Women Study
1. What are the two steps in the coming-out process Discuss the complexities of the term queer. Discuss examples of compulsory heterosexuality and obstacles for gays and lesbians in contemporary U.S. society. (25 pts)

The coming-out process consists of two steps. The first step involves a self-realization in which a person must realize or come to terms with what he or she is. This pertains to acknowledging his or her sexual orientation. A person, before he or she decides to become active must first acknowledge that he or she is attracted to the same sex. The second step includes implementation in which a person decides to actually have a same sex partner.

While the term queer to many people may immediately mean one thing, it can have a completely different meaning for others. Generally, the word queer means strange, and many people refer to gays and lesbians as being queer. The problem is, today, how strange is it to be gay or lesbian This is one of the problems this term faces today, and it has faced the same problem 15 or 20 years ago. However, the term queer also refers to a dissident identity, which means that it resists what is classified as normalcy.

U.S. society is largely in the hands of a heterosexual regime. This means that heterosexuality is seen as normal, and homosexuality isnt. Within heterosexuality itself, men have the upper hand. They get to take the major decisions and generally control many aspects of womens lives such as their sexuality, childbirth, child rearing, work, physical movement, etc. Though women are in pursuit of attaining more rights and showing greater progress, there is a long way to go. Indeed, they struggle, and many find a place of prominence though the climb is a tough task. When it comes to gays and lesbians in a heterosexual regime, their struggle is even harder because they dont even fit into the scenario of heterosexuality regime. While men and women have healthcare without many obstacles, the story is very different for gays and lesbians. Additionally, in a heterosexual regime, gays and lesbians largely do not have an easy way up the ladder of progress professionally.

2. What did the eugenics movement hope to achieve and how is this related to the history of sterilization abuse. What were the Comstock laws What Supreme Court ruling legalized contraception for married people When On what basis was the courts decision made What other contraception rulings occurred after this What are the politics involved with contraceptivebirth control access and usage. What kinds of contraceptivesbirth control are currently available (25 pts)
Eugenics aimed at removing weaknesses in human beings by selective breeding. However, this concept quickly turned into a movement, known as the Eugenics Movement, which aimed to achieve the same ends by sterilization of whom were deemed weak or feeble. This is when forced sterilization came into practice. Those who were believed to be carrying genetic weaknesses were forcibly sterilized so that they would not be able to produce offspring that carried the same weaknesses.

Under the Comstock Act it was illegal to distribute, sell or mail information about or related to contraception. This encompassed any information that was considered obscene, lewd, andor lascivious. Contraceptive materials as well as information regarding it could not be mailed according to the law.

In 1965, the Supreme Court Ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut legalized contraception for married people. The ruling held that the Comstock law violated the rights to marital privacy. While the ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut only applied to married couples, in 1972, the Supreme Court also allowed unmarried couples to use contraceptives. This was ruled in Eisenstadt v. Baird.

Allowing contraceptives to be used by unmarried people has eventually allowed misuse of it. Many people are now using it as a means of abortion. This precisely occurs when women use morning after pills, in which a pill can be taken after conception has taken place a few hours earlier.

There is a variety of contraceptive methods available to everyone today. Some of them are used to protect one from sexually transmitted diseases, while others are used simply to prevent pregnancy. However, many are used to abort pregnancies.  There are also some that can be used to drug and abuse women.

The use of different contraceptive methods is quite argumentative as doctors and lawyers have used various viewpoints to validate the availability and use of them. There is a lot of finance involved in their availability as well.

3. Describe the differences between vertical and horizontal segregation and give examples. What is the glass ceiling What are the legislative gains for women and employment between the early 1960s and the end of the twentieth century How much do women earn compared to men How does this vary by race What is comparable worth What is Sexual Harassment Name and explain the different types of sexual harassment Give an example of each type of sexual harassment. (25 pts)Horizontal segregation refers to a situation where a workforce is largely comprises one gender or race, etc. Vertical segregation is akin to the glass ceiling its a situation in which opportunities for a particular gender or race in career advancement are limited or restricted. The glass ceiling is a situation described in the workforce where employees can see opportunities within their reach, but they are not allowed to achieve them due to discrimination that might occur due to sexism, racism, etc. Such a situation for them is virtually like being segregated from those opportunities by a layer of glass that they cant get through.

Legislation in the 1960s favored women when sexual discrimination was outlawed in the U.S. This was done through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It was aimed at giving women the space to rise in the professional world once they gained experience. However, the problem is that women have still struggled a great deal since then. It has not been easy for them to get jobs at the same level of men despite their qualifications and experience. In recent years, there has been little difference in the wider scenario, as only a handful of women have actually become prominent business owners and top level employees. The political arena is also an example where people still feel that a man is the best one for the most demanding job, as observed in the last general elections.

When competing for a top job, it is usually observed that a man may beat a woman to that spot. However, if a man is black, he may still beat a woman to the top spot. If the competing woman is white, she stands a good chance. And if she is black, her chances are lower.

Comparable Worth was a law introduced in the United States in the 1970s, in the hope of achieving equal pay for men and women in different occupations that had the same worth in terms of value of work. This largely referred to those occupations that were either predominantly by men or women, such as electricians and nurses. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 said that men and women should get equal pay for equal work. However, wages paid for occupations that were traditionally held by women carried on lagging behind in contrast to those that were traditionally male occupations.

Sexual Harassment is any form of harassment against mainly anyone at a workplace. This may occur in the form of psychological battering, verbal abuse, rudeness, vulgar or mocking humor, or even physical contact. Sexual harassment is also described as bullying, coercion or intimidation that carries a sexual tone or attribute. It also includes the promise of rewards for sexual favors.

Quid pro quo sexual harassment takes place when a worker is told that he or she may be retained in an organization in exchange of sexual favors. In the case of students, they may be offered the guarantee of a good grade or good recommendation in exchange for sexual favors.

In a hostile work environment, sexual harassment is known to take place if a co-worker, superior, etc. displays unwelcome sexual advances. These may harm ones work performance or create an environment that is hostile or intimidating. This also applies to the learning environment of students.
Verbal sexual harassment could be marked by one making comments about someones clothing, or looks that is sexual in nature.

Non-verbal sexual harassment can include staring or glaring at a person that makes a person feel uncomfortable.

Visual sexual harassment could involve the display of sexually suggestive images on calendars, posters or cartoons.

Physically sexual harassment takes place when someone massages an employee around the neck or shoulders, which is considered unwelcome and taken as an offense.

4. How does the state function as a conduit for systems of inequality and privilege Give examples of how the state regulates other social institutions. What was the status of women under the original U.S. constitution When did women receive suffrage in the U.S. What Amendment was this When was the Equal Rights Amendment first introduced into Congress What did it hope to counter When was it rewritten What does it say Give an example of women and citizenship rights. What are the obligations associated with citizenship Lastly, list one law (each) passed in the last 40 years that improved womens states in the following areas economics, reproductive rights, education, and military. (25 pts)

The state itself is organized with different institutions that seek to carry out different functions. The organization and makeup of these institutions is what makes the state an effective conduit. The manner in which a state has the ability to deal with different problems depends on the functionality of its institutions. The legislative and executive bodies are integral in this regard. In fact, they are the primary pillars that allow the state to function and work towards improving or removing inequalities. The state also has the responsibility of providing the best possible privileges for its people.
The state is in a position to regulate other social institutions because it has a transparent legal process. Accountability and transparency are integral in regulating social institutions. For example, the tax divisions are given the tax of collecting tax in their correct proportions. If there are problems in these processes, there is a feedback mechanism that allows the law making bodies to review the laws, and an appropriate decision is taken. Another example of the state regulating social institutions is the manner in which medical care is given. The health division is assigned the task of looking into matters concerning healthcare. If they deem that there are problems in the way healthcare is given, these are reported back to the concerned authorities, who can improve the laws governing healthcare institutions. The same procedure is applied to education institutions that are closely monitored under state law.

According to the original U.S. constitution, women did not have much of a status. They were not allowed to vote, and were not given an equal status to men.    

Woman received suffrage in the U.S. slowly and steadily during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They were officially given their right to vote under the United States Constitution with the 19th Amendment.

The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1923 under the national Womens Party. It was a proposed amendment to the US Constitution that intended to give equal rights to all individuals. It prescribed that no one could be denied equal rights under the federal, state, or local law on the basis of sex. The ERA was re-written in 1943 by Alice Paul. Her definition is still used to day Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Women in the U.S. have equal citizenship rights as men do. If a man can marry a woman from another country and bring her to live in the US, so can an American woman do the same. However, this is not all that holding citizenship implies there are complete responsibilities also given to men and women both as citizens of the United States of America.

Since women have gained equal citizenship as men in the United states, they also have equal rights. This means that they also get to have an equal participatory level as men do.

Laws that gave women rights in the last 40 years

Affirmative Action has led to women serving in the United States military
The Civil Rights Act 1964 This law prevented discrimination against women in a company wit 25 or more people
The Civil Rights This law allowed women rights to education.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978  reproductive rights

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