Women and Today's Society
             Throughout history, men have traditionally been regarded as superior to women in both power and status. A common view in most societies was that daughters should obey their fathers and wives should obey their husbands, and this view still holds true in most Eastern countries. Recently, however, feminists in Western societies have fought against the societal structures that have allowed men to be dominant over women. Much has been accomplished; women, for example, are now attending colleges and graduate schools in record numbers. Between the years of 1987 and 1997, there was a 68 percent increase in the number of women entering graduate schools, whereas there was only a 22 percent increase in the number of men (NCES). In addition, the number of women in the workforce has increased significantly. Sixty-three million women were actively a part of the work force in 1997, an increase of 342 percent from similar data presented from 1950 (AFL-CIO). Women also have much greater control and knowledge of their bodies than ever before; for example, there is a wide availability of birth control and of abortions. But in many areas there has been little change, and in some areas the woman's role seems to be deteriorating. There is still much to be done in order to improve the lives of women in today's and future societies.
             Perhaps more than ever, women are encouraged, even pressured, to focus on their looks. It is apparent in films, television, and advertising that women are viewed as sex objects, significantly more so than men. Even the women who are "successful," those who have high-income or high-status jobs, are viewed differently than they would be if they were men. It is now acceptable for a woman to pursue whatever profession she chooses, yet she is still not treated equally in comparison to her male counterparts because of this objectification. Not only must a...