Gender and Sexual Orientation

The status of women and people of GBLT have changed drastically over the course of history. Of course it depends on what country you are evaluating. Here in the United States, these two groups have received a greater increase in their role in every day society domestically as well as professionally. Women and people of GBLT have endured countless trials and have had to overcome some of the toughest adversities to gain the standing they have today. Much work is still needed to change their rights for the better, but much work has been done positively in this area over time.

Throughout time, women have been observed as dependents of their male counterparts. Women were not seen as absolute pillars of society. They could not vote, own property, or make or negotiate contracts of any kind ("26c. Women’s Rights,” 2014). Basically, women were there to serve the needs of their men. In fact, women were widely viewed as a way to enhance the social status of a man. ("26c. Women’s Rights", 2014). It wasn’t until the 1840’s that women decided that a change was needed. Women turned to the abolitionist movement as a means to call attention not only to African American rights, but the rights of all people in the United States of America ("26c. Women’s Rights", 2014). This would set off a chain of events that would lead to women being granted the right to vote and participate in the affairs once held for men only.

The role women hold in society now is leaps and bounds improved over that of women at the inception of this country. In 1969, women accounted for only one third of the active workforce in the United States. Today, however, women account for approximately half of the active workforce in our country. Even running for political office has been more popular amongst women than it ever has. The record for the most women attempting to run for public office was set in the year 2012 (Chu, 2013). More households today have a women whom is the sole income earner than ever before....