DBQ Documents Drafts

How have male attitudes towards women in America changed during modern times?

Historical Context

Throughout the 20th century women have gained rights and equality in America. For example, in 1920 women gained the right to vote. Also women have achieved the right to more equal job oppurtunities and career options in all fields. During this time men's attitudes towards women have changed.

Document 1

Source: Bureau of Justice: National Crime Victimization Survey, 1997

"Rape is a serious problem in the United States today. The United States has the highest rape rate among countries which report such statistics. It is 4 times higher than that of Germany, 13 times higher than that of England and 20 times higher than that of Japan."

Document 2

Source: Elizabeth Wurtzel, female American writer and actress, from novel Bitch, 1998.


"The biggest problem that women have is being ambivalent about their own power, ... We should be comfortable with the idea of wielding power. We shouldn't feel that it detracts from our femininity.”

Document 3

Source: Post from Anonymous, from The Rantings of a Young Man in a Feminized Society, May 2006.

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do." Bob Dylan
Sadly though, I find that a significant number of men slaving away are not doing it for themselves, but they are doing it because of their nagging wives. They had to move into the suburbs, buy a house with a white picket fence that was way beyond what he could afford. He had to buy the gas guzzling minivan and SUV. Then come the kids. She wants them to go the the fancy private schools, away from the inner city riff-raff (most likely the offspring of the badboys she used to *sleep with* when she was younger). Then it's ballet and dance recitals, little league baseball and football, and then you have to start putting money away for their college education. From marriage until death, he will always be making payments of some sort. A sad existance indeed. That is no way to live life.(*edit*)

Document 4

Source: Anonymous post by user LoveShark Baby, Inc., from Yahoo Answers, 2008.

In the 1900s: Woman, where's my food?
In the 1910s: No, you can't vote
In the 1920s: OK, you can vote, but no smoking
In the 1930s: DOOOH - I said no smoking, but OK, if you insist
In the 1940s: Thanks for the "Dear John" letter. That's just what I needed here in this piss-filled trench
In the 1950s: I said, Woman where's my food?
In the 1960s: Woman where's your bra?
In the 1970s: Woman where are you going?
In the 1980s: Child Support? You make twice as much as I do!
In the 1990s: OK, The SitComs and TV ads have me convinced - we men really are doofuses. you win. I'll sit here on the Barcalounger™, being hopelessly irrelevant.

Document 5

Source: Anonymous male, from a blog American Women Suck, 2008.

I am not angry with American women. I merely pity them. I pity them for embracing feminism without any critical thought. I pity them for making men the enemy and not loving partners. I pity them for their unsuccessful struggle with their own rules. I pity them for not understanding that life is about compromise and that compromise is not weakness.

Document 6

Source: Various Musicians lyrics

Oh you don't think you need game, homey you better have it
Cause women cheat like men, only they better at it
You kiss your girl on the cheek, thinkin she sweet
She got a man to meet at least for every day of the week
RHYMEFEST All girls cheat, American Hip Hop band, 2006.


I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
I'm a blonde single girl in the fantasy world
Dress me up, take your time, I'm your dollie
You're my doll, rock and roll, feel the glamour and pain
Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky
AQUA "Barbie Girl", Popular BubbleGum Dance Band, 1997.


Under my thumb
The squirmin' dog who's just had her day
Under my thumb
A girl who has just changed her ways
It's down to me, yes it is
The way she does just what she's told
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb
Ah, ah, say it's alright
THE ROLLING STONES Under My Thumb, British Rock Band, 1966.

Document 7

Source: Bella Abzug, well-known American political figure and a leader of the women’s movement, from a speech, mid 1900's.

The test for whether or not you can hold a job should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes.

Document 8

Source: Clare Boothe Luce, an American editor, playwright, social activist, congresswoman, journalist, and ambassador, in a speech to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., mid 1900's.

Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, "She doesn’t have what it takes." They will say, "Women don’t have what it takes."

Document 9

Source: Stephen Stills, an American muscian, from an interview with Rolling Stones Magazine, late 1990's.

There are three things men can do with women: love them, suffer for them, or turn them into literature.

Document 10

Source: Swami Ram Charran, a writer, from the novel The Power of a Woman.

In today's world of chaos, turmoil, and destruction; only a restored respect for women can rescue this world out of distress and take it out of its present predicament towards a new century of peace and love. A woman is needed in a leadership position to perform this task. Wherever the woman is disrespected chaos exists in that location. Did you ever stop to thinkwhat would happen if today there were no women in the world?

Document 11

Source: Borat a satirical stereotype of a kazakhstani immigrant, British Television from Da Ali G Show, 2000's.

There are many job opportunities in the US and of A. For men, construction worker, taxi driver or accountant. For woman, prostitute.

Document 12

Source: Picture of Matel's Barbie doll, early 1990's version.