Sexism has been an evolving issue globally for decades. More specifically, women’s rights and inequality has been the topic of issue for hundreds of years. Sexism is something that has given women inconfidence and the ability to believe they are lesser than the men in this world. Before in Roman law, women couldn’t own a house without having to give it to their husbands immediate family if he passed away, they had no access to birth control or abortion, and in most cultures they could not go to school. It was not until the eighteenth and nineteenth century that people began to consider women’s rights. Around this time women began to fight for the rights to their own property, earn a wage, and most notably, vote and hold public office. Voting rights were given to women beginning in the 1800s and on through the 1920s. Giving women the right to vote was said to be the turning point in women’s rights (Gale, 2019). Women in our society today are still being affected by discrimination globally and in Canada. The extent of this is not as bad as it was centuries ago but there are still arising issues that women are faced with. Sexism is something that will always be evident in our Canadian society. With women being treated unfairly, that puts strains on self confidence and the ability to feel powerful. It also lacks them opportunity. In today’s society, sexism is greatly evident. It is evident through wage gaps, gender based violence, and the largest women’s march that happened in 2017.
Wage gap has been around in our society and around the world forever. In 1833, a wage survey found that women working in local textile factories received less for working seventy eights hours per week than men were getting for one ten hour day (Gale, 2010). Especially in our society now, women being paid less than men is something that has been vocally expressed in the media today especially by actors and athletes. Actors like Ellen Pompeo, Emma Roberts, and Gina Rodriquez have all spoken out about their thoughts on this very important global issue. Athletes like the women’s US soccer team have also spoken out about this. Specifically their captain Megan Rampineo who expressed her frustration before the team went on to win the world cup. She and twenty eight of her teammates sued the United States Soccer federation allenging gender discrimination. The wage gap between men and women is one of the broadest issues that need addressing. Women tend to be discriminating against for leaving their place of work to have children, which also contributes to having lower pay. Women are more likely to be in low-paying, entry level jobs with fewer hours. Having a significant wage gap can also impact a woman's ability to enter into the housing market. Women who have significant others who can support them financially may not struggle as much with this. Someone who is in an abusive relationship and cannot afford to distance herself from her abuser will be greatly affected by this and this also contributes to gender based violence.
Secondly, sexism has been evident in our Canadian society through American society. America lives under Donald Trump, before Donald Trump was elected as president in 2016, he made comments in his campaign that criticized women. Following his election, women in the United States and throughout the world made a plan to demonstrate that they would fight for their rights under the new administration (Gale, 2019). This online rally led to women all over the world rallying for their rights publicly. Thousands of Canadians with signs and hats rallied around Canada in showing support and solidarity with the massive Women’s March in Washington. In Montreal, many carried signs with messages such as 'our rights aren't up for grabs,'. The goal of this march was to send a bold message to the new administration on their first day in office and to the world that women’s rights are human rights.
Lastly, sexism has also been evident in our Candian society through the increasing numbers of gender based violence. Women are prone to sexually based violence and abuse. This includes, rape, sexual assualt, prostitution, and slavery. Women face many unique challenges with reproduction. Some women have no or limited access to healthcare resources, birth control, or protection from sexually transmitted diseases. This distinction has led to much higher mortality rates to women. In Cambridge Ontario, an annual event is held called Walk In Her Shoes. The walk, beginning at Cambridge City Hall and then going through downtown Galt, is traditionally a men's walk but is now open to all genders. It aims to raise awareness about the role everyone plays in ending gender-based violence. 'According to the Canadian Women's Foundation, approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner, so yes, gender-based violence is still a very real problem and it's part of our mandate to give voice to the realities of the lives of cis and trans women and girls and non-binary individuals in our community,' said Kim Decker, executive director of YWCA Cambridge, in a media release (CNW group, 2019).
In conclusion, Sexism is an evolving issue in Canada and in our world. More specifically, women’s rights and inequality. Sexism is greatly evident in our society today with gender based violence, international wage gap, and also administration who have contributed to this act. Sexism is something that has given women inconfidence and the ability to believe they are lesser than the men in this world. Women have to feel as if they are lesser and that they deserve to be paid a different amount for the same work just because they are female. People began to consider women’s rights after they realized what this does to our society and to the women who are being discriminated against for their gender. Women have to fight for the rights to their own property, earn a wage, and most notably, vote and hold public office. Giving women the right to vote was said to be the turning point in women’s rights where people began to recognize the treatment and how it was unfair. Women in our society today are still being affected by discrimination globally and in Canada. The extent of this is not as bad as it was centuries ago but there are still arising issues that women are faced with. Sexism is something that will always be evident in our Canadian society. With women being treated unfairly, that puts strains on self confidence and the ability to feel powerful. It also lacks them opportunity. In today’s society, sexism is greatly evident. It is evident through wage gaps, gender based violence, and the largest women’s march that happened in 2017.