Gender inequality

Despite many strikes and protests, despite many speeches and declarations, women have always been considered inferior to men. In fact, gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perception of each individual based on his gender. Unfortunately, this is the reality we are drowning in. According to the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, between 15 and 76% of women are targeted for physical and sexual assault during their lifetime. What’s even more shocking is that, worldwide, up to 50% of sexual assaults are committed against girls under the age of 16.From physical assault to mental harassment, from rape to forced marriage, men have been misusing power for centuries, this is why I found the urge to discuss how gender inequality, presented on different platforms, has brain-washed people’s minds and how it is still an issue in today’s man-world.

Let’s go back to the 16th century where being a women meant staying at home, having no education and pleasing your husband. In fact, as seen in the text “A dutiful wife” taken from Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the shrew” written in 1593, women would obey their husbands and consider them as their kings. In other words, women were only here to please their husbands and praise them, just like Katherina in the play, where she starts by stating that her husband is her keeper, her lord and her life.

During this period, women were taught from a very young age that their husbands sacrifice themselves for their families, that women will never be able to thank their husbands for all they have done for them and that when a women disobeys her husband, that simply means she’s being a foul. To get to a point where Katherina proudly stands in front of three men and praises her husband, during a period where women didn’t have a chance to express their opinion that means that this idea has been solidified in her mind. In fact, advocating for gender inequality surrounded women. From signs to paintings, from speeches to articles in magazines, women were constantly followed by this idea. To further illustrate my point, I would like to share a quote said by Spectator’s magazine contributor in 1712: “Let your dress, your conversation and the whole business of your life be to please your husband and make him happy.” Women accepted it as a way of life and were taught through these brain-washing ideas that they do not deserve freedom, that their duty is to carry out household works, give birth to children and remain as a faithful subordinate to their husbands.

With time, society had evolved, the economy had developed and new factories were opening their doors for employment. Unfortunately, the gender gap between men and women remained omnipresent: women were still considered as objects. In fact, one document that really depicts imbalance between the two sexes is a picture from the movie “Giant”, produced by George Stevens in 1956.This picture shows a man sitting on the edge of a car, with his shirt half-open. He is looking down at a woman, who is kneeling in front of him: offering a sort of worship to the man. Her face expressions show that she’s really admiring him. But are women that superficial? Do they really only care about physical appearance? Don’t they admire someone who stands out for his values and principles?

Additionally to that, the man holds a gun behind his back as a symbol of power and control.

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