What is your possible topic? Brainstorm five questions about it.
The proposed essay would be on the topic of gender discrimination. Now, there can be no denial of the fact that gender discrimination is one of the major social ills that has the potential of thwarting the holistic development of the human society. As such, the topic in context would aim to scrutinize the social issue so as to achieve a better understanding of the matter. Truly, no problem can possibly be combatted or eradicated if it is not comprehended with all its intricacy. Hence, the essay would work as a major opportunity to delve deep into the topic of gender discrimination- something that has come up to create innumerable impediments for the women folks of the society. However, for the purpose of research and exploration relevant questions related to the topic have to be zeroed in that would work to help decipher the latency of gender discrimination, and these questions would also catapult the depth of the essay and understanding on a personal level about the grave social issue at hand.
There are a number of relevant questions that come to the mind while brainstorming about the topic of gender discrimination in the society. How does gender discrimination subjugate the women of the society when compared with the males? How does gender role get ascribed to the female and makes her accept the state of subordination? To which spheres of existence does gender discrimination penetrate showing its surmounting effect? How can gender discrimination be combatted in the modern day society? Which social, cultural, or religious institutions work in propagating gender discrimination in the human society of the world? These are the primary questions that come to the mind when talking about gender discrimination. The aim of the essay would be to explore the answers to these contextual questions about the topic so as to achieve a state of better understanding of the entire scenario of institutionalization of gender discrimination in the society.
How is the topic important to you and how does it affect you? What do you personally hope to gain or accomplish by writing about this topic?
The topic is really very important indeed as it is a social issue that has been bothering women of the world for thousands of years. As an individual, I am intrigued by the ways in which the society goes on to validate the discriminatory practices, and how the women are made to embrace passivity as individuals. However, this topic did not intrigue or bother me much when I was young. As I grew up, I could identify that girls and boys were treated differently. It occurred to me that the society goes on to attribute specific gender to an individual based on his or her sexual identity. As such, it can very well be said that gendering of an individual is a social imposition as girls and boys are made to grow up and believe in certain norms or practices that have been institutionalized over the years in human history and civilization. I would say that having a working mother made me realize that women were in no way lesser in comparison to their male counterparts. I was imbibed with this notion by both of my parents who would always encourage me to treat or see boys and girls as equals rather than being different from one another in capability or respectability. With time, I got inclined toward reading a number of feminist texts that went on to have a huge role in motivating me into delving deeper into the topic. Moreover, now I could identify many ways in which the patriarchal societal structure aimed to constrict the women to inferior roles making way for male dominance in the society. The realization that a systematic violence was being inflicted upon the women of the society went on to stir my mind to the very core. I believe that was the point when I decided that I would learn more about the matter and would endeavor to stand up against any such discriminatory practice that I come across in the course of my life. Finding an opportunity to explore this topic academically provides me with utmost exuberance to research more and get a clearer perspective of the matter in context. As a person with sense of morality and ethics, I believe it is my foremost responsibility to contribute in whatever way possible for me for the betterment of the society. If this is one of the ambitions of my life and education, then I need to contribute toward combating the nefarious forces of the patriarchal society in ways that are possible for me. Rather than being a struggle for any individual, I see this as a struggle for the larger good of the society and fighting for the just cause of the female folks of the entire human race.
In my opinion, there is a lot for me to gain on a personal level as well by writing about this topic. Since I am already inclined toward updating myself about the topic in context, writing on it academically would require me to explore academic works on the issue. Thus, the essay-writing process would transcend from being just an academic practice work to something that would teach me something for my entire life. In fact, I am hoping to go through certain academic works by stalwart feminist authors that would contribute toward my personal betterment as well as it would provide me with the much needed education for the purpose of constructing my psyche and perspective about gender discrimination in the society. I would be able to know much more about the ways in which patriarchal ideology works in the human society. That would surely enable me to understand interpersonal relationships better as well, since I would be gauging things from a sociological and feminist perspective. I would be able to see beyond what is apparent to others, I believe. As such, writing on the topic in context is not just academic work for me, but it would also lead me to a process of self-exploration and enhance my perspective about life and the world around. With all of this in mind, I look forward to working and researching on the contextual topic as it would be a matter of personal development for me. I would have a sea of opportunities in front of me to enhance my knowledge and critical understanding of the way culture, tradition, religion and society works to subjugate the women folks of the world with all the institutionalized practices and norms. Also, my understanding would pave the way for better interpersonal ties on my part as well as I would become conscious about the malpractices of patriarchy and would avoid the same for the rest of my life.
Research your topic and provide a brief summary of the current points of view about the topic. Share at least two different/opposing positions on the topic.
Reading the work of Simone de Beauvoir, the stalwart feminist author, goes on to provide the much needed understanding of the discriminatory practices of patriarchy and imbibes the self with feminist enlightenment. The Second Sex, one of the seminal works of feminism in the world, aptly exposes how women are subjugated by the male dominated society. Firstly, the women are oppressed by the very fact of being treated as the other by the males of the society. As such, males occupy the position of the subject with the women being ascribed the role of the object. While one might say that it is fine for humans to understand the self in opposition to others, this becomes a flawed perspective when applied to the genders. The very act of objectification of the female in stark juxtaposition to the male makes the women get denied of their humanity. The author goes on to explore how women are made to remain subordinate to the males of the society. She explains her position by citing various ways in which the females are treated as inferior to men. The work goes on to explore how women are expected to fulfill the parameters already institutionalized by the society. These parameters are constructed to abide by the patriarchal ideology and thereby promote male dominance on the females. In fact, the author delves into how the gender of femininity is attributed to the females by the society and culture. The females are made to believe that childrearing and marriage are two very important aspects of their lives, while the males are supposed to be the breadwinners. As such, the females’ lives get constricted within the household as the spheres of gaining education and economic independence are undermined by the other roles in congruence with the notion of femininity as propagated by the patriarchal society. The females come to repress their personal desires and aspirations so as to live a life of passivity in accordance with the expectations of the society that are nothing but the enormous onus that thwarts their development working to discriminate against women.
On the other hand, there are antifeminist movements as well that aim to speak against the perspective of feminist movement providing their own explanations to the entire scenario of male-female relationship and gender. It needs to be reckoned that antifeminism goes on to propagate the fact that feminism is a movement that aims at demonizing males. Moreover, it is opined that women of the 21st century are not oppressed by the males or the social institutions in any way. The website of the organization named Women against Feminism can be seen as one of the vehement voices against the feminist movement of the world. The organization has the view that feminists are supporters of a discriminatory ideology and aim at trivializing male-female relationships with their constricted and absurd explanations. The feminists are inclined toward portraying the women as victims at the hand of the males of the society, no matter how much the ways of the society might have changed over the time. The antifeminists raise their concern by pointing out that the feminists do not have anything to say against the discriminatory practices like child custody, child support, paternity liability, difference in sentencing in similar crimes. Thus, they endeavor to prove that feminism is encompassed with falsity and it aims at construing and portraying the entire social structure in an erroneous manner only leading to enhancement of the gap between males and females. As such, the two perspectives stand at stark juxtaposition to one another regarding the topic of gender discrimination.
Describe whom you might choose as your audience. Who are your readers, and what are their needs, motivations, and influences? In what ways will you need to structure your writing to appeal to them?
It needs to be reckoned that the topic in context would be relevant universally. The topic is equally important for both males and females as it has the potential of exposing the malpractices of patriarchy in the society. The writing would shed light on how the women are being oppressed and subjugated in the society by the institutionalized practices of the patriarchal ideology. However, if I am to zero in on a specific group of audience for the essay, I believe it should be aimed at the women of the society. Focusing on the teenagers of the female community of the society would be very effective as it would be a great step toward enlightening the youngsters about the ways in which the society can exercise its surmounting influence on them as they grow older. Moreover, teenagers would have the ability to thwart such patriarchal forces by their lifestyle and choices. They can also propagate the idea among their peers, thereby spreading the word against patriarchy with much effect. The females have already been influenced by the patriarchal influences from a very tender age. As such, it is very much necessary that the writing is very persuasive in nature so as to expose how patriarchy works putting on the garb of culture, religion and tradition in the society. The audience needs to get informed about the seminal perspective of the feminist thinkers. They have to be made aware of the various ways in which femininity is imposed upon the females by the patriarchal ideology so that they can take the first step toward combating the systematic violence meted out to them. It is the primary need to evoke an emotional response on the part of the readers or listeners so that they can be urged to act against any form of gender discrimination taking place in the society.
So, it is highly needed to present the essay in the most comprehensible manner to the audience. Also, there has to be proper research work done for penning the essay as the research would add information making the writing more persuasive in nature. The essay needs to have a perfect mesh of ethos, logos and pathos so that the audience can be convinced about the ongoing process of gender discrimination in the society. This might mean that their preconceptions regarding certain traditions, cultural markers, religious practices and so on might have to be challenged in the course of the writing in context. While statistical data might be of help for the purpose of providing evidence regarding the claim, a qualitative analysis of the situation of women in the society would also be very effective indeed. The first part of the essay would explain the forms of gender discrimination that is rampantly occurring in the human society. After having established the fact that gender discrimination is carried out by setting up norms and practices in the name of culture, religion or tradition, the essay would focus on the ways in which gender discrimination needs to be combatted. Thus, the aim of the writing would be to highlight the social problem as well as offer a viable solution to the matter in context.
What specific issue will you write about within the larger topic, and what unique angle will you provide?
Indeed, the topic of gender discrimination in context is a large one. So, the best thing would be to zero in on a specific issue within the domain of gender discrimination in the society. It can be said that marriage as a societal institution is a patriarchal trap that aims to subjugate the women with the imposition of specific parameters set by the patriarchal ideology, and thus it works to constrict the self of the female within the boundaries of the inner sphere of life stripping her of the due respectability and independence. If one thinks deeply, it can very well be understood that marriages have the innate nature of being oppressive for the women as the male counterparts are given the place of more priority in the interpersonal relationship. The essay would focus on the various ways in which the females are subordinated by their male counterparts in marriage. Among the ways in which women are subjugated and made to face gender discrimination, the institution of marriage is one of the most effective ones. One has to note the fact that marital bond in the human society goes on to ascribe specific gender roles to the male and the female. The roles have been determined by hundreds of years of cultural and social conditioning of the females by the various social agents. So, the specific topic of gender discrimination in marital bond would highlight the ways in which women have been conditioned to embrace passivity and subjugation. The tasks of the household and childrearing are ascribed to the women folks, and they are expected to abide by the parameters of correct femininity throughout their life in the marital bond.
The essay would aim to focus on the gender discrimination in this regard as the women folk are made to repress their personal goals and desires for the purpose of living up to the expectations of the society. Women in marriages are judged by the society, while they are objectified by the male counterparts in the relationship. The process of objectification of the females can very well be seen as a dehumanizing act on the part of the patriarchal society, denying the females of their equal position and respect in the marital bond. Moreover, the males are supposed to be the breadwinner in the marriages, while the employment or economic independence of the females is seen to be of lesser importance. This institutionalized perspective is representative of the discrimination faced by the women in marriages as they are simply treated to be inferior to their partners. Thus, the essay would elucidate the gender discrimination innate in marriages, making it clear to the utmost degree to the audience that they need to stand up against the social ill so as to ensure a better future for themselves and the generations to come. The entire relationship of marriage would be scrutinized in the process of writing.
References
Beauvoir, Simone de. (2012). The Second Sex. New York City: Knopf Doubleday
Publishing Group.
(n.d.) ‘Women against Feminism.’ Women against Feminism. Retrieved from
http://womenagainstfeminism.com/#filter
