Herland-Women

            Herland, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, presents many theories of sexism and ideas of male superiority throughout the novel. At the beginning all the men are surprised when arriving to Herland that only woman inhabited the land. The men thought in this way because the land was well maintained and efficient, which they did not expect from women because of their ideas of women being inferior. However, later in the novel most of the men learn to appreciate and respect women for their power and ability, which they never believed women possessed. Beliefs of men superiority has drawn back to colonial times in America and much earlier in countries around the world.

In my AP United States History class throughout all the chapters we have learned about women roles in society, sexism, and women’s rights movements. Throughout history women have been labeled as inferior on many levels. Early on women’s roles consisted of work in the domestic sphere, with jobs of childbearing, cleaning, cooking, and generally taking care of the family while staying at home. Later, as women began to work more social jobs in the working sphere, such as factory workers and teachers, women began to push for equal rights. Women fought for equal pay, the right to vote, and many more equal rights women had the right to obtain. Even today there are many feminist and women’s rights organizations that fight for equality between the sexes.