Did Gender Equality Really Progress?

Gerloff, Alfred A. Jr. (2005)  First All Female Crew. 
Web: Wikipedia

In our Humanities class, we had had to right an article that revolves around to different countries, and how women are treated in areas such as government, combat, and domestic violence. The main reason we did this article for an assignment was because my class and I were learning about gender inequality in all areas of the world, from South Africa to the US. I hope this article will help you realize the injustice that gender inequality brings upon the two most progressive countries in the world.

Did Gender Equality Really Progress?
Women have been discriminated ever since the beginning of humankind. Even today, women are still treated like second class citizens. They are treated like they are second class citizens through government, combat, and domestic abuse. But women aren’t just being treated like second class citizens in places like South Africa or Afghanistan. Women in the US and in Poland treated inferior to men, even though both countries say they are more “evolved” and “progressive” than most countries.

Between 2001and 2012, at least 6,488 US troops were killed in Afghanistan. But 11,766 women were killed by their ex male partners during the exact same time frame(Vagianos). Even in wars, it is more risky to be a woman in domestic violence, than it is to be in combat. At least 3 women are murdered per day by their male abuser in the US (Vagianos). Even with this problem, the US states they are the most “evolved” country in the world. Not only is gender inequality in domestic violence, but in the government and politics as well. Data from the 2006 American National Election Studies Pilot Study showed that both male and female voters, regardless of their political persuasions, expected men to perform better as politicians than women. People believe about areas such as combat and national affairs would be best handled by male politicians. As for female politicians, they have been expected to be in areas such as education and child care, rather than any other area of government.(boundless.com). But for the women in military, there are about 203,000 female soldiers in frontal combat. But most times, women in the US are sexually harassment by men all around different areas in the army. Statistics suggest that as high as 1 in 3 women experience sexual assault while in the military, twice the reported statistic for sexual assault among civilians. Even with this injustice, the military’s judicial systems remains outside of the American legal process and most perpetrators of sexual assault go unpunished (Pedowitz). This is an injustice to women all around American, and should be stopped.

Ever since the 90’s, Poland has been striving for gender equality and women's rights. Yet even today, there is a large percentage of of domestic abuse for women. Poland is the country with the lowest rate of violence against women in the European Union (EU), according to a report published in 2008. But even then, Poland has percentage of “just” 19. So is “scoring” lowest a reason to celebrate, or was it rather a wake-up call for Poland. After all, 19 percent still means that almost one if five women in Poland experienced violence. Also, often time, people who are suppose to help such as officers, are reducing domestic abuse as a solvable “conflict” within the family (Mis). Even if Poland improved in gender equality, they still have a lot more progress to make before they truly treat women like first class citizens. But even if the Poland government still needs work on domestic abuse, they’re still striving to stop gender inequality since the late 90’s. In 1997, the Government adopted a first National Programme of Activities in aid of Women, which had been drawn up with a strong involvement and participation of the more than 300 non-governmental organisations for women all around. They have been trying to help women in Poland all around gain high jobs, better pay, have gender equality and much more. Yet, even though women are advancing, there are in total 1153 women in their military fighting frontal combat. In Poland’s defence, there population compared to the US is about 167 times the amount Poland is. Also, Poland has only been accepting women into military academies since 1999, and most of the female soldiers graduated at 2003(Reinsberg). But in the end, Poland government and combat have less sexist than they were a decade before. They still need work on some areas, but they are trying to improve for the better.

In total, America can learn from Poland, and Poland can do do vice versa. Even though Poland and America are different countries, they both have their own histories with gender inequality. We Americans say we are evolved and our country is the most advanced in the world, but looking at the facts, it show that Poland is more progressive than the US. Poland has been trying to eradicate gender inequality since the 1997. Even if they still need work on some areas, they are still going in the right track. As for America, Poland should learn how to accept more women into their military and combat. But in Poland defense, Poland has only excepted women since 1997. Not to mention the population in Poland is at least 167 times smaller than the population in the US. In the end, we can all work together to stopping gender inequality. Sure, there’s always be the one sexsist trying to make sure gender inequality stays. But as long as we treat all people, no matter what race, sex, or gender, well, then the voice of that sexsist will fade away in a crowd speaking for gender equality.

Works Cited

A.Vagianos “30 Shocking Domestic Violence Statistics That Remind Us It’s An Epidemic”
Huffingtonpost.com October 17, 2016
URL:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/23/domestic-violence-statistics_n_5959776.html

E. Pedowitz “Women Now Allowed In Combat Roles, But We Still See Inequality in the Ranks” mic.com October 17, 2016
URL:https://mic.com/articles/24416/women-now-allowed-in-combat-roles-but-we-still-see-inequality-in-the-ranks#.0nufR5w8

“Gender equality and women's rights / empowerment in Poland” Website:http://ec.europa.eu/
October 18, 2016
URL:http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/gender-equality-and-womens-rights-empowerment-poland_en

“Gender Inequality in Politics” boundless.com 17 Oct. 2016 from
URL:https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/gender-stratification-and-inequality-11/women-in-the-workplace-89/gender-inequality-in-politics-513-10467/

“Gender violence in EU lowest in Poland - should we rejoice?” http://news.trust.org/ October 17, 2016
URL:http://news.trust.org/item/20140306164123-i8wuf/

M. Mis “Gender violence in EU lowest in Poland - should we rejoice?” http://news.trust.org/ October 17, 2016
URL:http://news.trust.org/item/20140306164123-i8wuf/

Gerloff Jr "File:C-130 - First all female crew.jpg" commons.wikimedia.org Oct 20, 2016
URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:C-130_-_First_all_female_crew.jpg