By Juana Diaz
My U.S. History teacher Mr. Cohen gave my class an assignment to make an additional amendment to the U.S. Constitution. From the first day he assigned this I was so intrigued that I couldn’t decide what society still needs, and how to put this issue into words. He gave us two days, then he gave my paper a look. History has always been my least favorite subject because it’s repetitive, but I’ve come to value its part in helping cruel things not be repeated as often. Below is what I wrote:
“Throughout humanity, men have had authority and privilege. Their privileges are social, economic and physical. The physical is the most obvious. Men don’t have to carry a child for nine months to reproduce, a man doesn’t lose blood each month, and a man doesn’t have mammary glands growing.
(Getty Images of the 2019 Women’s March on Washington)
Socially, men are judged lightly for being outgoing, flirtatious, and cheating. Many cultures till this day condemn women for the same behavior applauded in men. Christianity and Catholicism tells women they must remain virgins until marriage or else it’s sinful. This, however, is not said to men, or at least not as often. In addition women are expected to rely on men (for support) from an early age when they can be just as supportive and independent as men are portrayed. On the economic side, women are paid less and given less opportunity because of gender rather than skill. Many women between 30 and 40 are rejected from job opportunities because companies suspect they will get pregnant—these Being considered prime childbearing years close to menopause—and companies don’t want to pay the maternity leave. This injustice needs to be addressed, because women didn’t decide to have a womb, it’s not their fault that men are not physically disadvantaged by having children.
(Getty Images)
Women are human just like men and deserve their human rights. History can be manipulated; as every second passes history is created, so let’s make humanity’s story truly all of ours not just “his.” The 28th amendment should be that any injustice against a specific gender—whether firing, disqualifying for reasons other than not reaching employment requirements, and paying lower wages to women working the same job position as men— should go to court. Those who take away opportunity from such a hard-working being, who creates life, lactates, and yet still yearns for opportunities outside of home making; should unquestionably be punished. Gender should not determine our pay rate or work place, only our skills. But to be fair, there are many things that should be, but aren’t. Let’s attempt to create a more equal society.
(Getty Images)
I believe that constitutional amendments are like popular songs—you can’t imagine what unwritten song can possibly be missing because listening to all the tunes already on the radio you feel like you have it all…until a new hit comes out and it feels as if it were essential all along. We need an amendment that protects women more…and in the bigger picture, that protects all oppressed genders.”