Introduction
Inequality in the United States has been experienced by various groups in the country. For instance, women and Black people are two sets of demography that have endured a lack of opportunity in politics, business, and education. Although this is true, on the one hand, Black community has failed to overcome obstacles that restrict their rights. On the other hand, women have managed to achieve success in their fight for equality through their Women’s rights movement. The amount of time females have dedicated to their battle against mistreatment has led to their achievement.
Success of Women in America to Overcome Obstacles of Inequality
The struggle for gender equality in the U.S. has been a continuing process. However, much progress has been witnessed, especially in the last century (Graf et al., 2019). In 1920, the nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote (Graf et al., 2019). This was a major step as it provided women a voice in politics and aided in establishing further gains in equality (Graf et al., 2019). In the 1960s and 1970s, the feminist movement got momentum, resulting to the passage of key legislation, including Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Graf et al., 2019). Such laws prohibited discrimination against gender in the workplace and reduced the pay gap between women and men.
The Women’s Health Movement led to major improvements in females’ access to healthcare and reproductive rights. In recent times, women have made huge strides in education (Graf et al., 2019). More females are earning college degrees and pursuing careers previously associated with men, including technology, science, mathematics, and engineering (McArdle, 2020). This has not only helped to remove gender barriers in the work settings, but it has given women much more economic independence and the capacity to support themselves and their families. In order to continue moving in the right direction regarding equality, it is recommended that government agencies invest effort and commit to promoting the agendas improving women’s lives.
Failure of African Americans to Overcome Obstacles of Inequality
Black people in the U.S. have struggled with equality and civil rights issues for long. Despite the significant progress and advances such as abolition of slavery and election of the first African American President, Blacks are still facing systematic and institutional obstacles (Pew Research Center, 2013). The barriers have prevented them from attaining equality in the American society. A major factor is the persistent racial wealth gap, where Black households only have a portion of the wealth of White households (Pew Research Center, 2013). This is due to a long history of discriminatory practices and policies, including exclusion from government-backed home loans and unequal pay (Pew Research Center, 2013). The factors have prevented Black families from building wealth and sharing with other generations.
Moreover, Blacks continue to encounter discrimination and prejudice in employment, housing, and the criminal justice system. This has resulted in unequal treatment and outcomes such as higher rates of unemployment, poverty, and incarceration for Blacks compared to Whites (Etzioni, 2012). Another obstacle to equality is a lack of representation in positions of influence and power in business, politics, and media (Etzioni, 2012). This means that Black perspectives are usually marginalized and decisions made without consideration of the experiences and needs of the Black community. Lastly, implicit stereotypes and bias can still be witnessed to pervade American society, impacting Black people in ways such as types of jobs and how they are perceived by others.
Conclusion
Whereas both Black people and women in the American society have made progress in the struggle for equality, there is a reason why the latter have achieved more. For instance, there is a long history of the women’s rights movement. The group has been active for more than one hundred and fifty years and has successfully advocated for legal and cultural changes that have expanded their rights and opportunities. By comparing and contrasting the two groups, I learned that consistency is needed overtime for change to happen. Our role as individuals is to ensure that we support initiatives that promote equality.
References
Etzioni, A. (2012). The Good Society. Seattle University School of Law Digital Commons. Web.
Graf, N., Brown, A., & Patten, E. (2019). The narrowing, but persistent, gender gap in pay. Pew Research Center; Pew Research Center. Web.
McArdle, M. (2020). Opinion | Why the debate about equal pay for U.S. women’s soccer isn’t that clear cut. Washington Post. Web.
Pew Research Center. (2013). King’s Dream Remains an Elusive Goal; Many Americans See Racial Disparities. Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project; Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project. Web.