Gloria Steinem, Equal Rights for Women—Yes and No (1970)

“Women are not more moral than men. We are only uncorrupted by power. But we do not want to imitate men, to join this country as it is, and I think our very participation will change it. Perhaps women elected leaders—and there will be many of them—will not be so likely to dominate black people or yellow or men; anybody who looks different from us.”

Pre-1970s, women were seen as vulnerable, nurturing creatures. It was believed that women were biologically more inclined to desire caretaking, as well as naturally more level-headed than men. Women during the 60s and 70s challenged those beliefs. Gloria Steinem tries to convince a patriarchal society that women should play a role that has been dominated by men since the inception of government. She desires for women to have political power, but strangely, she uses the same preconceived notions about women, thus reinforcing gender stereotypes. She says that women are more moral than men, uncorrupted by power (because women are innocent). She is using these tactics to convince Americans that women should be in power because they will not be as corrupt as men.

Regardless of Steinem’s prominent position in American society as a journalist and social and political activist, she still faced discrimination because of her gender. Since she is a woman, she has faced legal and social discrimination. From being refused to be served in public restaurants, to being turned away from apartment rentals, she has felt the immense pressure to be a stereotypical woman (housewife) and retaliation against her nonconformist ways. The society she lives in isn’t ready to see a self-fulfilled woman like Steinem. They prefer women to be vulnerable, dependent on, and submissive to men, and wear tapes over their mouths. Steinem says no more to this treatment of women as animals. It’s time to take the tape off our mouths.