Week 6: Gender and Sex

We began this week discussing gender and sex, how they are different and how they are similar. This was a difficult issue to talk about because as a man I do not know what it is like to live as a woman and vice versa. I can only talk about my experiences which limits my understanding and causes bias. To cope with this bias while discussing topics that I do not understand I decided to focus on the achievements in gender equality that we have made over the years. The Woman’s Rights Movement of the 1960’s was one in particular that I focused on because of how groundbreaking those achievements were. Giving women the right to vote was a major accomplishment of the first wave of feminism, which opened the door to women being allowed to influence policy, and being voted into office. For this weeks blog I would like to focus on a video that I found which highlights the changed in today’s view of women’s rights.

This video is an SNL Skit which parodies an advertisement from the 1950’s. In the 50’s, household appliances were marketed towards women because women’s “role” was caretaker of the house. In this video the highlight the advancement in women’s rights and how they have become a part of the workforce since the 50’s. The site a statistic that says that women have become the primary breadwinner in 50% of American homes, and therefore cleaning up is a “man’s job”. The video also highlights several gender based stereotypes like men being stronger which is why a 70 pound steel door on a washing machine is required. Also, a six foot tall washing machine, and drinking a beer afterwards. These obviously are not true in all cases especially when talking about height because I have met several women over six feet tall, one being my sister.

All in all this video is a joke, meant to entertain, which it does a good job of. But the important part is the advancements in women’s rights that it highlights. Women have become a massive part of the working class, and the corporate workforce. They are increasing in size in the military and our representatives, and this is all due to the almost 60 years of feminist advancements which seek to make men and women statistically equal, and equal in the eyes of our government and the law.

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