To what extent have feminist ideas influenced policy making since 1965 Essay

To what extent have feminist ideas influenced policy making since 1965 Critically discuss with reference to ONE of the followin - Essay Example While the first wave of feminism was primarily concerned with formal political rights, the second generation of feminist thinkers laid the emphasis on the issues of workplace and marital equality, as well as those of women’s representation in public agencies. This had an important impact on further policy making. National Organization of Women and the Struggle for Women’s Rights. While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was founded in 1965 in order to combat the gender discriminatory practices in the sphere of employment, its activity was judged to be unsatisfactory by many activists of women’s movement. In 1966, liberal feminists led by Betty Friedan, a celebrated author of The Feminine Mystique, formed the National Organization for Women (NOW) that aimed at integrating women â€Å"into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, assuming all privileges and responsibilities...in truly equal partnership with men† (qtd . in Thornham 25). The foundation of NOW was caused by repeated refusal of the EEOC officials to seriously confront the prevalent discriminatory practices in the labour relations (Banks 212). ... Constitution (Harrison 198). The activities of NOW mainly concentrated on creating publicity for the organisation, which was expressed through pickets and other public demonstrations, and on lobbying political establishment, including the Presidency. Nevertheless, their actions eventually proved rather fruitful for the further development of women’s movement and the adoption of equality legislation. The first influence of feminist movement on equal opportunities policies in the USA after 1965 may be traced in the controversy surrounding the inclusion of provision on sex discrimination in Executive Order 11246, which aimed at creating affirmative action programmes for racial minorities. As the 1964 Civil Rights Act had already provided for prevention of sexual discrimination in employment, the omission of sex discrimination clause in that Executive Order was regarded as an expression of neglect for the needs of women. Consequently, the efforts of several women’s organisa tions, including the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs and Federal Women’s Award Study Group, led to the inclusion of the provision against sex discrimination in the text of Executive Order in October 1967, with the NOW leadership asserting that it was a victory for their ideas (Harrison 202). Later on, NOW repeatedly clashed with the EEOC apparatus with regard to protective labour legislation. In 1967 EEOC was forced to back away from its previous non-interventionist attitude on such issues as labour rights for female workers and age and marital status discrimination at the workplace, with air flight companies being the

Macbeth, a Play Full of Darkness Essay Example for Free

Macbeth, a Play Full of Darkness Essay Macbeth is a play full of darkness, evil, and tragedy. It is the story of a man who goes against his conscience and commits a horrible deed which leads to his destruction and loss of everything he has around him. This includes the relationship he has with his wife, Lady Macbeth. In the beginning we see Lady Macbeth playing the more superior, more dominating role of the two. She comes across as a woman, who is persuasive and manipulative. She seems willing to trample anyone in order to get what she wants. She lays all the plans and all Macbeth has to do is obey her commands. Macbeth on the other hand is fickle-minded and unsure. We discover that the man, who is praised so highly by the public is actually a weak man. We see that he is not the brave loyal man he is portrayed to be in the beginning. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a very strong relationship but this later deteriorates. Act 1 Scene 5 is a key scene which shows just how close Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were at the beginning of the play ;it shows their original relationship. Macbeth has written a letter to Lady Macbeth telling her of everything and in this letter states â€Å"my dearest partner† which shows that she helped him and they are in it together. . The following speech where Lady Macbeth doubts that he can get to the title of King he is too full of the milk of human kindness shows just how close they were. It establishes the fact that she knew him so well, she knew what he was like and it emphasises the closeness of their relationship. She speaks of how he has enough ambition but not enough courage. His overiding ambition is not enough. When Macbeth and Lady Macbeth speak, they speak to eachother with such closeness and bond ;he calls her his dearest chuck, his partner of greatness. She knows that he is too weak to do anything and states her position in the murder leave the rest to me. In Act 1, Scene 7 shows the force and power that Lady Macbeth has over her husband. Upon hearing of Macbeths decision not to kill Duncan, she is outraged and starts to work her force and power upon him. She knows where he is most vulnerable and attacks him at his weak spot. She strikes him at his manhood and courage. This of course works on Macbeth and she knows that it will. No one calls Macbeth a coward. She says that he is a coward and attacks his manliness. to be more than what you are, you would be so much more the man. She challenges his love for her and says that she would rather dash the brains out of her own child than break such a promise as Macbeth has to her. At this point in the play, Shakespeare re-confirms just how close the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is and that she has the power and he listens to whatever she has to say. Lady Macbeth is s major influence on Macbeth, but this of course changes later. After the murder, Macbeth is still carrying the daggers and he seems to be quiet and uneasy. Lady Macbeth has to clean up what he has done wrong and has to return the daggers herself. Lady Macbeth is still very much in control. Here, Shakespeare defines both Lady Macbeth and Macbeths strong and weak characters. Lady Macbeth being the strong one yet as a duo, he tones them down to be nothing but two whispering, frightened villains. Later on, when Macduff discovers the body of Duncan, Macbeth acts suspiciously and draws attention to himself. It is then that Lady Macbeth has to help him out and draw the attention away from him and to her by fainting. She does this later too, during the banquet scene. Lady Macbeth is always there to take the attention away from Macbeth. However, towards the end of the play, Lady Macbeth, comes across as one who has succumbed to her guilt. She discovers that nothing that she does could rid her off her guilt, by admitting that even the sweet-smelling erfumes of Arabia would not be able to remove the stench of blood from her little hand. She now takes up the role of the weak, submissive partner in the relationship, who is unsure of herself and very frightened of the future. Macbeth, on the other hand, now makes all his decisions by himself, and reaches the extent whereto he does not even bother to inform his wife of his plans. He gains false confidence from the witches second predictions and builds castles in the air. He becomes a tyrant and a man, despised and hated by his public. He becomes insane and goes out of control.

Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Essays Papers

Heart of Darkness Setting: The author placed the novel’s setting on a stream boat on a river near London. "The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest" (1). Then the narrator tells his story in a flash back which he tells about Marlow’s experiences in the African jungle specifically on the Congo river. The majority of the story is told in flash back about the voyage in to the heart of darkness. Characters: The central character is obviously Marlow. He is a man of modesty and courage, which are not stereotypical traits of a sailor which he has become. The book focuses morally on his personal character and then describes to the norm of the rest of the world. The character that Marlow becomes obsessed with later is Kurtz. He is a mysterious dark man who made money trading ivory down the Congo river. "'In the interior you will no doubt meet Mr. Kurtz.' On my asking who Mr. Kurtz was, he said he was a first-class agent" (85) here Marlow is talking to a captain and first finds out about Kurtz. Later he finds out that he transports ivory. Among other insignificant characters on the boat deck of the Nellli were a lawyer and an accountant. Their role seemed as only to be and audience to Marlow and the other unnamed narrator. Point of View: The point of view is from Marlow, but the tale is told from a nameless observer. This is the reason why the novel is in third person, and Marlow’s is refereed to also in third person. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzenmast. He had sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. (69) Also the previous quote shows a honest virtue by being compared to as someone to look up to. Action: The story begins with Marlow and four other characters on a boat in the Thames river. The story line then goes into a flashback, and tells Marlow’s story of his adventures in the Congo. He has a connection to become a steam boat captain, but when he arrives at the first station he finds out that his boat is at the bottom of the river. Also Marlow has to rise the boat and repair it with inferior tools.

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Beowulf as Anglo-Saxon Hero :: Epic Beowulf herobeo

Beowulf - An Anglo-Saxon Hero A hero is a person of distinguished courage who has outstanding qualities and abilities, who is admired for these having these aspects of their character and also admired for brave and noble acts. An Anglo-Saxon hero is a person who has good leadership qualities, is able and willing to provide people with a sense of security, and is willing to go into danger despite possible harm to themselves. These Anglo-Saxon heroes usually were kings or thanes because they distinguished themselves above others by doing a good for the greater of everyone. This person has to be willing to put their own lives on the line for the benefit of others. There are several heroic characteristics, all of which Beowulf possesses. First of these characteristics is honor. Honor is showing a sense of integrity in one’s actions. When Beowulf went to the land of the Danes to kill Grendel, he did it not because he wanted money, but because he wanted to help out the Geats. Beowulf felt as if it was the right thing to do since he had been successful in past deeds which he proudly says in lines 321-322, where he says â€Å"They had in remembrance my courage and might. Many had seen me come safe from the conflict,†. Beowulf expected no reward for his action, but rather just being able to â€Å"put another notch in his belt.† Another heroic characteristic, which Beowulf possesses, is bravery. Bravery is being able to go against the odds and possibly risk your life in the process. An example of Beowulf showing bravery is when he goes to slay the dragon even though all his men abandon him. He realizes that the dragon is more powerful than he is, but he will still not back down. In line 1493, he says â€Å"Not one foot’s space will I flee from the monster,† thus showing his true bravery by not giving up to the more powerful foe. One more heroic characteristic of Beowulf is his strong sense of duty. This means that he is always devoted to his people, his king, and their security. An example of this is again when he goes to slay the dragon. He has no help, he realizes that the dragon is more powerful, and most importantly, he realizes that he will probably not be returning victorious from this battle.

Eddie Mabo Speech Essay

History Speech Good Morning Ms Sparks and class. Today I will be doing my presentation on the Mabo Decision. A decision that was very significant in giving a massive boost to the struggle for the recognition of Aboriginal land rights. The Mabo decision was a legal case held in 1992 and is short for Mabo and others v Queensland (No 2) (1992). On June 3rd 1992, the high court of Australia delivered its landmark Mabo decision and rewrote the Australian common law. The High Court is the highest court in Australia’s judicial system. The Mabo decision in the High Court was the culmination of a legal battle started ten years earlier by a group of plaintiffs from the tiny Torres Strait island of Mer to establish their traditional ownership of the Murray Islands. The Mabo decision was named after Eddie Mabo, the man who challenged the Australian legal system and fought for recognition of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners of their land. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples occupied Australia for 40,000 to 60,000 years before the British arrived in 1788. They spoke their own languages and had their own laws and customs. They also had a strong connection to ‘country’ – the Australian land. When the British arrived, they declared that Australia was terra nullius (empty land – or land that belongs to nobody. As a result, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ occupation of and unique connection with the land were not recognised, and the British took the land without agreement or payment. The Mer Islanders decided they would be the ones to challenge the legal principle of terra nullius in the High Court and that Eddie Mabo would be the one to lead that action. Eddie Koiki Mabo (29 June 1936 to 21 January 1992) was an Australian man from the Torres Strait Islands. Mabo’s love for his homeland drove the proud Torres Strait Islander to undertake a 10- year legal battle that rewrote Australia’s history. In 1981, Eddie Mabo made a speech at James Cook University in Queensland, where he explained his people’s beliefs about the ownership and inheritance of land on Mer. A lawyer heard the speech and  asked Eddie if he would like to challenge the Australian Government in the court system, to decide who the true owner of land on Mer was – his people of the Australian Government. And this is exactly what Eddie Mabo did. The Mabo case ran for 10 years. On 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia decided that terra nullius should not have been applied to Australia. This decision recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have rights to the land – rights that existed before the British arrived and can still exist today. The Mabo decision was a turning point for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights, because it acknowledged their unique connection with the land. It also led to the Australian Parliament passing the Native Title Act in 1993. Sadly, Eddie Mabo never found out the result of his legal case. He died in January 1992, just five months before the High Court made its decision. Mabo Day occurs annually on June 3rd to commemorate Eddie Mabo and his incredible achievement to campaign for indigenous land rights led to a landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that overturned the legal fiction of terra nullius on June 3rd 1992. Eddie Mabo Jnr, on behalf of the Mabo family, said: We believe that a public holiday would be fitting to honour and recognise the contribution to the High Court decision of not only my and his co-plaintiffs, James Rice, Father Dave Passi, Sam Passi and Celuia Salee, but also to acknowledge all indigenous Australians who have empowered and inspired each other. Eddie Mabo made the incredibly brave decision to stand for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Rights which turned out to be one of the best decisions for Australia’s Indigenous people. Thank-you for listening.

Cindy Sherman Essays - Art Genres, Cindy Sherman, Self-portrait

Cindy Sherman Essays - Art Genres, Cindy Sherman, Self-portrait Cindy Sherman Terror and mockery come together in the portraits of Cindy Sherman on display at the Crocker Art Museum. Walking into the large, dimly lit ballroom, one may begin to feel a slight sense of trepidation as the viewer looks around to find nine sets of beady eyes watching one's every move. Sherman produced her History Portraits during the late eighties and early nineties, nine of which are displayed at the museum. In her portraits she uses lush fabrics, lavish jewelry, and false body parts to decorate herself in these self-portraits. Her portraits have been know to cause discomfort in the viewers who find the general stereotypes, depicted in her portraits, amusing, yet confusing and terrorizing. Sherman's Untitled #225 (Blond Woman) triggers those exact emotions. The portrait is a large colored photograph created in 1990. An eighteenth century blond, Madonna-like, young lady sits poised with one hand on her exposed artificial breast as if she is nursing a baby. She is well dressed in a blue satin dress, small white beads laced through her braided hair, and a tiara atop her head. Her icy, blue eyes stare off to the left with a harsh, cold expression. With her breast aimed high, spewing fluids, in the same direction as she stares, it is difficult to imagine what is going through her head, however it is clear that it is something of an almost vindictive and unforgiving nature. Possibly, she points her breast toward a man who betrayed her or harassed her. The overall painting, much like the others in the exhibit, is generally flat, yet she uses contouring lines and overlapping to give the paintings depth and perception. Like Untitled #225 (Blond Woman), Sherman's Untitled portrait #198 (Feather Mask) also stirs a sense of uneasiness. The portrait is a color photograph created in 1989. A woman with an open salmon colored shirt exposes both artificial breasts as she sits with a large, blue feather mask covering her face, as if to cover her identity for fear of being mocked for being a woman. Dark, black eyes peer from beneath the mask, and appear to follow the viewer while one examines the portrait. There's seems to be no reason for her shirt to be open and her breasts on display, unlike Sherman's Untitled #225 (Blond Woman) portrait, who seemed to have a definite reason. The fake, jewelry-like nipples on the breast are a deep ruby red color that match with a red pedant hung around her neck. A white tulle skirt covers the lower half of her body as she sits in front of a green printed fabric with red tassels that is hung loosely behind her. Sherman's Untitled #211 (Oval Profile of Woman) is also a color photograph created in 1989. The portrait shows the profile of a middle-aged woman facing the right with a stacked, beaded necklace draped around her neck. She is a well dressed aristocratic in a black sequence blouse with white chiffon sleeves. Her brown hair is held up with colorful scarfs. She holds her nose high in the air as to look sophisticated or arrogant. The uneven texture of the skin appears as if the nose was made out of clay and placed on top of her real nose. The technique Sherman uses to paint her cheek and chin makes it look as if the woman is wearing make-up that is caked and unevenly applied. The woman looks tired and pale with red in the corners of her eyes, and dark circles under her eyes. The woman symbolizes the arrogance in women and the need for lavish, material possessions. Cindy Sherman's work has been adorned throughout the United States and Rome, where her History Portraits made their debut. She has a way of depicting general stereotypes of women and distorting them to encourage the viewer to read further into the painting to create their own theories of what the painting represents. Her unique use of inanimate objects combined with her intrinsic attention to detail allows the portrait to come to life, yet remain simulated. She is truly a gifted artist who combines wit and shock to create portraits of hidden meaning value that is only to be revealed through the artistic mind

Gideon v. Wainwright essays

Gideon v. Wainwright essays Summary: In 1963 Gideon v. Wainwright was a court case about Clarence Earl Gideon. He was accused of breaking and entering a pool hall and stealing a small amount of money. He was not provided with a lawyer by the state of Florida. He defended himself after being denied a request for free counsel. Later he was just found guilty. Louie L. Wainwright was sued for habeas corpus by Gideon. His case made it to the Supreme Court where it was argued by Abe Fortas. He argued in overturning his conviction, held that the right to counsel, guaranteed in federal trials by the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution, is fundamental to a fair trial. State failure to provide counsel for a defendant charged with a felony violated the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision was one of many by the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren that protected the rights of accused criminals and extended the guarantees in the Bill of Rights to state actions. The holding was expanded in 1972 to require counsel for any defendant who would spend even one day in jail if found guilty. Analysis: In conclusion to this case, I have learned that Gideon has proven that, he had rights. He had due process rights, found in Amendment Six, that are as followed right to speedy public trial, Trial by jury, State districted where crime was committed, change of venue, informed of the changes, right to confront a witness against you, right to subpoena, and then the right to counsel. Which before Gideon was only if you were being tried for a capital case. He proved that in the constitution that it did not specify weather or not it was a capital case, it was said for everybody. This case has shown me that there are mess-ups, which will always show up, sooner or later. Clarence Earl Gideon was found guilty with out a lawyer, trying to defend himself, put in jail, learned his rights which has showed me and probably others in my class, tha...