READING – UNIT 15- WOMEN IN SOCIETY
Throughout much of the history of human civilization, deep-seated cultural beliefs allowed women only limited roles in society. Many people believed that women’s natural roles were as mothers and wives. These people considered women to be better suited for childbearing and homemaking rather than for involvement in the public life of business or politics. Widespread doubt about women’s intellectual ability led most societies to deny education, employment and many legal and political rights to women. It was men who controlled most positions of employment and power in society.
The struggle for women’s rights − the rights that establish the same social, economic, and political status for women as for men − began in the 18th century during a period known as the Age of Enlightenment. During this period, political philosophers in Europe began to argue that all individuals, male or female, were born with natural rights that made them free and equal. These pioneer thinkers advocated that women should not be discriminated against on the basis of their sex.
Today, although their status varies in different countries, women in most parts of the world have gained significant legal rights. The most important of these are: the right to have equal work opportunities and pay to men, the right to vote, and the right to formal education.
