Anything He Can Do, She Can Do Better

For an individual to say that someone is truly satisfied, is naive. Society is a constantly moving mechanism of unsatisfied people, trying to pursue the illusion of what culture believes as "happy." The "American Dream" is an idea that is idolized by anyone wishing to change their place in society. The definition itself is "the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American". It's a concept that focuses on the idea that Americans are all given equal chance to make their place in the world and achieve that "happiness" society always desires. However, "freedom" has its limits. Minorities in the American culture, such as women, are said to be given the same "opportunity" as everyone else, however, statistically it just isn't correct.

Women often face a glass ceiling when it comes to promotions, which is evident when you survey the lack of women in leadership positions at major companies. The fact that women are unable to reach the same "authority" as men shows that the awe-inspiring "American Dream" is not so easily achieved. The number of men and women in the world is roughly equal, though men hold a slight lead with 102 men for 100 women (in 2010). Since the beginning of time, men and women (in terms of numbers) are almost identical, yet the authoritative place women have in the world has always been lower. Women were not given the right to vote until the 19th Amendment which was put in place in August of 1920. Up until then women were not able to own any property of any kind nor claim any of the money they actually made - further showing that even in the 19th century, women were not given the same opportunity to chase the "American Dream" as men. The "Roaring Twenties" were a time where women had decided to change the limitations society had given to them. "Flapper" girls challenged the traditional expectations of women by taking on the roles of men. Young women began smoking, drinking, and having sex at free will to eliminate the Double Standard that took place during that time. The 1920s were a time that became a turning point for the empowerment of women; allowing the realization that women also were able to chase the limitless dreams that they desired - and in doing so equality, authority, and the ability to chase the "American Dream" all became intertwined. However, as it is written in its 1997 Human Development Report, " No society treats its women as well as its men.". Men give respect to other men, and often times, they forget about the women who are working just as hard.

Today, gender equality has definitely improved by having women be a part of America's government and having a historical impact on society. Yet, inequality still exists in different forms . Jobs that are considered traditional women's work, such as nursing and teaching, are often some of the lowest-paying fields. Therefore, despite more jobs being available for women, restrictions to fields still apply. In May of 2014, the gender wage gap stood at 18.2%, translating that if a woman were to work an average week, full - time, she would make approximately $1,275.90, yet compared to a man who would work an identical amount of time would earn $1,559.10 per week.; that's a total of women making $283.20 less than men per week, with no real explanation as to why. On average in 2010, women only made 77 cents as to every dollar a man earned. The context for why a man makes more than a women was never fully understood. The differences in body types (only being in physical size) were enough to hold back 283 dollars a week. In reality, the difference between men and women are not that much different. Previously, it has been said that men are smarter, hence why they would be paid more; however, it's quite the opposite. In fact, in the United States and a number of other countries, women now actually surpass men in educational achievement. By saying that women get paid less because they aren't as intelligent is all but true. In actuality, in the last 100 years the IQ scores of both men and women have risen, but women's have risen faster. The equality of men and women in pursuit of their "American Dream" should be a straight forward concept; however, the limitations created by other "American Dream" pursuers get in the way.

Every aspect of the "American Dream" has a understandable attractiveness. The idea that everyone is given an equal chance to chase the life they want to live and do it in a way that is successful and freeing is a nice one; however, the people who fuel the "American Dream" are the true reason as to why its unreachable. Society is constantly changing and will do anything to get that authoritative satisfaction they desire, even if that means pushing aside the other dreamers who are in their way. The "American Dream" is a dream of equality, and unfortunately, women are not given the same "equal" opportunities to achieve that goal. The illusion of equality in the "American Dream" is what makes people constantly crave more. Women will continue to have to fight for their equality in the "Pursuit of Happiness" while men continue to fight for the standing they already have. However, it is that equality that makes the "American Dream' so addicting, the idea of reaching that equality is what makes it all worthwhile.