You know what I feel more strongly about than anything?
Women’s roles in this world.

James Brown’s lyrics, “this is a man’s world, but it would be nothing, nothing, without a woman or a girl,” is what I think of when I begin to rant about this subject.

Women have come a long way to gain respect and power in this world.

We started out with nothing, no school, no work, no rights and used only for producing children, cooking and cleaning.

I myself have joked around about wishing things would go back to that so that I did not have to deal with going to school or working; but I was wrong.

It is amazing how far women have come by standing up for themselves and each other.
We have fought, struggled and were made to prove our worth to this country and have come out on top in many situations.

Now I know this seems like me ranting about women’s rights because I am a woman, but that is not what this is about; I am no feminist.

But, I feel very strongly about respect and everyone getting a fighting chance.
Strong women in our society today such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Michelle Obama and many more have gained respect and proved to the world how intelligent, caring and powerful they are.

I respect these women so much for the great example they set, their strength and what they show women in our country.

But, just when I thought this country was at my standards with this topic, I was proved wrong.
In my advertising and copywriting class this semester, I recently watched a movie called, “Miss Representation.”

This movie showed the affects of women in big news organizations and how women are treated throughout businesses.

Some of the main things that caught my attention throughout this video were self-image discrimination of women and the comments made about Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin.

Now, I will be the first to say how much I dislike Sarah Palin and her views, but degrading her by saying she is a “sex symbol” and “someone to mate with,” is ridiculous.
Hilary Clinton on the other hand, was referred to as old, uptight, emotional and unattractive by news organizations.

Comments were also made about news anchor Katie Couric in a negative light.
Stating how sexy her legs are on television is not appropriate by the males in the media.
Keep your hormones to yourself, please.

These women are all hard working, strong, intelligent people with a purpose.
Though these comments have been degrading, it has not stopped a female from moving forward.
Women have learned to ignore that chatter, the negative attention and become accustomed to it; this to me is extremely sad.

Why do males have to belittle and objectify women at every chance they get?
And I am not saying all males do this. There are plenty of respectable ones out there, but on my television screen I see differently.

Any story about Paris Hilton or a new attractive actress makes big news for the men in our society, disregarding women’s feelings about the topic.

These men are professionals, come on now.

I want to know when and what it is going to take for women to be able to walk around without getting hit on.

When are women going to be able to walk into a job interview and not get looked up and down like they are a piece of meat?

And when are women going to be able to hold higher positions than men and be strong, independent, successful and powerful without someone questioning her?

Growing up in this world is not easy for a female or male.

But, the degrading comments and objectifying our gender is not what should be making it the hardest for us to progress and move higher up in society.

No one ever proved men were smarter, better company owners or more successful people than women.

We should never let them feel like it is assumed.

Men started degrading women from day one.

Why do they have the right to do so?

I cannot answer that question.

But what I do know, is that no man is going to stop me from getting what I want and being successful in this society.

I want to take after the strong women we have to look up to in this country and move forward, not give into the objectifying statements and catty comments made my males in this world to tear us down and make us inferior.

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