In our country’s early and formative years women were seen as intellectually incompetent, weak, in great need of being controlled by a man and as having the potential to lead a man to the flames of hell via temptation. They had little to no legal and political rights for many years. Their main duties were seen as providing children, raising those children, and maintaining a household. It wasn’t until the mid eighteen hundreds that women began to come together in order to make a change. These early advocates for change also allied themselves with African Americans, since there was a great deal of similarities as to what rights they had at the time.
In 1920 women gained the right to vote. Since that momentous event, in which the female voice could be heard loud and clear on a political level, women have surged forward as a collective whole. We now have the ability to hold any position that we want in the workforce and be equally paid in that position, we can live alone, raise children alone, own land and home, and we can do this and much more with out turning heads. Women have accomplished this in less than one hundred years. Of course, due to the fact that on a historical level this feat is still quite young we as women still face some problems. There is still a fight for equality. We do not have far to go though and I believe that in my life time the battle will be won.
Society and the media have smothered us with clear cut ideals as to what is masculine and feminine. Cologne ads feature muscular clean cut men and perfume ads feature flowing and soft females. The damsel in distress is a popular movie plot and the brawny hero sweeps in to save the day. The suit is the attire for the man in a formal occasion and the evening gown is the attire for the woman. The focus on the female body is to be thin and soft and for males it’s muscular. Girls have Barbie, unicorns, and pink. Boys have weapons, G.I. Joe, and blue. Barbie has the idyllic body and unicorns have been a long time symbol of virginity and gentleness. Weapons are dominating and destructive in nature and G.I. Joe is the idyllic body for a male. The ideals of what is masculine and feminine are thrown at us from the moment we take our first breath. Even males that undergo transgender surgery opt for that Barbie look. Females undergo hormone therapy to bulk up and grow facial hair. Society and the media have had detrimental effects on what makes a woman a woman and what makes a man a man.
Historically, the social status of the LGBT community has been one of secrecy. This was because they ran the risk of assault, death, and being outcast. They were sinners, mentally disturbed, and carried diseases. Most would play the part of what society demanded of them or live a solitary life. There are several arguments among historians that a few prominent historical figures were gay and a number of poets have written poems about gay and lesbian