Feminism Essay

Women should be afforded the legal protection of a minority group

because they are discriminated against in all aspects of society and there
are few laws in place to combat this discrimination and inequality. Women
are objectified, belittled, and disrespected constantly which contributes to
serious inequalities between the sexes. There is a significant gap in how
much women are paid and how much men are paid. For the same jobs as
men, women are only paid 73 cents for every dollar a man is paid, a gap
even larger for women of color (Affirmative Action and What). It is
horrific to think that in the twenty first century there is still a gap in one of
the most fundamental parts of society. Women are also in great danger of
rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. In professional and private
settings women are discriminated against, whether it be subconscious or
not, and should be given the legal protection of a minority group to
counteract the discrimination.
Women not only experience sexism in professional settings,
there is a dangerous form of sexism that is deeply ingrained in American
culture. Every woman has experienced it to some extent, being sexuality
harassed or abused, stalked, or raped. While men are susceptible to these
things as well, it is nowhere near as common. Brownmiller, an influential
feminist, even believes that "[Rape is] a conscious process of intimidation
by which all men keep all women in a state of fear. (Brownmiller)" Many
women I know have experienced catcalling, unsolicited remarks, and
inappropriate sexual conduct. This also makes it unsafe from women to go

out at night alone and a woman must always have her guard up for drugs
in her drink or a man following her on the street. People are always telling
women how to protect themselves against predatory men. A sensible
woman must never go out alone, wear modest clothing, check her car
before she gets in, pretend to listen to music or talk on the phone when
walking at night, or just stay in. All these tips, while they may keep
women safe, also restrict their ability to do the most basic things and take
away the basic human right of security (Brownmiller). Many are quick to
tell women how to protect themselves but few people focus on the
perpetrator. Even fewer people look for the causes for this age-old
problem, some which are a huge part of our society.
Pornography is commonplace in America and is usually targeted towards
men. People make references and jokes about it all the time and it is not
usually seen as a problem. However, statistics have shown that
pornography is a large cause of violence towards women. This problem
starts with children. From an early age children are exposed to sexually
explicit material. This violent, dramatized, and extreme pornography gives
men unrealistic ideas about sex and normalizes acts such as rape and
pedophilia because of frequent occurrences in pornography. In order to
eliminate this toxic culture in which rape and sexual assault is normalized
the United States government must consider violent and damaging
pornography hate speech and make it illegal (Thornburgh and Lin).
However not everyone feels that way, Phyllis Schlafly opposed the ERA,
which would outlaw sex discrimination, because she believed it was

treating women as victims and disillusioned women with the idea that
they should have jobs other than those as a homemaker (Sachs). Schlafly
believed that a womans purpose was to take care of her family while the
husband was the family's protector and provider. She also said that
American women are the most fortunate class of people in the world and
should be happy with what they have. Many critics called Schlafly a
hypocrite because while she preached the traditional roles of mothers, she
had a full time job as an activist (Sachs). Schlafly arguments were a major
part of the ERA not being passed into law and still have a place in today's
arguments against feminism (A Short History of E.R.A.).
While Schlafly influenced many Americans, feminism is still a thriving
movement. Women keep fighting for equal rights and for protection under
the law. Affording women the legal protection of a minority group is an
easy way to counteract discrimination and strive for equality between the
sexes.