Gender Equality

In the 19th century, and even before that in our history, women have been looked at as inferiors or less than men.  They have been separated from the rest of society and kept from doing many things that men could do.  In the 19th century there was nothing equal about the rights of women and men.


 In 1848, at the Seneca Falls Convention, many women and some men abolitionists gathered to demand the right to vote for women.  It was known as the first organized woman's suffrage gathering.  At the Seneca Falls Convention, the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was published.  It listed all of the grievances in the ways women have been wronged.  The resolutions were demands from the women.  This was one of the ways the women tried achieving gender equality.  In a list of the laws and practices that women were forced to follow called "Rights of Women", it shows just how extreme the restrictions were on women in the 19th century.  One of the laws legalized the ability for a man to beat his wife.  Another stated that it was considered improper for women to speak in public.  Those are just a few examples of how disgusting and unreasonable the restrictions really were.  In the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, these restrictions along with many others were demanded to be abolished.

Although the abolitionists put up a fight for better treatment and gender equality, the men were not on the same page.  After word got around about the Seneca Falls Convention, tons of newspaper articles discussed the event.  The men were very unhappy with the women's actions and in one particular article, it stated, "We are sorry to see that the women, in several parts of this state, are holding what they call, 'Woman's Rights Conventions,' and setting forth a formidable list of those Rights, in a parody upon the Declaration of Independence."  This shows that men saw the movement as completely unnecessary and inappropriate.  Below is the news article which is full of the opinions of the men based off of the Seneca Falls Convention.          





Now a days, gender equality has become a lot better than it was in the 19th century.  All of the ridiculous restrictions that existed during that time don't apply to women today.  However, there are differences between certain aspects of men and women.  For example, when men go out with women a lot and have fun they gain reputations as being "cool" but when girls do the same thing they get judged and called mean names.  Another instance is in the athletic world.  Girls are looked at as inferior to boys when it comes to sport because boys are "tougher" and "stronger".  Although there are no restrictions like the extreme ones women faced in the 19th century, there are definitely judgments and stereo types towards women today.
 

Link to YouTube video describing how women are looked at in society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K2kfgW7708&feature=youtu.be

Tanner, John.  Mechanics Mutual Protection.  Edline.