Extra Sketches: The Oppression of Women

Tue Dec 03 2024

For hundreds of years, society has systematically kept women from rising to their full potential—whether through laws denying them the right to own property, vote, or even open a bank account without a man’s signature—and today, we’re diving into the receipts.

Summary

Women Designers You Should Know: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Extra Sketches: The Oppression of Women
Host: Amber Asay
Release Date: December 3, 2024

In this compelling bonus episode of Women Designers You Should Know, host and designer Amber Asay takes a profound departure from the podcast's usual focus on individual women designers. Instead, she delves into the systemic oppression that has historically hindered women's progress and continues to impede their advancement today. Amber meticulously explores the myriad ways society has boxed women in, rendering them invisible and stifling their potential. This episode serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing struggles women face and the importance of recognizing and dismantling these barriers.

Contextual Overview

Amber opens the episode by setting the stage for a broader discussion on the systemic forces that have historically oppressed women. She emphasizes the need to revisit these conversations, noting that despite decades of discourse, progress often feels stagnant, with setbacks frequently overshadowing advancements. Amber highlights recent events, such as the election's impact on perceptions of Kamala Harris's support and the release of a Netflix documentary on Martha Stewart's 2004 trial, to illustrate how gender biases persistently influence societal treatment of successful women.

Seven Forms of Oppression

Amber identifies and elaborates on seven distinct ways society has systematically oppressed women. Each point is backed by historical context and contemporary statistics, underscoring the pervasive nature of these issues.

Banking and Financial Independence

Timestamp: [00:03:XX]

Amber begins by addressing the control of finances as a fundamental means of exerting power over women. She recounts that until the 1970s in the United States, women were legally barred from opening bank accounts or obtaining credit cards without a male co-signer. This financial dependency extended to business loans, mortgages, and student loans, effectively stifling women's entrepreneurial endeavors and personal financial growth. Amber cites a 2023 study revealing that only 2% of venture capital funding went to female founders, highlighting the enduring nature of financial sexism.

"Time magazine once called this financial sexism at its most blatant." – Amber Asay [00:03:XX]
Voting Rights

Timestamp: [00:XX:XX]

The episode traces the struggle for women's suffrage, noting that American women attained the right to vote in 1920 with the 19th Amendment. However, Amber points out that Black women in the southern United States remained disenfranchised until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. She extends this discussion globally, mentioning that Switzerland granted women voting rights only in 1971 and Saudi Arabia in 2015, underscoring the delayed and uneven progress in gender equality worldwide.

"Globally, Switzerland didn't give women the right to vote until 1971, Saudi Arabia in 2015." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]
Property Rights

Timestamp: [00:XX:XX]

Amber explores the concept of property rights, explaining how, in the 1800s, women who inherited property would lose ownership upon marriage due to laws like coverture (mistakenly referred to as "COVID law" in the transcript). These laws stripped women of their legal identities, preventing them from signing contracts, suing, or retaining their wages. This legal erasure reinforced the notion that women were subordinate to their husbands and lacked autonomy.

"It was basically like society saying, you don't need rights, you have a husband." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]
Marriage Bars and Career Constraints

Timestamp: [00:XX:XX]

Moving into the 20th century, Amber discusses "marriage bars," policies that mandated women to resign from their jobs upon getting married. She notes that even during World War II, when women temporarily entered the workforce in large numbers, these restrictions were swiftly reinstated post-war. This forced exit from professional roles underscored the belief that women's primary role was domestic, limiting their career opportunities and advancement.

"Even in the '40s and '50s, during World War II, a lot of women entered the workforce, temporarily lifting marriage bars." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]
Education

Timestamp: [00:XX:XX]

Education has long been a battleground for gender equality. Amber highlights that Ivy League institutions only began admitting female undergraduates in the 1960s and 1970s. Prior to this, women were funneled into "acceptable" majors such as teaching and home economics, effectively discouraging their participation in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). A 2022 study further reveals that women in science face significant barriers, including being overlooked for promotions and receiving less grant funding.

"Ivy League schools didn't admit women as undergraduates until the '60s and '70s." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]
Media Stereotypes and Pop Culture

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Amber critiques the portrayal of women in media and popular culture, where they are often depicted as housewives, secretaries, or damsels in distress. Even when women are shown as successful, they are frequently portrayed as unfulfilled, reinforcing the stereotype that women cannot achieve both professional success and personal happiness simultaneously. These narratives not only reflect societal biases but also perpetuate them, reinforcing the idea that women belong in supporting roles rather than leadership positions.

"When media consistently shows women as secondary characters, it reinforces the idea that women belong in the background." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]
Sexual Harassment and Workplace Discrimination

Timestamp: [00:XX:XX]

The final point addresses the pervasive issue of sexual harassment and workplace discrimination. Prior to the late 1970s, sexual harassment was neither recognized nor addressed, leaving women vulnerable with little recourse. Although workplace protections began to emerge in 1986, harassment remains rampant. Amber cites a 2021 report indicating that nearly 60% of women have experienced some form of harassment at work, underscoring the urgent need for continued efforts to create safe and equitable work environments.

"According to a 2021 report, nearly 60% of women have experienced some form of harassment at work." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]

Resistance and Hope

Despite the extensive and persistent barriers outlined, Amber emphasizes the resilience and resistance of women throughout history. She celebrates the countless women who have organized, protested, and advocated for their rights, creating a foundation for future generations to build upon. Amber underscores that while systemic change is slow, every act of defiance against oppressive norms contributes to the gradual dismantling of these barriers.

Notable Quotes

Gloria Steinem:

"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]
Maya Angelou:

"Each time a woman stands up for herself without knowing it, without claiming it, she stands up for all women." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]

These quotes encapsulate the emotional and motivational underpinnings of the fight for gender equality, highlighting both the frustration and the hope that fuel ongoing efforts for change.

Conclusion

Amber Asay concludes the episode with a powerful call to action, urging listeners to participate in the continued fight for gender equality. She emphasizes that every individual's efforts—whether by speaking up, demanding equality, or supporting other women—are integral to fostering systemic change. Amber envisions a future where the metaphorical glass ceiling shatters, allowing women to rise without restraint and be rightfully recognized in history.

"The glass ceiling might still exist, but the cracks are getting bigger, and someday soon it's going to shatter." – Amber Asay [00:XX:XX]

By celebrating the resilience and achievements of women designers and acknowledging the systemic obstacles they face, Amber Asay's episode serves as both an informative and inspiring testament to the ongoing journey toward gender equality in design and beyond.

Call to Action:
Amber encourages listeners to share the episode, leave reviews, and continue the conversation on platforms like Spotify. She emphasizes the collective role everyone plays in redesigning history by celebrating and supporting women.

Final Thought:
“Let this be our collective fuel. Not just anger at what it's been, but hope for what's possible.” – Amber Asay

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of Amber Asay's insightful exploration of the systemic oppression of women, highlighting historical context, current challenges, and the unwavering spirit of resistance and hope that drives the fight for equality.

Transcript

A (0:03)

Hello. Hello. Welcome back to another bonus episode of Women Designers. You should know today's bonus episode is kind of a departure from the usual focus of an individual designer. Instead, I'm going to take a step back to look at the bigger picture of women and the oppression of women, the rules, laws, and expectations that society has used to keep women small. And when I say small, I don't mean petite and charming. I mean invisible, erased and boxed in. It's basically the outright nonsense that have kept women from rising to their full potential and being on equal playing fields as men. I want to talk about the glass ceiling, the sticky floor, and every other ridiculous metaphor for systemic oppression. I think this conversation needs to be had over and over again because sometimes we just don't learn from history. And you're probably asking Amber, why now it's 2024. We've been having this conversation over and over again, but it sometimes feels like we take two steps forward, one step back, like we're not really getting anywhere. We're being fed crumbs, and it's kind of getting annoying. And of course, let's just say that a recent election brought up a lot of feelings to the surface. One of those feelings might be rage. And without diving into the full election story, because I think we're all a little tapped out of that story. But one thing is very clear coming out of it, and that is that Kamala Harris didn't get the support she deserved because she's a woman. A lot of press had been talking about this after the election. A lot of voters talked about this after the election. It felt like all of a sudden all of this came to the surface. And even the Atlantic had pointed out that it's clear that her gender added an extra layer of scrutiny. And then, as if that weren't enough fuel for this conversation, literally less than a week before the election, a certain Netflix documentary came out. You might have seen it. It is the Martha Stewart documentary and it dives into her 2004 trial where she describes being made a trophy criminal by the FBI. And let's be real, Would they have gone after her with the same vigor if she were, say, a middle aged male CEO? Highly doubtful. Martha Stewart herself summed it up and said, I became a symbol, a cautionary tale. And honestly, Martha, the system may have well said, sit down. You're getting too powerful. This documentary was basically a masterclass in how society loves to lift women up, only to knock them down as soon as they start shining a little too brightly. Am I talking into a Void here? Or are all of you as enraged as I am right now? And that has me also thinking about women CEOs in general. And I looked it up, and only 52 out of 500 of the Fortune 500 companies are led by women. That's crazy. That is 10.4%. And we're supposed to call that progress? I mean, we can talk about equality all day long, and there's people who believe that we've, we've achieved gender equality, but that is so not true. And let me add another stat to this. Women CEOs are more likely to be forced out than men, even when their companies perform well. It's like society saying, we'll let you lead, but only if you don't outshine the guys. So today I want to dive into all of it, all of the oppression over history that has led us to this place. And honestly, it feels like it's going to keep taking more and more decades to finally get out of these systemic issues. So let's get into it. So I have identified seven different ways that society oppresses women. And some of this might be stuff that's new to you, some of it you might have heard before, or maybe you think that there's even more than this. I would love to have a further discussion about this. And I think the best way we can do is either on the Spotify chat, because I would love to hear your thoughts. So if you're listening to this on Spotify, please leave a comment in this episode and I would love to hear your thoughts about it. But the first one that I wanted to go over is banking and financial independence. So let's start with the money, because that's of course, one way you can control women. And if you control the money, you control the power. And so for a long time, women had neither. And it wasn't until the 70s that women in the US couldn't even open a bank account or get a credit card without a male co signer. Let that sink in. Your money, your paycheck, but not your decision. And it wasn't just credit cards. Women couldn't take out business loans or mortgages or even student loans without male approval. Time magazine once called this financial sexism at its most blatant. So how many businesses didn't get started because a woman couldn't access capital? How many dreams were put on hold? Yeah, I would say a lot. And I would say that's why women in the 70s and earlier were not owning businesses. And that puts us right back to the Beginning of this entire podcast of why there are so many women designers that we have never heard of. And even today, financial inequality persists. Women owned businesses are less likely to receive venture capital funding. In a 2023 study, it said that only 2% of all venture capital went to female founders. 2%. It's giving boys club. And not in a nostalgic. Okay, so that was the first point, of course, banking and financial independence. The second point is voting rights. So the most basic form of agency is voting. And in the US women didn't get the right to vote until 1920. Here's the thing. Even after the 19th amendment, black women in the south were disenfranchised until the Voting Rights act of 1965. So let's not pretend it was all sunshine in the suffrage movement, because it wasn't. That was still only a percentage of women that were still able to vote. And then globally, Switzerland didn't give women the right to vote in elections until 1971. Saudi Arabia, 2015, the same year Instagram influencers were inventing avocado toast. That double standard is honestly staggering. I cannot believe how much women have to beg for some of these rights. Okay, so now we've covered money, we've covered voting, and the next one is property. So imagine this. You're a woman in the 1800s and you inherit property. Congratulations. Except, oh, you got married, so now your property belongs to your husband. And that is, my friends, called the COVID law. And this word comes from the term cover, meaning your husband is going to cover all of your rights for you. And this didn't just deny women property rights, it erased their legal identity, meaning that they couldn't sign contracts, they couldn't sue anyone, or even keep their own wages. It was basically like society saying, you don't need rights, you have a husband. And so these laws persisted well into the 19th century, with changes happening at a snail's pace. And then beyond property, we also have marriage bars and career constraints. So fast forward to the 20th century when marriage bars come into play. These were actual policies that forced women to leave their jobs as soon as they got married. And so the logic here was that married women didn't need jobs because their husbands would provide for them. And if you're rolling your eyes, then same. And that was the only a hundred years ago, or even less than a hundred years ago, because it looks like Even in the 40s and 50s, during World War II, a lot of women entered the workforce, temporarily lifting marriage bars. And then after the war, these restrictions returned. And so we're talking about even less than a hundred years ago that this happened. Honestly, this one was complete news to me. When researching for this episode, I'd never heard of marriage bars, and it's honestly infuriating. Okay, the next point that I wanted to talk about was education. Higher education wasn't even that much better. And this is a very big area as well, too. Ivy League schools didn't admit women as undergraduates until the 60s and 70s. And before that, women were funneled into acceptable majors like teaching or home economics. That is a recurring theme that we see again and again with some of these episode episodes. If you've been listening since the beginning, you'll have noticed that maybe about half of the women we've talked about first went to higher education and went to college for an actual teaching degree. And that was so common back then. And then, of course, things like science and biology and math, all of that was, of course, for men. And so women possibly couldn't understand physics. And so those fields were exclusive to men. And then today, even women in STEM fields, even they face barriers. In a 2022 study, it found that women in science are more likely to be overlooked for promotions and less likely to receive grant funding. And it's exhausting. Another area that women are being oppressed is the media stereotypes, and, of course, pop culture. So for decades, women in pop culture were depicted as housewives, secretaries, or damsels in distress. And what's funny is, even when women were shown as successful, they were even portrayed as unfulfilled. I'm thinking about Miranda Priestley, for example, in the Devil Wears Prada. She was successful but not happy. And that was what society puts on women, is you can be successful and not happy because you don't have it all. And these narratives don't just reflect reality, they shape it. When media consistently shows women as secondary characters, it reinforces the idea that women belong in the background. And then lastly, the seventh point that I wanted to touch on today is sexual harassment. And, of course, workplace discrimination. Before the late 70s, sexual harassment wasn't even a recognized issue. Women were expected to just quote, unquote, deal with it, or they would just lose their jobs. And it wasn't until even 1986 that workplace protections started to take place. And even now, harassment persists. According to a 2021 report, nearly 60% of women have experienced some form of harassment. Let me say that again. 60% of women have experienced some form of harassment at work. And so it is so crazy that this kind of misogyny still exists, is still perpetuated, and still keeps filtering through the system. And this is why we need systemic change. So hopefully you learned a little fun fact today, although it's not really that fun of a fact. Maybe more of a depressing fact. But this is the history of rules that were designed to keep women small and to push them below the glass ceiling and to stop them before they get too big. But here's the thing. Women have always resisted. Despite all of the barriers that they've faced, women have always found ways to push through. And they've organized, protested, spoken up, demanded better. And not just for themselves, but for the generations who would come after them. I so appreciate all of the women who have risked their lives for stuff like this, too. Change doesn't happen overnight, but it does eventually happen. And every law overturned, every norm that's challenged, it all adds up. And the best part, this work isn't just in the past. It's happening right now. Every time you speak up, demand equality, or support another woman's success, you are part of the change. As the mother of fighting for women's rights, Gloria Steinem has once said, the truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off. And of course, another one of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou. She says, each time a woman stands up for herself without knowing it, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. So let this be our collective fuel. Not just anger at what it's been, but hope for what's possible. The glass ceiling might still exist, but the cracks are getting bigger, and someday soon it's going to shatter. And when it does, it'll be because we refused to stay small. And I hope it's podcasts like this that help remind people that women can do it just as well as men can. Women are amazing designers, and we deserve to be known and heard and read in history books and become the larger part of design history. So thank you so much for tuning in. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts. And as always, let's keep the conversation and momentum going, and let's redesign history by celebrating women.