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© 2023 Niki Christine. All Rights Reserved.
DISCLAIMER As this paper was inspired by common conservative arguments regarding women, feminism, and gender equality, it is written in the format of a non-nuanced, traditionally conservative understanding of gender and individuality. I recognize the complexity of this discussion in the light of more modern gender terminology, however, this paper will not explore these aspects in order to avoid topic convolution. While this paper does address the general, traditionally conservative, and historical concepts of a woman’s social role and responsibilities, is it important to not reduce the argument to solely generalizations and stereotypes. As women and men are multifaceted, complex beings, typical roles and abilities are heavily influenced by one’s individuality, in addition to the impacts of gender-specific socialization. Additionally, gender terminology, the understanding of gender, and the exploration of gender have greatly advanced over the decades following the last U.S. draft in 1973. Therefore, both men and women have come to inhabit, understand, and re-develop their social roles and expectations as a result, potentially even creating a new set of gender stereotypes entirely. As gender continues to progress, reconstruct, and evolve, the typical social responsibilities of men and women shift. However, as this calls for a further, nuanced discussion of its own, this paper serves to focus on the philosophical concepts regarding historical gender roles, drafts, gender equality, and the value of different forms of labor required during a draft. Introduction When discussing gender equality and the social, as well as political, expectations of men and women, naturally discussions regarding selective service occur- as it is a political structure that highlights a long existing, and current system built upon gender division and roles. As women are not required to enlist in selective service, arguments regarding gender equality and impartiality bring forth claims that this enlistment is necessary to ensure fairness. This claim, as a result, proposes questions regarding women’s military capabilities- both past and present- as well as the value of the roles women have played in past drafts, such as providing child care. This paper serves to address these questions and shed light upon the valuable roles, and necessary acts of labor, women have historically fulfilled and provided during drafts. Women in Military - Past and Present In discussions regarding the advancements and arguments of feminism, the retort that women must be signed up for selective service, in the name of gender equality, is not uncommon. For women to receive opportunities equal to men they must earn it by putting themselves forward to experience the exact political circumstances of men. This logic naturally assumes that there is no inherent quality within either men or women which creates superiority, but rather the political and social commitments they are bound to. While one may refer to the outdated notion that men are of greater physical capability and thus the necessary individuals to promote successful service, the documented role women have played in military history negates this idea. Women have demonstrated the capability to successfully serve over the course of the past 200 years, finding ways to serve even in times when enlisting as a woman was illegal (DeSimone, Danielle). Through this, women have depicted a particularly unique devotion, capability of intellect, and physical strength that has benefited the United States military and population. Whether it was through mending clothes, tending to wounds as a nurse, growing crops, performing door-to-door campaigning, and more- women have continually put themselves forward to serve and provide aid however they could despite legal limitations (DeSimone, Danielle). Women have opted to participate in service in times they were legally prevented from officially enlisting, thus highlighting the historical commitment of women to serve. In addition to this, women in history have consistently been subjected to lesser education, therefore any arguments regarding the breadth of a woman's capability during this time are faulted by the fact their judgment is based on intellectually and physically oppressed women. Consequently, the argument that women are not physically or intellectually capable of serving to the same degree is a moot point- as they have been doing so for centuries despite discriminatorily not being afforded the same legal opportunity. Instead, women were serving, voluntarily, without the privilege of voting or having a political voice regarding the state of the nation, especially during war. However, if the capability of women within the military in contrast to men is further pushed, one may argue that the services women perform are not of the same value to the military as that which men perform. When discussing this, it would likely be pointing back to time periods when women were not legally able to enlist or were limited in the roles they were able to play due to gender restrictions, as this was when women were not given the opportunity to develop or demonstrate the full extent of capability in roles men had historically occupied. Despite being granted legal opportunity to enlist in 1948, a range of jobs continued to remain banned from women. The Risk Rule of 1988 enforced this, stating that women would be excluded from “non-combat units or missions if the risk of exposure to direct combat, hostile fire or capture were equal to or greater than the risk in the units they supported” (“The Risk Rule.”). It was not until 1994 that this rule was rescinded by Defense Secretary Les Aspin, who stated that service members are eligible to be assigned to any position in which they qualify (“The Risk Rule.”). However, this rescission did not lift the ban on women in combat, as it also stated that “women shall be excluded from assignment to units below the brigade level whose primary mission is to engage in direct combat on the ground” (“The Risk Rule.”). This means that women, though now afforded the legal opportunity to list and serve in a variety of military positions, still remained discriminated against due to gender. Furthermore, this discrimination lived on for two decades following the Risk Rule repeal. It was not until 2015 that the ban on women in combat roles was lifted, thus granting women the greatest sense of military equality yet (Moore, Emma). However, when discussing women now filling previously dominated combat roles, a comparison between the two sexes in performance would be unfair. As it has been less than a decade since women have been allowed to enter these positions, the precedence of their male counterparts must be accounted for. Nevertheless, it is worth acknowledging that, despite the institutional and cultural barriers, “women are achieving greater seniority and leadership across the services” (Moore, Emma). Even further, gaining equal military opportunity has only led to a growing trend of women enlisting to serve, thus proving that the responsibility of serving does not inhibit women from participating at their own will (U.S. Department of Defense). Taking into consideration the growing trend of women enlisting alongside equal position opportunities, it is clear that women are devoted to serving. Additionally, as women continue to demonstrate success in these male-dominated positions, the notion that women are less capable becomes outdated. Furthermore, their willingness to take on combat roles, and their demonstrated success, naturally indicate that nonmilitary women would be just as capable to perform in the case of a draft as their nonmilitary male counterparts, as neither have a military background but both genders have documented research regarding their success within the military Consequently, this signifies that women are capable of profitably fulfilling a variety of military roles and have done so for centuries despite their unequal status and opportunities. Therefore, the question of whether or not women are willing to serve in dangerous, and urgent military circumstances becomes redundant. Ascribing Value to Labor However, the claim that women must be drafted in order to be considered equal raises a range of questions regarding value. Value of a person, jobs, skills, and more must then be assessed- as referring to the draft as a form of women participating equally negates the roles they are traditionally referenced to have played in the past, and supposedly would play now should a draft occur today. Again, this paper is addressing the typical, traditionally conservative argument that is often referring to the notion of women staying home during a draft to care for a household, raise children, etc. If not a mother or wife, then to care for herself- which would have been a worthy challenge itself for women during past drafted wars, as they resided within a culture that tethered a woman's livelihood and value to a man. In each of these situations, there is a particular and unique burden placed upon women that is inherently erased by claiming that equality is deserved only if they extend past this burden. For the sake of remaining concise, I will narrow down the vast responsibilities women endured during a draft, with a particular focus on mothers and the duties of motherhood. Mothers are synonymous with the creation of life. Without a womb, mankind would cease or continue to exist, therefore the ability to sustain procreation is one of the, if not, highest valued abilities- an ability reserved for women only. A successful pregnancy is a necessity for the longevity of mankind, and should a draft occur- there must be policies in place that protect pregnant women. Therefore, all blanket retorts which claim that women should be drafted to successfully achieve gender equality are ill-devised, unconvincing, and unrealistic. If this argument is made, then it should be quickly followed by an understanding of the absolutely vital role that women play in the sustainment of mankind. Furthermore, while it has been established that women can perform military roles with the same efficacy as a man, men cannot perform the same life-sustaining action as women. In addition to giving birth, women are an absolute necessity to a child's life for no less than six months post-birth, though it is encouraged for a mother to breastfeed their children for up to a year- “as the longer a child is breastfed the greater the protection from certain illnesses and long term diseases” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Consequently, mothers cannot, and should not, leave their child at the will of a draft and its unpredictability. However, if a woman must, then policies and solutions must be considered regarding the feeding of these newborn children, whether it be through the form of formula, or other. Moreover, suggesting that women be drafted, though not completely unreasonable, is a conversation far beyond the depths of underdeveloped ideas which rely solely on the simple notion that it is unfair that women are not. Additionally, this innately brings into question the value of different roles and labors necessary for a successfully functioning society. This includes the role of sustaining a steady population. As a draft would imply a severe war, the population decrease would be significant as a result of the inevitable many deaths within both military and civil populations. Furthermore, increasing the likelihood of women dying during this time is irrational, as it is the lives that they can create and sustain which will help avoid a seriously negative consequence of population decline and deprivation. Additionally, this discussion must acknowledge the inarguable and consistent demands of child care. If women are to be drafted, there must be policies in place to ensure that there will be a guardian remaining to care for a child, should it not be the mother. Furthermore, even as children grow and eventually no longer rely on breastmilk, or formula, to survive, daily caretaking remains. Nevertheless, proposing that women be drafted on behalf of equality is not inherently problematic, however, it does require a proper social assessment of the traditionally ascribed social roles, and, in some regards, active resocialization. Furthermore, the ability and preparedness of men to care for a child emotionally, physically, and intellectually- in addition to maintaining a household- must be considered, as these responsibilities have historically fallen on women. As of 2021, research has shown that women, on average, are more likely to take on and care more for household activities, and spend more time than men providing childcare (USA Facts). The expectation of women to do the majority of the work necessary to raise a child(s) has been a cultural norm for thousands of years. This is often followed by the argument that women are the weaker sex, and thus best capable of birthing and taking on the role of child care rather than pursuing any intellectual or creative social/political roles. Consequently, women have long endured the social expectation of managing the responsibilities of domestic labor, therefore women are more likely to be prepared and capable of tending to children and maintaining a household, than their male counterparts. However, this is not to say that men are incapable but to acknowledge that it is unlikely they have been, or currently are, as capable or prepared to manage this role in comparison to their female counterparts- who have been socialized for thousands of years to bear the burden of domestic care with little, to no help from men. If a draft were to occur, it is a non-negotiable fact that there must be a parent or guardian who remains home to care for a child(s), thus leading to the natural question of who would be best prepared. Based on the current statistics regarding caretaking for children, women will be most capable. However, as stated earlier, it is not necessarily wrong to draft women- it would simply require significant thought and subsequent policies to successfully create a system that drafts all individuals without causing further social breakdown and chaos. Moreover, as it is well known that child-care and domestic labor has been a woman’s responsibility and expectation during war times, the argument that women should be drafted- despite the necessary labor they provided by raising children during these times- raises questions of value. Knowing that it is women who cared for and raised children during drafts, calling for them to be drafted inherently creates a labor vacuum. The demand for child care will remain, but those historically responsible for it would no longer be a reliable source for fulfilling the role- as they would also be at the will of selective service demands. Moreover, this idea ignores the necessary labor women have managed and delivered during a draft. Raising and caring for children is an essential role that women fulfilled during draft times, and claiming that they must be signed up for selective service to be equal assumes that the act of serving is inherently more valuable than the act of raising children. However, if a draft occurs and service is demanded, sufficient child care will be of equal demand as parents are pulled away from their homes- a demand that has been fulfilled by women. This is a form of labor that must be fulfilled, just as the draft demands the act of service is fulfilled, therefore it appears irrational to place a higher value upon one role over the other. Both of these roles become of equal value, as they are, and would be, inarguable social demands. Considering that the alternative is child neglect, placing a higher value on selective service creates a slippery slope regarding societal and familial values. The logic behind demanding women be drafted, in the name of gender equality, naturally creates the assumption that the role women have played in past drafts is not of equal necessity or value. As a result, she must increase the value of her actions during emergency war times and serve- despite the fact that the expectation of child care and household labor would likely remain within a woman’s social expectation. When discussing women being drafted as a requirement of equality, it is important to consider the requirement of child care, and the demand for childcare the draft inherently creates. This is in addition to calling into question the modern preparedness and capability of men to perform domestic duties to the same degree as women, in light of the continuously sexist and misogynistic socialization and culture. Furthermore, suggesting that women must perform more labor, such as the labor of serving, for the balance beams of gender to fall equally suggests that policies have been written to favor women by giving them easier, lesser-valued roles. Moreover, it proposes it is this legislation, written to seemingly benefit women, that must be dismantled to break down the barriers preventing complete equality. However, it has been men who have historically written the policies regarding women's rights, including a woman’s legal participation and potential job roles within the military. Furthermore, claiming that women must be drafted to be equal only serves to highlight that it is men who have granted women abstinence from being drafted, and it is women who remain at the mercy of men to dismantle these misogynistic policies and promote greater gender equality- considering that men continue to fill the majority of political and legislative roles. To not draft women was a decision made by men, furthermore, the complaint that it is unfair that women not be drafted, often made by men, only serves to highlight the faults and illogical systems that have been perpetuated as a result of a misogynistic culture. The burden to fix this supposed inequality does not reside with the oppressed, but the oppressor- which has been, and continues to be, men. Conclusion Men have unequally placed the responsibility of domestic labor upon women, and therefore remain less adequate at the skill of caring for children and running a household. As misogynistic narratives continue to perpetuate this sexist phenomenon, it appears illogical for such a misogynistic system to recommend the practice of drafting women, as this would partially place the expectations of domestic labor on men, as well- a responsibility they have historically denounced and neglected. However, if this is to be the case, the conversation surrounding drafting women requires an in-depth analysis of the value that is childcare, and the ability of men to perform childcare and household duties to the same degree as women, should an emergency draft occur. Work Cited “Department of Defense Releases Annual Demographics Report - Upward Trend in Number of Women.” U.S. Department of Defense, www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3246268/department-of-defense-releases-annual-demographics-report-upward-trend-in-numbe/. Accessed 24 July 2023. DeSimone, Danielle. “Over 200 Years of Service: The History of Women in the U.S. Military.” United Service Organizations, 28 Feb. 2023, www.uso.org/stories/3005-over-200-years-of-service-the-history-of-women-in-the-us-military. “Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Aug. 2022, www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm#:~:text=Top%20of%20Page-,How%20long%20should%20a%20mother%20breastfeed%3F,12%20months%20old%20or%20older. “How Do Men and Women Use Time Differently?” USAFacts, 18 Oct. 2022, usafacts.org/articles/how-do-men-and-women-use-time-differently/#:~:text=How%20much%20time%20do%20men,caring%20for%20children%20than%20men. Moore, Emma. “Women in Combat: Five-Year Status Update.” Center for a New American Security (En-US), www.cnas.org/publications/commentary/women-in-combat-five-year-status-update. Accessed 24 July 2023. “The Risk Rule.” The New York Times, 16 Aug. 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/us/16womenbox.html.
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© 2023 Niki Christine. All Rights Reserved.
With the rapid advancements of technology that have, and continue to occur, the impacts of the growing digital world are becoming visible. Though the path towards a technology-driven society began at a slower pace, modern industries are developing these mechanisms with an expeditious and immense force. As time passes, research is being done to begin assessing the impacts of this swift and innovative change. Ranging from the negative, and potentially harmful long-term effects, to the benefits and social successes. However, constant media access in the age of the internet can be seen negatively influencing attention spans and the ability to focus, as well as increasing feelings of desensitization and unfavorable emotions. These major technological advancements have served to create an updated means of communication across the greater world. For the most part, this newfound, online system of communication avoids extensive or strict censorship, thus producing an environment with a vast range of both positive and negative content. However, it is important to note that there are some countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, North Korea, and more, that do restrict and heavily censor the access and creation of certain content/media within the nation (“10 Most Censored Countries.”). Moreover, the breaking of these laws can result in threats and criminal consequences, as well, therefore serving as a means to ensure the success of these restrictions (“10 Most Censored Countries.”). This does, to an extent, inhibit and alter the global reach of online communication systems. Nonetheless, there are a significant number of countries that do not employ such restrictions, other than content that is obviously obscene and illegal, including things such as child pornography, instructions on how to commit a crime, copyrighted material such as pirated movies, hate speech (however the subjective nature causes problems to arise regarding the enforcement of such content), and more (Gyang). Nations with such freedom include Iceland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, and more (Dorger). Less censorship inherently increases the opportunity and likelihood of users interacting, engaging, and viewing inherently negative, disturbing, and emotionally difficult content- in addition to joyous, positive, and helpful content. Though this internet freedom is extremely beneficial, there are some side effects that are worth discussing. While the freedom to create and view various forms of content has helped break down barriers that have historically inhibited the voices of many- especially those marginalized- multiple studies and subject matter experts have begun to raise concerns regarding the potentially damaging effects of constant, vaguely monitored media access. A significant topic of concern is the effects this endless internet access has on attention span, as well as the ability to focus for extended periods of time. Moreover, the ability to manipulate the human capacity for focus and attention is a highly appraised, and well-researched psychological theory. The studies surrounding the ability to alter a human's focus and attention have been heavily linked to research tracing back to the 1930s- conducted by B.F Skinner, a widely regarded influential behaviorist. As Skinner began his dive into the capability of mind manipulation, he measured the focus and behavior of animals in response to positive reinforcements (Hari, 52). To achieve this, he would provide an animal with a reward after the animal performed deliberate, pre-decided actions. This was done as a means to further motivate and encourage the animal to perform the desired behavior. An example would be giving a hungry pigeon a piece of food, but only after performing the decided behavior, such as a specific movement (Hari, 52). Moreover, Skinner learned that the experimental animal’s behavior began to consistently revolve around receiving a said reward, thus developing the widely known theory of operant conditioning. In addition to this, Skinner put forth the argument that the human mind has less freedom of choice than often believed. Instead, their focus, and choices, are simply a “sum total of all the reinforcements” experienced (Hari, 53). This research has had a profound ripple effect and is often taught and furthered through psychology courses, such as the “psychology of mind control,” and more (Hari, 109). This revelation can be directly attributed to the modern world and the vast content and media industry. Content creators, whether on a grander or smaller scale, benefit from the manipulation of an individual's attention. As success for content is dependent on the amount of engagement- thus recognition- it receives, increasing the focus and attention a viewer devotes to the work is crucial. Furthermore, this manipulation of an individual's focus has become a goal, as well as a side-effect, of the fast-growing tech world. With intentional and various approaches, the conveyors of this content- such as apps, news sites, blogs, etc- implement designs to best steal the attention of a viewer for as long as possible. Therefore, to attain this, the tech industry heavily employs techniques that are fundamentally based on the renowned theory of operant conditioning. Moreover, research is continuously conducted to create the algorithms best capable of achieving this focus-based objective. Scientists have, and continue to study how to best hack focus and attention, thus aiming to “design technology that could change your behavior” (Hari, 108). Former tech ethicist for Google, Tristan Harris, acknowledges this, claiming that - if done right- “you can manipulate people and they don’t even know it’s happening” (Hari, 108). This has become a dominating intention of companies within the tech industry, done as a way to ensure focus on their particular content/media, thus resulting in higher profit and success (Hari, 108). There has been a range of tactics implemented as a consequence of this, including the infinite scroll, the perpetuation of fast and constant media production, and an algorithmic push of negative content. These tactics work harmoniously on content-creating platforms to draw extended attention from viewers. The infinite scroll refers to the design of a content or media app that provides unlimited, immediately re-loadable content (Jack.) This is done to avoid users reaching a limit, therefore having to actively look outside of the app/content for more (Jack). To diminish the chances of a viewer leaving, the infinite scroll allows users to constantly switch from one piece of content to another in a matter of seconds, and with an unlimited and endless supply. Another technique employed is the use of positive reinforcement, often through reward-based interactions on one's content. This is done through things such as likes or hearts on a post, and allowing comments- which can be positive- on a user's content (Hari, 133). This creates a craving for the reinforcement, causing people to seek out the reward as often as possible, which is done by a near constant usage and engagement of the content. Furthermore, this creates an environment where the user can receive a constant stream of stimulation from a single app, and since there are various apps and media sites that employ this technique, people are able to switch rapidly to content across the internet. Consequently, this “constant influx of online information may encourage individuals to displace their concentration across multiple incoming media streams” (Firth, Joseph, et al). This may result in constant “attentional-switching versus sustained-attention tasks,” which leads to users focusing on an individual piece of content or information for a short amount of time (Firth, Joseph, et al). Additionally, users may begin to feel incapable of focusing on a particular piece of information without becoming bored and seeking out the constant stimulus provided by rapidly switching (Firth, Joseph, et al). This way of engaging with information trains the brain to read in a “different way- in a manic skip and jump from one thing to another” (Hari, 81). This is because “we run our eyes rapidly over the information to extract what we need-”- and when one becomes accustomed to such a way of learning, it is only natural that it becomes the behavioral default (Hari, 81). Additionally, “this atmosphere of manic disruption” makes the “adrenal gland pump up production of cortisol and adrenaline (Harris, 10). Increased cortisol levels can have negative effects both physically and mentally, such as increased stress, irritability, headaches, etc (Santos-Longhurst). However, if one is addicted to the constant switching of attention, it is inevitable that cortisol levels will rise, thus increasing the chance of experiencing the negative side effects it brings. While stress hormones can, to some degree, boost energy levels and augment memory in the short term, “over time they actually impair cognition,” leading to things such as depression by altering areas of the brain that control mood and thought (Harris, 10). Therefore, this constant switching encouraged by the dominating algorithmic designs creates the potential for long-term harmful impacts on an individual's brain, thoughts, and mood- in addition to decreasing the ability to focus for extended periods of time. Alongside the impact on attention spans, the nearly unlimited access to a vast range of online media creates an environment where users will experience both negative and positive content. Furthermore, it is unlikely that a user can, or will, avoid witnessing content that is deeply negative, violent, emotionally difficult, traumatic, and more. Whether it is a consequence of scrolling through the endless, hardly censored content on apps, a news notification, or a video, it is improbable, without strict censorship, that one can avoid coming across negative, jarring, or disturbing media. In addition to this, humans have a tendency for negative bias, which causes us to instinctively stare at things that are negative or outrageous for longer periods of time than we would spend on something positive or calming (Hari, 131). Due to this, algorithms are designed to push the content that is most likely to induce negative emotions, so as to increase the amount of time spent on the app/site. Moreover, it is the usage of words in titles such as hate, obliterates, destroys, etc., that is most likely to be picked up and promoted (Hari, 131). As a result, “an algorithm that prioritizes keeping you glued to the screen will- unintentionally but inevitably prioritize outraging and angering you” (Hari, 131). By using negative content as a tactic to induce engagement with content, it is arguably near impossible for an internet user- especially in countries with high internet freedom- to avoid witnessing or interacting with content that promotes negative, and mentally harmful emotions. Additionally, strong emotions such as anger can hinder the ability to focus, so, therefore, the attention span is not only being harmed through manic switching but also the digestion of negative content. However, this paper does not aim to villainize or ignore the benefits of the internet and its highly accessible content. Rather, it is to discuss and put forth ideas regarding some of the potential harm this access may inflict. With this nearly unlimited access to content, and resources from the content, society has a greater ability to educate further, connect with others globally, participate in movements, share one's passions, and much more. As the main means used for communication has endured a rapid and immense shift through technology, it is not surprising that negative reactions have been raised regarding the change. Skepticism and disagreements regarding the development and changes in a society's main form of communication have been a historical occurrence. For example, Socrates believed that the shift from an oral culture to a written one would degrade and ruin the human mind, by causing it to rely on reminiscence through reviewing written and recorded thoughts, rather than relying on memory (Harris, 32). Further, the printing press was regarded by opposers as a “serious destabilizer to the culture at large,” therefore causing written manuscripts and books to be seen as a threat to society's well being (Harris, 12). Negative reactions continued to follow through later developments such as the radio, the computer, and so on. The integration of a new predominant means of communication will inevitably lead to criticism, as well as praise. However, these past creations did not become the downfall of society or ruin minds, as these historical opposers suggested. Therefore, it cannot be entirely assumed that the internet and media are the downfall that some current-day arguments propose. However, this does not discount modern-day research and its findings regarding the potentially harmful effects of constant media consumption and access. However, the degree to which it will impact society, particularly negatively, can only be known through time. The internet creates an environment where society and individuals have nearly unlimited access to slightly censored content. Additionally, the industries which benefit from content consumption aim to manipulate users to focus longer on their sites as a way to outdo competitors. This has led tech companies to employ psychological tactics, such as negative bias and operant conditioning, to promote user attention to their site. Furthermore, the various avenues of content that users can access often lead to constant switching between information, thus harming an individual's ability to focus for extended periods of time. Works Cited CPJ. “10 Most Censored Countries.” Committee to Protect Journalists, 21 Apr. 2015. https://cpj.org/2015/04/10-most-censored-countries/ Dorger, Samanda. “The Countries with the Least and Most Internet Freedom.” TheStreet, 18 Nov. 2020. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/countries-with-least-most-internet-freedom-2020%23gid%3Dci0274310ea00127c6%26pid%3D6-paris-france-sh&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1688693014048148&usg=AOvVaw1AqrwlTNER0e-bCFkRX-pl Firth, Joseph, et al. “The ‘Online Brain’: How the Internet May Be Changing Our Cognition.” World Psychiatry, vol. 18, no. 2, 2019, pp.119–129. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6502424/ Gyang, Joshua. “What Content Is Illegal on the Internet?” FinsliQ Blog, 27 Mar. 2023. https://www.finsliqblog.com/what-content-is-illegal-on-the internet/#:~:text=Some%20examples%20of%20illegal%20content,it%20exploits%20and%20harms%20children. Jack, Bobby. “What Is Infinite Scrolling and How Does It Work?” MUO, 26 Feb. 2021. https://www.makeuseof.com/what-is-infinite-scrolling-and-how-does-it-work/ Santos-Longhurst, Adrienne. “High Cortisol Levels: Symptoms, Causes, and More.” Edited by Meredith Goodwin, Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cortisol-symptoms#:~:text=High%20cortisol%20levels%20can%20cause,%2C%20saliva%2C%20or%20urine%20test. © 2023 Niki Christine. All Rights Reserved.
Women are continuously subjected to an array of accusations, definitions, dismissals, and discriminations regarding their mental and physical capacities, both inherently and in comparison to men. Moreover, women face a consistent association with mental illness to an egregious degree. The oppression and discrimination within misogynistic cultures throughout history have consequently caused women to experience an erosion of mental wellness, thus leading to the propagation of intergenerational mental ailments. As a result, the historically consistent misogynistic narrative that madness directly correlates with womanhood has, despite medical and social advancements, resulted in generational mental illness among women, alongside an internalized notion of inevitable insanity. Women have long been linked to the development of various mental disorders and illnesses. Hysteria, in particular, was the first mental illness attributable to women and traces back to the second millennium BC (Tasca, Cecilia, et al). Showing up in ancient Egypt, traditional symptoms of this disorder were described “as tonic-clonic seizures and the sense of suffocation and imminent death” (Tasca, Cecilia, et al). These symptoms portray a heightened sense of emotions such as panic and anxiety, in addition to the physical manifestation of seizures. The highly emotional episodes came to be called hysteria and were believed to be caused by a wandering uterus. This refers to the idea that “spontaneous uterus movement within the female body,” resulted in hysterical episodes. By presenting hysteria as a side-effect of having this female organ, the disorder becomes inseparable from women. Women and madness, another term for hysteria, were so deeply connected that “women were often not described as "patients" to be cured but rather as the "cause" (Tasca, Cecilia, et al). Therefore, Hysteria was inherently a woman's disease, as it could only exist if there was a woman's body to give it home. As seen above, hysteria was affecting women’s mental wellness as a result of their natural anatomy. Due to this, there were multiple healing measures taken to try and rebalance the uterus’ placement. Different scents were commonly used in attempts to achieve this (Tasca, Cecilia, et al). This was done by placing perfumed or acrid-smelling substances near the woman’s mouth, or private regions, with the belief that this would coerce the uterus back into place (Tasca, Cecilia, et al). The arguably most common cure, however, was sexual activity. This cure maintained that the uterus “is sad and unfortunate when it does not join with the male and does not give rise to a new birth” (Tasca, Cecilia, et al). As a result of this logic, women were encouraged to, and most likely forced, to participate in sexual relations with men. Additionally, this logic was perpetuated by multiple, influential figures in history. Philosophers such as Plato, Hippocrates, Galen, and Aristotle were all of the same opinion, which argued that the woman’s uterus was the harbinger of this brain disorder (Tasca, Cecilia, et al). The co-signing of these theories by highly regarded individuals such as these serves to highlight how deeply embedded into society this reasoning and its abusive cures were- and though the lesser violating of these cures, scents, would fade out over time, sexual assault would sustain. This direct correlation between the female anatomy and mental illness naturally assumes that women were victims to their bodies and essentially helpless against the development of a debilitating mental state. Moreover, these beliefs associated women with a life ruled by determinism. Essentially, determinism claims that the world and our experience in it “is fixed as a matter of natural law” (Hoefer, Carl). If the innate female anatomy is to blame for causing insanity, then women are reduced to a fated life of hysteria and mental illness. As the human body will naturally change and evolve, including the functioning of the uterus, it is unlikely that a woman will circumvent the development of hysteria. Pregnancy and birth cause movement of the uterus, and as procreation was argued to be a cure due to the logic that the uterus was sad, women were encouraged to use an antidote that would definitionally induce madness. Further, this reasoning trains women to be aware of a ticking time bomb of mental illness within their bodies. Raised in a misogynistic culture such as this, it is unlikely women thought very differently regarding their bodies and mind. Unless a member of the upper class, women were generally uneducated and closed off from any sense of edification. (Lambert, Tim). Without access to education, the development of rationality, critical thinking skills, social- and physical- awareness is stunted. As a result, it is unlikely women would have had the intellectual ability to reason outside of the claims and narratives deeply rooted within their culture. As a further consequence, they were likely unaware that this treatment was abusive and thus had negative impacts on their psyche and mental well-being. Though philosophy and science developed, the pairing of women and mental illness continued to prevail. The narrative that women were innately sick- both mentally and physically, dominated the blossoming field of psychiatry and medicine. The notion that women were inherently sick is highlighted in the words of “eminent surgeon, Silas Weir Mitchell,” who claimed that “the man that does not know sick women, does not know women (Ehrenreich and English, 1978:129)” (Usher, 90). Quoted in the late 1900s, it is clear that although medicine and science had grown by leaps, women were still bound by the belief that their life was fated to madness. However, the narrative that sexual activity could help cure women had done a 180, and participation in sexual activity- outside of marriage, was now seen as a symptom of mental illness (Usher, page 72). However, this did not prevent sexually abusive cures from occurring, instead switched to things such as clitorectomy to stop women from indulging in sexual activities. Additionally, women were subjected to something known as the rest cure, which operated under the belief that limiting a woman’s stimulation to as little as possible would help heal her thus leading to extensive isolation and loneliness. Due to the traumatic nature of these cures, women who were mentally well before the experience most likely left with significant emotional, and physical scarring. In response to intensely abusive situations, it is probable that coping mechanisms such as dissociation, melancholy, and hysteria (uncontrolled, magnified expressions of emotion) increased. These cures were arguably stimulants for madness. Not only were women socialized to believe their bodies held the cause of insanity, but that traumatic abuse would heal them. Women affected by these misogynistic practices that go on to have children may unknowingly pass down the emotional impacts. As women were forced to cope with the effects of abuse, coupled with the narrative that this same abuse should have healed them, it is unlikely that their behavior did not reflect this. Whether it be severe bouts of depression or debilitating hysteria, the emotional state of these women must have suffered. Furthermore, there is research suggesting that being raised by a traumatized parent can have significant environmental, and potentially genetic, impacts. Though the studies surrounding the notion that trauma can be genetic are still developing, there is evidence that children raised by heavily traumatized parents can grow up to portray similar emotional symptoms (Rachel and Lehrner). This means that daughters, as they are raised, can potentially inherit deeply internalized trauma from affected mothers. Examples of this intergenerational trauma manifest through behavior such as a tendency towards catastrophizing, dysphoria, hypervigilance, anxiety, nightmares, guilt, and more- emotions which were also attributed to women with hysteria, as well as being normal trauma responses (Rachel and Lehrner). Additionally, these children display behavior signifying an over-identification with their parents, impaired self-esteem, and worry that parental trauma could be repeated (Rachel and Lehrner). This highlights that children may pick up on, either through direct knowledge or intuition, their parents' traumatized past. Therefore, even if trauma is not genetically passed, being raised by a traumatized parent can affect a child's mental wellness and behavior in a way that appears similar to the parents themselves. In addition to potentially passing down the emotional states that trauma can induce, the belief that female anatomy is to blame for their mental ailments- rather than abusive circumstances, may also persevere. Mothers are just “as indoctrinated by patriarchal ideology as their daughters will come to be” (Usher, page 39) and as a result, may raise their children in a manner that upholds the misogynistic beliefs that have, and continue to, oppress them. However, mothers are not solely to blame, if to blame, at all, for this perpetuation. As they are victims and therefore the effects will, by default, color aspects of their behavior and beliefs. This may unknowingly contribute to reproducing and advancing misogynistic narratives within their household. As a result, their daughters may inherit the impending sense of doom due to their body’s vulnerabilities to hysteria, alongside the emotional symptoms discussed above. As women generationally pass down these misogynistic narratives and trauma, it is unsurprising they make up the largest population of psychiatric patients (CDC and Prevention). Furthermore, while seeking help may be due to actual mental illness, it could also be a result of the internalized idea that women are born with the ingredients for insanity. Subconsciously or not, women affected by this thought could seek psychiatric help as a way to justify these feelings or to confirm that there is something wrong with them- as they have been told. Misogyny creates abusive and violent societies for women and reinforces the harmful inferiority and notions of hysteria when women display common symptoms of reactive abuse and trauma. It is only natural for women to feel an internal sense of insanity as they are constantly shut down, violated, and given narratives claiming they are mentally unwell. As a result, madness induced by misogyny is an instinctive and human response that continues to generationally pass down and affect the mental well-being of women. Works Cited Hoefer, Carl. “Causal Determinism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 21 Jan. 2016. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/determinism-causal/#Int Lambert, Tim. “A History of Women’s Education.” Local Histories, 24 Mar. 2023. https://localhistories.org/a-history-of-womens-education/ “Products - Data Briefs - Number 380 - September 2020.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Sept. 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db380.htm Tasca, Cecilia, et al. “Women and Hysteria in the History of Mental Health.” Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, vol. 8, no. 1, 2012, pp. 110–119. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480686/ Traniello , Vanessa. Hysteria and the Wandering Womb. https://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/hysteria.html Ussher, Jane M. Women’s Madness: Misogyny or Mental Illness? University of Massachusetts Press, 1992. “Products - Data Briefs - Number 380 - September 2020.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Sept. 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db380.htm Yehuda, Rachel, and Amy Lehrner. “Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma Effects: Putative Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms.” World Psychiatry, vol. 17, no. 3, 2018, pp. 243–257, https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20568 |