Sexism

In the United States, we have mostly done away with the idea that women are incapable of doing many of the jobs normally worked by men. Sure, in some places you’ll find that this idea still, just like racism, can still be found. Sayings and phrasing of sentences have been puffed up and changed around so that everything can be “PC” or “politically correct”. We wouldn’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings now, would we? What happens when somebody forgets to watch what he or she says, and winds up speaking exactly how he or she feels? Lawsuits ensue.

In some parts of the world, such as Iran, women are forced to cover themselves with long robes in front of strange men. Because of this ancient law or tradition, Iranian women cannot take part in international competitions. Twenty years ago the regime in place now made veiling obligatory for all women. In 2005 over eighty women registered to run for president. And all were rejected on the basis of sex.

In the United States we nearly had a female president just this year. Closer, at least, then any other attempt made so far. In many Latin American countries there are female presidents in office right now. Where you are can definitely determine the extent of sexism, if any, and why.

One major thing that contributed to a breakthrough against sexism in America was during World War I, when many men went off to fight, and women were forced to take up jobs. Women stepped up to the jobs their husbands, fathers, and even brothers left behind. They proved themselves just as capable of work as the men they filled in for and replaced.

Bruce Wayne, one of the wealthiest men in the world, spends his nights dressing up as the Batman, and beating criminals to a pulp with his bare fists. He breaks bones and laws, not caring how many, as long as his targets are brought to justice.

Batman terrorizes criminals in the night, but even though he is doing the city a favor, some citizens look on him with hatred. The Joker is a big cause of this hatred. Innocent people are being killed, and the Joker claims the killing will stop if Batman will simply reveal his true identity. If he does this, Batman becomes just a crazy man in a suit, instead of the symbol of justice that he is.

Even though Batman does not die in the story, he is a tragic hero because he puts himself through much suffering to save citizens that don’t appreciate him for it. This would be ok if they praised Batman, like Superman, or Spiderman are praised. Instead, he attends a press conference, where people shout out against Batman, expressing their hatred towards him. Batman’s greatest pain is when he goes to save Rachel, only to discover that the Joker sent him to the wrong building, and while Harvey Dent lived, Rachel died.

One could conceivably argue that Batman is also an anti-hero, because of all the laws Batman must break to do what he does. When the Joker tells Gotham City that citizens will die every day that the Batman does not turn himself in, the citizens turn on Batman. Basically, Batman does not receive the praise and thanks he deserves.