Social Determinants Of Sexism Essay

From our previous lecture discussions, we talk about how women are placed lower in the pyramid of power. But women of color struggle the most because they not only have to deal with sexism, but also racism. We also see the issues of women of color against with white feminist movement. Women of color have to put more effort when dealing with their problems compared to white women in general. In this week’s readings, we are examining some of the problems that women of color have to deal with.

Similarly, oppression and inequality must first be addressed at an institutional level. Intersectionality is equipped to do just that, as through acknowledging the intersectional “interplay” of gender, sexuality, class, and race, oppression and inequality are reinforced, created and upheld (Mattsson, 2014, p.8). As Mattsson (2014) describes, by understating the complexities of intersexuality in power relations, we can challenge the social structures that create oppression in the first place. It is only through these realizations that the correlations between oppression, institutions, inequalities, power, and suffrage can be recognized and understood, for instance, the disproportionate HIV infection rates among the black female population, as well as the disproportionate domestic and sexual assault indigenous women encounter (Amnesty International, 2009; Logie et al.,

The Change in Sexism As Letty Cottin Pogrebin once said, “ When men are oppressed it’s a tragedy. When women are oppressed it’s simply tradition.” Many women have to deal with sexism in everyday basis; sexism is the prejudice or discrimination based on the sex of a person. Trough

Additionally, these stories reveal the great diversity among women. Generally, women are grouped together, as stated by Lorde: “As women we have either been taught to ignore our differences or view them as causes for separation and suspicion rather than forces of change (Lorde, 1979).” Despite the efforts to categorize women’s issues into one mass of problems, White women perceive the world differently than African American women, Hispanic women, Native American women, etc., and vice versa. This conglomeration of “women’s issues” does not address every aspect of being a woman in patriarchal and unjust societies throughout the world.

It is impossible to discuss gender and the influences it has on one livelihood without acknowledging the other aspects of one’s identity. Other aspects such as race, class, and sexuality in combination with will always play a major role in one’s life choices and the way they are perceived by others. The term intersectionality as stated by Susanne Hochreiter offers a way to understand the multiple grounds of identity when considering how the social world is constructed. Intersectionality explains why gender cannot be in isolation from other inequalities in the social world. As a black Haitian woman raised in America, it is clear to see that my identity occupies several spheres.

She explains how the lack of awareness about intersectionality skews the data behind studies on controversial

Within societies, culture plays a huge role in shaping who a person becomes. What values they consent to and what would make them content and satisfied with life, otherwise said, happy. In a patriarchal racist community woman as a double minority suffer twice the burden of proving herself, defining her values, and finding what defines her. Some of these women choose to obey and submit and live life as given to them. Just a few stand up for themselves, speak up, fight toward their freedom and independence against all cultural norms and social constructions including race and patriarchy.

The 1920s were an era of exciting social reforms and deep cultural struggles. During this decade, time became progressive for women in America. Women were allowed to experience freedom on a more personal level. This didn’t hold back all the sexism that caused quite the controversy. Women from rural parts of the country started moving to the urban areas in search of jobs. In the work force, men received much more money than women did. The women who moved to the city found themselves with little money to go out and seek entertainment.

Individuals go through oppressive conditions because they are classified in groups that are defined on the basis of common characteristics such as: gender, class, sexuality, and age. These social groups have particular attributes and stereotypes associated with them; however, in this response, the importance of acknowledging gender through the lens of race and racism is crucial. Women of color may have individual experiences of racial and gender discrimination in which the effected oppression is increasing and widespread. Through the examination of the readings and films, intersectionality guides us to recognize the coercion that occurs in our daily lives. Intersectionality is a vital device that allows one to understand how individuals face

Individuals go through oppressive conditions because they are classified in groups that are defined on the basis of common characteristics such as: gender, class, sexuality, and age. These social groups have particular attributes and stereotypes associated with them; however, in this response, the importance of acknowledging gender through the lens of race and racism is crucial. Women of color may have individual experiences of racial and gender discrimination in which the effected oppression is increasing and widespread. Through the examination of the readings and films, intersectionality guides us to recognize the coercion that occurs in our daily lives. Intersectionality is a vital device that allows one to understand how individuals face

Intersectionality can be described as the effect of overlapping of systems of discrimination, based on social categories like race, gender, and class, on an individual or group. White feminists did not understand why it was necessary to combat the racial systems that effected Chicanas. Chicanas faced ideologies of racial inferiority and hyperfertility, which contributed to the reasons why they were victims of forced sterilization. To combat forced sterilizations, Chicanas urged feminists to include a 72-hour waiting period for sterilizations and informed consent (Davis, 131). However, because white feminists at the time were focused on obtaining immediate rights to their bodies, they saw informed consent and a waiting period for sterilizations as inconveniences (Davis, 131).

Woman who are targeted because of their skin color or because they are immigrants coming into a country like America, in hopes of finding better, attempt to prosper in a cold world that values dirt more than they value them. Excluding women from certain health care facilities because they hold a green card, neglects them from being allowed the same equal rights as any citizen in the United States would have, is what especially hits hard for me. While reading “Invisible Immigrants” by Michelle Chen in the Reproduction and Society book, I was made aware of the drastic measures some women are forced to take in order to accommodate their health but I was also able to open my eyes and see what my reality could have been like had I not become a United

Fostering this, both Black women’s empowerment and conditions of social justice within the academy can align with the movement that adequately addresses intersectionality of race, gender, class, and sexuality. The black feminist framework seeks to reconfigure being Black and a female in white misogynistic society were the cross of race, class, and gender are theorized as everyday realities. The intersectional analysis of race, class, gender, and sexuality is termed as intersectionality. A term created by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality explores the systematic structures of dominance of race, class, gender and sexuality that affect those who are neither White nor male (Mirza, 2015). Striving to meet the unique needs of black women Black Feminism seeks to who felt they were being racially

In the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, there are many examples of sexism throughout its entirety. The character, Walter, demonstrates the acts of a sexist human being. Walter is sexist to not only women in general, but to the women in his family. Not taking into consideration of other people’s sayings and their feelings, Walter generally only thinks about himself, says what he believes, and truly only cares about money. Walter constantly is fighting with all of the women in the family as well. His sister, Beneatha, wants to become a doctor and Walter isn't very supportive of her decision. Walter's wife, Ruth, is the recipient of the majority of Walter's anger and sexist remarks.

Gender inequality is a deeply rooted issue that has been prevalent in all corners of the world since the beginning. It is in no way bound to a single country or area, as gender discrimination is everywhere, but in middle eastern countries it is so connected to the culture that this discrimination is seen as normal and even supported. People are being treated as second-class citizens based on nothing but the sex they were born with, and no one is even batting an eye. This is part of why the Middle East houses some of the lowest ranking countries on the Global Gender Gap Index. While some people continue to hold onto discriminatory values and remain uneducated in important topics, it is necessary for governments to make ending gender inequality a priority, especially in these middle eastern countries where radical religious groups like the Taliban force their restricting values on others and male guardianship strips women of the freedom of being in charge of their own lives.