable. Time passed and the couple continued to work together to promote her hair care products by giving demonstrations which included her very own formula for pomade. Time continued to pass and profit began to grow allowing Walker to open factories and beauty shops. Relocating the business operations to Indianapolis, the manufacturing companies not only manufactured cosmetics, trained sales beauticians, but also gained profits that were equivalent to several millions of dollars. Walker organized clubs and conventions that promoted her philanthropic and educational efforts among African-Americans allowing her to become the first black african american female millionaire.

In the 19th century, there were three female pioneers who was known as human computers that calculated numbers and solved complicated equations with the use of adding machines and pencils that helped to launch rockets and astronauts into space. These female problem solvers had the brightest minds of their generations. Due to Jim Crow and segregation laws these women were refused demoted from teaching positions and remained separated from their counterparts. These overlooked mathematicians was provided a chance to prove themselves and their skills after the labor shortage following World War II. Despite working a six-day work schedule fulfilling demanding tasks, these women were still expected to live by the norms of society, such as being a good wife and mother. In 1935, an Executive Order 8802, issued by President Roosevelt Franklin, was implemented ending discrimination because of race, creed, color, or national orgin. Gender wasn’t included in that Executive Order. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the Langley Campus began to recruit women of color that were degree holders. While theses math whizzes performed the same job functions and maintained the same level of education as their counterparts, these women were forced to retake some of their college courses, were still overlooked for promotions and treated differently, having to use different restrooms and break rooms. Hidden Figures tells the American Dream and the untold story of these group of black mathematicians who helped John Glenn orbit earth and Neil Armstrong to walk on the moon to win the space race. According to Popular Mechanics, Jackson, one of from their counterparts. One of the main characters in the movie, was asked if she wanted to be an engineer if she was white and her response was “I wouldn’t have to want. I would already be one.” John Glenn didn’t trust the work of the computer alone. He requested that Johnson check the numbers and if the numbers were correct he were ready. The mission was a success. Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson were all considered Hidden Figures and became notable.

I’m positive everybody remembers the flick lean on me that was depicted to be based on a true story. Joe Clark takes the role of being a principal of a troubled high school with the intent to lift the schools overall performance. He set disciplinary actions into place to assist improve the school’s performance from banning students that were troubled academically from being involved in any extra -curricular activities till they improved. It’s’ one character that I needed to bring your attention too which was Kaneesha Carter. Kaneesha Carter was the daughter of young welfare recipient mother who had turned her back on Kannesha Carter inflicting Kannesha to face life on her own as a child. Kanessha cried to Clark for help and support and Clark did all he could to assist Mrs. Carter and young Kaneesha. Clark seemed to have had the student’s best interest at heart despite the backlash he received.

Maggie Anderson is a woman who wears many hats outside of being a wife and mother. She’s an author, activist, and expert. She and her family is internationally known for the EE, or Empowerment Experiment Movement. She alongside the support of her husband and two young daughters decided to experiment and watch how they spend their money. They vowed to only patronize with black owned businesses. The time span of this experiment was a year long and in their experiment they realized that the power of a black dollar and how patronizing with black owned businesses could strengthen the black community. They drove hours and miles to find the basic household necessities such as food, shoes and clothes, etc. In the conclusion of their experiment they provided their results to institutes such as Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where her husband John obtained his degree in finance. With the data collected, they were able to prove that millions of jobs could be created that could reduce crime rates, unemployment, and possibly increase educational literacy within the black african american culture. Maggie and her family has won many endorsements, prizes, and gained national recognition but the Anderson family also received many threats by conducting this experiment. She and her family continues to tour the country to present this opportunity and share the results in hopes this study has revealed would inspire others and rescue the struggling communities. I had the opportunity of her her speak back in 2017 when I was nominated for an award in the Best In Black awards show hosted every year by the TRI-State Defender here in Memphis. She was a humble young lady and I most definitely learned a lot from her and her experiment.

Then there is this now thirty-five year old african-american female who dropped out of high school in the twelfth grade, to help support her mom to raise her and her four siblings, with needing only two credit hours and the passing of the TCAP test. She decided to go back to school and obtain her high school diploma from Messick Adult Center in 2007. Upon dropping out of high school she felt that all odds were against because she didn’t have the proper education her while only working fast food jobs to sustain. She has since started her own small business and is the senior district tax practitioner at a local tax office providing tax support to individuals and small business owners, helping them to know and understand their business financial health. The road hasn’t been a smooth road for her especially receiving little to no support at all with raising two black african american boys, though she refuses to give up.

All of the ladies mentioned above share something in common. They proved that despite the issues that they were faced with, they were determined to succeed. Even though men are natural born leaders and we know a lot of successful men, but this world would be nothing without a woman. Women should be given a fair chance. Education, gender inequality, lack of support, and other barriers including funding for those that are inspired and maybe even forced to start their own business are just a few challenges women face. Statistics show that most women are just as qualified as men but for some reason women are overlooked, still receiving less wages than men and their counterparts, and even lack the support they need to thrive. Women, especially black african american women have higher education than then men and their counterparts, some may have more responsibilities but they are also proven to great nurturing, empathetic leaders that can wear many hats. Men would never be the same as women and vice versa but the issue is about equal rights and access to equal opportunities. Men fear that women may gain power, influence, authority, and control and weven economic opportunities. Many people believe that feminists wants to control to put men down, that’s not true for some. Women dream big, can handle crisis situations better than men, and is known to be motivated by challenges. Women were denied education, lack of support, and faced gender inequality that prevented opportunities. Women’s right movement in 1960 and 70’s became a diverse social movement that sought to create equal opportunities and freedom for women.

Works Cited

1. http://nebula.wsimg.com
2. https://www.archives.gov
3. https://www.smithsonianmag.com
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fW5Z2z6pXM
5. https://www.pewsocialtrends.org
6. https://www.songfacts.com/

The Victorian era took place between the dates of 1873 and 1901, it was called such because this is when Queen Victoria herself was in power. So, it seems rather fitting to think about the perceptions of the ideal woman during this time, when a woman herself was the one at the head of the monarchy. To be a woman in Victorian Britain, how were they supposed to act, think, dress? Well, there were ideals of such, how society wished women to behave, what ‘jobs’ they were supposed to do which were supposedly very different to men. Even though there was a Queen, it was men that were all in power within the government and thus largely in charge of the rules and regulations of general society. Governing how a woman was supposed to be through their rights and regulations within the law of which the Queen seemed largely ok with. Not only this, but many books and articles within newspapers portrayed the ideal woman so people within the media and the more general public also gave their input as to what the ideal woman of the Victorian era was. Although, as could be imagined there were going to be some contradictions of what this was as the perception of one can vary to the next, some ‘rebels’ to certain aspects or ideas and others who may just go along with society. What must be considered is that ‘the ideal woman’ may vary slightly anyway due to the different classes within Victorian society as what one class is expected to do may differ to the next.

Was there an ideal woman within society that others could aspire to be like based of the norms of what was wanted at the time. It can be thought that Queen Victoria herself was something of that, she was a mother to nine children by her husband Albert. Through this she portrayed the ideas of domestic morality and solidarity of marriage as she focused more on being a mother, a wife, and supporting her family. This is amplified even more so as in 1861 when prince Albert died, instead of continuing to partake in her civic duties as Queen she put wife and motherhood first by staying in her home with her children in mourning.[footnoteRef:1] It could be said that this ‘event’ was one that effected Queen Victoria most in her lifetime of reigning as in a letter to the king of Prussia she wrote “For me, life came to an end on14 December. My life was dependent on his, I had no thoughts except him; my whole striving was to please him, to be less unworthy of him!”[footnoteRef:2], if this is not a devoted wife, I do not know what is. Based on religious teachings at the time, one of the main goals to be achieved was procreation which needed to happen in wedlock. Victoria did this many times and became a symbol of ideal womanliness, which as the Queen, others should follow in her footsteps even more so. To be a mother was one of the ideals of the Victorian woman, which the Queen demonstrated well, but this did not stop to that of her own children, she became known as ‘the mother of the nation’. She also used her position to act to keep other women in their place as “The Queen is most anxious to enlist every one who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of ‘Woman’s Rights’, with all its attendant horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feeling and propriety.”[footnoteRef:3] She wished to keep women in at their post as God made man and women different and they should stay that way in their own positions, it made her quite mad.[footnoteRef:4] How the Queen is acting could further emphasise of how other women ideally should be inferior and allowing men to make the important decisions and they should encourage other women to be this way also. Although, Victoria becoming Queen, as a woman and at the age of 18 in 1873 was quite abnormal. Yes, there had been Queens before but compared to kings it was still in the minority and still strange. Why? A queen, the head of the monarchy, the one in charge of all her subjects would be superior to all, these subjects included men. When traditionally women were inferior to men in every way, women were the weaker sex. So maybe, Victoria at least not in every aspect, could not be the idea woman based off perception at the time, but in many ways she was. [1: H. Rappaport, Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert and the Death That Changed the Monarchy (London, 2011), pp. 9-10] [2: Queen Victoria, Letter to King of Prussia, 4 February 1862.] [3: Queen Victoria, Letter to Theodore Martin, 29 May 1870.] [4: D, Gange, The Victorians: A Beginners Guide (London, 2016), p. 169.]

One prominent idea of what was ideal in a woman, was knowing her place as leading on from the last paragraph, especially in that of comparison to a man. Men like John Ruskin, Herbert Spencer and others, social academics of the time and before pushed the ideas forward that women were generally to stay at home and deal with any and every aspect that occurred in the home the domestic sphere which was enough to fulfil their needs whereas men were the working force who bought income into the family household from the perilous public sphere.[footnoteRef:5] Just before this time period in the 1960’s Darwin put forward his theory of ‘survival of the fittest’, which evidently also put men above women in terms of evolution as well. This helped with creating the idea of separate spheres, where woman would spend her time in the private home sphere and men in the public working sphere, the latter most definitely being the harder of the two. Which is why they were separated so because women’s bodies were too fragile to perform such tasks in the public sphere. In John Stuart Mill’s book he mentions how it is reasonable to think in this way as difference in physical strength between the sexes hugely favours the men even if the women may have better character because of the physical difference men must be superior.[footnoteRef:6] Seemingly, society was like this to protect women, the men were doing the hard work to keep them safe, when women were being oppressed and controlled, Victorian writers largely agreed how a man was to be a woman’s protector because of his strength, however he was also to control her for the same reason.[footnoteRef:7] Although the domestic sphere may not have been as dangerous there was still plenty of hard work to be done for their ‘fragile’ bodies to endure. For how men and women are so different it would only seem right for them to be in separate spheres, Ruskin wrote “The man’s power is active, progressive, defensive. He is eminently the doer, the creator, the discoverer, the defender. His intellect is for speculation and invention; his energy for adventure, for war, and for conquest, wherever war is just, wherever conquest necessary. But the woman’s power is for rule, not for battle–and her intellect is not for invention or creation, but for sweet ordering, arrangement and decision. She sees the qualities of things, their claims, and their places. Her great function is Praise…”[footnoteRef:8] They are two very different beings, who work in very different ways and thus should partake in different aspects of life. The man does all the hard work and the women is there to look after and praise him at the end of a hard day’s work. So, the ideal woman was to graciously accept her inferiority to man having little to no rights and to make his home life easier within the domestic sphere as seen in the ‘Woman’s Rights’ ephemera card.[footnoteRef:9] [5: L, Pykett, The ‘Improper’ Feminine: The Women’s Sensation Novel and the New Woman Writing (New York, 1992), pp. 12-14.] [6: J. Mill, The Subjection of Women, Volume 1 (London, 1869), p. 156.] [7: K. Millet ‘The Debate Over Women: Ruskin vs. Mill’ in M. Vicinus (ed.), Suffer and Be Still: Women in the Victorian Age (London, 1972), pp. 121-139.] [8: J. Ruskin, Sesame and Lilies (London, 1865), p. 77.] [9: MCMR, ephemera of ‘Woman’s Rights’ held by the British Library n.d. ]

Thinking of the domestic sphere, which was the home this is what gave women their purpose. The ideal woman should be proud of their moral duty which contributed towards society not only their families as a husband with a happy home life would most likely thrive in the public sphere of society. This was considered the ideal woman’s ‘job’ to server her family and husband within the household.[footnoteRef:10] A good example of would be Mrs. Francis Goodby, wife of Reverend J. Goodby when he wrote her obituary it said “… her ardent and unceasing flow of spirits, extreme activity and diligence, her punctuality, uprightness and remarkable frugality, combined with a firm reliance on God … carried her through the severest times of pressure, both with credit and respectability …”[footnoteRef:11] She seemed to be quite the ideal woman, but it is not known what she thought of her life herself. Lynn Abrams also said “it was said at her death that she carried out her duties as a mistress of a small family with ‘piety, patience, frugality and industry’”[footnoteRef:12] It also shows her as a strong woman in terms of morality who was able and busy as she had to do all kinds of strenuous tasks about the household, unlike the thoughts that women were weak. Even with a lesser income than those in the class above she was an example for all showing devotion to her husband and to God, from the descriptions she seemingly and willingly accepted her position in society which others within all classes should as well. Many did so, but of course there were those who did not, and could not accept a life like this. Florence Nightingale herself was one, writing so in an unpublished piece of work yet she did many great things herself changing history which may have not been the ideal woman in Victorians eyes but surely helped greatly.[footnoteRef:13] Isabella Beeton wrote that women at some point would need to care for the sick for a period of time within their household, whether it be children, elderly or the help and thus should know how to do so beforehand, even with the possibility of hiring a nurse they would oppose as they felt it was their moral duty within this domestic sphere.[footnoteRef:14] Although technically in the wrong place being outside of the home, Florence did plenty of caring for the sick going above and beyond. So, another idea of the Victorian woman was that to have enough knowledge to care for those within her house. [10: N. Kurtz, ‘Lauran Lyons: Hounded by Victorian Ideals’ in R. Haile and T. Bower, Villains, Victims and Violence (Irvine, 2019), pp. 13-18.] [11: J. Goodby, The General Baptist Repository and Missionary Observer, 1840] [12: L. Abrams, Ideals of Womanhood in Victorian Britain (Scotland, 2001), pp. 1-2.] [13: L. McDonald (ed.), Collected Works of Florence Nightingale: Women vol. 8 (Canada, 2005), pp. 34-35.] [14: I. Beeton, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management (London, 1907), pp. 121-130.]

As well as being a general domestic goddess within the house it was also up to the ideal to manage the household, combined if done well the woman may become known as ‘the angel in the house’. This phrase came from a poem written by Coventry Patmore which was about his perfect wife, Emily he wrote this poem based off what he knew as the perfect husband-wife partnership.[footnoteRef:15]Originally the phrase was related solely with middle-class women but thanks to Queen Victoria the ‘mother of the nation’ and an exemplary example of a loving and moral wife the phrase became the ideal for all classes of women.[footnoteRef:16] Women were meant to have no power for herself and exist solely for helping and pleasing others as a domesticated wife and mother, this was normal and good. Described as “an angel, submerging herself in family, existing only as mother, daughter and wife”.[footnoteRef:17] Another ideal about women that is gained from this notion is that to truly achieve she must be married, which goes hand in hand with the religious teachings at the time, thus was the norm.[footnoteRef:18] It could also be thought of as a way of keeping the woman within the domestic sphere, where she ideally should be; being patient, modest and self-sacrificing.[footnoteRef:19] Describing the ideal woman was also in magazines such as Family Visitor, “She is the architect of home, and it depends on her skill, her foresight, her soft arranging touches”[footnoteRef:20] Isabella Beeton’s book also detailed how women were to be good household managers, to provide the best interiors within their domestic spheres for the comfort of the man, as well as good wives, the fact this book remained a bestseller for over half a century after its publication emphasised the importance people placed on it as what a woman was to be like. The tasks they needed to be able to do included physical labour such as fetching water, washing and ironing bedsheets and clothes, repairing and making clothes and hemming thus needing to be good with a needle. Or, if they had a bit of money the recent invention was that of the sewing machine which was a great help. Also, near the end of the century readymade clothes became available to buy, however they still needed to make the underclothes. The notion that Victorian women were idle was a myth, as for the most part there was plenty to do within the household and in preparing herself fashion wise. [15: C. Patmore, The Angel in the House (London, 1858)] [16: L. Abrams, The Making of Modern Women: Europe 1789-1918 (New York, 2002), p. 102.] [17: N. Auerbach, Woman and the Demon: The Life of a Victorian Myth (London, 1982), p. 4.] [18: Abrams, The Making of Modern Women, pp. 88-89.] [19: ibid p. 40] [20: S. Barczewski at al. Britain since 1688: A Nation in the World (London, 2014), pp. 135-136.]

Gender differences provided the roles in which women and men were to have. Thus, this so called ‘ideal woman’ of the Victorian period was heavily influenced by what she could and could not do, such as the need to stay within the domestic sphere, to look after those within the home and the home itself.[footnoteRef:21] Not to venture out into the public sphere as for the most part this was off limits, it was a man’s world, and if she did so then was, she not failing as ‘the ideal woman’.[footnoteRef:22] To be the ideal Victorian women she must know her place as being inferior to men, have high morality, a dedicated mother and wife who’s family was everything, valued more than herself, an ‘angel in the house’ thus pure. Once again emphasising the need to stay in the house and many other ‘ideals’ for the woman. Although the Victorians are somewhat contradicting themselves as an ‘angel’ is perfect and what sort of human can achieve such a status? Not one, but maybe this was the point in the male dominated governance of Victorian Britain to keep women oppressed and beneath them as they could not even fulfil their own roles properly. The idea of such perfect femininity is almost completely unreachable and maybe the ‘ideal woman’ is just something women can hope to work towards but never in fact achieve. [21: L. Loeb, Consuming Angels: Advertising and Victorian Women (New York, 1994), pp. 201.] [22: Auerbach, Woman and the Demon: The Life of a Victorian Myth, p. 9.]

The status of females alludes to her situation in the system of societal role structures, benefits, rights and obligations. It alludes to her privileges and obligations in family and public activity. The value of development can be decided by the spot given to females in the general public. It is mainly believed that condition of advancement of a general public can be decided from the status a lady possesses in it. A lady plays out various roles in the family, network and the more extensive social framework. Her status in the general public is dictated by her composite status relying on her different positions and roles. To a degree, it additionally relies on her cognizance of her own status. In the last investigation, the status is ‘the combination of positions a lady involves as a laborer, student, spouse, mother the force and eminence joined to these positions and the rights and obligations she is relied upon to work out’. The status of a female can best be estimated by the degree of control that she has over her own life, got from access to information, monetary assets and political force and the level of independence appreciated by her during the time spent dynamic and decision at urgent focuses in the existence cycle. In like manner, a female’s status in the societal eye is to be investigated as far as her cooperation in dynamic and her entrance to circumstances in instruction, preparing, work and salary just as her capacity to control the number and separating of her kids. The role that a general public relegates to lady, all things considered, decides the degree and level of her support in the social, financial, social and political procedures which thus shapes the segment representation of a country. Gender equality and equity is a most debatable notion among past few decades. It doesn’t impact a societal status of any individual but additionally it also influence to the religious or spiritual aspects. Gender roles are traditional and peculiar. They discern how men and women should speak, dress, think and interrelate within the perspective of civilization. Seeking guidance and learning plays a vital role in the development of determining gender roles.

Women in the Indian culture involve a low status. They have been victimized in varying backgrounds, emphasizing social, monetary and social disparities. The sex-based separation denies them of activity and happiness regarding human rights and basic opportunities in all circles of life. The status of a lady in a general public shows the social, social, religious and political situation of that society. The situation of the lady has passed numerous stages. It gets obvious in the wake of contemplating the key lessons of various otherworldly conventions that various religions agreed high status to the lady. The role of females in Sikhism is sketched out in the Sikh sacred writings, which express that females are equivalent to men. The standards of Sikhism express that females have indistinguishable spirits from men and in this way have an equivalent option to develop their otherworldliness with equivalent odds of accomplishing salvation. Lady can take an interest in all religious, social, social, and mainstream exercises including lead religious assemblies, perform Kirtan (congregational singing of psalms), and work as a Granthis. Therefore, Sikhism was among the primary significant world religions to propose that females are equivalent to men. ‘Guru Nanak announced the uniformity of people, and both he and the Gurus that succeeded him urged people to take a full part in all the exercises of Sikh love and practice.’ Sikh history has recorded the role of females, depicting them as equivalents to men in administration, dedication, bravery and sacrifice. Instances of females’ ethical respect, administration, and selflessness can be found all through the Sikh custom.

(Kaur, 2014), Initially in Vedic Era, status of females in Indian culture was not respectable. Sacred scriptures in two of them either East or West apparently denounce, even criticize, and having inadequate treatment with females. Guru Nanak founded Sikhism, the foremost religion to support vigorously the equivalence of all individuals, especially females. Next to the timespan of Guru Nanak, Indian womanhood were harshly dishonored and persecuted by their civilization. Disinclined towards learning or liberty to make verdicts, their existence in spiritual, administrative, societal, traditional and financial affairs was nearly inexistent. Guru Nanak criticized this human-made perception of the people. He stated that women are the one who contributes in a society by giving birth to gentleman, she is the one who creates the kings and other superior men. In absence of her man is inadequate. Hence we shall not call her ruthless and evil personality.

Sikhism made an extreme takeoff from Hinduism by crushing the unfair boundaries that the Hindu society had raised among man and man, and among man and lady. The Sikh Gurus set out the establishments of a solid, populist and dynamic social request. They pushed the standards of all inclusive balance and fraternity as the main genuine premise of social relations. The Sikh idea of correspondence rose above the thin contemplations of rank, statement of faith, clime, sex and shading. The Sikh Gurus held lady equivalent to man in each field of life. They argued for equivalent rights and benefits for her, both in religious and socio-political fields. Sikhism doesn’t suspend lady from accomplishing salvation. She can understand the most noteworthy religious objective while staying a lady. There is no requirement for her to initially accept birth as a man to accomplish mukti. A lady isn’t suspended from perusing the Scripture. She can go about as a cleric, direct the administration, and lead a petition in the gurdwara. She can join any gathering with no restraint and limitation. She doesn’t need to cover herself while sitting in an assembly. She can get just as grant absolution. She appreciates equivalent sacred rights.

Guru Amar Das even allocated to females the obligation of directing the network in specific divisions. They were contributed with the workplace of minister boat and preacher work. Mata Sahib Kaur, spouse of Guru Gobind Singh, partook in the arrangement of amrit by pouring sugar precious stones in it which was regulated to the Five Beloved Ones at the hour of the development of Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh. Essentially, females were put with equivalent rights in the social and political fields. Mata Kheevi was held in high regard for her devotion to social work. Mata Gujri, Mata Sahib Kaur, Mai Bhago, Mai Sada Kaur, Maharani Jind Kaur and Maharani Sahib Kaur took an interest in political and war undertakings of the Sikhs. Some of them accepted the role of a contender for dharam yudh and battled against adversary powers. The Sikh history records with appreciation the heroic deeds performed by these valiant Sikh females. It was the effect of the populist Sikh encouraging that these females could go to the fore and separate themselves. With this declaration, the Sikh Experts and Gurus requested females to participate in sangat (audience worshipping), serve with males in langer and contribute together in every spiritual, societal, and traditional doings of gurdwaras. In Feudal Indian society for the duration of the Sikh Guru Time span, the instructions and learnings of Gurus transformed the societal construction. It is an influence of Sikhism through which woman are able to recover her lost credit and position not only within the walls of her house but also in every walk of life. This religion has excluded all Anti-feminist concepts and idolized the family and personal life by granting new denotation to the foundation of matrimonial.

Sikhism has raised the position of female at equivalence with male. Both males and females contributed in communicating and expressing the essential Sikh institutes of the sevā (volunteer labor), the sanget (assemble for worship together) and langar (communal meal). They mutually recite and listen sacred hymns. Altogether they shaped a self-governing and an independent congregation even in absence of priests. The change the Sikh Gurus got lady’s status was really progressive. The idea of uniformity of lady with man not just gave lady her very own character yet would in general free her from a wide range of shackles to which she was bound in the Hindu society. Sentenced to an existence of wretchedness and corruption and denied of every social benefit and rights, she had until now come to build up a submissive attitude. This combined with social limitations had completely murdered her drive and confined her versatility. She had become into a sluggish individual and wore a woeful sight. It was in this setting Guru Nanak, the author of the Sikh confidence, raised his voice for equity to females and gave the scriptural premise to fairness which was not to be found in the sacred texts of other India conceived religions. He argued the reason for females and took a stab at their freedom in the fifteenth century though females’ liberation development in Europe began a lot later, in the eighteenth and the nineteenth hundreds of years. During a time when the mediocrity of females was underestimated and female infanticide and the traditions of purdah and sati were generally drilled, the Guru took a stand in opposition to them in a voice of reason and mental stability. As the Sikh faith developed, his dissent became stronger and it crushed individually all hundreds of years old incapacities against lady.

Sikhism didn’t refuse females from achieving redemption. She can comprehend the uppermost sacred aim while enduring a woman. Hence it is not essential for her to take birth as male initially to achieve mukti. Woman are considered as an other half of their spouses. The essential viewpoint of this relation is true love, and nothing else. It is an indestructible mystical combination. The basis of marriage are not merely a physical union but an eternal true love. The young girls were likewise urged to get training. Child marriage was disheartened and the act of female child murder seriously prohibited. It latterly got significant importance that even it became a part of Sikhism faith. The vow necessitates that Sikhs won’t practice female child murder or have any affiliation whatsoever with the individuals who practice it, won’t take liquor, tabacoo and different medications, and won’t wed their little girls for money related addition. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, solidly embraced the rule of human uniformity in varying backgrounds at the hour of regulating amrit to his devotees. Guru’s submersion was and is available to all. A Sikh can’t be known as a Sikh in the event that he separates between a high and a low or between a man and a lady.

As indicated by the essential precepts of Sikh religion, a lady has full opportunity for love, training and role. She may work in a field or a production line or go to a combat zone as a warrior. There are no hurdles in her manner. Further, not exclusively are there no biases in Sikhism against females taking part in profitable work, it is made compulsory for all people, the two people, to participate in beneficial and gainful movement and contribute something for the open weal. In Sikhism, a lady isn’t viewed as a malevolent who leads man off track. Nor is she respected a snag in the acknowledgment of the otherworldly beliefs. Sikhism is a householder’s religion for man and lady the same. The Sikh Guru regarded the organization of marriage and unequivocally impugned parsimony. To sum of the extent, Sikhism completely perceives the valuable pretended by lady. She isn’t an abhorrent or a temptress, yet the mother of humankind. Guru Nanak’s was the principal voice raised against separation sustained on the quiet and accommodating lady. Sikhims attempted to make components of a new and energetic life by giving due acknowledgment to the productive and significant pretended by her in the general public

There are differences between the health of man and woman. Males have high death rates at all ages and have more serious illness conditions compared to females. Women are more likely to visit the health professional, than men. These differences because biological and environmental factors.

Men and women do not face the same biological risk. Women are more resistant to a range of conditions. Also, in the behavioral pattern they are different.

Role of Health Behavior

I have heard a lot of perceptions on how woman possess a smaller stomach hence they are unable to eat as much as a man. Although this may be a common perception, I have seen exceptions in both gender areas. As the given example in the textbook states “Men eat more meat, fat, and salt and less fiber, fruit, and vegetables than women and are more likely to smoke and show higher levels of alcohol and drug use.” (Ogden, 2017) Some reason I find that woman don’t follow this routine is that they have a tendency to watch their weight. Although not a necessary thing to do, woman are subjected to keeping an ideal image more than men even though the levels are coming equally now. Even for the intake of alcohol, men are considered more capable of holding their alcohol, smoking etc. It basically depends on the social status you are giving yourself.

Risk-Taking Behaviors

The caption itself gives the idea about how risk-taking behavior is sometimes gender based. Men are considered more capable of taking risks, doing heavy activities etc. whereas a woman is subjected to staying comfortable doing soft work. An example from textbook states “Men also have more sexual partners than women, are more likely to take part in high-risk sports and leisure activities such as rugby, snowboarding, sky diving, bungee jumping, and rally driving”. (Ogden, 2017) It’s a completely bogus interpretation. Today, woman are doing works that more than capable of even men doing. Men are also subjected to this discrimination as gender equality still ceases to exist completely. In India, a place where after the age of 21, a woman is married off as they are considered born for the duty of bearing kids, several women like Indira Gandhi, Kalpana Chawla, Mary Kom etc. have made a huge difference.

Social Norms

Basically, they are a set of predestined rules that we everyone has to follow if we grow up inside that community. A lot of conflicts arise due to these rules and regulations. As a girl, I was never allowed to leave the house without having a guardian to look after me. It is taught that a girl wouldn’t be able to look out for herself whereas a boy child is able to stay out till anytime they want as they are able to fend for themselves. During the menstruation period, the girl/woman is shunned into a room for 4 days. They considered them as carrying an illness and have to make them wait out to get healthy. Gender stereotypes can lead to prejudice and discrimination based on a perceived incongruency between gender stereotypes and role requirements, and prescriptive stereotypes can also produce prejudice if individuals violate gender norms (e.g., Burgess and Borgida, 1999; Heilman, 2001; Eagly and Karau, 2002). (Koenig, 2018)

Help-Seeking Behavior

As said in the readings, a male is considered to be tough and handle any kind of situation whereas a woman is considered to have a soft mindset hence they require more support. (Ogden, 2017) What they don’t realize is that as a human, a person’s gender does not determine their strength rather it depends on their strength of mind. Such beliefs affect the children psychologically by creating a sense of fear of the outer world. Self-confidence wavers and one might never be able to stand up for themselves in the future. Even if it is a physical illness or mental illness, one should be considered and treated equally.

My best bet on this is the role of health behavior and to an extent help-seeking behavior. Longevity of life depends on how you maintain your health regardless of your gender. The routine you follow, the care you give to yourself is the biggest contribution you can give to your body. I feel the time has gone where we can differentiate between males and females regarding these aspects. There are chemical aspects that make a difference, but the social statuses are changing day by day and we are attaining an equal gender-based world. We have come a long way but we still need to work on them

References

1. Ogden, J. (2017). The psychology of health and illness: An open access course. The psychology of health illness.
2. Koenig, A. M. (2018, June 26). Comparing Prescriptive and Descriptive Gender Stereotypes About Children, Adults, and the Elderly. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6028777/

Diminishing women in society. Whether it is on international news or golden age television, there are multiple times where this has been challenged. Through contemporary film the roles of women has been challenged and diverse through placement in society and between historical period settings. In the past, women have been projected on the screen through negative eyes, and poor stereotypes. Women’s roles in films are going from manipulative deceitful murders to the traditional maternal protector role of mothers. In films, roles are given to those with a higher status, through time the highest role a female could receive was a co-star or even a side-kick along side a male, take Legally blonde for an example, Elle had to practically bow down to Warner, she had to be obedient and follow his lead. This idea of an unprejudiced free-spoken women has been challenged through all forms of the societal values in its time through film throughout history. There are just as many white American men as there are women. For many years, Shakespeare has been challenging the roles of gender in society, the age of Shakespeare has been characterised by an overpowering liability for women in society to be frowned upon as the lesser gender. In the time, women were predicted to be submissive, to take orders from the men, to be obedient but also silent, to be seen and not heard.

The domineering and adjusting powers of the pre existing male controlled cultural system has constructed, advanced and immortalised the idea of this earlier discussed ideal female dominance. Regardless of the suggested modern advancements in gender equality, necessarily, it must be understood that this account of passive women hood is romanticised simply as it upgrades a more achievable version of woman for male dominance. It seems absurd that, however, that resigned femininity, is so thoroughly advanced within 20th century visual culture, publicly focusing upon beauty which characterise the Hitchcock Blonde, while apparently choosing to sacrifice the consideration of what these classical representations actually announce. There is a steady reappearance of this sort of dress-up within advertising and film. Helping only as a fixed concerning dialogue of its appeal, apparently disregarding the fact, the idea that this also dresses up the ideology that is expressed in films as well as the style and the environment. In heart, this collage of images of woman, have been promoted in the contemporary times, seems extremely relapsing, they all can naturally report a time that woman are constantly pictured as submissive and fall at the feet of man, being infected by the soft charm of woman. At length distressed and cornered within their comfort, at a time when woman are only depicted and defined as a sexual object, a sexual relation for man to use at their disposal, a housewife, a mother to their child, but to never be defined by themselves, by their own actions in society. These stereotypes are often demoralised and the film industry sees woman as a lesser gender and through the 20th century and the 19th century there are more examples of this being the case, that women are expected to fall at the feet of men. Marvel is a prime example of this being the case. Marvel’s new movie, Captain Marvel is a perfect example that proves women from the 19th century compared to the 20th century, either have power over men or are equal.

This complete contrast of men in films has been portrayed by the male figure in films over contemporary times, as taken from the early years of the film business and industry, comparing it to today in the 20th century, there has been a great variation to gender representations. Society has shifted a lot from the older films to the environment we live, the 20th century, which women are seen as equals. This has been less noticeable through a more liberated time for women in the film business, which has been pre-dated in comparison to females position is society. Yet this is not a proper formal representation of the social realm and realism of the historical and present times we live in. When society compares this with the representations of male in film, its been highly noticeable. Men’s role in films come from the stereotype that men are of a higher power and role its quite stable and steady. Which includes examples from past films where the male roles are constantly being thrust into the front where the representation of men is seen to have leadership qualities. In the 20th century, there exists a regular agreement that gender disproportion is the past, it has been a huge problem of the past, of the long erased age.

Reality remains that, the progression has certainly made a positive outlook for woman and femininity under the government and film industries, especially under the patriarchy. Over the years, the progress for better roles and equality for female, have been gravely overvalued by film industry, business. Allowing the pretence of identity and emotional displays of gender equality in work environment, permitting this belief in sizable developments. Using an example, which seems woman may now have a better more substantial position amongst the workforce, the fact still remains that, behind all those footers, news titles, headers and head lines the issue remains, near the equality of participation, the major differences in the pay of women and the employment conditions, compared to men in the film industry. Eventually featuring the fragments of this entrenched belief in a gender pecking order, of apathy and authority.

Why can’t a woman be president? Is it because they are not strong enough, or intelligent enough to rule a country? It has always been argued that women are not strong enough or smart enough to do certain jobs to accomplish and succeed. Women are no less intelligent than men and it should go without saying that women are capable of doing anything let alone holding a spot in the political system. In most countries, we don’t see a woman president because people have this convoluted ideology that women are not strong enough as men. Even though there are some obstacles, it is possible for a female to take a role in the political system. The United States is one of the countries that had never had a female president. There are countries that have female leaders such as Liberia, Germany, and Brazil. Most of these women presidents are the first women to be elected and they serve for more than one term. There is no reason that a woman can’t be president. In these 21st centuries, it is highly possible to have a women president even though there are visible obstacles that prevent it from happening in a ubiquitous trend, therefore, we need to educate the illiterate public about the issue.

The main obstacles female face before holding political office can range from the public’s perspective to financial problems when running for office. The general public is not relatively educated enough to realize that women can do the same office job as a man which frames an implicit rejection when women run for office. This gender inequality is not only in politics but also in business. In the article, “Women and Leadership” the authors mentioned that in 1995 there were no women serving as CEOs companies but now about five percent of fortune 500 companies have female CEOs.”(PEW.) This shows people attitude toward women is changing gradually. Having a female leader will change the people’s point of view about a woman because in many societies women are considered minority group or women are not expected to perform as well as a man does. The main campaign donors these days are conservative and don’t want to allow more women in office.

The possibility of females in the office is explicitly being expressed in our world and females’ performance has been equivalent if not better to their male counterparts. It is becoming more frequent than before for a woman to participate in the political system these days. There are more countries now than there were decades ago that have a female leader. Liberian president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was the world’s first elected black female president and Africa’s first elected female head of state. For her dedication to women’s rights and strategic peace-building initiatives, she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. (Ward ). Kent mentions, “According to United Nations data, “there are currently 18 female world leaders, including 12 female heads of government and 11 elected female heads of state (some leaders are both, and figurehead monarchs are not included). Half of them are the first women to hold their country’s highest office.” (Kent, Lauren). As we can see, our world is taking baby steps in letting women into political positions but we need to work towards equality as far as the male-dominant political system is concerned. Moreover, the author stated that Southeast Asia and South America have been more willing to have female leadership which should be a wake-up call to the most developed countries like the United States.

We can overcome the obstacles that are preventing women from holding office by showing the public how other female presidents have done and encouraged women who have a desire to run for office. For example, before President Barack Obama was elected, no one expected the United States to have a black president but to our surprise, he took office and did a great job in running the country. This shows us that unless we give women a chance, we wouldn’t know what their actual performance will be. In the article, “The Hidden Talents Of Wildly Successful Women” by Emma Gray, she stated that a former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice began playing piano at an early age; she even majored in music at the University of Denver. This shows that if we let women choose whatever they want to do and even encourage it, they would turn out to be and do anything they desire.

Women are just as capable of taking over the white house as men are. They are equally as smart, intelligent, and strong as men. The Countries that are currently being led by a woman are flourishing and succeeding in so many ways. These women-led Countries are just a small glimpse of what women are capable of doing to strengthen their Countries as well as their communities. Having a woman as a president will show that the United States is ready to move forward and pave a way for woman’s voices to be heard. Furthermore, having a woman president shows how far the world has come when it comes to gender equality. It is so crucial especially in this day and age to let the woman know that they too have a voice and their voice is important. Having a woman as a president will let every little girl know in the world that she matters and her opinion and voice matters as well. There is a woman all over the world who have the education and mindset to make a change and reform the Country. It should be noted that there are women around the world waiting to showcase what they are capable of bringing to the table and how they can make a change to better the world. It is time for the world to step up in faith and allow a woman to have the opportunity to be a president.

In the first episode of season one in the Netflix series, Good Girls, the central themes of crime and female empowerment are represented. The show is a feminist crime drama about three independent women Beth, her sister Annie and their best friend Ruby, who take part in illegal activities to gain financial safety, in desperation to support their families. The show presents women in Detroit dealing with real relatable situations. Beth is a perfect housewife and mother who cares for her four children like no other, but her cheating husband has put their whole family in financial debt. Her little sister, Annie is a single mother, who is caught up in a custody case with her ex, who wants full rights over her child. Lastly, Ruby is a mother of two married to a policeman, but unfortunately can’t afford to pay for her daughter’s drugs and medical bills, as she is very ill and on a waiting list for a kidney transplant. In episode one of the show, Annie suggests that they rob “Fine and Frugal” the grocery store where she works, under the impression that it will only be a one time thing, and a great opportunity to get rid of all of their life problems at once. Halfway through the pilot, when the women have successfully robbed hundreds and thousands of dollars from the cash vault, they realize they have escaped with way more money than possible. Later on, they find out that the manager of the store has been secretly involved in laundering money to a gang. Throughout the entire show, the three women stick together as they are forced into doing suspicious crimes with a shady gang, in order to not get caught and risk losing everything; their kids, their homes or each other.

In the past recent years, women have usually been exploited on television. Women or females in crime television are so often portrayed as more vulnerable and insecure than males. However, in Good Girls, the three protagonists, appear as fierce, bold and passionate women who would do anything for their families. The crime performed in the pilot is represented as one of the only options to settle all three of their problems at once. It’s their desperation for money that encourages them to proceed with such a robbery. Nonetheless, there is not one moment in the show where the “good girls” are presented or viewed as criminals even though they are guilty of illegal activity that could get them in prison for at least ten years. In fact, it’s almost as if they got the benefit of the doubt, because of their circumstances and intentions. Is it okay to do something illegal when it’s a matter of life or death for your child? If these women are as clever as the series presents them to be, it appears a bit odd and out of character for them to think they could execute a heist without any consequences especially with fake, toy pistols. The fact that they are using fake guns to frighten and threaten people in the store emphasizes the humorous and playful representation of crime in the show. Even at one moment of the heist, Beth momentarily forgets she’s in the middle of a crime and aims to start a conversation with a little girl under the cashier. She asks, “How old are you?” and whether or not she watches Doc Mcstuffins. The girl of course, doesn’t answer as she is tightly holding on to her mother, traumatized. There is nothing foolish about what these women are doing, yet the way Beth gets distracted in such a serious situation, represents the crime in a comedic and amusing way, as if the audience is supposed to laugh.

The series, depicts how real feminism and women empowerment work and should be. Throughout the whole show the three women are always focused on each other’s problems and how they can help each other out to accomplish their goal. A perfect example of this is the official robbing of the grocery store itself. They risk their whole lives getting involved in a crime knowing they are going in it together, therefore they all need to find a way out. However, the show does not portray the relationship amongst these women as a competition. It’s not about who’s problem is more severe than another, but about being there for each other in hard circumstances. In the beginning of the series, the women are represented as powerless, hopeless, and characters who are dominated and play a less significant role in the world than men. This is clear when each of them are no longer in control of their lives. For example; when Annie knows she is going to lose her child because she can’t afford a lawyer to fight against her ex in court. Another example, when Beth realizes her husband has been cheating on her and she is going to lose her home due to his irresponsibility. However, during the heist there is a sudden character development where the rebellious women realize they need to act tougher and take full control of the situation, in order to accomplish it. An example of this is in the scene where the women march into the supermarket asking for the manager. Annie screams, “I need you to get your manager up here.” After looking around the store and not receiving a response or a reaction from anyone she repeats, “I said you need to get a manager up here right now.” Once again, no one responds or moves, giving the audience the assumption that she is acting too soft and not being taken seriously. Beth then immediately arrives to reclaim some power. She screams at the top of her lungs, “I better get a manager up here right now or I will start capping people! Now! Now! Now!” From then on, the manager came forward and they proceeded to the back, to the cash vault. In this moment, we can see the clear change in the way the hostages and the audience view the three women. They are now actually viewed as capable and very determined.

Another example of women being represented as powerful is in the screenshot above, all three of the women are seen wearing ski masks and yellow gloves, while holding fake pistols in their hands. While their faces are identifiable, the way in which they are standing and holding their guns represents their confidence and strength. Their standing up straight, in a pressuring way with Annie slightly in front and Beth and Ruby slightly behind her. Although it isn’t supposed to be intention, the position is meant to intimidate the people inside, to carry out a successful heist.

In 1979, in the middle east, a series of laws were constrained onto women that shaped their role in the country. This marked the beginning of the Islamic Revolution. During this period, the unique daughter of a young couple name Marjane Satrapi, gave an inside story of her family, and everyone arounds the family during the revolution. this revolution is supposed to separate the country from the outside world, furthermore a revolution to save the culture of their beautiful country, named Iran. Marji’s mother, a strong and independent woman, warns her to be careful when walking down the street, that she can’t be rebellious. This shows the constraints many Iranian women lived during this time period. Although the Iranian government oppresses women, Persepolis shows that despite these restrictions there can still be powerful women who push back as seen through Marji and her mother’s rebellion and her grandma playing a role of advisor.

As Perin Gurel in the article of: “Transnational Feminism, Islam, and the Other Woman: How to Teach” mentioned, “to understand the role of women in Persepolis, two word needs to be historize, Feminism, and Islamic.” He continues by giving example of a a few women around the world such as:

The Iranian government forces women to follow certain rules that are oppressive and discriminatory. This is clearly shown in Persepolis, as Marji learns about women and their punishments, for doing things many people on the outside world take for granted. The first example of this is wearing the veil. The veil is an article of clothing that is intended to cover the head and hair to make sure it is not distracting the males. “Then came 1980: The year it became obligatory to wear the veil. We didn’t really like the veil, especially since we didn’t understand why we had to” (Satrapi 3). A man on the TV spoke about women’s hair. “‘Women’s hair emanates rays that excite men. That’s why women should cover their hair? If in fact, it is more civilized to go without the veil, than animals are more civilized than us’” ( Persepolis 74). This shows the way the veil affects young women growing up during the time period of resistance and the veil. Marji had to confront to these obstacles, as were other young girls. This treatment of women became their reality and they must adjust to it. This treatment is the punishment for young girls who are arrested. “‘You know that it’s against the law to kill a virgin, so a guardian of the revolution marries her and takes her virginity before executing her. Do you understand what that means???” (Persepolis 145). This punishment of rape and execution shows the fact that women were seen as a property, something that had a set of laws around, but no actual free will. No choices. Young girls lived in silence for fear that this fate might happen to them. Marji’s mother was simply trying to help her understand the danger she was in, that all young girls are in. These dangers are restrictive, forceful, and cause harm to young women growing up in this Iran. Although these restrictions and Marji’s age, she figured out how to revolt on her own level.

Marjane Satrapi lived her life in Iran as an outspoken young girl who had to be told to be careful. While the Iranian government tried to control women, Marji managed to show her rebellious side and stay alive. When her parents go on a trip to Europe, they brings her presents that was illegal to the regime. as she walks around her town wearing her newly acquired, yet seen as shameful, gifts. She is stopped by two Guardians of the Revolution. “Their job was to put us back on the straight and narrow by explaining the duties of Muslim women. … ‘Lower your scarf, you little whore!” … I got off pretty easy, considering. The Guardians of the Revolution didn’t find my tapes” (133-134). Marji is a rebel through and through. She shows hair on the edges of her veil, wears a Michael Jackson pin, and buys music tapes, which are all illegal. When she get caught she lies her way out of it, with a little bit of luck, as they didn’t find her tapes. Marji rebels with her whole heart, she does not care about the rules or to lie to get out of any situation. She also rebels against the country’s ‘beating the breast’. “Hitting themself is one of the country’s rituals. … After a little while, no one took the torture seriously anymore. As for me, I immediately started making fun of them” (Persepolis 96-97). Marji found it hilarious and chooses to make a joke out of it. This shows exactly who she is and her rebellious side. Marji uses humor to rebel because women were not supposed to be funny. This is her weapons against the rules of her country, and the stereotype of women in the country. Marji had her own personality, mixed with that of her mother’s. Marji is a rebel, but she learns all these things, and more, from her parents, and her grandparents`.

Marji’s mother stands for all women and helps teach her daughter all the rebellion that she can show, while still being safe. Marji’s parents are wondering if they should let their daughter come to a protest. “‘She should start learning to defend her rights as a woman right now!’” This simple quote shows how she is guiding her daughter and teaching her. Marji’s mother may worry and tell her not to rebel at times, but she loves her daughter and wants to keep her safe and let her rebel at the same time. This is a classic mother response. She worries for her daughter but wants her to be strong and fight for what they know is right. Marji’s mother wants to rebel and teach her daughter that she can do the same thing. While there is a fear, she still wants her daughter to know it is the right thing to do. When Marji’s mom bringing presents for Marji mother, she uses her creativity to find a way to transport them without getting caught. “And then my mother had a great idea. ‘Take off your coat.’ She tore out the lining. Then she placed the two posters behind it and then sewed it back in. … ‘Sir, please, do we really look like smugglers?’. (Persepolis 127-129). This exchange shows Marji’s mother’s creativeness and her disregard for the rules and respecting the Customs worker. In fact, she interrupts him and proves that she is a strong woman without a care. She wants to bring back the presents for her daughter by any mean. Marji’s mom really stood up for every woman in her circle, such as her maid, when she found out about the maid son talking about the key to heaven, she asked her maid to bring him in, so she could try to teach him some sense. Also, Marji’s mom kept her door open for everyone during the Iraq war. Marji’s mother is a modern woman with a little rebel fire still burning deep inside her. Rebellion clearly runs in the family and Marji and her mother use their wits and strength to break down the roles of women in Iran.

Marjane’s Grandma plays a model role in Marji life, her number one supporter. she reveals very little about her past. She admits to Marji that life was difficult at times. She reveals that the shah took everything that they owned, and that her husband was often in prison due to his communist beliefs. But she found a way to make things work. She provided for all six of her children, frequently on her own. This shows the strength and fortitude of this woman to be able to succeed when conditions are not favorable. She grew up in times when it was dangerous to talk disparaging about the political leaders. Even having differing political views could place you in danger. For these reasons, it seems clear why she has become a private person, not revealing much information about herself or her family. She has learned to remain quiet. This way, no one can offer any proof to governing authorities that you are doing anything questionable that might bring harm to the leaders of the country. Based on her stay with Marji the night before she leaves for Europe, it would seem that she was in agreement with her parents’ decision to send her away. She doesn’t want to go to the airport with them, which reveals that this is painful for her to see her granddaughter leave, but at the same time, it prevents Marji from seeing her in a moment of weakness. She doesn’t want Marji to see her cry or be upset about leaving, because that might influence her to remain, knowing how much pain her departure would cause everyone. The grandmother remains strong for the family so that they can do what is best for them. It is moments such as these that the reader begins to understand how much she loves her family.

During this time period, and currently, women aren’t seen as equals in Iran. Persepolis gives a narrative side to the world that most of us have only heard about on the news. The story is a tale of growing up, mistreatment, inequality, rebellion, and so much more. The role of women in this book change and can be represented in so many ways. There is the role that the country forces on the women and girls growing up, but there is also the role Marji’s mother teachers her. She teaches Marji how to be her own woman. How to stay safe, yet rebel. Marji must learn how to control her rebellious nature, but never forget it. Marji grows up in this book, learning from her mother, but also shaping her own path. At the end of the book when she is sent off, this is her shaping her own path, moving on. She lets go of Iran and her parents, at least for now. Persepolis shows the different roles women can take on, or are forced into, perfectly. The rebel, the modern, the fundamentalist, and the follower. The rebel is Marji. Her mother is the modern, the Guardians of the Revolution are the fundamentalists and the followers are the thousands of women who stayed silent under this oppression.

The role of women look after the house, kids, and took care of her husband. The women also did the house works like cleaning, ironing, and preparing meals. The women back then didn’t have many rights, Traditionally, rural and tribal women do all the household related chores. Heavy works that require more strength is done by the husband. Now, the chore work is evenly distributed with the men doing just as much work as the women. The scope of their functions includes cooking, cleaning, teaching the children, washing clothes, repairs, budgeting, and helping on the farm. The husband is the one who makes sure the farm would yield quality crops, so he does all the maintenance work. In some cases, where the husband needs help from other men, the wife would make sure that the men are fed, so she cooks food and brings it to the farm. Filipino women ensure that everyone is well fed, including any workers, relatives, or visitors. Women have always enjoyed greater equality in Philippine society than was common in other parts of Southeast Asia.

Since pre-Spanish times, Filipinos have traced kinship bilaterally. A woman’s rights to legal equality and to inherit family property have not been questioned. Education and literacy levels in 1990 were higher for women than for men. President Aquino often is given as an example of what women can accomplish in Philippine society. The appearance of women in important positions, however, is not new or even unusual in the Philippines. Filipino women, usually called Filipinas, have been senators, cabinet officers, Supreme Court justices, administrators, and heads of major business enterprises. Furthermore, in the early 1990s women were found in more than a proportionate share of many professions although they predominated in domestic service (91 percent), professional and technical positions (59.4 percent), and sales (57.9 percent). Women also were often preferred in assembly-type factory work. The availability of the types of employment in which women predominated probably explains why about two-thirds of the rural to urban migrants were female. Although domestic service is a low-prestige occupation, the other types of employment compare favorably with opportunities open to the average man.

This favorable occupational distribution does not mean that women were without economic problems. Although women were eligible for high positions, these were more often obtained by men. In 1990 women represented 64 percent of graduate students but held only 159 of 982 career top executive positions in the civil service. In the private sector, only about 15 percent of top-level positions were held by women.

According to many observers, because men relegated household tasks to women, employed women carried a double burden. This burden was moderated somewhat by the availability of relatives and servants who functioned as helpers and child caretakers, but the use of servants and relatives has sometimes been denounced as the equivalent of exploiting some women to free others.

Since the Spanish colonial period, the woman has been the family treasurer, which, at least to some degree, gave her the power of the purse. Nevertheless, the Spanish also established a tradition of subordinating women, which is manifested in women’s generally submissive attitudes and in a double standard of sexual conduct. The woman’s role as family treasurer, along with a woman’s maintenance of a generally submissive demeanor, has changed little, but the double standard of sexual morality is being challenged. Male dominance also has been challenged, to some extent, in the 1987 constitution. The constitution contains an equal rights clause–although it lacks specific provisions that might make that clause effective.

As of the early 1990s, divorce was prohibited in the Philippines. Under some circumstances, the legal separation was permitted, but no legal remarriage was possible. The family code of 1988 was somewhat more liberal. Reflective of Roman Catholic Church law, the code allowed annulment for psychological incapacity to be a marital partner, as well as for repeated physical violence against a mate or pressure to change religious or political affiliation. A divorce obtained abroad by an alien mate was recognized. Although the restrictive divorce laws might be viewed as an infringement on women’s liberty to get out of a bad marriage, indications were that many Filipinas viewed them as a protection against abandonment and loss of support by wayward husbands.

In general, Filipino women find pride in their work. They do not find themselves alienated from their chores because they work with, around, and for their families. This family-oriented mindset gives them a sense of dignity and responsibility. The family and the children are the primary priority of some Filipino women’s life. In addition to doing housework, the contemporary role of a Filipino wife today is to provide financial support in the household by seeking employment in higher-earning occupations which then expands the Filipino female work outside the household.

In the early 1900s, the female workforce in the Philippines was also a highly debated topic during workers’ conferences. In 1910, during the first Congress of Labor, the decision to enact a law that would regulate the employment of women and children was approved due to poor working conditions (“dark and ill-ventilated rooms, smoke-filled factories”, etc.) for women and children. Then, in March 1923, “An Act to Regulate the Employment of Women and Children in Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Establishments and Other Workplaces” was passed to oversee the welfare of women and children. In 1960, under the Department of Labor, the Bureau of Women and Minors was created and was responsible for the promotion, development, and protection of the welfare of working women and minors. Since then, more acts were made to oversee the welfare of women workers, as seen in both the 1935 and 1973 constitutions.