Thursday, November 15, 2012

Women's Representation in Government

http://nymag.com/thecut/2012/11/women-govern-differently-than-men-better.html

As the article above explores the issue of female representation in the United States government, I have explored such at a local level here at TCU. A great example would be that out of 7 candidates for the SGA Student Body Officer elections this past week, only ONE female ran. Females make up well over half the population here at TCU so I find it completely ridiculous that we refuse to represent ourselves on higher level such as the student government association.

Just as the article discusses a severe lack of female representation in the government, I see such arguments in real life. While women continue to blame men and traditional gender roles for their inability to hold office, I blame them and their lack of effort. If women want things to change in America, we have to stop settling. We have to fight harder than any candidate and reach our fullest potential to reverse these socially embedded stereotypes that we belong at home and home alone. It's up to us and until we realize that, nothing will change.

Definition of rape now includes Men

http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-07/opinion/opinion_matlack-men-rape_1_sexual-abuse-mad-men-victim?_s=PM:OPINION

In the article linked above, the Justice Department makes a decision to alter the definition of rape to include not only women, but men as well. This is interesting to me because it most certainly is a step in revolutionizing the traditional gender roles of past. With issues such as gay marriage becoming so prominent today, I think a change is taking place all across the board in the distinct separation of male and female that has ruled our society for so long.

These types of changes are important to me and my life because it gives me hope for women's progression in the future. The more similar the gender roles become, and the more it is accepted socially, the easier it will be for women to take on prominent roles in society. Currently, it is difficult for a woman to be taken seriously in a professional setting, simply due to preconceived notions of my gender and our traditional "role". This is frustrating, especially since we are half the population. We should half the prominent positions within our culture, yet we struggle to hold even a portion of that. Maybe things are really starting to change.