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Western History and the Construction of Gender Roles

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Considering the historical record, demonstrate how periods of gain and loss for women tend to offset one another. Overall, what historical events provided the opportunities to sustain gain in gender equality?

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Western History and the Construction of Gender Roles
Considering the historical record, demonstrate how periods of gain and loss for women tend to offset one another. Overall, what historical events provided the opportunities to sustain gain in gender equality?

Defining terms seems to be a good place to start. One must tackle the issue of equality before linking it to any other word, for example gender equality, racial equality, religious equality, etc. If equal means identical then most of these arguments are a waste of time. To believe that all religions, ethnicities, beliefs, genders, and people are identical ("equal") is an intellectually stunted way of thinking. It is interesting that from some directions we are told to "celebrate our differences" while from another direction we are told that "everyone is equal (identical)".

One of the problems with the term gender equality (if equal means identical) is that there is no such thing presently nor can such a thing exists in the future. The genders are different as a result of design not by oppression. This is not to say that all disparity between genders is good or by design. Some of the disparity can be a result of oppression, ignorance or chauvinism. However, to claim that every difference or inequality between the genders is a result of oppression and an organized effort to deny human rights to women is an irrational and counterproductive argument.

Another important concept to keep in mind is that the term gender equality is a cultural construct and ...

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