Blog #2 - Frye, Johnson

In her article, Oppression, Marilyn Frye builds up an argument against that claim that men are subjected to the same level of oppression as women are due the expectation that men will remain stoic and refrain from crying during emotional situations. Frye points out that although men are restrained by society’s expectations, they are in no way oppressed in the same way that women are. In her definition of oppression, Marilyn Frye highlights the word "press" in which she explains, “Something pressed is caught between or among forces and barriers which are so related to each other that they jointly restrain, restrict or limit the mobility. To immobilize or reduce.” She describes oppression as a barrier that restricts a group for the benefit of another group. In this case women are being confined to a “women’s sector” in which they are expected to act and live a certain way. Women in society are expected to be quiet, patient and nurturing and any woman who strays from these characteristics are often labeled as unfeminine. The barriers that enclose women are erected and maintained by men to reinforce female’s vulnerability and weakness and make men feel powerful and superior. The women’s sector was created to benefit men and keep women in an inferior position. To look at the “oppression” of men we have to identify the barriers that confine them and determine who is benefiting from the confinement. In society men are subjected to a level of societal pressure in which they are expected to be strong, independent and emotionally callous. But if you look at the barriers closely you will notice that these expectations actually benefit men. These strong characteristics assigned to men keep them in control and maintains their superiority over women, whose barriers make them look weak and dependent. So in other words, the pressure that men face from society was actually created to protect them from looking vulnerable and loosing control over women. Frye clearly defends her point that women and men are subjected to completely different levels of societal pressure. When I first read the opening paragraph, it frustrated me to think the men were trying to convince women that they are oppressed the same way, and I completely agree with what Marilyn Frye discusses in her article. Frye addresses the fundamental differences between the expectations of men and women in society, and she illustrates how these expectations always work to the benefit and empowerment of men.

In the article, Patriarchy, the System, Allan G. Johnson evaluates the problems of a male dominated society by approaching patriarchy as a system of interrelating individuals. Johnson states that the root of all social problems arises from an individual’s decision to choose the path that will be met with the least amount of objection. Johnson illustrates this point by describing the response of a man to a sexist joke. Instead of pointing out the wrong and inappropriate nature of the joke, he will laugh and go along with his friends, in order to avoid any confrontations. I agree very strongly with Johnson’s argument that the problems in society are caused by the individuals resistance to speak out for what they believe in. Most people refrain from speaking their mind because they do not want to be isolated for being different, but the problems that we face in society will never be solved unless people speak out for positive change and work to improve society.