Consequences of the Power Hierarchy

After reading the selection of articles, I was really troubled by the many problems and inequalities that they discuss. Despite the fact that women differ in many areas of life considering race and class, the issues women face stem from the same root- the issue of power. This problem of power manifests itself in different ways, but nonetheless, it is the common ground for many of the injustices women face. As Steinem writes “white, non-poor males, [is] the group most likely to become hooked on the drug of superiority.” This drug of superiority creates the power hierarchy, which allows men to act out in ways to assert their power. This assertion of power, as we discussed in class, can unfortunately lead to rape and murder. Steinem’s notion of supremacy crimes plays into this power hierarchy also, as these crimes establish male supremacy and help men “find a place in a male hierarchy.” The problem of this power hierarchy is evident not only in power play situations between women and men, but also in social situations among women, as demonstrated in Crenshaw’s article.

Both articles from the NY Times demonstrate the difficulties women face in the armed forces, due to the fact that merely being a woman is still a relatively new concept. While some claim to not feel the pressures of being a woman, both articles stress that women are indeed still feeling the pressures and prejudices of being the “othered” gender. When sexual abuse happens in these circumstances, the dilemma of whether or not to report the abuse is doubled, as reporting the incident may cause waves of trouble for investigations and perhaps compromising their missions. Some women become reluctant to report the abuse in fear of their safety because they live in such quarters. However, when some women did choose to report the abuse, they were treated with punishments. Instead of focusing on the rape investigation, abuse coordinators chastised Helen Benedict for leaving her post and weapon. Instead of focusing investigations on a report abuse case, Sgt. Tracey R. Phillips was asked to leave the Army. I think the fact that “ a woman in the military is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq” is a horrifying and sad statistic. It demonstrates that despite the fact that women are risking their lives and fighting alongside of men, men still do not consider women as their equals. Carrying out these acts of sexual violence is just another way for men to assert their power and “superiority.”

Some women also find themselves pitted against another battle of power, as outlined in Kimberle Crenshaw’s article. Crenshaw argues that women, and in most cases, women of color, struggle to come to terms with abuse, and how to report and react to it. Like the women discussed in the NY Times articles, Crenshaw’s women are faced with the issue of reporting their cases of abuse. For some women, reporting the abuse might cause investigations into their families, and some women do not want to run the risk of their families being investigated. Some women face the threat of being deported and being solely dependent on the person who is abusing them. I was most troubled by the case of the Hispanic woman and her son who were turned away from the shelter because she did not speak English. Although I understand the point of workers not being able to communicate with them, the fact that they knew she was living on the streets and still did not accept her is alarming. These shelters are supposed to be safe havens for women who are abused; a place where they can live free of the fear of their abusers. It seems unfair to me that some women are turned down because of their language capabilities. As Crenshaw suggests, this opens up another hierarchy of power, but this time it is among women themselves. Cases like this show that even in the most dire circumstances women still have to overcome the obstacle of who is holding the power.