In todays society most people think that gender inequality is no longer an issue.
Everyone believes that since there are a few womon holding high ranking jobs, and women .
getting PHD's in several differnent fields that the problem is gone. Overall, the rights and .
status of women have improved considerably in the last century; however, gender equality .
has recently been threatened within the last decade. Blatantly sexist laws and practices are .
slowly being eliminated while social perceptions of "women's roles" continue to stagnate .
and even degrade back to traditional ideals. It is these social perceptions that challenge the .
evolution of women as equal on all levels. In this study, I will argue that subtle and blatant .
sexism continues to exist throughout educational, economic, professional and legal arenas. .
Women who carefully follow their expected roles may never recognize sexism as an .
oppressive force in their life. I would argue that the social pressure women must endure if .
they do not conform to their expected role is unfair. The problem goes beyond social .
conformity and crosses into government intervention (or lack thereof). ) It is disturbing .
that the slow gains achieved by the women's movement are so volatile and endangered .
when conservative administrations gain a majority in government. .
To put the problem into perspective: a woman's right to have an abortion in this .
country did not come until 1973. Less than two decades later, the president of the United .
States was pushing to take that right away. It seems blatant that society is bent on putting .
women in their places. From the above examples, it appears American culture prefers .
women as non-professional, non-intellectual, homemakers and mothers. This mentality is .
not easily resolved, because it is introduced at a young age. Alice Brooks experienced .
inequality on the basis of her race and her sex. In her autobiography, A Dream Deferred, .