Brandon Nguyen - Gender Equality

Gender Equality Amongst Society   

Brandon Nguyen

California State University, Los Angeles

ART 3170-02

Professor Aziz

09 November 2020

    According to Youth.Gov, a U.S. government website, the definition of "Civic Engagement" is the works to make a difference within the civic life of a community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. The objective is to promote the quality of life within a community, whether it is a political or non-political issue. An additional resource from CivicPlus, civic engagement is a surrounding of process of local leaders and residents working together to improve a community and the lives of its members. With that being said, it is a contribution to the public life and participating in solving the publics problems. With my own terms and example of civic engagement, it would consist of a civic participation of an individual or a group that contributes towards in which they work together addressing a public concern or issue.  I think that a perfect example would be members of the community working individually or together in all to protect the valuables that the public surrounding them holds while making a difference. A major social issue not just in my community but can be seen all over the world till this very day is gender inequality. Sadly, inequality remains an issue amongst categorized genders within society and I have experienced this myself countless of times, not just myself but those surrounding me. 

   

    For this project, my research will be based upon Gender Equality. Gender equality has been an issue that has been ongoing for many generations. It ratified in 1920 with the the 19th Amendment legalizing women's suffrage in which helped ensure qual earnings for both men and women by illegalizing discrimination based on an individuals sex. Gender equality is critical because it will enable women and men to make decisions that impact more positively on their own sexual and reproductive health. With gender equality being an issue, it is not just affective to one region but is significant worldwide. I have witnessed many encounters with inequality whether it was myself as a male, or most importantly with the inequality of being a female. With many female relatives, they have experienced alterations whether they were told they wouldn't be able to do so or non-equal treatments because of the assumptions of not being sustainable. This is a cause of shame that have made women feel degraded putting one's self esteem down. With boycotts all over in hopes of bringing more attention to both society and the world, people remain fighting for the world of gender equality. It doesn't necessarily mean that men and women are the same or that they have to be treated equally alike but is that they can enjoy the same rights resources, and opportunities. 

    From one accountable resource, according to United Nations, their article states that "besides it being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies with full human potential and sustainable development. " Women and girls represents half of the world's entire population therefore meaning that they are half of its potential. Achieving gender equality and empowering women is an unfinished business of our time and is one of the greatest human rights challenge that was said by Antonio Guterres a UN Secretary- General.  A development and organization that had went by "Goal 5":  was to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls in which is dedicated to reaching these ends. The United Nations stated that "deep legal and legislative changes are needed to ensure women's rights around the world." Because of the lack of attention this issue contains, the UN system also continues to give particular attention to the issue of violence against women. It is very tragic that in today's society, women are afraid to step foot out of their house not knowing whether they are able to come back home safely. With the empowerment that men think they have, overtakes the well-being of a woman. 

   

    With statistics and data provided by Pew Research Center, there was a worldwide optimism about the future of Gender Equality with even possible advantages for men. The Pew Research center had conducted a survey across 34 countries with a median of 94% thinking it is important for women in their country to have the same rights as men, while 74% saying that the issue is a very important topic. 

    Stated by Juliana Horowitz and Janell Fetterolf, "women place more importance on gender equality than men do in many countries" therefore leaving women to be less optimistic than men that women in their countries will achieve equality and overcome this issue in the future. This then brings to the idea that most likely men have better lives than women do. While publics around the world may embrace the idea of gender equality, statistics show that four in ten men generally have more opportunities than women do when it comes to getting a higher pay. Aside with a higher paying job, there are other opportunities as well that women see men having more such as being leaders within the community. In conclusion, women can see the empowerment that the society embraces when it comes to men and opportunities. Women can typically be seen with having higher opportunities than men do in some factors such as household laboring or raising a child, however those are the reasoning as to why they are fighting for equality today. Women fight to have the equality of being able to work with same pay rate jobs and not just focusing on in-home duties while the men are out supporting household finances. Especially with today's generations, equality has become more optimistic where there are such things as stay-at-home fathers while the women are out supporting their family. This is the kind of factor that needs to be brought attention to others with showing the capabilities of a woman that a man can and cannot do. I truly believe that there really isn't something that a woman cannot do that a man can. 

  

  

    This social issue is a topic that highly affects mainly the women of our country and world but also to me. This is the world that I live in, with women whom I may see on the left and right besides me. No human is different other than the sex. Everyone should be treated and having an equal treatment of rights and opportunities. My generation is the future of this country and we need to make a change where everyone has the same amount of capabilities of doing anything that they desire. I chose this topics in hopes of it being another contribution and attention giving to my fellow classmates as well as the public to help identify this issue that remains on today. 

    I have conducted a questionnaire of those who are my relatives and are affected by this social issue. As stated by Jasmine Huynh, "growing up in a pre-dominantly boy school, teachers would often ask for strong helpers when it came to moving heavy objects such as school books and majority of the times, they happened to be all males". Males were always seen as the "stronger" individuals with masculine features. When it came to a much harder labor, males are typically targeted with in hopes of their help. Another community member, Amy Ta states that with the start of her new job after graduating and achieving an appropriate certification for it, " I have noticed the way men joke around with each other when it came to work ethics, but once I am approached or nearby, their personalities make a whole turn around making them a different person simply because I am a female." Because females are within distance, males have a turn around of their personality thinking that they are superior or can not be joked around with the presence of a female nearby. 

    Gender Equality is a very important and social issue that needs to be achieved. It is relevant towards every human being in which they should be optimistic about. This has been an ongoing issue for many generations and world needs to learn to stop being so greedy and make it right especially to the people who surround them everyday. It really isn't hard to achieve and bring justice to this issue. In hopes of this blog gaining more views and another side of bringing awareness to Gender Equality, I also wish that this issue is to be achieved and resolved in the very near future. 

References 

        Gender Equality. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/gender-equality/

        Horowitz, J., & Fetterolf, J. (2020, October 27). Worldwide Optimism About Future of Gender     Equality, Even as Many See Advantages for Men. Retrieved, from https://www.pewresearch.org /global /20 20/04 /30/ worldwide-optimism-about-future-of-gender-equality-even-as-many-see-advantages-for-men/