When Life Gives You Lemons...
A Story on Women's Rights and Make Lemonade By Zachary Enman
DO NOT Discriminate!
Studies Show that In the United States 4 out of 10 Women have faced or will face discrimination personally. Studies also show that A Women makes $0.72 for every $1 a man makes. Women's Rights Discrimination is all around us. It is directed towards Women of varying sizes, and ages. It affects mainly Women in the work force. Women are more likely to accept a low to moderately paying job and stay there without asking for regular raises or negotiating their salary. Certain researchers have looked at loyalty as a common trait among women in the workplace, suggesting that women are less likely to leave their place of employment due to a strong sense of nurturing and involvement in their current place of work. Also when running for political office women often face discriminatory questioning that detracts from their political viewpoints, being forced to respond to questions about mothering and their wardrobe at a much higher rate than men.
Current Day Examples of Rights Subjugation
There are many forms of discrimination in the world against women today:
- In the Work Force
Women have had many examples of being paid less than men, for no other reason than they are women. There have also been cases of sexual harassment in the work place, that on most occasions have not been in the woman's favor.
- In the home
Many males have made claims to the ideal that women only belong in the kitchen, or should only work as house wives.
- In the Education System
Women are treated poorly in the education system, believed to sometimes not receive a same level amount of help for a subject a Male student would be getting much better treatment on.
- In the Church
In many cases religion has been dragged into this, claiming that "god" or some other higher power, or way of the world, had made it that Women are not made equal to Men in any way.
Why Do People Judge Women So Harshly?
Socially, Women are not discriminated against, but it is throughout their aspects of life (i.e Work, Education, Economics) In education, for example, while enrollment has increased for both sexes, the number of girls going to school is still far below the number of boys. According to the 2003 National Census, there are also more boys going on to higher education than girls. In economic activity, there are more men working than women. For example, only 44.81 percent of the female workforce across the country is employed, compared to men at 76.12 percent.
Famous Women in Woman's Rights
Betty Friedan (1921-2006)
Leading feminist figure of the 1960s. Her book “The Feminine Mystique” became a best seller and received both lavish praise and intense criticism. Betty Friedan campaigned for an extension of female rights and an end to sexual discrimination
Wangari Maathai (1940-2011)
Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. In the 1970s, she founded the Green Belt Movement a non-governmental organisation promoting environmental conservation and women’s rights. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contribution to fighting for democratic rights and especially for encouraging women to better their situation.
Billie Jean King (1943 - )
One of the greatest female athletes Billie Jean King was one of the greatest female tennis champions who battled for equal pay for women. She won 67 professional titles including 20 titles at Wimbledon.
Shirin Ebadi (1947 - )
Shirin Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace prise for her work in promoting human and women’s rights in her native Iran. She trained as a lawyer, though was not allowed to practise as a judge. Ebadi was one of the founders of the Nobel Women’s initiatives supporting women’s rights around the world.
The Story Behind "Make Lemonade"
"Make Lemonade" a Story by Virginia Euwer Wolff is a story that consists of a young woman named, Lavaughn who helps babysit two kids, one named Jeremy, the other Jilly, who are both mothered by, Jolly. Jolly is a high-school drop-out, and has difficulty with maintaining money, and other essentials to raise her 2 kids, she works almost all the time, unable to raise her kids. With Lavaughn helping raise the kids, she soon learns a lot of Jolly's true character, how her life has been difficult, and why she has been having the horrible time raising her 2 kids, in a world where, being a young, single mother of 2 children can be very difficult. Especially in a world where it is difficult for women to work, and earn their pay, without something either going wrong, or just the fact that she is being discriminated against. Jolly starts out with a fairly decent job, until her boss then makes an attempt to assault her in the closet, with her boss saying she " is going to regret this" only to later lose her job. Then without any money she is afraid of turning to welfare, for if she does there is a chance that her children will be taken away from her, and she'll never get to see them again, all because she, as a woman, and mother, could be considered unable to provide and care for these children. Lavaughn's mother goes as far as to say Jolly is "a bad influence" when Jolly has been trying her hardest in her own way to try to pull herself together. Jolly in the end has to go to a mothers class, where she feels like she is being labeled as incompetent at what she does. She eventually comes to learn at this mother class that, life isn't always gonna give you what you want, some times you'll get lemons when you asked for limes, or oranges in this case, and in the end all you have left to do, is take the lemon's life has given you, and make lemonade. Take what looks like a bad thing, and try to turn it for the better. That is the idea behind "Make Lemonade".
Achievements Throughout History! (1900-2000)
1921
Margaret Sanger founds the American Birth Control League which evolves into the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1942.
1935
Mary McLeod Bethune organizes the National Council of Negro Women, a coalition of black women's groups that lobbies against job discrimination, racism, and sexism.
1936
The federal law prohibiting the dissemination of contraceptive information through the mail is modified and birth control information is no longer classified as obscene. Throughout the 1940 and 1950 birth control advocates are engaged in numerous legal suits.
1955
The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the first lesbian organization in the United States, is founded. Although DOB originated as a social group, it later developed into a political organization to win basic acceptance for lesbians in the United States
1961
President John Kennedy establishes the President's Commission on the Status of Women and appoints Eleanor Roosevelt as chairwoman. The report issued by the Commission in 1963 documents substantial discrimination against women in the workplace and makes specific recommendations for improvement, including fair hiring practices, paid maternity leave, and affordable child care.
1963
Congress passes the Equal Pay Act, making it illegal for employers to pay a woman less than what a man would receive for the same job.
1964
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act bars discrimination in employment on the basis of race and sex. At the same time it establishes the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate complaints and impose penalties.
1965
In Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court strikes down the one remaining state law prohibiting the use of contraceptives by married couples
1966
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is founded by a group of feminists including Betty Friedan. The largest women's rights group in the U.S., NOW seeks to end sexual discrimination, especially in the workplace, by means of legislative lobbying, litigation, and public demonstrations
1967
Executive Order 11375 expands President Lyndon Johnson's affirmative action policy of 1965 to cover discrimination based on gender. As a result, federal agencies and contractors must take active measures to ensure that women as well as minorities enjoy the same educational and employment opportunities as white males.
1976
The first marital rape law is enacted in Nebraska making it no longer legal for a husband to rape his wife.
Epilogue
Women have had a difficult time all throughout history, and almost everywhere. They have had to work. The Workplace, the Court Room, not even there own Home. Women are challenged everywhere they go and it is up to them, to stand up for what the believe in and persevere.