Sexual Harassment Towards Women example essay topic

Everyone constantly discusses the gender issue. There is much controversy between the superiority of one gender over another. Some say that women have easier lives, while others believe that men have it easier. Several authors, directors, and experts have spoken about the apparent differences between men and women.

Which gender has an easier life? I believe that men have it easier than women socially, financially, and sexually. Let's consider the social issues. In "Sexism in English" by Alleen Nilson it is stated that in some cultures women are only allowed outside while wearing chad eri and in the presence of a man (203). Women are often considered the property of men. And it is men who are making these rules.

Additionally, men are socially accepted no matter what they look like. In the poem "Barbie Doll", by Marge Piercy, she explains that to prepare the "girl child" for life after marriage she is given a doll, "stoves, and irons and wee lipsticks" (338). Barbie dolls are very popular among both women and girls. Many use these dolls to compare with their own body, often leading them to eating disorders, dieting, and the desire for plastic surgery.

Financially, men are better off, as they are compensated for not being a woman. In the video Boys and Girls it is stated that men on average make more money per hour when doing the same job as a woman. In "Sexism in English", Nilson states that men are given jobs that are not intended for women. Many job titles even contain "man" in them such as fireman, policeman, and mailman. Since women have more recently been offered these jobs, the titles have been changed to be less gender specific.

Even though women can now get jobs that were just for men, the position as the President of the United States is still a mans job which has not yet crossed the racial line... let alone the gender line. Sexually men have it easier. Men do not have to worry about getting pregnant after having sex one time. The responsibility is most often left to the women for preventative measures to guard against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

The men who work around women treat women differently. Sexual harassment towards women is more rampant than men being sexually harassed by women. In Tootsie, everyone working around Dustin Hoffman's character treats him differently at work because he is dressed as a woman. The men working with his character think of him as a sexy woman who should not be alone and one who needs companionship. Sexual harassment towards Dustin Hoffman's character is not taken seriously due to the frequency of the male chauvinistic behavior.

Lastly, but sadly, women make up the largest majority of sexual abuse victims. So, do men actually have an easier life than women? Socially, financially, and sexually men have the easier life. They get away with looking like themselves and being allowed to do that without comparison.

They get away with walking away with as fatter paycheck on average. And they get away with boasting all of the above while pushing women around who are struggling to keep the pace. But men "like" women. In "Why I Want A Wife", Judy Brady states "I want a wife who will not bother me with rambling complaints about a wife's duties" (349). Men like what women do for them.

After all, don't forget that "behind every great man is a great woman".

Bibliography

Boys and Girls Are Different; Men, Women, and the Sex Difference. Host John Stoss il. MPI Video, 1991.
Brady, Judy. "Why I Want A Wife". Kirszner and Mandell. 349-350. Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell, Eds. The Blair Reader. 4th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, 2002.
Nilson, Alleen Pace. "Sexism in English: Embodiment and Language". Kirszner and Mandell. 203-213. Piercy, Marge. "Barbie Doll". Kirszner and Mandell. 338. Pollock, Sydney, dir. Tootsie. Performed by Dustin Hoffman. Columbia, 1982.