During this week, we have covered numerous topics, none more prominent than the oppression of women. Everyone had different opinions, allowing me to take into account different views on the issue. In one of the texts we examined, “Oppression”, Marilyn Frye, a philosopher, debates the subjugation of women. She states the cultural customs that causes oppression of women. I do agree with her view that women are oppressed, but I do not agree that it is just women. I believe that men as a gender are also oppressed. Oppression can be defined as the systematic mistreatment of people within a social identity group. Frye uses a bird cage, to explain oppression, saying that one may not view the wires as harmful, but all together, they leave you imprisoned, sometimes without your knowledge. This means that, women may be oppressed without the understanding or realization of what is going on. With one wire or barrier alone, a bird can just fly around it and be free, but when …show more content…
Like women, men are in a double bind. A double bind, is a situation in which a person is confronted with two irreconcilable demands or a choice between two undesirable courses of action. For example, men must show little emotion or femininity and be tough even if they want to. If we obey, then we show our compliance and our acceptance of the situation. Furthermore, we as men must hold doors and pay for things such as dinner, but if a girl refuses for us to do this and we still do so, we are viewed as prideful.
Overall, both men and women can be viewed as oppressed. I agree with Frye’s view that women have been oppressed in the past, but not with the view that men aren’t. The male gender has been forced to conform to society’s view of us, in order to truly be considered a man. If a man is not tough or stern, then he is considered weak. We as a male gender are oppressed and in a double