After my ethics class, feminism has been a recent topic of interest to me. I have friends on both sides of the spectrum, those who believe that patriarchy affects everything and everyone, and those who believe that feminism is only relevant in third-world countries.
From an American standpoint, I can see the arguments of feminism made and I know there are still ways to go before we reach equality, but from an Indian standpoint I can tell you how much has changed.
I recently had several relatives over and I could just see how much things have changed. In India, the norm for a woman is essentially to serve her man. She has to cook, clean, take care of the kids and in return the man makes the money. It's a full-blown patriarchy. We've moved to a point where women can have low position jobs, but the mind set is still the same. Women can't talk back to the head of the house, they can't argue or express any type of differing opinion. Men are entitled.
Being a woman in America in the 21st century is quite incredible, comparing it to the circumstances I would have been in. I don't know if it's the effects of a different country, a different time period, or maybe it's just my family but I'm not confined. I can argue and express my opinions. I can hold jobs other than being a schoolteacher. I can do so much more. And while there's still room for improvement, there's still so much to celebrate in regards to women's rights.
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