Male Domination For Example Marriage example essay topic

Women in Spanish America during the colonization: The perception of inequality was evident in the colonial Spanish America, man belief that women were lacked in capacity to reason as soundly as men. A normal day for European women in the new world was generally characterized by male domination, for example marriage was arranged by the fathers, women never go out except to go church, women didn't have the right to express their opinions about politic or society issues. Subsequent to all these bad treats European women try to find different ways to escape from man domination and demonstrate their intellectual capacities, for example women used become part of a convent, write in secret their desires and disappointments, and even dress as man to discover what was the real world. On the other hand native women were not treating the same way, because their enjoyed economic importance's that place them far from being man victims. However, Europeans women were very discriminated and dominated during the colonial times; but little by little women fight for their rights and become free of man domination. In the year 1520 European women begin arriving to the New World; all these women were treat as minors and became adult at the age of 25 years old.

At this time or before women were destined to get marriage. Marriages were controlled by fathers, fathers would make sure that the husband choose to their daughters were equal or better in economic matters. The issue of "inequality" of course, rarely arose on the top elite level, but to middle or low level classes it was a major issue. According to one of the stories of Tales of Potosi called The Strange Case of Fulgencio Orozco people from low classes pass throughout many difficulties to arrange a marriage for their daughters; in this story a Spanish man who lacked in economic matters experience many complications trying to organized a marriage for his daughter, he never obtain a good marriage for his daughter and finally became crazy, lost his faith in God and died. Cases like this one occur around all Spanish America in low classes; marriage was an economic contract that almost always benefits top elite level class. In a normal day a European women were required to stay home all day except to go to church.

The church became a place of reunions to women of the top elite level. Also women didn't have the right to express their opinions about political or society issues; women that rebels against this style of life normally were segregated. As for example one of the stories of Tales of Potosi called Claudia the Witch describe how in 1674 a woman that used to practice Indians rituals was judged and discriminated as a witch, her name was Claudia, she was a perfect example of what was the consequence of being a different type of woman that was already predestinated into society. In consequence of these bad treats, women try to find different ways that in their point of view were a way out to reveal their need and discontents with man. One way for women to express their dissatisfaction was become part to the Convent, it provided an especially opportunity to achieving self-expression and freedom from male domination and sexual exploitation for elite and middle-class women. In the convents women display their capacity for leadership in administration, management of resources, and a way to create a social life by receiving visitors.

An example of these ways out to society is "Sor Juana", according to Keen and Haynes's book Sor Juana's intellectual brilliance made it difficult for her to find a suitable marriage partner, in consequence she decide to become part of a Convent. This same experience was common for one or more daughters of an elite family in every day life Other way for women to discover society and communicate their thoughts was to go out without permission from their families. One of the stories of Tales of Potosi called The Adventures of the Warrior Maidens present two women who pay attention to the trainings of his brother and became well skilled in weapons matter as a normal man, these two women went out, dress as man and discover the outside society, even kill innocent people and never were capture by authorities. This case is an illustration of how women where desperate to demonstrate that they were equal to man in all aspects.

On the contrary, native women from Spanish America (Indians) were far from being victims of discrimination and domination by man. Normally native women enjoyed economic importance as producer and merchants of goods, owned property in their own right, take legal actions, countered male abuse, and play principal roles in the organization of confrontation to Spanish measures that endangered their communities. This was completely the opposite than the European women, the only way a European women could have all these freedoms was after the death of their husbands, the hesitance from their husbands give to each women an economic base to managed business and be independent into society. However, Europeans women were very segregated and under man control during the colonial times; but little by little women fight for their rights and become free of man domination.

Today the status of women's civil rights varies dramatically in different countries and, in some cases, among groups within the same country, such as ethnic groups or economic classes. In recent decades women around the world have made strides in political participation, as for example women acquired the right to vote, the right to become part of political issues, the right to marriage who they want, and the right to be free as an individual. Resources: Benjamin Keen, Keith Haynes. A History of Latin America Seventh Edition.

Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston New York, 2004. Bartolom e Aryans de Or sua y Vela. Tales of Potosi. Providence Brown University, 1975. Emma Sor do.

Latin American Civilization Class Notes. 5/25/05..