https://padlet.com/joepchow/8h90sg2k34sd Made with no regrets, whatsoever en-us 2019-11-27 01:56:44 UTC 2026-03-02 05:41:42 UTC hello@padlet.com joepchow https://padlet.com/joepchow/8h90sg2k34sd/wish/416967286        In contemporary society the Caribbean possesses many characteristics of the recorded and unrecorded past. Having a background in this Caribbean civilization course would allow an individual to have an open mind towards the Caribbean history and the way it is shaped by having a sense of belongingness. Learning to appreciate the unique and rich history of the Caribbean eliminates the ideology of ethnocentric and eurocentric views. Many scholars argued that the Caribbean is characterized by grave intolerance and mistrust at all levels when gender 
discrimination and race is taken into consideration. 
          Discrimination is the unjust treatment of a person based on differences (Cambridge University Press , 2019). There are many different types of discrimination such as discrimination towards someone's age , sexuality , nationality and even disability. However , this paper seeks to explore sexism . Sexism is referred to the discrimination of an individual due to their sex (Mohammed , 2007). History has shown that sexism mainly affects females. Patriarchal structures have suggested that the female is inferior to her male counter part and as a result society views the female in this manner. Where women are concerned society believes that she is weak , unintelligent and corrupted by emotion. Female discrimination can impact development as it can cause dependency by minimizing the potential of the labor force  and keeping back the thinking of a people. It is believed that in the workforce women are treated unfairly when compared to men , resulting in the female maintaining her subordinate position in society. The already stated point is most apparent in the workplace and in the family where the male is considered the decision maker . Scholars argued that Caribbean women are force into traditional roles in the family . What this simply means is that the females were geared towards domestics where she was limited to assisting dominant males. Women are breaking the glass ceiling in today's society where there is changes with the increasing income household , suggesting that the female is now a contributing breadwinner of the family . There is also the case where the women is sharing her duties with her husband and he helps care for the children and even the household . 
           An article by the Jamaican Gleaner in 2013 presented a piece entitled 'changing roles of family members' where it was highlighted that each member of the family has a role to play in the social stability and solidarity for the proper functioning of the family. "These roles such as the father being the worker and the mother being the home maker and caregiver are now declining . The mother is becoming the supplementary provider and she retains the responsibilities of child rearing and the male is adopting the role of caregiver as well as provider." The above statement shows that family role was once patriarchal meaning controlled by men however due to modernization and especially feminism these gender roles have changed drastically to accommodate both men and women providing emotional and economic support for their family and offspring owned or adopted.
    Another key point to note under gender discrimination is in the direction of health inequalities for female . Some of the main health inequalities are revolved around mortality rate , life expectancy , mental health and even limited long standing illnesses. There are many arguments for the cause of these inequality. The first argument is gender inequality . Feminist social thinkers believe that women's bodies , through the process of medicalization, are a form of social control by the patriarchal medical profession. Feminist believe that female issues have become medicalized due to the structure of the patriarchal medical profession . Males control the reproductive process through the medicalization of pregnancy. The medical profession has influenced the public to accept the view that women need doctors for pregnancy . This need for medical attention means that women submit themselves to the control of male authority and knowledge . Medical professions have a power structure and female patients are kept in a power structure and female patients are kept in a passive role with in structure. Female mental health was disregarded as an issue such as anxiety and depression was seen as normal female behavior. This showed that female behavior was stereotyped according to male dominated psychiatry. 
    Similarly , in the workplace researchers proposed that in traditional society women were limited to opportunities and when given work positions that was the same to her male counter part she would be paid less. However, in the workforce today women consist of 40% of the labor showing that more women are working. A prime example happens to be about Elma Francois , she was a St . Vincent national heroine of Trinidad and Tobago . Francois is best known as a political activist that stood up for factory workers more specifically colored females. She fought for safer working conditions , appropriate working hours and appropriate pay. She was an active participant in 'riots' standing against unfair treatment of workers. She was a supporter of Bulter and his trade union movement . Francois participated in the Bulter riot and was arrested by police . She was tried for sedition (encouraging rebellion ) becoming the first woman in history of T&T to be tried for such an action. She was found not guilty. Francois is forever remembered on the island for support of the working class . Even though Francois fought for the rights of these people work laws have also improved to accommodate female employees. Such examples include : sexual harassment laws now includes inappropriate verbal interactions, maternity leave, equal paid between the sexist , meaning the female is not paid because of her sex but for her skill. A sign of development and modernization is open mindedness . Open mindedness is a characteristic present in most first World countries , this factor helps society to be adaptative and as a result progressive .  It help society to understand that women, persons' of different race, religion, sexuality and nationality can add new and innovative ideas to society. Many scholars identified that feminism is one of the main motivator that inspired these changes in society. The main feminist movement began in the 1980s and gained wider recognition throughout the 1990s. For the Caribbean , feminism started to make an impact in the late 1990s and early 21st century. The rise of feminism for the region was due to impact of globalization via the media . Feminist thoughts in the first world greatly impacted the rise of feminism in the Caribbean . There are feminist organizations in the Caribbean such as the women speak project that is a medium for women to highlight their stories of discrimination and even (NOW) the national organization of women that focuses on women rights in Barbados such as equal pay, reproductive rights for women with disabilities. 
  All the above evidence showed females being oppressed and exploited by men , however there were some arguments put forward disputing theses claims when crime is taken into account. Crime is defined as any deviant action committed that is punishable by law (Mustapha , 2013). Scholars argued that the Caribbean is very conservative and shares a sense of belonging with each other however a dominant view that there is the presence of gender crime and the leniency females receive. The chivalry thesis, also suggest the disregard of female criminality . The concept is that the law is sex blind . In Trinidad and Tobago we see this taking place as females are overlooked by law enforcement agents (police officers, judges). In the case of traffic offenses when women are pulled over by police officers (male) they are let go due to their physical features. In the eyes of the law the female is seen as weak and therefore must be looked after . The result is law enforcement showing the women leniency which leads to her actions not being reported as breaking the law . If this small traffic law can be disregarded one can only imagine the greater extent to which female criminality is overlooked in Trinidad and Tobago . 
  In essence, there are a number of theories suggesting that women receive leniency and are in most cases overlooked however Heidensohn reviewed the patriarchal structure of society and suggested that it kept the women on track . Some may tie the Caribbean as to not limiting the women to patriarchy and that can be seen ad true to some extent by the evidences put forward . It is stated that women are breaking through these discrimination's they face however gender discrimination not completely gone and will take time for equality exist. ]]> 2019-11-27 02:08:37 UTC https://padlet.com/joepchow/8h90sg2k34sd/wish/416967286 joepchow https://padlet.com/joepchow/8h90sg2k34sd/wish/417690721 2019-11-29 08:35:29 UTC https://padlet.com/joepchow/8h90sg2k34sd/wish/417690721