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Essay / Different Perspectives on Women's Rights: John Todd and Gail Hamilton
The root of the great error of our time is that woman must be made independent and self-reliant... —Rev. John Todd 1867 Vision of Women's RightsSay no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Women's rights, as described by Reverend John Todd, are placed in a proverbial box that limits scope, understanding and the abilities of women. in general. His statements seem to blame women for their supposed shortcomings and inabilities compared to men under the guise of piety. He openly calls women out in a way that almost demeans them while hiding behind the cloth (given that he is a Doctor of Divinity). His point of view and the place from which he speaks are somehow protected and validated by his title. Yet her message comes across as chauvinistic, ill-informed and incomplete, compared to Gail Hamilton's responses. Ultimately, this is a gender-by-gender comparison at a time when assumptions were commonplace. Reverend Todd immediately establishes his basic context by referencing God and what women can and cannot do as a result. He answers the question of women's independence from men by simply saying "you can't" (Todd, 1867). He then discusses the physical and legal ramifications of occupying the same space as men. The ensuing statement refers to the protection of women by the law and a control that they cannot overcome. At the beginning of the argument, we see that Todd believes that his word is divine, just and without recourse. The Reverend directly attacks the mental capacities of women. Although he often uses the term "delicate", it does not exist in a positive frame of thought. His use of the term delicate seems to lean toward the assumption of a weakness that requires some sort of protection by the three supposedly strongest men. He speaks from a global communications perspective and assumes that he can speak for all of humanity. It draws directly on the idea that women are poor in spirit, thought, physical abilities and do not have the inherent right to make decisions for themselves. The assertion of his argument is that God has entrusted the responsibility to men to provide wages and therefore they must be the only ones to pursue their education and take up positions such as architect, educator or any other something that “what its physical organization can support”. . Its stance is both presumptive and uniform with regard to women's abilities. The sphere, the right to vote and wages Todd says of woman and her sphere of consideration: “It is her privilege and her right. She should be exempted from the hard chores of the earth...". This sphere he speaks of is such that it detaches women from everything outside the home. His short-sighted view of women deprives them of the right to politics, higher education, the right to vote and the opportunity to earn a fair wage. He again references the piety of women's position in an attempt to validate his point of view. He notes that voting is a civil matter and as such is not intended for women. His method of approach, mainly due to his position, allows him to express himself freely and in a way that protects him from disagreements, or so he assumes. Hamilton responds. Gail Hamilton takes Rev. Todd's statements and responds with one main question: "What about it?" ". She directly challenges points of contention with the Reverend through comparisons,..