“The Perception Gap”
In the United States, women earn about 76 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. Even worse, many Americans refuse to acknowledge that this wage gap is an indicator of continued oppression of women. In “For Women in America, Equality is Still an Illusion,” Jessica Valenti uses hypophora, personal stories, and statistics to inspire readers to combat the misogyny that continues to face women in America.
Valenti often utilizes hypophora to increase shock value and emphasise surprising points. For example, when talking about the frequent murders that target women in America, she asks, “A leading cause of death for pregnant women? Murder by a partner.” The reader is expected to find the high murder rates …show more content…
The pause between question and answer breaks up the flow of reading, emphasising the frequency of this heinous crime. The question format also encourages the reader to consider a potential answer to the question before reading the actual answer, highlighting the difference in the reader’s initial perception and the truth. The emphasis on contrast parallels Valenti’s claim that many people aren’t aware of the extent to which misogyny still exists, showing that public opinion doesn’t always match the truth. Valenti also uses hypophora to respond to potential criticisms readers may have about her arguments, such as when she talks about how many people underestimate the extent of discrimination toward women: “So why the blinders? Most women know that sexism exists. But … it's not surprising that so many women don't realize how dire their situation is.” Valenti then points to organizations such as The Independent Women's Forum that convince women they shouldn’t actually want equality. She recognizes that some may perceive a …show more content…
When discussing how women aren’t prospering in America to nearly the degree that men are, she mentions, “Women hold 17 percent of the seats in Congress.” Regardless of readers’ perceptions about equality, they can’t deny that women are underrepresented in our government and have far from the roughly 50 percent representation that would be expected in a truly equal America. This use of statistics forces the reader to confront the misogyny that is clearly still prevalent in America, making them more open to Valenti’s arguments, as they are forced to believe that her central argument is true. Valenti also uses statistics to add shock value, such as when she writes that, “Of all the women murdered in the United States, about a third are killed by a husband or boyfriend.” The surprising frequency of murder of women by a partner catches readers off guard, leaving them more vulnerable to Valenti’s arguments as they realize they can’t trust their assumptions. The shocking statistics also increase the likelihood that the readers will take action to combat misogyny, as they become more convinced that change is necessary when presented with irrefutable facts showing the need for
In the United States, women earn about 76 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. Even worse, many Americans refuse to acknowledge that this wage gap is an indicator of continued oppression of women. In “For Women in America, Equality is Still an Illusion,” Jessica Valenti uses hypophora, personal stories, and statistics to inspire readers to combat the misogyny that continues to face women in America.
Valenti often utilizes hypophora to increase shock value and emphasise surprising points. For example, when talking about the frequent murders that target women in America, she asks, “A leading cause of death for pregnant women? Murder by a partner.” The reader is expected to find the high murder rates …show more content…
The pause between question and answer breaks up the flow of reading, emphasising the frequency of this heinous crime. The question format also encourages the reader to consider a potential answer to the question before reading the actual answer, highlighting the difference in the reader’s initial perception and the truth. The emphasis on contrast parallels Valenti’s claim that many people aren’t aware of the extent to which misogyny still exists, showing that public opinion doesn’t always match the truth. Valenti also uses hypophora to respond to potential criticisms readers may have about her arguments, such as when she talks about how many people underestimate the extent of discrimination toward women: “So why the blinders? Most women know that sexism exists. But … it's not surprising that so many women don't realize how dire their situation is.” Valenti then points to organizations such as The Independent Women's Forum that convince women they shouldn’t actually want equality. She recognizes that some may perceive a …show more content…
When discussing how women aren’t prospering in America to nearly the degree that men are, she mentions, “Women hold 17 percent of the seats in Congress.” Regardless of readers’ perceptions about equality, they can’t deny that women are underrepresented in our government and have far from the roughly 50 percent representation that would be expected in a truly equal America. This use of statistics forces the reader to confront the misogyny that is clearly still prevalent in America, making them more open to Valenti’s arguments, as they are forced to believe that her central argument is true. Valenti also uses statistics to add shock value, such as when she writes that, “Of all the women murdered in the United States, about a third are killed by a husband or boyfriend.” The surprising frequency of murder of women by a partner catches readers off guard, leaving them more vulnerable to Valenti’s arguments as they realize they can’t trust their assumptions. The shocking statistics also increase the likelihood that the readers will take action to combat misogyny, as they become more convinced that change is necessary when presented with irrefutable facts showing the need for