Wiktoria Hejnas

Time Traveler Project

10/28/16
Period 6

The Representation Project inspires individuals and communities to challenge

and overcome limiting stereotypes so that everyone, regardless of gender, race, class,
age, sexual orientation, or circumstance, can fulfill their human potential, this, ladies
and gentlemen is our mission. Women and men everywhere are expected to live up to
certain expectations. Women are expected to work at home and are considered to be
the more gentle and sensitive gender. Men are expected to be the head of the house,
go to work everyday to provide for their families, and being strong and superior against
their female counterparts. Everyday both men and women are criticized for not living up
to these expectations. These same expectations are offensive and harmful towards
children who are learning about what it means to be an adult. Women and men are
denied jobs and equal pay because of their gender. Who is so stubborn and ignorant to
not thankfully acknowledge such priceless benefits of both genders?
During the times of slavery, the domination of the whites and their superiority made
blacks and slaves look as if they are no better than a rodent, it made them feel and be
treated as non-humans. Men, which are thought of as the superior and more dominant
gender against the women, make the women look and feel like they are no better than
men, that women are weak and fragile. A recent debate on male superiority took place
with 56% of people believing it to be true, and 44% of people believing that men are not
superior over women. The media continues to represent the idea that it is totally okay
for boys and men to dominate girls and women. Not only is superiority an issue to just
genders but race as well. For example during slavery: it was Argued that if one slave
refused to be corrected, and escaped with his wife, the other slaves would soon copy
the example; the result of which would be, the freedom of the slaves, and the
enslavement of the whites. Are the superior people afraid of being on the same level as
their counterparts? Is competition over power the main issue when discussing equality?
Many people do not notice the misrepresentation of genders, race, culture, and religion.
Many people dont take action against misrepresentation because they are oblivious to
it. Philips once wrote to me, asking me to tell him and everyone else about the truths of
slavery:You come from that part of the country where we are told slavery appears with
its fairest features. He said that people believed that slavery is okay and that it was fair,
yet it turned about to be the complete opposite. This was misrepresentation of the
slaves. So how does this relate to the issue at hand? This issue relates to the
misrepresentation of women because the media only shows and tells us what women

and men used to be like, some time ago. The media fails to reveal the strength and the
ability of women and men who take on both the roles of the father and mother in their
homes.
1

It fails to tell the truth about women who work hard and are capable of doing exactly
what a man is capable of doing. These are just some examples of the misrepresentation
of both slavery and gender.2 How about when women aborted their children so that their
husbands wouldnt leave them? Women only wanted to give birth to males. Men wanted
sons so that their name and legacy would live on. Women did this to please and satisfy
the men so they wouldnt leave their wives. Hows that for male dominance? How would
our children act if we lived in times like this? How would our society look without
women, or a lack of women?
The pay gap between women and men has certainly narrowed over the past few
decades, but theres still a pretty big difference between the salaries of men and those
of women. Women still often make significantly less than their male counterparts, a gap
that amounts to 10 to 20 cents less for every dollar a man earns. 3 Not only that but
women only make up about 15% of the US military, where 20% of women in the
military are sexually assaulted, according to recent statistics. Woman make up over
half of the US population yet only 17% of Congress is made up on women.
The Declaration of Independence states that everyone is created equal by their creator.
If our foundational documents state that we should all be equal, then why arent we? 4
Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? That he is the rightful owner
of his own body? Who are we to say what a man should do with his body? Who are we
to say that women arent capable of doing the things men are capable of doing?

- The Representation

Project." The Representation Project Home Comments.

N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2016. Mission Statement
2
Douglass, Frederick, John W. Blassingame, John R. McKivigan, and Peter P.
Hinks.Narrative of the
Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave Written by Himself.
New Haven: Yale UP, 2001. Print. Page 10,15,and 26.
3
"25 Surprising

Stats to Share on Women's Equality Day." The New Agenda. N.p.,

2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2016
4
"The History Place - Great Speeches Collection: Frederick Douglass Speech - The
Hypocrisy of American Slavery." The History Place - Great Speeches Collection:
Frederick Douglass Speech - The Hypocrisy of American Slavery. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct.
2016.

"Home