The media's role in the oppression of women.

I have been reading a tantalizing book assigned to me in my History of U.S. Media class called Mightier Than the Sword, by Rodger Streitmatter. There's a particular chapter that focuses on the attempts of U.S. media to inhibit the progress of women's rights. Some of the information in this chapter is so baffling that I am compelled to blog about it. So here are some quotes and snippets that I came across. Enjoy and try to keep them in mind on days where you might find yourself wondering how sexism is still so prevalent and embedded in some men and in society at large.

According to the book, a group mostly made up of women and a few men, gathered together in July of 1844 in upper New York to proclaim that "liberty wasn't the province of men alone but was - or should be- the birthright of women as well."
In a nut shell, women had begun to stand up and speak out to gain basic human rights that they had long been denied. Thus began the beginning (for the most part) of the woman suffrage era.

"Threatened by the possibility that women might be rising from their second - class citizenship to command a share of the male power base," Streitmatter wrote, "the men who dominated the institution of journalism either ignored the Women's Rights Movement or wrote about it in a tone of mockery and disdain."

Streitmatter wrote that the common belief of the time was that the distinct division of roles had to be faithfully adhered to for the well-being of the country, according to the American media of the late 1700's and 1800's, because women lacked the ability to succeed in the public worlds, as they were intellectually as well as physically inferior to men.

There were no publications by or about women until 1792 when the Ladies Magazine
finally came into print. Although it was about women, it was owned by a man and still upheld and printed sexist ideals like, "The number of women who have solid judgement is very small." Other magazines, according to Streitmatter, printed similar remarks such as, "The author of nature has placed the balance of power on the side of the male, by giving him not only a body more large and robust, but also a mind endowed with greater resolution, and a more extensive reach."

Steitmatter gives another eloquent example (not) of the Ladies Magazine notions about women, saying "they (the magazine) deemed it essential for a young woman not to consider herself first, but always to place her father's, brother's, or husband's happiness before her own, and that a girl should be taught that her peculiar province is to please, and that every deviation from it is opposing the design of nature."

One magazine published an actual checklist of common errors women committed including "not acknowledging a husband's superior judgment to women voicing their own opinions."

Through all the contempt by society and the media and their attempts to silence the growing uprising, women were able to make their first "dramatic assault on men's political and economic stranglehold" in the summer of 1848. A group of 300 people gathered for a two day meeting in Seneca Falls, New York. By the end of the meeting 68 women and 32 men had signed their name to a Declaration of Sentiments that read, "The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpation's on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her." According to Steitmatter, the twelve resolutions encouraged women to enter the professions and demanded that women be granted property and child custody rights, which they previously were not granted.

This is one of my favorite quotes which the group published in hopes of swaying the press to become more sympathetic to their cause; "In entering upon the great work before us, we anticipate no small amount of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule."
In my understanding such is the plight of any group or person who tries to create change in this world of male dominance.

Did you know that the abolition of slaves occurred before women's rights were upheld by law? Not that one should or should not have happened before the other, but it is an interesting fact.
Is it coincidence, fate, or circumstance that the U.S. would have a black, male president before they would ever vote a woman as Head of State? (l love you Obama, but the question remains nonetheless).

The progression and growing strength of the woman's movement fueled the anger of men and the press. The Philadelphia Ledger and Daily Transcript stated, "A woman is nobody. A wife is everything."

The New York Herald wrote, "How did woman first become subject to man, as she now is all over the world? By her nature, her sex, just as the negro is and always will be, to the end of time, inferior to the white race and, therefore, doomed to subjection; but she is happier than she would be in any other condition, because it is the law of her nature."

How hideous these words are, and how they have seemingly echoed their insidious hatred throughout time! No wonder we are a bigoted and sexist nation still today! It will take the courage, strength, and outright hard work to continue the struggle for freedom for everyone, even the gays.

Speaking of sex and the struggle for sexual freedom, Streitmatter pointed out in his book that in an effort to discredit prominent leaders of the movement, newspapers attacked the unmarried status of many of the woman activists. The papers characterized the single leaders, especially Susan B. Anthony, as sexual freaks. According to Streitmatter, the New York Sun wrote, "The quiet duties of daughter,wife or mother are not congenial to those hermaphrodite spirits who thirst to win the title of champion of one sex and victor over the other. These women are entirely devoid of personal attractions, They are generally thin maiden ladies, having found it utterly impossible to induce any young or old man into the matrimonial noose."

As a child I remember hearing similar rhetoric about lesbians and then, at some point, believing it. Maybe that has something to do with my inability to imaging or even consider having an all out relationship with a woman, even after I realized my attraction to them. Just a thought.