Alex Ioda Molina English 11 Period 2 5/28/13 Women and Raising in the Sun Women for centuries have

always been subordinate to their male counterpart and one need not look further than the workforce to see that such subordination has created serious problems. It is folly to say that gender equality means man equals woman in every aspect. No, gender equality means that both sexes have equal rights, enjoy the same rewards, and have the same opportunities. The issue of gender equality exists all over the world and many women in 3rd world countries do not enjoy the same rights America does. In many parts of the world, discrimination and inequality begins from a very early age. There is an overwhelming desire to have sons in these areas and women are seen as inferior if they give birth to a girl instead (Secretary Generals Study on Violence Against Women). Back here in America the biggest challenge women face in terms of equality is in the workplace. Prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, women, althought given the right to vote, faced extreme segregation when applying for jobs. This act is often called the most important U.S. law on civil rights since Reconstruction (Civil Rights Act). The reason this act was so important is because for the first time a law was passed that contained a section that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex (Civil Rights Act). Discrimination and simply looking down women is still prevalent in our culture and activists use various means such as literature to convey the wrongness of it. Lorraine Hansberrys Raisin in the Sun is a perfect example of literature telling of the widespread views toward women. One of the more interesting issues that the play brings to light is that attitudes toward women are the more or less the same regardless of race. Walter Younger,

the protagonist of the novel has a very authoritative attitude towards women. When Beneatha tells him she wishes to become a doctor, his response instead of an optimistic and supportive one, is rather cold and demeaning: Who the hell told you uou had to be a doctor? If you so crazy bout messing round with sick people, then you go be a nurse like other women or just get married and be quiet (Hansbery 835). Walter wants Beneatha not to pursue her dreams of being a doctor because he wants her to be like other women. Walter represents the culture of masculinity that is ever so present in the United States that tries to suppress gender equality because of generations of tradition. George, Beneathas assimilationist love interest, also represents the same category of men and suggests that women do not need to express themselves and should keep quiet: The moody stuff I mean. I dont like it. Youre a nice-looking girl..all over. Thats all you need honey (Hansberry 860). George represents the traditional view that women need to be bound to their man and should not have the need to express themselves, lest they appear eccentric. The fact that Beneatha does try to express herself, and does eventually convince George to let her go out with him wearing her shaven hair and traditional is analogous to the progress women made and are making in history.

Works Cited "Civil Rights Act". Encyclopdia Britannica. Encyclopdia Britannica Online. Encyclopdia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 28 May. 2013 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/119351/Civil-Rights-Act>. Hansberry, Lorraine. Raisin in the Sun. Elements of Literature. 5th course. New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1997. 826-886. UN General Assembly, 61st Session. Secretary Generals Study on Violence Against Women. Accessed from http:// /www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/ Violenceagainstwomenstudy.pdf on January 28, 2010.