Title: Did Advancement Lead to Ignorance?
She's a beautiful, tall thin young woman. Today, she dons a short black skirt and a fitted top; she works hard, is optimistic and always carries a smile. Meet Sandra Kattrel*, Western society's ideal. A slight variation of this character exists in all walks of life. From the glittering, swaying body of a pop songstress to a female high school student seated in a classroom, every female is somewhat similar in their choices of values and mentality. They are the products of the post-feminine era. They seem to have it all, money, independence and glamour, and this is why they are praised. Yet, is the woman of the 22nd century truly an admirable character? Or are her predecessors more worthy of praise?
"I admire both. The women of today have really created a presence for themselves through work, and the women of the past had struggled so much," stated a classmate answering the question, "Who do you admire most, the women of today, or the woman of the past?" In part, I agreed with her; way back when, women were stripped of the right to work. Of course, such a societal expectation put women in horrible situations in cases when women were widowed, divorced, orphaned or even married and had to financially support themselves, their family or their numerous children (Life of a Victorian Woman). Such women might have committed to careers that were looked down upon, such as prostitution, in order to sustain themselves (Life of a Victorian Woman). If a woman was not faced with this problem then she often had to assume the role of the housewife or the caregiver (Life of a Victorian Woman). She engaged in tedious, often dangerous methods in completing the housework. For example, in the 1900's, laundry was a tremendous task that required soaking items in boiling water and then scrubbing them with soda crystals by hand -- as many as three times--, and it was not only exhausting but also rubbed hands painfully raw (Laundry). Now, the women of today often lead a very different lifestyle. They wear what they want; they say what they want; and they do what they want. They work long hours, study, are often engaged in a relationship, work out (or at least have a desire to) and in the midst of it all, still have time to follow the daily gossip of a favorite celebrity. As one can see, a woman's lifestyle has changed tremendously.
Although women were granted careers and what not through the feminist movement, I believe many women have lost a lot of themselves through the process. For example, "when girls in the nineteenth century thought about ways to improve themselves, they almost always focused on their internal character and how it was reflected in outward behavior. In 1892, the personal agenda of an adolescent diarist read: '(To be) Resolved, not talk about myself or feelings. (To) Think before speaking. To work seriously. To be self-restrained in conversations and actions. Not to let my thoughts wander. To be dignified. Interest myself more in others'" (Brumberg). Meanwhile, a century later, "in a New Year's resolution written in 1982, a girl wrote: 'I will try to make myself better in any way I possibly can with the help of my budget and baby-sitting money. I will lose weight, get new lenses, already got new haircut, good makeup, new clothes and accessories'(Brumberg). As one can see, a woman's mentality has changed quite a bit over the years. But what was it that made their personalities and values change so drastically? In order to answer this question, one must look at the lifestyles of the women of the past and present.
First of all, the American women of today engage in a lifestyle that is motivated by the societal norms as portrayed by the media. For example, many women have begun engaging in some type of diet in order to mimic the "ideal" bodies they have seen in magazines, on fashion runways and of course, on television. Also, the women of today study and pursue careers for financial well-being. They also wear clothing and make up that replicates the fashions of today. It is true that all people of a society admire and mimic their culture's ideals; however, today's Western society has stressed upon looks and materialism so much that those ideas have contributed to such a narrow set of thoughts and focuses.
On the contrary, the American women of the 1900's engaged in a severely different lifestyle primarily in sync with their Christian faith and the societal norms of the time. Women of the 1900's exuded modesty. For instance, pictures of a women dressed in their underwear, an excessively modest garment, in today's views, that usually covered from a woman's chest to right above the ankle, were thought of a pornography. In addition, it was taboo for women, as well as men, to look at the opposite sex let alone engage in premarital relations. Did these actions flourish the mindset that was previewed above? In all honesty, I believe so. What else could have done it? The activities of these women's daily lives were similar to the activities and norms listed above. The 1900's women practiced a lifestyle full or norms that stemmed from their faith and their society and contributed to their admirable personalities and private thoughts.
At the same time, I believe the women of the pre-feminist era should have received some of the same rights the women of today enjoy. For example, the women of the 1900's should have been permitted to engage in studies whether in the privacy of their own homes or at a school. They also should have been given the right to work and earn money to support themselves and their families in difficult situations. For instance, there should have been all-girls schools workplaces, etc. to coincide with upheld spiritual beliefs. In addition, women should have always had the right to become active members of their community. I applaud the women of today for seeking and establishing their right to work, study and contribute to their communities and families in a productive and beneficial manner; however, something must have dreadfully gone wrong as women sought out the fulfillment of their rights. For instance, the American women of today do not have the same level of depth as the American women of the 1900's do. The women of the pre-feminist era should have received several of the same opportunities we American women of today enjoy; at the same time, those opportunities should have provided a better environment so that the character of a woman would flourish instead of disintegrating.
Although women are obliged to receive the same rights as men (as stated in the Q'uran a religious text that I, as well as other Muslims hold sacred), something should have been done to maintain the mentality, depth and sincerity that was displayed by the women of the 1900's. In order to do this, advancements should be made but those advancements should not have been at the price of morality. Furthermore, one must continue to struggle to improve whats within in addition to what is outside.
*Sandra Kattrel is a fictional character that was meant to depict society's ideal and was created for this particular article.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Brumberg, Joan J. The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls. 31 July 2003
"Goals." Goals (n.d.).
The 1900 House - The Scullery - Laundry. WTTW11. 31 July 2003
Women's Life. 25 July 2003. Victoria's Past. 31 July 2003