Women's roles in society.

What do the restrictions placed in women say about our society? What does it say about men?

Women of the 18th century were taught that the rules given to them were to help them procure and sustain a husband. They were supposedly helping them, not hindering them. And, to a certain point, this was true.

By giving women the exactly guidelines as to how they should act, speak and dress, they were supplying them with a great advantage. Women needed a husband in the 18th century, without one they would become a burden to their parents, as there was no way for them to provide for themselves.

Men in the 18th century learned the ways in which a proper women acted and, in their potential wives, they looked for those attributes. They would look at how a woman carried herself in public and private settings. Was she respectful and modest? Did she understand her place in that society, and did she accept it? Men were the cause of women's oppression in the 18th century, perhaps without even realizing it.

Today, women's oppression is much more subtle. We can dress, act and speak however we like, but we are not truly equal with the opposite sex. There is still much discrimination against women in our modern society. Because we no longer need a husband to provide for us, women are much less limited. However, men have still managed to stay a step above us in terms of power.

Men have, in my opinion, become frightened of a world in which equality between the sexes is a reality. Women have proven themselves to be competent, intelligent, and strong-willed in the past. Perhaps a woman with equal opportunity and treatment is frightening to men, as they are afraid of becoming the lesser of the sexes. They would rather be the oppressors, than the oppressed.

 

Women of today.

Modern women have the freedom to do, say and act however they want. We are in what you could call the golden age of being a female. Women can support themselves, have and raise children alone, and some never marry. 

However, the illusion of equality between the sexes is nothing more than that; an illusion.

"Women hold 17 percent of the seats in Congress; abortion is legal, but more than 85 percent of counties in the United States have no provider; women work outside the home, but they make about 76 cents to a man's dollar and make up the majority of Americans living in poverty" (Jessica Valenti).

There is only one point at which women should stop fighting for equality between the sexes, and that is when we achieve it. 

"Yes, women today fare better than our foremothers. But the benchmarks so often cited -- the right to vote, working outside the home, laws that make domestic violence illegal -- don't change the reality of women's lives" (Jessica Valenti).

We may be in the greatest high-point in history for being a woman, but the women's movement is far from over. Yes, women have come a very, very long way since the oppression that took place in the 18th century, but should that really mean that we should just accept our accomplishments and stop striving for more simply because it makes a few people uncomfortable? 

This learned idea that men should be the provider, protector and one in power is a dated and unrealistic one. Women should be treated as respected, equal human beings. 

What do the restrictions placed on women, both in the past and now, say about our society as a whole? And, more importantly, what do they say about men?

Works cited:
For women in America, equality is still an illusion. By Jessica Valenti

Women in the past.

"The many nameless charms and endearments of beauty should be reserved to bless the arms of the happy man to whom you give your heart" (John Gregory 13).

To women of the 18th century, being quiet, un-opinionated, and objectified was a normal, everyday thing. They were not given the freedom to dress, act or speak as they wanted, but were instead forced to conform themselves to society's idea of proper women.

Every aspect of their lives was in some way restricted.

Their clothing, while fashionable in their eyes, was made to the length an style desired by men. They had to be virtuous and modest.

The way they behaved both in private and public settings was also restricted. They learned they preferred ways for a woman to act in public as young girls, and were expected to conform to these rules as women.

"Wit is the most dangerous talent you can posses. Wit is so flattering to vanity, that they who possess it become intoxicated, and lose all self-command. Humor is a different quality. It may sometimes gain you applause, but will never procure you respect" (Gregory 10). 

Men were most definitely the dominant sex, as they protected and provided for the women. Their needs were of great import, an any woman failing to meet the needs of her husband was seen to have failed in her wifely duties.

While they were greatly oppressed, that doesn't mean the women of the 18th century weren't content with their lives. What we think of as their oppression, they saw as common rules made to help them procure and satisfy a husband. 

The real question, is how many of these restrictions have transferred into our society, even in subliminal ways?  

Works cited:

Gregory, John. A Father’s Legacy to His Daughters. 1774. Print.

Feminism and Women's Roles in the 18th Century and How They Compare to Modern Times.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a good example of a modern woman? Smart, perhaps, or hard-working? A strong, independent, self-sufficient person who is capable of doing all that she wishes.

Now, imagine yourself as someone living in 18th century England. What is your idea of a good woman? Beautiful and respectful, of course, smart enough to hold a short conversation. But, most importantly, obedient and . How does this perception of women differ from our modern views on women? 

200 years ago women were not free to do or say what they like, as we are now. They were the property of their husband, had they been lucky enough to have one, or of their father. There was no freedom for those women, and it has taken hundreds of years of sacrifice for women to reach the high point in society that we live in now. 

The idea of a husband controlling his wife is still prominent in modern books and television, as men are still the dominant sex in our culture. Many women remain housewives and leave the bread winning up to their spouse. However today a woman can choose her own path and support herself if she so chooses, which was an option not unavailable to women in the past. 

In my next three posts I'm going to look at why women in the past were so oppressed, how women of today are limited, an what these thing say about our society as a whole. More importantly, though, what they say about men.