Reflection Essay about Women and Oppressive Societies

The world has evolved in numerous ways, one of them being the mindset against women. Under governments, women are viewed as equal, they are viewed as more than just someone who takes care of the home and children. They are viewed as people with their own dreams, aspirations, and choices. If there is equality under the law, why has it not been created throughout all aspects of society? It is because of power, the leading factor in an oppressive society. Power is the ability to captivate and influence individuals mind, behaviour, and values. Individuals with power want to maintain it and control over marginalized groups. This control over women has been maintained throughout gender roles, voting, education, and the workplace. Even as women have gained the right to do these things, it does not mean there has been complete agreement to move forward with these views. The Ted Talk, “A Saudi Woman Who Dared to Drive” (2013) by Manal Al-Sharif discusses how Saudi women are not allowed to drive simply because it is a taboo even though there is no law preventing it. In a magazine article named “It Could’ve Been Me” (2015) by Nancy Macdonald shares stories of thirteen Indigenous women who had been sexually assaulted and did not receive the justice they deserved because they were Indigenous. Lastly, the article “For Afghan Women, Taliban Stir Fears of Return to a Repressive Past” (2021) by Farnaz Fassihi and Dan Bilefsky explains how Afghan women are fearing that the progress they have made will be lost under Taliban rule. Additionally, oppressive societies are formed from traditional values, generational values, and media influence.  All these factors make it difficult for women to overcome oppressive societies as they constantly take advantage of marginalized groups and treat them with  discrimination and cruelty. 

Traditional values influence the way an oppressive society operates, often impacting individuals beliefs, interactions with others, their values, and their judgements. Traditional and religious values can be so deeply embedded into society that they can dictate what rights and privileges a woman can have. When Al-Sharif found out that there was no law banning women from driving, she expressed her shock, “There wasn't an actual law in Saudi Arabia. It was just a custom and traditions that are enshrined in rigid religious fatwas and imposed on women” (Al-Sharif). Considering her shock, this illustration just represents how certain religious and traditional beliefs have set back women in a modern society, leading people to believe false ideologies and enforce them upon women. It represents how certain values only exist to oppress women, to keep them under control and power. Furthermore, even as the stigma around women in the workplace has decreased, there is still so much condescending behaviour towards women in positions of authority. Equality in the workplace is a major step to overcome oppression, but when it is interfered with by those who do not support it because of traditional beliefs, dilemmas occur. Kim Jonathan, the Interim chief of Saskatchewan Indian Nations explains how she received negative reactions because of her position, “I have been publicly shamed, threatened, told this is a man’s game, one I have to learn how to navigate.” This quote represents how despite being more than qualified for the position of a chief, Kim Jonathan was still shamed and underestimated because she is a woman. Traditional values have and continue to target women with jobs by making them feel ashamed, underqualified, and most importantly, disrespected. Letting women work was empowering and innovating, but the blatant inequality due to traditional values within the workplace still continues to oppress them.