Prompt: Refute or support a gender stereotype of your choice.
A notion had existed for centuries that states that men are naturally vested with great strength that is lacking in weak, dependent women. All too often has this fallacious stereotype been countered by examples of individuals who embody the traits that have usually been attributed to those of the opposite gender. Although traditional models of men and women have long been held by various cultures, both historical and literary examples exist to refute such stereotypes.
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Some of the oldest and respectable cultures, such as that of the Greeks, revered the abilities of man over those of the woman. However, women posses powerful abilities that may as well be equal or greater than a man’s. This can be seen in the book “And I alone survived” by Laura Elder, in which a woman managed to save herself from the deadly blizzard of the high Sierra mountains and the horror of a plane crash. Another example of women assuming leadership can be seen in the period of Woodrow Wilson’s presidency, when Edith Wilson ran the United States’ affairs for about a year and a half, while her husband was ill.
Women have the ability to strive for high goals, and the determination complete those goals. Consider the example presented in the book “And I alone Survived” by Laura Elder. She survived a plane crash in the High Sierra mountains, along with her male friend. They managed to survive the night, however, her determination to survive helped her succeed and escape the horrifying grip of death. Unlike her, the male friend died on the mountain. Therefore, thanks to a powerful determination, women can do unimaginable feats.
Just as the example of Laura Elder shows her superior ability to survive, the example of Edith Wilson assuming leadership over the United States also shows the ability of women to efficiently lead under incredible amounts of stress. President Woodrow Wilson, after the refusal of the United Nations to accept his fourteen points, fell into a deep depression, and became unable to lead the country. His wife, Edith Wilson, took control of the country for about a year and a half, solving all the problems that the country faced correctly and effectively. Therefore, women posses powerful abilities that can be comparable to those of men.
The examples disprove the theory that men have physical and mental powers insurmountable by women, and show that women are very capable of doing everything a man would do. Hopefully though, soon all discrepancies between men and women will vanish, and there will be no discrimination and stereotype regarding either gender, allowing humans to live in perfect harmony.
