"It’s not your life, it’s life. Life is bigger than you. Life isn’t something that you possess, it’s something that you take part in and you witness."-Louis CK
That which society deems as normal often becomes so ingrained into everyday life that it is difficult to recognize when injustices exist. It is only when these ideologies are questioned and brought to the forefront that change is observed. It is shocking that less than a century ago ideologies such as “women are only good for cooking, cleaning, and having babies” or “men know best” were considered normal in society. It was not until oppressed women challenged these unfair ideas that they were considered to be equals in society. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." This profound quote means that oppressed individuals do not simply obtain freedom because they think they deserve it, they must fight for it. Women in the early and mid 1900’s were severely oppressed and change did not occur for them overnight. For decades, women stood up to the patriarchal world they lived in and demanded an equal voice.
The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gillman, is an important piece of literature that fostered the women’s rights movement. This short story describes the hardships that a woman, suffering with postpartum depression, had to go through while being oppressed by her patronizing husband. “I did write for a while in spite of them; but it did exhaust me a good deal-having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition” (Gillman 316). Throughout the short story the narrator’s husband, John, constantly belittles and undermines her by saying things like “bless her little heart” or “What is it little girl” (Gillman 322). This demoralization can also be seen when he threatens to send her away to a mental intuition and when he cuts off her social and creative outlets. He locks her in an abandoned mansion and forbids her from touching a pen to paper. Then too, John forces her to take medication every hour, which makes her feel tired and strips away her optimism and happiness. It is obvious that the protagonist has no voice because she is a woman. Having no voice and no persona leads this character to insanity. She begins to see herself in the wallpaper of her room. In this wallpaper, she is trapped behind bars and is desperately trying to be released. This is parallel to how the protagonist is feeling in real life. She feels absolutely imprisoned by her husband and the way he is “curing” her postpartum depression. She also feels trapped by the gender role that she is inherently assigned. The narrator becomes obsessed with trying to free the woman behind the pattern and her mental illness worsens. Trying to fight for her freedom is extremely difficult under the oppressive strangulation of her husband and societal norms that she eventually breaks as a human being.
It is admirable when women are able to stand up and fight for freedom when they are being oppressed by both men and social norms. This type of fierce heroism is being seen on a Facebook page called “My Stealthy Freedom.” On this page, run by Masih Alineja, Iranian women are able to display photographs of themselves without wearing a Hijab, which is mandatory attire for women in their country. “One cannot obtain her rights without persistently campaigning and pressing for them. I hope the day when these freedoms will no longer be stealthy will arrive soon” (MyStealthyFreedom 2015). Similar to Martin Luther King Jr., Masih Alineja knows that equality will not just be handed to women in Iran, women must demand and battle for freedom. Masih Alineja also states, “when you don't control your own head, you don't control anything” (MyStealthyFreedom 2015). On this Facebook page, women are able to reveal themselves as real women, not their husbands’ property. These girls who decide to post their uncovered faces are fully aware that their decision will put them in danger with their husbands and their community. Masih Alineja comments on this, saying, “For these women, even without sending their pictures, they are already in danger. Being a woman is itself dangerous in Iran. Because you cannot sing, you cannot even travel without getting permission from your husband” (MyStealthyFreedom 2015). In Iran, women are beat, exiled, and imprisoned for protesting for equality. Unfortunately, without a fight, freedom will never prevail. Many countries are striving for an egalitarian society, however success has been slow. Women all over the world, even in America, are still being oppressed by men. Charlotte Perkins Gillman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper in order to reveal how doctors were hurting women with their misdiagnosis of mental illness. Perkins Gillman wanted to show the world that not wanting to dedicate your life raising children and cleaning the house did not make you mentally disturbed. She also wanted to advocate for women’s rights. Masih Alineja is fighting the same battle for the women of Iran. Today, Alineja makes it clear on her Facebook page that she is not trying to slander any religious groups, she simply believes that a law forcing women to only show their eyes in public for male appeasement is oppressive. This website gives women a voice and a purpose that they are not able to express at home. Charlotte Perkins Gillman, Masih Alineja, and Martin Luther King Jr., have all expressed that equality comes at a price. People will get hurt along the way and it will not always be easy, but the cause is worth the fight.
That which society deems as normal often becomes so ingrained into everyday life that it is difficult to recognize when injustices exist. It is only when these ideologies are questioned and brought to the forefront that change is observed. It is shocking that less than a century ago ideologies such as “women are only good for cooking, cleaning, and having babies” or “men know best” were considered normal in society. It was not until oppressed women challenged these unfair ideas that they were considered to be equals in society. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." This profound quote means that oppressed individuals do not simply obtain freedom because they think they deserve it, they must fight for it. Women in the early and mid 1900’s were severely oppressed and change did not occur for them overnight. For decades, women stood up to the patriarchal world they lived in and demanded an equal voice.
Many countries are striving for an egalitarian society, however success has been slow. Women all over the world, even in America, are still being oppressed by men. Charlotte Perkins Gillman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper in order to reveal how doctors were hurting women with their misdiagnosis of mental illness. Perkins Gillman wanted to show the world that not wanting to dedicate your life raising children and cleaning the house did not make you mentally disturbed. She also wanted to advocate for women’s rights. Masih Alineja is fighting the same battle for the women of Iran. Today, Alineja makes it clear on her Facebook page that she is not trying to slander any religious groups, she simply believes that a law forcing women to only show their eyes in public for male appeasement is oppressive. This website gives women a voice and a purpose that they are not able to express at home. Charlotte Perkins Gillman, Masih Alineja, and Martin Luther King Jr., have all expressed that equality comes at a price. People will get hurt along the way and it will not always be easy, but the cause is worth the fight.