Alix Swann

5/3/15
Blue Group
Feminism Essay
Even though there is a slightly fewer percentage of women in the world than men, they
are not classified as a minority and should not be treated like one, which includes earning
minority rights. In the world, 50.4% of people are men, and 49.6% are women (www.ined.fr).
Women are not currently classified as a minority group. The definition of minority is A group
within a country or state that differs in race, religion or national origin from the dominant group
(www.archives.gov). Women, classified as one group, do not fit this category.
Another point to note is that many women already have minority rights. The four major
minorities classified by EEO law are American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific
Islander, Black, Hispanic, and other smaller minorities included under EEO law
(www.archives.gov). The only group not included as a minority is white women. In this case,
since they are the only ones without minority rights already, they would receive them. White
women have been privileged for most of history, so giving them these rights would not be much
of an advancement. Women of color are still behind in categories such as employment and
education, so trying to raise them all up as a group without first addressing the race issue will not
fix the problem, it will only create more of a gap (www.nwlc.org).
Phyllis Schlafly, political activist, is opposed to the Equal Rights Amendment for a
multitude of reasons. One reason being that the ERA would take away legal rights that women
already had, such as exemption from the military draft, as well as benefits for widows
(www.eagleforum.org). Schlafly is in favor of stay-at-home mothers, even though she has a fastpaced career where she is always on the go. She organized a movement to bring down the ERA,
and she was successful in doing so. Many people, including Susan Brownmiller, were in favor of
something like this being passed. Brownmiller states cultural sexism is a conscious form of

Alix Swann
5/3/15
Blue Group
female degradation designed to boost the male ago by offering proof of his native superiority
everywhere he looks (Brownmiller). She was strongly against men following what they were
taught, which is to be the dominant gender. She believes that a law that reflects the female
reality and a social system that no longer shuts women out will go a long way toward the
elimination of crimes of sexual violence (Brownmiller).
Pornography should not be considered a form of hate speech used to keep women in
their place. Hate speech is defined as speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on
race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits
(www.americanbar.org). Again, as was mentioned earlier, women are not distinguished by those
traits in the definition. Pornography is also not made to offend or threaten the viewers; it is made
for profit and the enjoyment of the customers. It should also not be forgotten that women choose
to go into the pornography industry. If the majority of women were forced into it, then there
would be hard evidence on how it could be considered hate speech. But right now, with an
unspecific definition, it is up to the discretion of the citizens, even though Brownmiller states
that this case against pornography and this case against toleration of prostitution are central to
the fight against rape, which must be addressed (Brownmiller).
The only evident thing women have not achieved equality with in contemporary America
is the wage gap. Generally, women earn 77 cents per dollar that men do (www.forbes.com). It is
evident in nearly every occupation, and it is worse for women of color (www.aauw.org).
Currently, President Obama is working towards getting the Fair Pay Act passed, which will give
women the salaries they have worked for and deserve. Compared to thirty years ago, now
women mostly have the same rights as men, as a result of previous Amendments to the
Constitution. But women are still not a minority, and do not deserve to be treated as one.

Alix Swann
5/3/15
Blue Group
Works Cited
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Brownmiller, Susan. "Women Fight Back." Against Our Will. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 375-404. Print.
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<http://www.eagleforum.org/psr/1986/sept86/psrsep86.html>.
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Worstall, Tim. "Misleading Gender Pay Gap Statistics For International Womens' Day." Forbes.
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