How Does Misogyny Affect Women of Color in the American Workplace?
The factors of race and sex have become detrimental in determining the status of women of color in the United States for they have been deemed a minority group. Women of color have experienced a history of oppression based on their race and gender, as depicted in their exclusion in early feminist movements. During World War II, propaganda like the image of Rosie the Riveter spread with the caption “We Can Do It” to inspire women to enter the workforce. The acceptance of white women in the American workplace marked a turning point for women’s rights in the twentieth century. Yet, race has complicated the strife for women’s rights as privileged Americans fail to acknowledge the …show more content…
Bitzer, editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health, explains that the two concepts that formulate misogyny are the notion that women are inferior to men by the laws of nature and the fear of the “destructive power” of feminine sexuality, which has led to the dehumanization of women. The patriarchal rhetoric in American society became dominant as the domestic sphere and the workplace became separated during the Market Revolution of the 1820s. Political science professor, Mark Kann, former USC Associates Chair in Social Science, states that the perceived role of men is to perform physical labor to sustain their families, while women are expected to remain subordinate to men, has stimulated the extension of misogyny. The belief that women are weak has caused women of color to experience discrimination, making them a marginalized group in society. Misogyny in the workplace is an issue that needs to be addressed to alleviate the burdens that women of color continue to endure in society. The patriarchal roots that underlie systemic racism and gender discrimination need to be eradicated to ensure that the rights of working women of color are …show more content…
The drive for patriarchal control in society has lead to violence against women of color, revealing the misogynist structures that continue to be condoned in the workplace. Kunbi Tinuoye, a news correspondent for the liberal network, MSNBC, explains that workplace harassment is intertwined with racist stereotypes, thus, male coworkers take advantage of the vulnerability of African American women to establish their dominance. Racial stereotypes of sexuality have enabled men to believe that they are entitled to sexualize the bodies of women. Ontiveros wrote an article for the academic journal, Golden Gate University Law Review, in which she described how such racial stereotypes adversely affect women of color, as Asian American and Latina women are depicted as submissive and naturally exotic in popular media (Ontiveros). As a result, misogyny affects working women of color, for they are forced to deal with physical and verbal harassment at work. Ontiveros also explained that these misogynist views have led to the legal justification of discriminatory acts committed by all men, as demonstrated by the Hill-Thomas hearing of 1991. The Hill-Thomas hearing revealed the misogynist nature of the legal system as right-wing whites and African Americans attacked Anita Hill for accusing Clarence Thomas, nominee to the Supreme Court, of sexual harassment; African American
The factors of race and sex have become detrimental in determining the status of women of color in the United States for they have been deemed a minority group. Women of color have experienced a history of oppression based on their race and gender, as depicted in their exclusion in early feminist movements. During World War II, propaganda like the image of Rosie the Riveter spread with the caption “We Can Do It” to inspire women to enter the workforce. The acceptance of white women in the American workplace marked a turning point for women’s rights in the twentieth century. Yet, race has complicated the strife for women’s rights as privileged Americans fail to acknowledge the …show more content…
Bitzer, editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health, explains that the two concepts that formulate misogyny are the notion that women are inferior to men by the laws of nature and the fear of the “destructive power” of feminine sexuality, which has led to the dehumanization of women. The patriarchal rhetoric in American society became dominant as the domestic sphere and the workplace became separated during the Market Revolution of the 1820s. Political science professor, Mark Kann, former USC Associates Chair in Social Science, states that the perceived role of men is to perform physical labor to sustain their families, while women are expected to remain subordinate to men, has stimulated the extension of misogyny. The belief that women are weak has caused women of color to experience discrimination, making them a marginalized group in society. Misogyny in the workplace is an issue that needs to be addressed to alleviate the burdens that women of color continue to endure in society. The patriarchal roots that underlie systemic racism and gender discrimination need to be eradicated to ensure that the rights of working women of color are …show more content…
The drive for patriarchal control in society has lead to violence against women of color, revealing the misogynist structures that continue to be condoned in the workplace. Kunbi Tinuoye, a news correspondent for the liberal network, MSNBC, explains that workplace harassment is intertwined with racist stereotypes, thus, male coworkers take advantage of the vulnerability of African American women to establish their dominance. Racial stereotypes of sexuality have enabled men to believe that they are entitled to sexualize the bodies of women. Ontiveros wrote an article for the academic journal, Golden Gate University Law Review, in which she described how such racial stereotypes adversely affect women of color, as Asian American and Latina women are depicted as submissive and naturally exotic in popular media (Ontiveros). As a result, misogyny affects working women of color, for they are forced to deal with physical and verbal harassment at work. Ontiveros also explained that these misogynist views have led to the legal justification of discriminatory acts committed by all men, as demonstrated by the Hill-Thomas hearing of 1991. The Hill-Thomas hearing revealed the misogynist nature of the legal system as right-wing whites and African Americans attacked Anita Hill for accusing Clarence Thomas, nominee to the Supreme Court, of sexual harassment; African American