Alexandria Schwimmer

Midterm Paper

Dr. Jones

Apples and oranges, both fruit but different characteristics. Same concept goes for

male and female, both human. Sex is defined by genitals but as humans both have

the same needs and emotions. Kimmel explains how we are all “allies” but treated so

differently and held up to remarkably different standards in society. We are no stranger to

this idea that has been played out through history. Thankfully these standards have

taken big leaps toward equality. This change has been made more for females and not so

much for males.

Betty Friedan once wrote “The problem lay buried, unspoken, for many years

in the minds of American woman. It was a strange stirring sense of dissatisfaction, a

yearning that woman suffered in the middle of the twentieth century in the United

States. Each suburban wife struggled with alone. As she made beds, shopped for

groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her

children, chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night

she was afraid to ask even of her self the silent question—Is this all?” She based her

research on what is called the “feminine mystique”. She explains the standard that

woman are held to from birth. Females were not supposed to attend colleges or

have dreams of careers. Housewives were there to take care of their husbands,

children and home This caused women to become depressed but doctors could not figure

out why. Women never dared to speak of this, Friedan found out how re-occuring this

issue was. Woman were not fulfilled by just living this lifestyle and were ready for change. Men are also faced with a “masculine mystique”. Male roll in society is to be

the so-called breadwinner, who is supposed to be able to provide and protect their