Diversity Organizations Worksheet and Paper
Melissa Platts
ETH/125
June 14,2014
Twlyer Earl
Diversity Organizations Worksheet and Paper
The status of women throughout United States history has been a battle for their rights as equal to men. Women’s struggle for equal rights and equality has started since the beginning. They suffer the same discrimination and prejudice of other minority groups most comparative to African Americans. Over the years, women have fought their subordinate status through activist groups and solidarity. Both have participated in civil rights movements, demonstrations, and court hearings. There are negative stereotypes that exist in both groups such as being inferior because they are considered emotional, and weak. According to Http://www.nwhp.org/legacy/move-Hist.html#revolution" (1997-2002) women were not allowed to vote, had no property rights, not allowed in professions of medicine or law, and were not accepted into colleges or universities. In 1854 women began to demand a more expansive legislation and filed a Women’s Rights Petition to the New York State Legislature. There were over 70 years of fighting, and then in 1920, a vote for women's rights was finally won.
Today the status of women is that they are living the legacy of seven generations of women and have achieved more than ever. In the work environment, women have entered every field although a lot remains to be done. Women still only hold 11% of seats in Congress and 21% of the Legislative seats. Children of today have inherited a much different world than before, although there is still a gender divide. Women still makeup a large percentage of the poverty are subjected to sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, it is also evident that in schools men receive more attention from the teachers. Social demands for women have created new problems for the working mother also to be a homemaker in addition, they are still being paid less than their male counterparts for the same job positions. In our society and the media here are some examples of concepts femininity and masculinity. "Women have been portrayed and vulnerable, weak, and overly feminine, for instance, the dumb blonde" Peterkin (2010). In the media men are shown to play a role of intelligence, strength, and being powerful. Commonly in movies they are CEO’s or doctors, dentist, and cowboys. This stereotype often makes people assume inaccurate unfounded determinations. “A study by the National Institute on Media and the Family found that women have a greater sense of body dissatisfaction when they watch TV shows or read magazines with models that are thin.” (Peterkin, 2010).
In the history of the GBLT's, they have always been discriminated. In the past homosexuality was a crime, and today Sodomy laws still exist that prevent such intercourse (Nguyen, 2014). Often they are victims of being harassed, insulted, hate crimes by classmates, co-workers, and church and family members just for being gay. Even back in World War II Hitler murdered homosexuals in addition to Jews. In 1974 finally they removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In 1942, the military banned them from joining the military service claiming it would make other soldiers feel uncomfortable. President Clinton took the first step in being pro-gay and introduced the policy "Don't ask Don't Tell." The Gay Rights Movement has been able to gain more freedom and equality in recent years. Nine states and hundreds of universities and businesses have enacted laws that protect gays from discrimination.
Today the GBLT people are supported by the ACLU’s strategy to persuade judges and government officials, and people of society that it is wrong to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity. They are still fighting for the right to have access to housing, parenting, marriage, education, and other areas of civil society ("Lgbt Rights