Closing the gap?

Females have always been looked down upon more than men for the simple fact that they are females. This is not a recent fact, it has been going on for as long as mankind existed. This is known as gender stratification. Put simply, it is the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between men and women. There are many different views on gender stratification. To look at these views, visit this website: https://www.boundless.com/sociology/definition/gender-stratification/ In all areas of a person's life, whether it is in the workplace, at home, in school, or politics, men have always been viewed as superior. However, the inequality is changing and women are slowly working their way up and making themselves noticed more and more.

Gender roles are attitudes and activities that a society links to each sex. For men, their roles would be being the head of the household, being in charge at work, and doing all the heavy lifting. Women's roles are quite the opposite. They are seen as doing the housework, not being the head of a business, and are viewed as "weak" so they cannot possibly be able to do any dirty or hard work. Thankfully, the inequality gap is shortening. This graph shows the percentage of men and women in the workforce. It is a visual of the lessening inequality in the United States from 1950-2002. 

An example of gender inequality I have been a part of is in the workplace. As mentioned in my other blog, I am an equipment manager for the NIU football team. Out of 13 managers this past year, there were four girls. Us girls had to fight to keep up with the guys. We had to push heavy trunks containing equipment needed for games, run into plays to place a ball down, catch and throw a ball effectively, and all the while, being smaller than every other person on the field. I was told countless times to "have one of the guys do it". It angered me because just because I'm a girl, does not mean I can't push something or lift something. There were a bunch of times where I felt like I had to prove myself. Luckily, this showed. 

The idea of sexism promotes feminism. Sexism is the view that one sex is superior to the other. Most commonly, men view themselves superior over women. This is seen in the classroom where, decades ago, only men were educated. Or it is seen in politics where the amount of men in the government dominates over the amount of women. Feminism comes into play when women support social equality for themselves over men in opposition to patriarchy and sexism. Different types of feminists, which can be viewed here: http://www.uah.edu/woolf/feminism_kinds.htm , have all fought for the same thing throughout the decades: equality. The gap is slowly closing and equality is not that far away anymore. Although, the gap will most likely never fully close, it is hoped that gender stratification will not be as big of a deal as it is today.