Women’s Inequality in the 20th Century Essay - 1194 Words

Throughout the twentieth century, American women fought for the right to vote, the right to make choices regarding their own bodies, and the right to be their own people. The disparities between men and women were often overlooked or blindly accepted, but as Gloria Steinem said, â€Å"history is herstory too.† After nearly 200 years of struggling, women made up only 10% of Congress, received wages less than 75% of their male counter parts, and are stigmatized based on their class and race. By the end of the century, female citizens were still treated unfairly in every aspect of American society. Women did not achieve equality in America in the 20th century, based on their roles in politics, the widespread views of female sexuality, and the†¦show more content†¦The English word for being devoted to your country is patriotic, which literally translates from Latin to â€Å"loyal to a country ruled by men.† In America during the 20th century â€Å"patriotic† was still the accurate word, as men overwhelmingly ruled the United States. Because of this fact, women in the 20th century did not reach political equality with men. In terms of sexuality, women in the 20th century were not considered equal to men because they were overwhelmingly abashed and judged due to the personal decisions they made regarding sex. While men’s sexual conquests were disregarded or even praised, women were often shamed or called derogatory names for choosing to have sex. That the same decisions made by two different genders could have such opposite results proves that there wasn’t sexual equality in America in the 20th century. Sexual assault is another place where 14.78% of women in America are victims of rape at some point in their lifetimes as of 2000. Yet the 60% of rape cases are never reported, and the vast majority of rapists investigated are never charged. That such a horrendous crime can affect so many women and yet have such a small penal ty is appalling and a testimony to the sexual inequality of women. Another issueShow MoreRelatedA Marxist Evaluation Of Feminism And Gender Equality Essay1572 Words   |  7 Pagesbecome a subjective and distorted version of what it was meant to be—a system that sought to raise the rights of women out of the home (as domestic servants) and into the workplace. 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