Women Struggles in Society

 With an up rise of women now finding voices of their own, sticking up for equal rights and what they believe in, they still yet fall between the poverty line. “The weakest of the bunch”, the individuals who's voices don’t matter and have no output whatsoever. So who are feminists and what do they do? Well a feminist is one who advocates equal rights for women, one who beliefs in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes (“What Kind,” 2008).

 According to statistic Canada about 1.22 million adult women (aged 18 or older) were living in poverty in Canada, in 2007 (Townson, 2009). It’s crazy to think that many women were struggling in our society, with no voice and with no help and hand these women were left to fend for themselves. Women in Canada still have unacceptably high rates of poverty, especially if they are on their own as lone-parent, heads of families or as older women living alone. While we used to talk about the feminization of poverty; address­ing women’s poverty no longer seems to be a high priority among policy-makers (Townson, 2009). I believe this is intolerable because it makes women seem like “useless objects”. There isn’t enough time to fix the problem or it’s their fault and well they need to deal with this by themselves, I feel as though the neoconservative ideology coming into place here, where the women are being blamed for their problems. They must “work harder” as the men in society. According to Mullaly (2007), Women are considered the poorest group among Canadian society. They are also seen as the forgotten poor (Townson, 2009).

  There are many stereotype’s that are being place on women, wither its that they can’t work the tough jobs because there weak, thus needing to depend on a male figure or for the reason that they are the care givers, the ones who are supposed to stay home take care of the children and cook food for their family. Women’s poverty is clearly not high on the policy agenda of the current federal government. In fact, since coming to power in 2006, initiatives taken by the Harper Conservatives have seriously undermined progress towards achieving equal­ity for women and reducing women’s poverty. Status of Women Canada’s mandate to promote women’s equality was withdrawn, implying these activities were no longer necessary. Fund­ing for research activities designed to document women’s inequality has also been withdrawn. (Townson, 2009). I believe the government is failing its part in protecting its citizens, by dismissing the issue on poverty among women, it’s unacceptable.

As feminist try to advocate the equal rights of women, and how women experience a different social world and social state then men (Mullaly, 2007); there are different groupings, which in the bigger picture have the common goal to end gender inequality. I personally would agree more along the lines of a social feminist, believing feminism is more than just issues that are relevant here in the western world, including women of all races, all classes, and all ages (“What Kind,” 2008).

I believe the struggles that women face on daily basis should be read and listened out loud, not read and later ignored but to do something about it right away. Many woman are suffering and this shouldn’t be happening. Both men and women are the same, minus the biological factors that is of course. Women shouldn’t feel like their living under men shadows, women are people who have feelings and should be treated fairly in society, regardless of their gender.

- Hannah



References:

Mullaly, B. (2007). Feminist, Anti-Racist, and Postmodern Critique. In The New Structural Social Work (3rd ed., pp. 159-186). Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.

Townson, Monica. (2009, September). Women’s Poverty and the Recession. Retrieved from http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National_Office_Pubs/2009/Womens_Poverty_in_the_Recession.pdf.

What Kind of Feminist Are You?. (2008, May 19). ASU's Womens Studies Club. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from http://asuwsc.wetpaint.com/page/What+Kind+of+Feminist+Are+You%3F/history.