Gendertics

 Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable - a most sacred right - a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world.  – Abraham Lincoln
                The quote above, I feel really brings the beginning of a belief that is looked over in today’s society.  That is “The Right to Abolish Government” The American Constitution:  Our founding document that has ruled this land for over 200 years. It has seen some of the biggest changes amended to it in the last 100 than what our founding fathers had in mind.  Yet, in this day and age we have yet to really tackle some of the biggest problems we see in today’s lifestyle.  How many of problems do you think of?

-          Universal Healthcare
-          Equal Rights
-          Homosexual Marriage
-          Employee Rights
           
                When it comes to such an institution, the political “game” is still considered a man’s “game”. As majority of all Representatives, Congress members, Supreme Court Justice, and finally Federal and State political seat holders are male in the United States of America.   We fail to really see that all issues that are presented to the government that need to be addressed are in the end.  They come down to gender issues.  Gender is the single key issue, if addressed and dealt with in the most sensitive way it can be would abolish much discussion of rights in American Government.  Statistically speaking “Gender” can be building block for anything.  As both “Female” and “Male” bodies are different in many ways, and yet are very similar in ways as well.  It’s just how you see them.  Let’s break down the government’s seat holders by gender then, we shall tackle the issues.  You are going to need to think about this!      
            The American government has three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.  Let’s start with the Legislative (also, the largest of all three).  The Legislative branch is made up of the U.S. Congress.  We have had 112 Congresses since it was first established in 1789. The Congress is 541 members strong. Now, Congress consists of two separate assemblies: The Senate and House of Representatives.  This breaking  541 members between the houses you get 100 to the Senate (Two elected from each state) and the House of Representatives which consist of 435 (State population determines how many Representatives a state is allotted) … Wait? That doesn’t equal 541… Correct.  You have 6 non-voting delegates as well.  So, now time for a gender statistics overhaul!

111th Congress Statistics
House of Representatives
435 Members + 6 Non-Voting Delegates

Male  362 Members are Male

Female  73 Members are Female

Senate
100 Members

Male  83 Members are Male

Female  17 Members are Female

     When it comes down to it and numbers do not lie. Women do not make up a large portion of most political seats in Federal or State government.   As, it comes down to it: Women’s Equal Rights did not allow this for the longest time, as they were non-existent.  Now, the laws have changed and yet, gender wise, Men have the upper hand because they have “ruled” over these seats since they were first established.  Thus, Men holding the seats are a tradition that is still very seen in our society.  So, this is why the number is only slowly growing as Women are almost 200 years behind the men in American Politics.                 It’s ultimately a fail that anything like Gender Segregation happens in politics when two major political parties exist:  Republican and Democratic parties.  These parties exist with both sexes/genders in them.  Even though sectors in the parties exist of different viewpoints and beliefs but the major issues still unite the parties as a whole.  Meaning both sexes/genders have the same viewpoints on key issues and ideally vote for those in their district that will represent them based on which party they are in.  So, does it really matter that the gender/sex of the person makes them a better or less person to run for a seat for that party?  No, because they are united on key issues. That’s why the idea of segregation that we do not force but follow because it’s a tradition really is a fallacy.                
               The only issues that gender should be an issue is ultimately healthcare.  Why you ask?  Well, it’s simple that the female body and the male body are different in many functions as well as similar.  We just need to make sure that the help that is needed to take care of which ever body you have.  That’s only where it should come down too.  We exist as two bodies, but when you force the idea of gender into issues that play no real factor into them.  Only makes them worst because you are forcing false ideas into issues that could get along just fine.   Homosexual Marriage is one of these.  Many state Charters in the United States state that marriage is “The union of two people who are of the opposite sex.” This is also known as ‘Man and Woman’.  Why should anyone have the right to bar two people from doing what they deem they have achieved with their lives and relationship.  If two people find that they can exist with each other and love each other for their life.  Why should they not get the benefits that come with it?  ‘Civil Unions’ and ‘Domestic Partnerships’ is one thing, yet, they have their downsides as well:

Civil Unions: Demark in 1989, set up this type of “Marriage Status” that allowed couples of the same-sex to gain benefits of a married couple but the only argument best summed up by Nancy Cott “There is really not comparison, because there is nothing like marriage except marriage.”  It’s only argued that it allows the state to discern a couple as second class citizens because they are not under law part of the “Married” status. (Civil Union, 2012)

Domestic Partnership: Predating the 1999 legislative turn for this form of relationships, a domestic partnership allowed two major benefits for same-sex couples.  One, they were allowed hospital visits and time off for taking care of a partner in the hospital.  Two, they were allowed to put their partner down as next as kin in wills as well as insurance policies.  After 1999, most states who had this legislation actually allowed a change to give all benefits a married couple received to domestic partnerships. (Domestic Partnership, 2012)

                 Finally, you can see that no differences come across these two forms of partnerships except wording. The two major parts of these is this:  That in either of these types of “Marriage Statuses” they are known for giving benefits as a married couple but is not considered a full blown “Marriage”.  Secondly, Marriages are excepted in all 50 states.  Unlike a Marriage, Domestic Partnerships and Civil Unions are not.  Only a handful for states accepts these as a form of union between two same-sex members. Secondly, if you move out of a state that allows such a form of bondage.  You will find that you can have your Union revoked.  It is up to that state you move into to allow it or to deny it based on their state legislation.
                Above you can see the benefits of these two types of “Unions” for homosexuals.  Ultimately, the singular idea that everyone is trying to achieve is the idea that all persons regardless of gender or sexual orientation, should not be persecuted because they are different.  The United States was founded for the exact opposite reason; it was founded for being free from tyranny that kept a person from being who they wanted to be.  That is a government that I see when I look at the American Government.  Even though you have people with intentions other than those of you or I see when we look.                 What do you know about Equal Rights for Employees in America?  Did you know that it does not legally state that Women have the same equal rights as Men? The Bill of Rights was never amended to allow this to happen.  Now, it may state “No Persons”, but you really can’t rely on that when it states “All Men are created equal.”  Gender, should never play a factor in who a company or person should hire to work from them.  Work Ethic and Character should play a large role in it.  If a person is more qualified for a job over another, then that person who is more qualified should get the job.  They should also get equal wages across the board.  In the job fields, a company can give raises based on performance.                  Though, they can give them to who they deem worthy.  Meaning, if a company wants they can discriminate against a person of Sex, Religion, Creed, Color, or Orientation.  All they have to do is not give a wage increase to that person or give a wage increase of lesser proportions.  I feel that the scale is just set there to ensure no one can feel discriminated against, yet, it does exactly that.  The raise scale set by any company, really just sets them up to make it feel unfair and all they have to say is it is “Based on job performance” to get away with it.  Only equal raises that are given are “Cost of Living” wage increases.  The only thing that is equal is the fact that you can only give a payment per hour that is no less than “Minimum Wage”.  Unless, that worker is in a position that offers tips as equal compensation as a fair wage.  This is normally what you would expect a “Hostess” or “Server” at a restaurant to receive.
                We established a government for the better of a collective that was discriminated upon.  That is really the main reason the American Government was established.  People who wanted a freedom to be who they wanted to be and to live as they deemed fit for themselves and not as another person saw.  Somewhere down the line though, this was forgotten and the greed of people and the closed minded agenda that is bred from greed.  That is what we live in now.  Progressive as it still is, it’s been hinder by other obligations that are put first.  Mainly, the need for money, foreign affairs, and the dependence we as a country have on foreign goods and services.  One day though, our country will make every bad decision we have ever made and overturn them.  That will be when we as a country see who a person is, and no longer let an uncontrollable factor as gender/sex rule that we see.




Works Cited(CAWP), C. F. (2012). Women in Elective Office 2012. New Brunswick, NJ: Center for American Woman and Politics (CAWP).
Civil Union. (2012, March 5). Retrieved March 18, 20122, from Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_unionDomestic Partnership. (2012, February 11). Retrieved March 18, 2012, from Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_partnerships_in_CaliforniaBrainyQuote. (2001 - 2012). Abraham Lincoln Quotes. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from BrainyQuote:http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/abraham_lincoln.htmlWikipedia. (2012, February 22). Members of the 111th United States Congress. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Members_of_the_111th_United_States_Congress