Men And Women Essays - Gender Studies, Gender Role, Free Essays

Men And Women Essays - Gender Studies, Gender Role, Free Essays Men and Women Whoever said men and women are equal must be blind. Women have always taken a back seat to men in American society. This occurrence is not only found in the United States, but in other countries as well. It's safe to say that the Declaration of Independence started it and it has continued to the present. There is one set of standards that apply to men, and another set of standards that apply to women. This is evident in the home, workplace, and society in general. The problem of men and women not being equal can be traced back to the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed that all men are created equal. There was no mention of women being equal, only men. At the time of the drafting of the document, the men had all the power. The document was even drafted by a man. Women were confined to the home to take care of the domestic housekeeping duties. Look no further than the home to see the first sign that men and women are not equal. The traditional role of the man was to work and the money he made would be used by all in the household. The traditional role of the woman was to stay home, take care of the children, clean the house, and cook. Because society has always associated money with power, the person bringing home the money had the power. The man often makes the final decision on all household matters because he has the money. The workplace is another place where men and women are not equal. The most obvious sign starts at the top. Look at the CEO of the corporation. The majority of CEOs are men. Women serving as CEOs are a rare sight. Another sign of the unfairness can also be found in the lower ranks. Men are often applauded for being assertive and giving orders. By giving orders, men are taking a leadership role. Demonstrating leadership ability is a quality that employers often look for. On the other hand, women who are assertive and give orders are not well liked in the work place. They are considered as bitches by men. For women to be well liked in the work place, they have to be subordinate to the men. The salary of men and women who do the exact same work differ. Women often make less than men even though they do the exact same thing. In 1990, the median income was $29,172 for men and $20,586 for women. The fact that women often hold lower ranking positions contribute to the ! problem. There are many gender stereotypes associated with certain jobs. Secretaries, nurses, and maids are associated with women. Corporate executives, lawyers, doctors, politicians, and construction workers are associated with men. Society as a whole has also contributed to the problem. It starts at the hospital when a baby is born. Boys get blue blankets while girls get pink blankets. Toys are targeted at either boys or girls. Toys that are targeted at boys include trucks, blocks, guns, and soldiers. Toys that are targeted at girls include dolls, kitchen utensils, and doll houses. Boys are raised to be aggressive, tough, dominant, and daring. Girls are raised to be passive, emotional, sweet, and subordinate. The pattern continues on through marriage and beyond. A clear example of male dominance can be seen when a woman gets married. The woman would change her last name to that of the man's. She also loses her first name in some instances too. When a piece of mail is addressed to both parties, the name reads Mr. and Mrs. John Doe. The woman's name is not mentioned. Another example that men and women are not equal are the terms used to described the sexual habits of men and women. Men who are promiscuous are considered studs, macho, and manly. Men often boast about the many partners they have had. Women who are promiscuous are considered sluts, whores, and prostitutes. Women tend to hide the number of partners they have had. If a man has sex before marriage, he is getting experience and exploring his options. If a woman has sex before marriage, she is not considered

Court Reporting and Legal Journalism Writing Guide

Court Reporting and Legal Journalism Writing Guide So youve been to court, taken good notes on a trial, done all the necessary interviews and have plenty of background. Youre ready to write. But writing about the courts can be challenging. Trials are often long and almost always complex, and for the beginning court reporter, the learning curve can be steep. So here are some tips for writing about the courts: Cut out the Jargon Lawyers love to spout legal terminology - legalese, for short. But, chances are, your readers wont understand what most of it means. So when writing your story, its your job to translate legal jargon into plain, simple English that anyone can understand. Lead With the Drama Many trials are long periods of relatively boring procedural stuff punctuated by brief moments of intense drama. Examples might include an outburst by the defendant or an argument between an attorney and the judge. Be sure to highlight such moments in your story. And if theyre important enough, put them in your lede. Example A man on trial for allegedly killing his wife during an argument unexpectedly stood up in court yesterday and shouted, I did it! Get Both Sides Its important in any news article to get both - or all - sides of the story, but as you can imagine its especially crucial in a court story. When a defendant is charged with a serious crime, its your job to get both the defense and the prosecutions arguments into your article. Remember, the accused is innocent until proven guilty. Find a Fresh Lede Everyday Many trials go on for days or even weeks, so be sure to follow the recommendations for follow-up stories when you cover a long one. Remember, the key is to take the most important, interesting, and newsworthy testimony of any given day and build your lede around that. Work on the Background While the top of your story should be the trials latest developments, the bottom should include the basic background of the case - who is the accused, what is he accused of, where and when did the alleged crime occur, etc. Even when covering a highly publicized trial, never assume that your readers will know all the background of the case. Use the Best Quotes Good quotes can make or break a trial story. Jot down as many direct quotes as you can in your notebook, then use just the best ones in your story.