Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm made history by becoming the first black woman to be elected to Congress. Chisholm used her position in Congress as an advocate for the disadvantaged, such as racial minorities, women, and the poor. When it came to the Equal Rights Amendment, Chisholm was an outspoken supporter (“Shirley Chisholm’s “For The Equal Rights Amendment.”). The proposed amendment’s purpose was that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States on account of sex. Supporters believed the amendment was necessary to eliminate laws that discriminated on the basis of sex (“The Equal Rights Amendment.”). Chisholm reports how she was discriminated against more for being a woman than for being African-American.
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She established a need for change by stating that progress has been made towards ending racial discrimination, but one group still faced “the most subtle, most pervasive, and most institutionalized form of prejudice that exists.” In addition to acknowledging the audience, Chisholm also discusses in detail several examples of discrimination against women in the workforce, the legal system, the educational system, and the military. She supports her argument with facts, building a logical basis for her speech. For example, she demonstrated how unfair labor laws hurt women by preventing them from working overtime and limited their choice of occupations. She also argued that excluding women from the selective service prevented them from many benefits like opportunities for education and training. Chisholm also reminded her audience that “sex prejudice cuts both ways.” She explained how only men are held responsible for the nation’s defense under the Selective Service Act. By emphasizing how men had been harmed by sex discrimination as well as women, Chisholm invited her audience to consider the ways in which the amendment benefited men as …show more content…
She had experienced first hand the prejudice she was speaking about. Her political status also made her a reliable source for the deliverance of this speech. Not only was she the first black woman to be elected to Congress, but she also made history by becoming the first major-party African-American candidate to run for the U.S. presidency when she ran for the Democratic nomination in 1972 (“Shirley Chisholm Biography.”).
Chisholm’s speech proved effective when in 1972 the Equal Rights Amendment was finally approved by Congress (“Shirley Chisholm’s “For The Equal Rights Amendment”). By using a balance of logos, ethos, and pathos, Chisholm was able to appeal to her audience and make her point known. Her speech did not just ensure equality for women, but the improvement of every citizen’s life. As she pointed out, when the sexes are equal, society benefits more as a
She established a need for change by stating that progress has been made towards ending racial discrimination, but one group still faced “the most subtle, most pervasive, and most institutionalized form of prejudice that exists.” In addition to acknowledging the audience, Chisholm also discusses in detail several examples of discrimination against women in the workforce, the legal system, the educational system, and the military. She supports her argument with facts, building a logical basis for her speech. For example, she demonstrated how unfair labor laws hurt women by preventing them from working overtime and limited their choice of occupations. She also argued that excluding women from the selective service prevented them from many benefits like opportunities for education and training. Chisholm also reminded her audience that “sex prejudice cuts both ways.” She explained how only men are held responsible for the nation’s defense under the Selective Service Act. By emphasizing how men had been harmed by sex discrimination as well as women, Chisholm invited her audience to consider the ways in which the amendment benefited men as …show more content…
She had experienced first hand the prejudice she was speaking about. Her political status also made her a reliable source for the deliverance of this speech. Not only was she the first black woman to be elected to Congress, but she also made history by becoming the first major-party African-American candidate to run for the U.S. presidency when she ran for the Democratic nomination in 1972 (“Shirley Chisholm Biography.”).
Chisholm’s speech proved effective when in 1972 the Equal Rights Amendment was finally approved by Congress (“Shirley Chisholm’s “For The Equal Rights Amendment”). By using a balance of logos, ethos, and pathos, Chisholm was able to appeal to her audience and make her point known. Her speech did not just ensure equality for women, but the improvement of every citizen’s life. As she pointed out, when the sexes are equal, society benefits more as a