Arguments over the worth of men versus women have gone on for a very long time. Men were viewed as superior to women for most of human history. But during the past 100 years women fought for a place in our society and did end up with laws to help achieve equality. Yet prejudice against women continues today, with men making more money working the same job as women. It’s traditional to have the man of the house be the breadwinner, out conquering the world, while the loving wife takes care of the children and household chores. And while many women appreciate being supported, there is still a large majority hoping to enter the business world with the same respect as men. Women fight for their rights and never back down to men trying to put them down. They will not give into the stereotypical world, putting men on pedestals and having women below them and dependent on men for everything. This kind of society is not fair to women and undermines their strength. Women deserve equality to men, not only within laws but also in society.
In the past, men have been raised and encouraged to jump on every educational opportunity because they could be anything they wanted, yet women were deprived of an education and only learned how to take care of the household. Women pursuing careers in untraditional fields would have to hide the fact that they were women in order to put their work on an even playing field. For example in the book “George Sands”, “To maximize the sales of her book… she changed her name to George Sands, concealing the fact that a famous author was a woman,” (Harlan 52). During World War II, women successful entered the work force in order to manufacture goods needed for the war. The accomplishments of these women helped to secure a victory and proved how valuable women can be .
Others argue that men are more valuable because they are strong and independent. However, while men may be able to beat women in an arm wrestling contest, women prove their strength while going through childbirth. Men make important contributions to their families by working outside the home, but I would venture to say that caring for the household is more important. Even in the year 2009, women perform a much larger percentage of home duties than is done by men. It also continues to be true that some employers find hiring women risky because they could leave to be a stay at home mom. But it is also true today that the father could very well stay at home with the children. The increase in rights for women has also given men more choices in what roles to take. There continue to be men who claim that women are too emotional to perform well at work, yet in some cases the emotional and nurturing nature of women can be helpful. Many argued against electing a woman to high political office, however there have been many highly effective female heads of governments.
In conclusion, women’s abilities are too often overlooked by the men controlling our world today. The struggles women faced to gain the respect they have today has led to a productive and diverse workforce. Women continue to speak out proving they are mature, responsible, and a good asset to any company today. The advancements women have achieved have not diminished the importance or opportunities for men. Instead, changing roles for women has provided a wider range of freedom for men as well. A society that recognizes the value of different skills, abilities and interests results in better lives for all its members.