What is Women's Studies?

          First, let me begin by stating that I am a feminist.  Although I do not actively fight for women's rights, I define feminism as a belief in the equality between men and women, with no limitations on race and class.  In this sense, I am a total feminist.  However, with that said, I do not fit any of the negative stereotypes that society imposes upon feminists.  I am not a man-hater, I am not a lesbian, I do not want to overpower men; I want equality.  I want to be able to have the chance to do anything I set my mind to, regardless if society deems me physically able to do so.
          In the last two years, I had an ex-boyfriend who worked in the local Sysco Distribution Center and they paid great money so I wanted to apply.  He said, "There is no way they would hire you.  You can't do the job!"  Of course, he was referring to my being a woman, which in his terms is synonymous with weakness.  (Needless to say, the relationship ended shortly after.)  I approached the situation logically, and I said that they could not discriminate against me because of my sex.  He replied rather proudly, "They won't say it is because you are a woman.  They will make something up.  They know how to get around stuff like that in court."  Obviously, they did seeing as how there were only two women working there and they worked in the office; both of them became the basis of the men’s objectification and flirtation "because they are the only women there to look at."  This is just disgusting to me.  In a way, this experience contributed to my being a feminist.  I was so offended by everything my boyfriend and his work friends said and did; I wanted to know how to change this.
          Throughout my Women's Studies courses, I hope to gain a new outlook on why situations like this are possible.  In my opinion, Sysco is a prime example of a male-dominated patriarchal society, in which women are controlled and kept passive.  I hope to learn ways of coping with attitudes like the Sysco men and figure out how to battle inequality in my own milieu.  I am not one of the women in our society that think we have achieved full equality.  Equality by definition means equal quantities on each side involved.  This is not present within our society.  The United States ranks #69 of the world’s countries who have women present in government (http://www.southernct.edu/womenscenter/topics/womenandgovernment/).  It is hard to believe that countries like Afghanistan and Rwanda—countries that many Americans see as oppressive towards women, rank much higher that The United States.  Until people stop laughing when they hear notions of a woman president, and begin placing validity in such an aspiration, our society will be unable to hold males and females as equal.