How Does Lisa Senecal Use Rhetorical Appeal To The Treatment Of Women

As women’s rights and treatment have become a significant concern in today’s society, there has been a specific interest in how accepted behavior evolves in the modern era. This concern is also relevant for the youth population, specifically seen in younger boys. Lisa Senecal believes that parenting has a major role in how men learn to treat women. In an effort to shed some light on the disrespect controversy, Senecal wrote an opinion piece titled, “Men must confront men who disrespect women. That’s the fight we really need.” Published in USA Today, Lisa Senecal (2017, Sept. 25) is hopeful of targeting an audience of mostly men and women in their 50s with a college degree. Fortunately, men comprise over 65% of the reader population. (2011)

The author constantly references herself as a primary source, using both past and current events. The best example Senecal uses is when she credits herself as a mother of two sons. In the article, she wrote “As the mother of two boys, now young men, the responsibility of turning two good men out into the world weighs heavy on me” (para. 6.) This reassures the reader that Senecal has personal experience with this current issue and that she feels more responsibility in teaching her young boys how men should respect women. Another example of ethos is found at the end of the article where Senecal credits herself, “Lisa Senecal is a mother, communications professional and member of the Vermont Commission on Women. Follow her on Twitter: @lcsenecal.” Since she listed mother first, this structure of the last sentence purposely implies to her audience that her best source of credit is herself. This reference grants credit to Lisa Senecal as both a mother and a communications professional, assuring the reader to believe her first-hand experiences raising her

She references an event in her past when she was sexually harassed as a young babysitter. Senecal wrote, “When I was 12 and babysitting, the 8-year old boy I was watching came up behind me and grabbed my … Levi’s” (para. 3.) This quote is both ethos and pathos because it gives Senecal personal authority and allows the reader to feel her uncomfortable feelings of disgust and disappointment and violation. Another example of dual-rhetoric Senecal wrote would include “Being seated next to the boy who tormented me because I could ‘be a good influence on him’ ” (para. 2.) This quote projects both pathos and ethos because it cites the author as a personal source using her childhood memory while also making the reader feel empathetic for the author since she was forced to deal with her perverted peer on account she could have a positive influence on his