Introduction
The history of women’s struggle for equality and empowerment has spanned two hundred years. Centuries ago, during the Reconstruction era, women had to deal with strong dogmas and male dominance in every realm and recognize their helplessness in the face of gender expectations. Meanwhile, in modern times, during the third wave of feminism, many changes are being made to encourage gender equality and representation. Still, many efforts have to be made to reinforce existing policies and advocate for women’s interests. While continuity is evident in the persistence of gender-based expectations and discrimination, change is reflected in the advancements made in political empowerment, workforce participation, and challenging traditional gender norms.
Gender-Based Expectations and Discrimination
Before delving deeper into changes that took place in society, it is necessary to give an overview of gender-based expectations and their transformations through time. Women have traditionally been expected to adhere to gender norms and expectations throughout history. During and after the Reconstruction era, social conventions established that women’s primary domain was the home and family.
As mentioned by Strom, women were affected by “the sexual segregation of […] jobs, their life cycles of work and marriage, and the overwhelming sexism”. Self-actualization was within the reach of the patriarchal man if he provided a suitably affluent family home. His female counterpart, on the other hand, was forced to occupy a physical space that either dehumanizes or subjugates her. In this case, discrimination can be seen as a phenomenon that existed centuries ago and is not a new social construct that can be mitigated with a few policies.
While much has changed since the Reconstruction era, with many advancements being made, women still face obstacles, especially in the workplace. There has been a gender pay difference for many years, and it still exists now. Obstacles include occupational segregation and a lack of professional options, with women frequently encountering barriers to obtaining higher-ranking and higher-paying jobs. Throughout the 20th century, there was a divergence in the labor movement’s goals regarding class solidarity and the women’s movement regarding sex-based rights.
Working-class feminists fought against men who wanted to keep women out of unionized employment and who failed to provide organized women workers with a fair voice in the labor movement. As a result, even in settings where equal chances are offered, gender stereotypes still exist. Continuity can be observed in attitudes toward and perceptions of women, regarding them as inferior and imposing rigid gender roles on them, making it challenging for the majority of women to achieve success.
Progress and Empowerment
Nevertheless, substantial changes can be observed throughout history, which shaped the trajectory of feminist movements and the enhancement of women’s rights. Before 1848, several women had already demanded numerous of the early women’s rights enumerated at Seneca Falls, including the ability to vote, in different methods. While John Adams, the representative to the Continental Congress, was preoccupied with crafting legislation for the developing country, he was alerted in 1776 to the danger that women “threatened fomenting a Rebellion.” As was emphasized, women “would not hold [themselves] bound by any Laws in which [they] had neither a voice nor representation.” Such moments of growing indignation and pro-feminist sentiments were the cornerstones of future strikes.
One of the well-known and influential events in the history of women’s rights was the Seneca Falls Convention. The Convention was set on July 19, 1848, and is recognized as the first convention for women’s rights in America. Contrary to popular belief, no one at the time thought this small gathering had ignited the women’s suffrage movement. Following the Seneca Falls convention in 1848, the discourse grew more intense. One significant distinction was that it started to be expressed at women’s rights conventions at this point.
Almost a century later, President Wilson convened a meeting of Congress on May 21, 1920, at which the national women’s suffrage amendment was submitted. After passing the House of Representatives, the Senate approved it two weeks later; thus, the 19th Amendment was born. The National Woman’s Party (NWP) and the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) collaborated informally to ratify the 19th Amendment in twenty-two states. Therefore, in the span of one hundred years, women achieved not only opportunities to work but also to have a voice and earn the right to vote.
Nowadays, the changes continue to take place to advocate for women’s rights worldwide, stressing the importance of equality. In the 1990s, during the period known as the third wave, the feminist movement emerged. Third-wave feminism addresses several theoretical issues raised by the second-wave by taking three significant strategic actions. Initially, in reaction to the dissolution of the women category, the third wave prioritizes individual stories representing an integrative and multidimensional interpretation of feminism.
Second, supporters of the movement value action over philosophical justification and multivocality above synthesis due to postmodernism’s ascent. Lastly, such a kind of feminism stresses an accepting and nonjudgmental stance that declines to police the limits of the feminist political sphere in reaction to the sex wars’ division. Put differently, third-wave feminism supplants efforts at unification with a vibrant and inclusive politics of alliance.
Transformations in the Workforce
Significant alterations can be observed in the workforce and women’s opportunities. The number of women in the labor force has increased over time. As more women enter the workforce, the idea that their place is in the home is being challenged. The country’s most prominent medical professional union, National Nurses United, was founded in 2009 by three nursing groups and now has 150,000 members. Such a moment demonstrates disintegrating patterns of gender-based discrimination.
Furthermore, it has long been acknowledged that higher education can effectively spark societal transformation. Women’s empowerment is one of its most significant effects in recent decades. It is a path to leadership, confidence, and self-reliance. Education helps women break through social norms, manage a rapidly changing environment, and contribute significantly to society. Women are not just defying gender stereotypes but also lowering obstacles to higher education and significantly advancing political, social, and economic progress.
Racial consciousness sparked numerous advancements in the area during the 1980s and ’90s, with increased research on African-American, Asian American, Native American, and Latina women. With better research on the role of women and the influence of discrimination, it is possible to advocate for changes and protect the oppressed groups. This change demonstrates education’s profound impact on transforming societies and advancing gender equality.
Legal barriers to gender equality have gradually been lifted as time passed due to the suffragist, civil rights, and feminist movements, which called for legislative changes to provide women equality under the constitution. Women from the UAW were in the lead of changing labor’s stance. In contrast to their allies in the U.S. Women’s Bureau, they saw women’s labor laws as instruments of hostile male employees who wanted to deny women opportunity and compensation, as well as other women in male-dominated or mixed-sex businesses.
They cheered the repeal of sex-based labor limitations under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which was made possible by the collaboration of feminist and labor lawmakers. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 shields women from sex-based workplace discrimination, and the Equal Pay Act of 1963 established the right to equal compensation for equal work. These legislative pieces have aided workplace equality and given women more chances to assume leadership roles.
Persistent Challenges
Finally, several persistent challenges need to be addressed to reach full equality. For instance, the gender pay gap continues to be an issue despite advancements. Women’s incomes continue to lag behind men’s, and wage inequities continue. Women are unlikely to achieve complete financial equality with men if there is a significant gender wage gap among highly compensated, highly educated individuals. This disparity reflects systemic biases and persistent discrimination in the workforce.
Moreover, expectations put on women are still influenced by traditional gender roles and stereotypes, which uphold the notion that providing care is their primary duty. These misconceptions restrict women’s chances and exacerbate prejudice based on gender. Gender stereotypes are thought to be a significant problem impeding women’s advancement in managerial careers.
In businesses where men predominate, women have been reported to suffer from high levels of mental illness when they adopt an interpersonally focused leadership style. Women also continue to face significant levels of pressure from their professions. In the workplace, gender-specific behavior demoralizes and demotivates women. Unfavorable perceptions about their effectiveness or performance in work environments may harm women’s aspirations for job progress. Consequently, it is crucial to recognize the evident progress today and bring more efforts for equality.
Conclusion
In summary, change is represented in the achievements made in political empowerment, employment involvement, and questioning established gender norms. At the same time, continuity is visible in the continuance of discrimination and expectations based on gender. Throughout history, women have been required to conform to gender standards and expectations. Yet, over a century, women were able to obtain the ability to vote, a voice, and employment prospects. Significant changes have been noted in the possibilities for women and the workforce. Over time, there has been a rise in the number of women working.
The notion that women belong in the house is being questioned as more of them enter the workforce. However, achieving complete equality will require addressing several enduring issues. For example, despite progress, the gender wage gap still exists. Moreover, preconceptions and traditional gender roles that perpetuate the idea that taking care of others comes first continue to shape expectations placed on women. Negative opinions regarding women’s efficacy or performance in the workplace may undermine their advancement goals.
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