Compare And Contrast Equal Rights For Women And Ain T I A Woman

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Reinan Baricante
8A1
Mrs. Clarke “Equal Rights for Women” & “Ain’t I a Woman?”

The issue of inequality for women has been debated for centuries. Dating back to the end of the nineteenth century. women were treated as the inferior sex. Women were excluded from the public life. Women were excluded from political parties, education and particular occupations. But on August 18, 1920, Congress ratified the 19th amendment, which granted all American women the right to vote. Although America has taken one step towards gender equality, there are many more steps to take and Shirley Chisholm and Sojourner Truth has assisted in taking those steps. Addressing predominately white women at a conference …show more content…

While addressing the congress of the United States, Chisholm gives many statistics to ground her arguments. Statistics such as, “..women occupy only 2 percent of the managerial positions.” More than half the population of the Unites States are female, there approximately 3 1/2 more women than men in America and not one woman stands on the AFL-CIO council or the Supreme Court. Shirley Chisholm also claims that laws protecting the rights of not only women, but different ethnicities as well, need to be amended. “But they [laws] can be used to provide protection for those who are most abused..” She believes that can be achieved by “..beginning the process of evolutionary change by compelling the insensitive majority to reexamine its unconscious attitudes.” This powerful claim may open eyes to the oppression that the female and black population has dealt with. Chisholm also speaks against the way women are treated in the work place. A woman who strives to be chairman of the board or a Member of the House is seen to be odd and/or unfeminine. And because this is how empowered women are seen to be, other women may be afraid to break patterns and continue to conform to the system, submit to the oppression and may even cooperate with it. What not only women but working people need are laws that guarantee fair pay, safe working conditions and equal access to executive jobs and positions in the