Alex Uribe
S. Knapp
English 1A
November 21, 2012
All Men Around The World
Dear To Whom It May Concern:
Do you agree with “It’s a man’s world”? Think again, because this is the
reason why our world isn’t fully developed.
I would like to address some global problems that our world is facing
now due to this bias. For years, our world society has been relying on
patriarchy at large, and it has caused many gender inequalities throughout the
nations. Gender Inequalities are not happening just in one country or two, but
in all countries around the world. Some countries have it worse than others,
but they all are experiencing a form of it. Even in those so called developed
countries like the United States are keeping this unbalance alive. Inequities
vary from educational inequalities to workforce and beyond. Contrasts between
men and women have affected our world in many ways. Since men favor themselves,
only especially, in those developing countries, they are creating tremendous
impacts on their country’s development, world health, and their country's
economy. Our world society structure has made the man believe men are the
superiority while women are the inferiority. The male population views the
female population as lower-class and less important which should not be the
case; therefore, many women have to experience unpleasant depressing difficult
lives because of these inequities our male society has created. All men come from a woman, for we shall all
have the exact equal opportunities in all matters as human beings.
If you were treated unequal for your gender status, would you be anxious to
make a change, or would you ignore it and deal with it? Gender inequality is a very serious issue
although most men are not fully aware of the real outcomes. First of all,
women/girls are having miserable lives in many ways compared to us men/boys
because of the cultural gender myth that has lived on for generations,
reinforcing that men are more doable in life.
According to The World Bank, “Nearly four million women go missing each
year in developing countries, 'About two fifths of girls are never born due to
a preference for sons, 'A sixth of girls die in early childhood, and over a
third die in their reproductive years.” Sadly these are the real outcomes of gender
inequality. Two fifths is a large portion of poor little girls, who never get
to see sunshine because they are girls and that definitely is not the right
thing that should be happening. This percentage is almost half of the total
girls that are born. There shouldn't be a preference for sons for anyone, to
the point, where they abort a child for developing into a girl. Fetuses don't
get the option of choosing what gender they want to be born as, so there
shouldn't be cruel actions committed against them. Many of those discarded
girls could have been very smart and maybe even their country's leaders one
day. Not to mention the sixth that die in early childhood because of neglect of
food and healthcare. Society is making a big mistake by fallowing this wrongful
supposition because no child needs to experience these awful experiences
regardless of their gender. By having even-handed equalities, girls will experience
happier lives because they will have a higher self-esteem level, and they won't
feel worthless for the fact that they aren't boys.
Furthermore in Afghanistan, domestic violence is a major issue because
women are treated roughly by their husbands, in-laws, and by the justice
system. Many women have to experience torture and abuse by their husbands, and
often they prefer being dead. This happens because men have the belief of “it's
a man's world” and believe it’s’ right to be extremely superior to their women.
For instance, most girls are forced to marry an older man at a very young age,
which causes the man to feel more superior, and makes him aggressive against
her. Some girls get married around age ten, and that is way too young if you
ask me. As these girls grow up into young women they feel miserable to the
point that they want to commit suicide. It has become common for women to burn
themselves alive, because they claim it's the only way to escape the horrible
lives they have to live. RAWA News describes the issues women in Afghanistan have
to face due to Islamic law by stating:
Women's rights groups say
domestic violence and discrimination is common and usually have no access to
the justice system; 'Divorce is rarely an option in a county where about 80
percent of women are illiterate and often have no knowledge of their rights;
'Islamic law in Afghanistan also favors men; 'A wife must prove her husband
can't provide for her, is absent for long periods, or abuses her to the point
where her life is at risk; ' She also needs witnesses and often his permission
to divorce; 'Even then she's unlikely to keep her children and it's that
prospect which drives women like these to seek other more desperate ways to
escape.
A woman shouldn't have to seek for her own death because of the way they
are treated by their husbands or society. Women need to have the opportunity to
be independent if they have to be, and to be educated and informed about their
rights. It is unfair for a woman to be suffering for the fact that they have no
choice. There needs to be an opportunity available for women to divorce if she
wants to not having to get permission by her husband. These requirements for
divorce can lead to the death of a woman, because it might be too late by the
time she collects all requirements. Afghan Men in this case have to look closer
at these inequalities because their causing severe damage to women.
HIV has become a pandemic disease, and every day it keeps on pushing its
way to new victims; however, gender inequality plays a big role on the
expansion of this unwanted disease. This is an enormous impact on the health of
our world and its happening because of the limited privileges available for
women. According to the World Health
Organization, “Norms related to femininity can prevent women -especially young
women- from accessing HIV information and services, Violence against women (physical,
sexual and emotional), which is experienced by 10 to 60% of women (ages 15-49
years) worldwide, increases their vulnerability to HIV.” According to the 2008 UNAIDS global figures, “only 38 percent of women have
accurate, comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS.” This is not even half of the
world's female population being fully aware of the disease; thus, HIV keeps on
expanding at a dramatic rate. Women need the privilege to be able to go out and
be enlightened about such subjects like this one, because the whole world can
benefit from it. On the other hand, masculinity has made the man be violent
against women to where rape takes place while the man or woman could be infected
with the disease, and this is another reason why this disease expands. Our
world can use some help in sanitation, and gender equality can bring better
health to the world by helping slow down the HIV expansion. I know everybody
would like that to happen, because no one would like to be infected with this
virus. Gender equality needs to be accomplished throughout the world in order
for this to happen.
Business markets have major gender inequities, because women don't have the
same access to resources as men do. Women and girls constantly face downsides
in the business-force and work-force in most divisions. The United States
Agency of International Development explains the disadvantages women face throughout
the business world by indicating:
In agriculture, women make up
more than 40 percent of the labor force, but only represent between 3 to 20
percent of landholders, 'In Africa, women-owned enterprises make up as little
as 10 percent of all businesses, and in South Asia only 3 percent, 'Women
compromise less than 20 percent of the world's legislators.
Women are neglected throughout the globe at a massive level that we cannot
continue ignoring. A very small amount of women-owned businesses and land are
registered to women. They could only do so much with the opportunity's they are
offered. If precise gender equality is available for all women and men the
world can achieve greater success in economy and human needs. The USAID claims
that “just by empowering women farmers with the same access to land, new
technologies and capital as men, we can increase crop yields by as much as 30
percent and feed an additional 150 million people.” Many countries can use this
additional food since there are a large number of people who don't get to eat
three meals a day; however, this is only possible by having gender equality
throughout the world. We need to emancipate women from this bias society has
constructed, and achieve human potential.
The United States of America is the one of the most developed countries; however, even here there is gender inequities well existing as of today. Women here in the U.S have most if not all the same rights as men do, but they still have disparities in the workforce. According to the Washington post, “Women earn only 77 cents for every dollar men earn, with women of color at an even greater disadvantage with 64 cents on the dollar for African American women and 56 cents for Hispanic women.” This shows the discrimination that is taking place not just in gender, but as well as in race. Progress; however, is happening. According to The Christian Science Monitor, “Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data for full-time workers show women earn 82 percent as much as men, up from 64 percent in 1980.” Almost 50 years ago in the year of 1963, congress passed the Equal Pay Act, which enforced all employers to pay the same amount of wages to men and women for the same work, but clearly in the year of 2012 there is still the same issue at hand. This has caused single mother's to struggle trying to make ends meet to provide for their families. All people need to be provided with an equal balanced pay scale. I am a college student father to a 3 year old beautiful girl, and I want precise gender equality to be available by the time she is graduating from a college, or university. Since my daughter is Hispanic she has a higher level of risk to gender, and race discrimination in the workforce. I want my daughter to be able to earn the same wage as a man would for completing the same tasks regardless of her gender and race. As the country of the United States of America, we have to abandon gender inequality to develop into the country with exact equalities for both men and women.
In the essay “The Death of Macho” by Reihan Salam, the author explains how
women are elevating to higher grounds in the labor force during the downturn of
men due to the recession. Salam assumes in his article, that men can either
adapt to or rebel against their declining power in the work force. For example
he states, “How will this shift to the post-macho world unfold? That depends on
the choices men make, and they only have two. The first is adaption, then
however, there's the other choice: resistance.”
I believe we do need to adapt to our declining power, but we also have
to provide women with the same pay as we did with job positions. Women are now
stepping in offices they never could in past years, but they are not getting
paid the same as men in the same office. Equal employment opportunities and
equal pay is the key to equality. By men adjusting to a balanced society
between men and women, society will find itself living more comfortable,
because there won't be any disadvantages for any one. This can be the best
choice we have ever taken in history, and it will drive us to nothing but
success.(633)
Our world has experienced downfalls especially in developing countries due
to these gender inequalities. Economic, health, and domestic relationship
impacts have been building up because of this bias men have adapted to. It's
like were only using half of the world’s brain, because were leaving most women
out. Women can think the same way as men if they are equally educated. The only
way to achieve a successful globally development is to have equal settings for
all genders. This is a very sick and ill
world, but I believe we can make a change. We need a world were gender doesn't
matter and all humans have the same social status. Gender equality worldwide is
the key to bring the best in our modern civilization for the next generations.
I am a man, but I am putting my voice out there for women because it is a
serious issue that we need pay closer attention to, because it's affecting the
whole world whether you want to believe it or not. By doing so, undeveloped
countries will develop faster and developed countries will improve. We need to
take action against this bias as men for the sake of our women, and our world.
Sincerely,
Alex Uribe
Watsonville, CA 95076
Works Cited
Clinton,
Hillary. “Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy.” usaid.gov. usaid.gov, March 2012. Web. 15
Nov. 2012.
Kessler,
Glenn. “The White House’s use of data on the gender wage gap.” washingtonpost.com. washingtonpost.com, 5 June 2012.
Web. 22 Nov. 2012
Marzel,
Lee. “Afghan Women Burn Themselves To Flee Abuse.” rawa.org. rawa.org, 22 November 2009. Web. 17
Nov. 2012.
Paulson,
Amanda. “Gender pay gap is eroding, especially among younger women, US data
show.” csmonitor.com. csmonitor.com, 27
November 2012. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.
Salam,
Reiham. “The Death of Macho.” Rereading
America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Eds. Colombo,
Gary, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford,
2010. 629-37. Print.
“Gender
Inequalities and HIV.” World Health Organization, 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.
“WDR
2012: Gender Equality and Development.” The World Bank, 2012. Web. 11 Nov.
2012.
Annotated Bibliographies
World Bank-
Gender equality is a
worldwide issue because in developing countries women and girls are most likely
to experience very harsh moments of life more likely than men or boys.
According to The World Bank, “Nearly 4 million women go missing each year in
developing countries,''About two fifths of girls are never born due to a
preference for sons,''Globally, only 10 to 20 of every 100 land owners is a
woman,''A sixth die in early childhood, and over a third die in their
reproductive years.” These are realistic outcomes that happen due to the
inequality between women and men. They claim that by making a change of gender
inequalities, it will help developing countries develop in a faster and
healthier way. This is the best choice we have ever taken because it will make
a big difference in our world society. We have to make modern day society into
its best for the next generations.
World Health Organization-
HIV has become the top
pandemic disease and gender inequality plays a role in the expansion of the
epidemic at large. The World Health Organization explains how and why this is a
major key driver. For example, the WHO states, “Norms related to femininity can
prevent women -especially young women- from accessing HIV information and
services.” According to the 2008 UNAIDS global figures, “only 38% of women have
accurate, comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS.” This is a very low percent of
the world's female population who actually are fully aware and educated of this
harsh disease. This is an outcome of the educational gender inequalities that
take place in many developing countries still today. Another key drive to this
issue is violence against women which could be physical, sexual or emotional.
This violence is experienced by 10-60% of women (ages 15-49) worldwide and
increases their vulnerability to contracting the disease. For example, by
forced sex taking action there could be tears or laceration to the body and
which will highly increase the risk of catching HIV.
USAID-
Long-term, sustainable
development will only be possible when women and men enjoy equal opportunity to
rise to their potential. But today, women and girls continue to face
disadvantages in every sector in which we work, while in some cases, boys are
falling behind.
In agriculture, women make up more than 40 percent of the labor force, but
only represent between 3 to 20 percent of landholders. In Africa, women-owned
enterprises make up as little as 10 percent of all businesses—and in South
Asia, only 3 percent. And despite representing half the global population,
women comprise less than 20 percent of the world’s legislators. If we can erase
these inequities—and put women on equal footing with men—we know that we can
unlock human potential on a transformational scale. Just by empowering women
farmers with the same access to land, new technologies and capital as men, we
can increase crop yields by as much as 30 percent and feed an additional 150
million people. For decades, USAID has been leading global efforts to achieve
gender equality. While great strides have been made, gender inequality remains
a significant challenge across every development initiative worldwide, from
education to global health.Women in the country of Afghanistan are being tortured and mistreated by their husbands or even their in-laws. These poor women set themselves on fire to escape their violent marriages which make their life miserable. Many of these women are very young in age, some are as young as 17, and they were married at a very earlier age to older men. These women claim when they set themselves on fire it brings peace to their lives that they never had. Many of these women if not all were forced to marry older men. Under the Taliban woman weren't allowed to work or get an education. But even now - eight years after they were overthrown - there's evidence their suffering continues. Women's rights groups say domestic violence and discrimination is common and women usually have no access to the justice system. Divorce is rarely an option in a country where about 80 percent of women are illiterate and often have no knowledge of their rights. Islamic law in Afghanistan also favors men. A wife must prove her husband can't provide for her, is absent for long periods or abuses her to the point where her life is at risk. She also needs witnesses and often his permission to divorce. Even then she's unlikely to keep her children and it's that prospect which drives women like these to seek other more desperate ways to escape.
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