Another Final Attempt

How have Americans perceived the relationship between women and power in American society since the 1980's?

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.

I wouldn't if I were you
I know what she can do
She's deadly man, she could really rip your world apart
Mind over matter
Ooh, the beauty is there but a beast is in the heart
(Oh-oh, here she comes) Watch out boy she'll chew you up
(Oh-oh, here she comes) She's a maneater
(Oh-oh, here she comes) Watch out boy she'll chew you up
(Oh-oh, here she comes) She's a maneater
HALL & OATES "Maneater", a "rock and soul" band from Pennsylvania that gained msot of their fame during the 70's and 80's.

Document 7

Source: Jenna Mittelmeier, a writer for The University Daily Kansan, an article titled A Generation of Sex Symbols, 2007.

Progressing way past the days of Elvis' hip shaking, today's society is no stranger to sexuality and controversy. From the Internet age of celebrity pornography (Paris Hilton, Chyna Doll, etc.) to Janet Jackson's 2004 "wardrobe malfunction," we have far surpassed subway grates and short white dresses. In today's age, tabloids are no stranger to crotch shots of women without underwear (Britney Spears, anyone?) or women kissing women at the Video Music Awards.

Document 8

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 9

Source: Swami Ram Charran, a writer, from the novel The Power of a Woman, 1990's.

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 10

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 11

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

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.

Further research for positive stuff

How have male attitudes towards women in America changed since 1940-2008?

"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?"
- The Power of a Woman by swami ram charran

"With so many advantages that women possess, how can we talk about the equality of gender? Should we not conclude that women are superior?"
-Anonymous post by manoharv2001
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-greatness-of-women

Further Research

How have male attitudes towards women in America changed since 1940-2008?



Women often perceive barriers and role conflicts as obstacles in their career development process (Albert & Luzzo, 1999;
Brown & Barbosa, 2001; Luzzo & McWhirter, 2001; Stitt-Gohdes, 1997). Common barriers faced by women included sex-typing of
occupations and sex discrimination, both of which women felt they were unable to control (Stitt-Gohdes). Inadequate occupational
skills, poor academic achievement, and lack of transportation were also found to be major reasons women failed to succeed in the
workforce. Childcare was another issue women saw as a potential barrier to career success (Brown & Barbosa; Stitt-Gohdes). Despite
these perceptions by women, findings from recent studies revealed that females showed an interest in a greater number of careers and
exhibited more gender-role flexibility in their career aspirations than males (Francis, 2002; Mendez & Crawford, 2002; Wahl &
Blackhurst, 2000



http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:fj8JaaGL1csJ:scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JCTE/v22n2/pdf/domenico.pdf+positive+attitudes+towards+women+in+the+20th+century&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us





"Women thrive on novelty and are easy meat for the commerce of fashion. Men prefer old pipes and torn jackets." -Anthony Burgess, You've Had Your Time, 1990. A british novelist that lived in teh USA

"There are three things men can do with women: love them, suffer for them, or turn them into literature." - Stephen Stills an American muscian in an interview with Rolling Stones Magazine.

“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.”
-Clare Boothe Luce, (speech to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.) an American editor, playwright, social activist, congresswoman, journalist, and ambassador

"Women have been trained to speak softly and carry a lipstick. Those days are over."
-Bella Abzug

"The test for whether or not you can hold a job should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes."
-Bella Abzug well-known American political figure and a leader of the women’s movement

DBQ

How have male attitudes towards women in America changed since 1940-2008.

Document #1
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.

Anonymous post by user LoveShark Baby, Inc.

This document has the potential to be useful because it gives a humorous (and slightly bitter) representation of parts of women's lives in the 20th century. It goes through major issues that women encountered during the century in the repsective decades.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080411055254AAXVqHV

Document #2
Johnny Cash - Delia's Gone

Delia, oh Delia
Delia all my life
If I hadn't have shot poor Delia
I'd a had her for my wife
Delia's gone
one more round
Delia's gone
I went up to Memphis
And I me Delia there
Found her in her parlour
And I tied her to her chair
Delia's gone
one more round
Delia's gone
She was low down and, triflin
She was cold and mean
Kind of evil make me
Want to grab my sub-mochine
Delia's gone
one more round
Delia's gone
First time I shot her
Shot her in the side
Hard to watch her suffer
But with the second shot she died
Delia's gone
one more round
Delia's gone
But Jailer oh' Jailer
Jailer I cant sleep
Cause all around the bedside
I hear the patter of Delia's feet
Delia's gone
one more round
Delia's gone
So if your woman's devilish
You can let her run
Or you can bring her down
And do her, like Delia got done
Delia's gone
one more round
Delia's gone
Delia's gone
one more round
Delia's gone

This song shows an example of violence against women. It states that of your woman is devilish you can let her run or take care of her, showing that men feel negatively against women, and when they "run around" a reply could be to kill her. Also, in one of the last stanza's the man begins feelings regret by "hearing Delia's feet."

Aqua - Barbie Girl
- Hi Barbie!
- Hi Ken!
- You wanna go for a ride?
- Sure, Ken!
- Jump in!
- Ha ha ha ha!

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

Come on, Barbie, let's go party

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

You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours, oooh whoa

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

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees
Come jump in, be my friend, let us do it again
Hit the town, fool around, let's go party

You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours
You can touch, you can play
You can say I'm always yours

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

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 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

Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, ha ha ha, yeah
Come on, Barbie, let's go party, oooh, oooh

- Oh, I'm having so much fun!
- Well, Barbie, we're just getting started!
- Oh, I love you Ken!


I'm pretty sure this is self explanatory, but yeah. It sets women up to be that infamous toy doll, creating them up to be an object of society. Also, the "doll" gives into whatever Ken says in the song, almost as if they were a slave. The song reached number seven on the U.S.'s Billboard Hot 100 in the 1990's

Document #3

The picture of a Barbie doll can be used to let the writer analyze the meaning and effects of the Barbie on their own. Barbie has been a cultural icon for decades, and has invoked endless controversies. The image allows the writer to bring up which controversies they wish, and which fit with their argument.

Document #4

A quote from Elizabeth Wurtzel

"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.”

This is a woman's perspective of women. It can be used to show that society believes you should be "ambivalent about their own power." However, she reverses it to say that this is not how society should be. The quote is helpful because it offers a woman's perspective of how she believes their role should be in society.

Document #5

A statistic from the FBI

The FBI estimates that 72 of every 100,000 females in the United States wereraped last year. (Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Statistics, 1996.)

This gives a statistic about how many women were raped in 1996. It can be usueful to show that women are possibly the "weaker" sex, or that they are easily overpowered.

Ok Ok so Chaplin was a silent film star but what exactly was he all about?

Charlie Chaplin was a notable diector, composer, and muscian in the early to mid "Hollywood cinema" era. He was greatly influenced many people in the acting field, and is considered one of the greatest mimes and clowns ever caught on screen.

Chaplin acted in, directed, produced, scripted and even scored his own films. Chaplin's life in the entertainment business spanned over 65 years. He began performing as a child in music halls and on the Victoria stage, and continued on up until almost his death at the age of 88.

Chaplin's main "character" was known as " the Tramp." The Tramp is a "vagrant with the refined manners and dignity of a gentleman." The Tramp bears a tight coat, oversized pants and shoes, and a derby. He carried a signature bamboo cane; and flaunted that infamous mustache. Charlie developed the Tramp character for his early films that were created for Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios. The Tramp character was first introduced to the public in Chaplin's second film Kid Auto Races At Venice.

Chaplin's beginning films used Mack Sennett's lethal combination of phsyical comedy and exaggerated gestures. Chaplin leaned more toward the romantic subtle miming techniques, but for Keystone's benefit the Tramp generally assaulted enemies with "kicks and bricks." Critics

generally did not back Chaplin. They claimed his acting bordered on vulgarity.

In his first year of pictures, Sennett instrusted him to create his own films. Chaplin responded by making 34 short films, including the comedy Tillie's Punctured Romance.

In 1915 Chaplin's availibility in the film business sky rocketed when he signed a deal with Essanay Studios. These films were more ambitious and ended up running twice as long as the Keystone productions. With this deal Chaplin was able to build off his cinematic skills and acquire new ones, creating even more amazing films.

In 1916 Chaplin was paid $670,000 to create a dozen two reel comedies for Mutual FIlm Corporation. Within about eighteen months Chaplin had almost complete control over the films and created some of the most influential films of all time, including Easy ST, and One AM. These twelve comedies were revamped in 1933 to be "sound movies."

After the Mutual movies were created, Chaplin created eight two reels for First National. FIrst National distributed the films, however, Charlie has complete control over every aspect of the film. This allowed him to take on a pace that he could concentrate on quality. Within these movies Chaplin produced full feature length movies such as The Pilgram, Shoulder Arms, and The Kid.

Later in his career, Chaplin also produced dialogue films in Hollywood; these included The Great Dictator, Limelight, and Monsieur Verdoux.

Charlie has major successes in the United States, and even lived here for a period of time. However, during the era of McCarthyism he was seen as partaking in "un American activies." The source of propaganda and lies, Chaplin eventually left and went home to Switzerland.

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