Skip to main content
Humanities LibreTexts

Gender Equality Watch Party - by Marlene Perez

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  • Page ID
    186590

    • Marlene Perez at Pima Community College
    \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    Gender equality is a human right that has been the topic of copious discourse for centuries. Women, in particular, have fought for over 200 years to have the same rights as their male counterparts. Yet, today, as women progress toward a promising future for themselves, robust systems in our society insist on deciding for our minds and bodies by upholding outdated and unjust laws against us; and, in turn, oppress and diminish our voices—making it difficult to achieve equality. Moreover, gender discrimination impacts girls and women worldwide, denying them fundamental human rights such as proper education, equal pay, accessible health, a life free of violence, political representation in law-making, and so much more.

    Growing up in a misogynist culture, I wanted to analyze the potential prejudice that exists within or affects my inner circle regarding women's inequality by observing their reactions and responses to watching a video called "United Nations: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times, Chapter 4, Gender Equality". To do this, I created a google form with questions to ask before and after they individually watched the video while observing their reactions. Before they started the video, I had them answer three questions: (1) What are your views on gender equality?; (2)Do you see gender equality as an issue today?; (3) Have you or someone you know experienced gender inequality? Everyone responded that they saw gender equality as an issue today, and some have been affected or know of someone who has been affected by it.

    During the video, I watched how they reacted to the content. I noticed that the men seemed less interested—looking around or constantly checking the remaining time of the video. As for the woman, they remain engaged throughout the whole video. Then, I had them answer three more questions: (1) How did you feel after watching the video?; (2) What were your thoughts after hearing the statistics that 75% of Parliamentarians are men, 87% of the people at the peace table are men, 73% of managers are men, and 67% of climate negotiators are men?; (3) Do you think the system is still working against women today? Many responded with shock to learning about the facts shown in the video. One individual, in particular, felt it was eye-opening. Another individual felt desensitized to gender-discriminatory matters. However, they were surprised to hear about the statistics stating that more men have held positions in power for extended periods in various areas. One individual felt men might predominate specific fields because they may not be preferable to women. Almost all participants believed that the system is often against women today. Still, one person felt gender equality wasn't an issue in America but could see it being a problem within countries like the Middle East.

    Overall, I am grateful for this experience because it allowed me and others to expand our knowledge and awareness about gender equality. This experience also allowed me to discuss gender equality while respecting the differences of opinions openly. Doing so helped me understand the scope of views on gender equality within my inner circle. With all this in mind, gender equality is essential for women because we should be entitled to the same opportunities and freedom as our male counterparts. Our voices matter, after all.

    This page titled Gender Equality Watch Party - by Marlene Perez is shared under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Marlene Perez at Pima Community College.