- Although the statistics vary, women make on average, 78 cents for every dollar a man earns, and it’s even lower for women of color.
- It’s estimated that the wage gap won’t close until 2058!
- Although women are now earning more Bachelor degrees than men, women with a four-year degree make an average of $930/week, while men with the same degree make an average of $1,199.
- Only 5% of Fortune 500 companies have a woman CEO.
- According
to the Status of Women 2015, which
looked at the best states for women in terms of jobs, healthcare,
childcare, etc,) five states still earned an ‘F’ and Indiana earned a ‘D.”
We are also bombarded with society's
expectations of how a woman should look, think and act. Beauty
advertisements tell us we are too wrinkly, our hair is too dull and
lifeless, and our bodies are just too fat. Television commercials say we
should be focused on what detergent gets our whites
cleaner, what diapers keep our kids cleaner, and what we should make
for dinner tonight. We are taught from a young age that we need
to aspire to be someone else. To hear more on this topic, stated in a better
way than I could ever say it, check out this speech by activist Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie, made famous by Beyoncé: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc
So my question to you this week is two-fold. First, ladies - I would like to know "How were you affected by society's standards for women growing up?" Guys - This isn't just a female issue. You all have mothers, some have sisters, and many of you will have daughters one day. So for the men, I would like to know "How you think men contribute to these standards for women?" Second, Hillary Clinton is running for President again in 2016. In fact, we could possibly have another female candidate running for President in the next election. So for everyone, I would like to know, "Do you think America could handle a female President?" Answers are due no later than Wednesday, September 1st, 2015.
So my question to you this week is two-fold. First, ladies - I would like to know "How were you affected by society's standards for women growing up?" Guys - This isn't just a female issue. You all have mothers, some have sisters, and many of you will have daughters one day. So for the men, I would like to know "How you think men contribute to these standards for women?" Second, Hillary Clinton is running for President again in 2016. In fact, we could possibly have another female candidate running for President in the next election. So for everyone, I would like to know, "Do you think America could handle a female President?" Answers are due no later than Wednesday, September 1st, 2015.
I honestly think men contribute to the standards because most women let them. Unfortunately most women were raised to believe certain roles and because they just said "ok" instead of educating themselves they just accept this to be the "norm". And as most men, they will just go with it. And I'm not too sure if America is ready for a female President. Only one way to find out...
ReplyDeletei dont see why a woman president is so frowned upon. women have brains and are human just like any male that runs for president (besides Trump). running for president shouldnt be any harder or easier for Hillary Clinton or any woman that runs for president.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for a woman president, simply because I feel as though women are more focused on reason and cause and effect. With a woman president there with will definitely be a shift in the eye of leadership, seeing as she could potentially be the FIRST woman in the president's chair. And with her background, she's got experience with the duties of a president (her being married to a previous one), and she's some good goals in step of what she wants to accomplish IF she does become the Madame president. America needs a woman in office for a change, it could bring some real peace to our country and actually might give a rest to all this war shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteHaving a female president I believe would help change a lot of views on how our American system is mainly ran by men. I don't think that change would come quickly but I do believe that it could have a cause and effect, more so an impact to see eye to eye not dominating just because women were made from men. When you think about all the things America has been through and you see how women today have this idea that they are only good enough based on what society thinks it becomes a huge problem for the ones who say, "no I am going to pursue all that I can and go for the things many people say that you can't. "
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little ans saw the hair commericals with white women, then and there I wished that I was white because I hated how my hair was stiff and it didn't have white woemens hair. I really didn't care about how my body looked I just hated my hair. Now I really don't care about what society says how I look. I wear what I want to wear and everyone else can just get over it. I really don't know how America will react with a women president. I know that people are voting for her, but others are calling her a liar and that she doesn't care. So I really don't know what to say about that. Well if Cleopatra could become pharoh then why not. However, like I said before I do not know what all her views are on things.
ReplyDeletefrom when i was growing up till now i have been told oh you cant do that because you are a women. I find that very offensive, and i think that men dont think twice about saying it because thats always how its been. Men think that they are stronger then women. I dont always believe that is the case. Like how Hillary is running for president, i feel like that makes women look so strong because its always been a race filled with men and she is proving to the world that women can be just as powerful in this century. I dont know if america as a hole could handle her as president, but personally i think it would be a good change for our country.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is a matter of America being able to handle a female president as much as would a female president be good for America? Obviously, any candidate has their downfalls but I don't think a woman president would be the best cause of action. Honestly, I feel right now that would be the worst thing for our country. Plus, I feel that the rest of the world might not respond positively to a female running the country and I think those feelings would be reflected by a number of citizens. I think most of the women in the country would be excited about her being president because it would be something a woman has never done before. That would be another 'milestone' for women. I think some stereotypes are still in place involving women but I think some of them are there because we keep them there,men and women, but also some of them are just natural boundaries.
ReplyDeleteI never let society influence me to do anything. I didn't care what society thought of me. As far as a female president I don't know how everybody will react to it. I'm okay with a female president.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I think a great many standards for women that men contribute to have been in place for so long that they're engrained in society and men don't even realize they're contributing to them. The only way for them to change is for men's and women's thinking to change. At least in my view, I don't really care what gender, religion, sexual orientation. or race a president is as long as they do their job and serve the country well. However, I think that this time there would be enough of an uproar in the country that I'm not sure a female president would be able to get done what she needed to get done because of preexisting sexism in the minds of many Americans.
ReplyDeleteI'll vote for any candidate whose politics I agree with. If they're a woman, so be it! It'd be nice to see even more female candidates, if not to break up the crowd of angry tired white men yelling about security and borders at out walls.
ReplyDeleteI hate that our society pushes this onto women, and I hate that there are women who buy into it. I think it's severely limiting to see ads targeted to boys and ads targeted to girls and how they differ, as well as how parents will push these certain things on their kids without a choice. I mean, if I become a parent I'll probably push my ideals on my kids but I'm not going to buy them things just because I'm told it's made for their specific gender
I would like to think, or at least hope, that nowadays most men contribute to this issue more subconsciously than intentionally. Of course, that still doesn't change the fact that it's an issue. The CEO example comes to mind. I have heard before that most CEO's tend to be taller than average, so perhaps people are unintentionally favoring those they get a sense of leadership from. A good leader transcends physical traits or gender, but media and stories often depict these strong leaders as manly types. I think this subconscious influence affects us in many ways. I'm more likely to feel comradery with a group of men as opposed to women.
ReplyDeleteSo essentially, I think the best thing a man can do to help combat this issue is to try to be self-aware, and realize that we are biased at times, even if we mean well.
As for Hillary Clinton, sure, why not. Germany seemed to be fine with Angela Merkel.
Anything men can do, women can do too.
ReplyDeleteI live on that, but, I also feel that there is a time when you can fill in a man's spot, and for Hillary Clinton I feel like its a bad idea. A really bad idea... she has not been able to show anyone that she can take the place in a man's shoes, I feel like all she wants is to just be president that way she show off how she was the first women president and be the one that changes another part in women history.
If they decide that, I hope she blows my mind.
But yet again, if the candidates have things I agree with, then I will vote for them.
I honestly do not care at all what so ever. People need to get over the fact that she is a woman. If that is you main concern then you have some serious issues. Growing up I never felt the pressure to live to a certain beauty standard. I was more focused on just trying to be a girl. I really didn't care about what other people thought I kind of did my own thing.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up I definitely felt pressure from society to fulfill certain stereotypes. However, I am fortunate to have a family that has always encouraged me to form my own opinions and work hard for what I want in life. I don’t really understand why it would be an issue for a woman to become president. Women are just as capable as men, and maybe if we stopped placing so much emphasis on gender; our country would be able to see that.
ReplyDeleteHow I was grow up I was suppose to act like a young lady. That didn't happen till the age of 12 for me. As a kid I could run around in the dirty and play with the kids in my neighborhood. At the age of 12 that all changed and the way I was as a child changed. I started to learn about becoming a young lady. When watching TV I started watching the commercials and understanding. By my 8th grade year I was a healthy women and then I hit high school and I lost more weight. Watching women on TV very slim didn't help at all. Also I think as a women a female president could run the country but it is harder than we all think. Women are the ones who care for their babies and are just a loving person in general. You must have that mode off when running the country because everyone is looking at you if you pulled the caring or but that a side to defend out country. I particular do not like Hilary Cliton and hoping the Republican women runs.
ReplyDeleteI am the oldest child or four and my brother is the second oldest. Growing up, we were treated different due to the fact that he was a boy and I was a girl. Not saying that my mother "treated us differently" but in many ways she did when it came to certain things. He always had to take out the trash and I always had to wash the dishes. I liked taking out the trash because it was a two minute chore. Washing the dishes took me at least twenty minutes. Well, my mother always said that men take out the trash. Also, My brother always got to stay out later than I did , have girlfriends when I couldn't even talk on the phone with boys and; he is younger than me. I still don't understand! That was the same question asked about having a black president.That's my only response to that question!!!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in an Islamic community as a girl it was difficult because women always have to dress, behave a certain way, and the men overpower the women. It’s sad realizing how women in Middle Eastern countries have no rights; their fathers and husbands treat them like objects. My family wasn’t that extreme with living by the laws of Islam but society still puts a lot of pressure on me Impacting the way I carry myself and dress every time I go back home. Yes I think America will be able to handle a female president, it’s 2015 people are way more open to change now than they were a decade ago.
ReplyDeleteMy family focused more on manners growing in my childhood. The women helped cook, clean and greet guests. We tended to our guests and made sure they were not thirsty or hungry. Now at school, there were some cases when boys thought they were better than the girls. If the girls say anything about playing games, boys would say that girls are suppose to be in the kitchen cleaning and cooking, but I know that the world was still growing so I held my tongue.
ReplyDeleteI believe we would be fine with a female president. If she has the experience and knows what she is doing then she has every right to take a chance at something greater. People may judge, but what if our country needs to see how the outcome is. It wouldn't be so bad for a feminine role.
Growing up in Mississippi and a young black woman it was pretty relaxed we didn't really worry about society's look on us. We more so cared about what our family thought. I believe that it would be good to have a woman president. Woman have the same rights as men and I think that a woman can see what a lot of people need help. A lot of husbands look to their wives for advice or the go ahead so why not let her run the country.
ReplyDeleteThe effect society made on me as growing up to be a women where things like a flat stomach, big butt, perfect eyes brows, pretty makeup, and all the way down to how you dress defines if your pretty or a real women or not. But about the whole women being a president thing is a huge joke to me, and I don't think we need that.
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest thing that I was affected by growing up was men were to known as dominant and feel like they can say what they want to you, because they were men and no one was going to tell them otherwise. I haven't first hand have to deal with wage differences, but that's because I haven't had a bigger job than working at a nursing home.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Hillary being a president, I'm not necessarily sure that the world is ready for a woman president, but in the same sense history has been changing lately. My last Sociology class my teacher always said the biggest minority was women, before any other one.
Macy Wilson
Honestly, men contribute to this perceived depreciation of women by perpetuating a mentality that this discrimination is any different than with civil rights. It isn't a joke that 2 people can attend the same prestigious institute with the same GPA and the woman ends up making less money than a man with her degree.
ReplyDeleteJust like most things the United States adapts to, i think in due time it will too adapt to having a female president. However, it isn't ready for it.
Of course I grew up with all of the stereotypes of being a girl. You have to be thin so you can get a husband, you will have to cook, clean and raise the children for your husband and you will also have to have a job now too. I played a lot of sports as a child and I was told by a boys mother I was too pretty to play soccer and other such nonsense. Nothing will change until the statement "boys will be boys" leaves people vocabulary. Its a cover all for the stupid, sexist, belittling attitudes men have toward women. When a woman is sexually assaulted it is assumed that she did something to warrant the attack, she had to be asking for it in the way she was flirting, or the way she was dressed. Men of power do not want to give up their power in a male dominated America because that would mean the way they think and treat women would be wrong and nobody likes to be wrong. Yes, America would do just fine with a female president. I feel strange even having to write that statement, England has had a female prime minister, Germany has a female chancellor and is currently the richest country in Europe. I think America needs a female president.
ReplyDeleteTo me, I would say I grew up old fashion. My mom went to school and graduated with a masters degree but she is a stay at home mom. My step dad works, and my mom just stays home, cooks, clean, and runs errands. For dinner my mom would always serve my dad and brother first then my sister and me. Both my dad and step dad, hold the doors open everywhere we go, even the car doors every time. So growing up when a boy asks me out on a date, I expect him to open every door for me every single time. Also, I feel like the double standard is annoying, because I think most women think the money gap is unfair but when women get asked out on dates, they still expect the guy to pay. So they want to be equal but still have expectations of the guy that they should be doing. So, to me honestly, I don't mind that men make more money because I expect a man to provide for me and spoil me. Also, I think men do hold a high standard to how a women should look and dress, but again, we as women, expect the same. I know I look for a guy who dresses well and looks attractive, so of curse they are wanting the same thing. I feel like having a women as president would be fine, I am not any more for or against her because she is a women. I vote based on what they stand for and what they are wanting to change and introduce, not because of their gender.
ReplyDeleteBri McGee
Growing up it was just my mom providing for all of my brothers and sisters. I saw her make ends meet for every single one of us with no help. Seeing that almost everyday I am the same way. It is extremely hard for me to ask anyone for help. I only depend on myself or my mom. Just like in the video we saw about privileges, my mom only graduated from high school and here I am working on my bachelors. With each generation it is getting better and better for the next.
ReplyDeleteI know this is way off topic but recently my church had another pastor come speak and it was a woman. I have never witnessed a woman preaching all my life it has been males, just like our presidents. After the service I felt different. I could relate to everything the pastor talked about it. I really enjoyed, like REALLY enjoyed the service. I actually thought about searching for churches where women were their pastors. So I'm just imagining how the world be if we had a woman as a president. The world we live in is so crazy and hard to believe we let so many things get swept underneath the rug. So why not have a woman as president. If she is here to do right and makes changes for the better letssss goooooo!
Society has infused the idea that woman are to aspire to be someone else which is not physically possible at a young age for me. And m sure it has for many woman just like me. Even my four year old daughter as young as she is has ben influenced she wants to wear her hair straight an grow her nails done. She also gets shy around other little boys. I do not like this so i try to teacher her better things about herself to appreciate. I think that there could be a woman president but men will not allow this because we are out numbered an a mans ego will not like taking order from a woman leader. Exspecally someone such as Hillary Clinton.
ReplyDelete