Dark, trapped, separated. Oppression targets a group and pushes them below society, belittling them. Gender oppression has played a role in history since the beginning of time. Females have again and again been stuck to playing the role of supporting and tending to whatever the male desires; men in modern times are also faced with indifferences of their own, but never oppression. We as a society send young girls every day to a classroom where they are told they are equal, a right women in history had to fight for, but the oppression still lingers.
To begin, oppression is defined by Oxford as “unjust treatment or control”. Females since the beginning of time have faced oppression in all its evil forms. Serving as housemaids cleaning up after the rich men, told and controlled by society how to act, all to serve one purpose; stay quiet, kind, and please men. In some cultures, women are still forced to marry, have children, and tend to the house the male of the house does as he pleases. Women are expected to give them children, fulfill their sexual desires, and darling don’t you dare outsmart a man so as not to embarrass him. But where does the history of oppression still live today?
Furthermore, gender oppression is very much still alive, and thriving in the place we send our children every day, school. In fact, according to the article Gender Bias in Education, Amanda Chapman claims “When different behaviors are tolerated for boys than for girls because 'boys will be boys' schools are perpetuating the oppression of females.” Validating, from a young age, girls start to learn they are indifferent to boys, but most importantly teachers help to tolerate this unjust treatment. Oppression continues to stand in the way of female freedom, controlling and affecting the development and freedom of women all around the world, and oppressing gender equality. For example, if a boy throws a tantrum in a fit of anger he’s “just being a boy”. However, if a female in the same stressful situation acts at all affected and is not composed or polite she is judged as dramatic, and most importantly seen as less than men, as unstable and irrational. Anger is okay, being a boy is okay, but being a female is hard. Gender oppression has time and time again pushed the female dreams down as just a silly dream, female happiness as a home with a MAN and children, and female anger as weakness. In contradiction, a man with dreams, happiness, and anger, is a man with power. Imagine having a young, sweet, innocent, happy little girl. Barely tall enough to rest her head on your hip while she reaches her cute stubby little arms to hug you before she gets on the bus. It all begins the moment she leaves your arms, young and innocent she finds the first seat next to a young boy but he rejects it in anger, “NO you a girl and this is MY seat.” The girl confused moves on without anger or retaliation, her forgiving heart finds a new spot and waves goodbye. Case in point, any young girl who raises her hand and desires to be president someday, is only a girl with a head in the clouds. Boys at the back of the class laugh at her and joke about how could a girl possibly get there, at least without the help of a man. A teacher may silence them but the damage is done, with no punishment, and the cycle continues without a single thought of how embarrassed that girl must feel to have even spoken. Therefore eternally silencing her dreams. But if a young boy voices he wants to be president, the class silences, and no judgment, control, or ridicule is made of the boy. Why is it okay for boys to giggle when a girl dreams of equality? Why do they even giggle?
All in all, gender oppression has reaped the dreams, color, and equality from the life of every female around the world at some point. Sexism, indifference, judgment, and inequality are only the demons that carry out the evils of oppression. Targeting and pushing females below the rest, creating a great divide between society, equality, and freedom. Most importantly it’s seen in schools within our very own country. Gender oppression is still heightened and unjustly used around the world, but it is tolerated in our very own schools where we send children to learn how to socially function. Teaching them it is okay to judge others for being different, not showing them that although we are all different, males and females alike are all entitled to freedom without the darkness of oppression shadowing their futures.
Works Cited
- Chapman, Amanda. “Gender Bias in Education.” Gender Bias in Education, www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/genderbias.html.
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Female Oppression Essay.
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