na essays

na essays No one else is free while others are oppressed, states Martin L. King. It is an essential claim that women are oppressed. What is oppression? Oppression is the subjugation by one group to another group. By being oppressed you are being denied your human right to be an equal. Equality should not be an unattainable ideal that is only imagined in a far off place. Equality should be realistic and true. However, is equality just an unrealistic ideal for women in todays society? To achieve a goal of equality, oppression has to be dealt with in the way we talk, the way we live, and the way we are taught. The treatment of women in todays society is related to culture and the society we are living in. Marilyn Frye relates oppression to a birdcage. You cannot see oppression just by looking at one bar in the cage, you have to look at the whole picture. Only by taking a couple steps back can you see that oppression is in our homes and in our everyday lives. We live in a mans world, and we also live in a society of double standards. Take for example our language, this form of communication describes our values and attitudes. In language women are often oppressed in words such as: Mrs., Miss, Ms.. This form of language is a tool for ownership. If we hear the word Mrs., automatically she is married or owned by her husband. However, Mr. is only used in one connotation. Like Frye expresses, unless looked at from the big picture prospective, it is neglected. This is just one example of our language that reflects the subordination of women. Now I am a guy, just the usual Joe Schmoe if thats what you wish to call me. Nevertheless, I have one unique character that differentiates me from most other males. I have my eyes wide open to the world. I am aware what is wrong with the world, and I am conscious that having an open-mind is in my best interest. I witness other males op ...