To begin, oppression is defined by Oxford as unjust treatment or control. Females since the beginning of time have faced oppression in all its evil forms. Serving as housemaids cleaning up after the rich men, told and controlled by society how to act, all to serve one purpose; stay quiet, kind, and please men. In some cultures, women are still forced to marry, have children, and tend to the house the male of the house does as he pleases. Women are expected to give them children, fulfill their sexual desires, and darling dont you dare outsmart a man so as not to embarrass him. But where does the history of oppression still live today?
Furthermore, gender oppression is very much still alive, and thriving in the place we send our children every day, school. In fact, according to the article Gender Bias in Education, Amanda Chapman claims When different behaviors are tolerated for boys than for girls because ‘boys will be boys’ schools are perpetuating the oppression of females. Validating, from a young age, girls start to learn they are indifferent to boys, but most importantly teachers help to tolerate this unjust treatment. Oppression continues to stand in the way of female freedom, controlling and affecting the development and freedom of women all around the world, and oppressing gender equality. For example, if a boy throws a tantrum in a fit of anger hes just being a boy. However, if a female in the same stressful situation acts at all affected and is not composed or polite she is judged as dramatic, and most importantly s
een as less than men, as unstable and irrational. Anger is okay, being a boy is okay, but being a female is hard. Gender oppression has time and time again pushed the female dreams down as just a silly dream, female happiness as a home with a MAN and children, and female anger as weakness. In contradiction, a man with dreams, happiness, and anger, is a man with power. Imagine having a young, sweet, innocent, happy little girl. Barely tall enough to rest her head on your hip while she reaches her cute stubby little arms to hug you before she gets on the bus. It all begins the moment she leaves your arms, young and innocent she finds the first seat next to a young boy but he rejects it in anger, NO you a girl and this is MY seat. The girl confused moves on without anger or retaliation, her forgiving heart finds a new spot and waves goodbye. Case in point, any young girl who raises her hand and desires to be president someday, is only a girl with a head in the clouds. Boys at the back of the class laugh at her and joke about how could a girl possibly get there, at least without the help of a man. A teacher may silence them but the damage is done, with no punishment, and the cycle continues without a single thought of how embarrassed that girl must feel to have even spoken. Therefore eternally silencing her dreams. But if a young boy voices he wants to be president, the class silences, and no judgment, control, or ridicule is made of the boy. Why is it okay for boys to giggle when a girl dreams of equality? Why do they even giggle?