sexism persuasive essay

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• Feminist persuasive speech topics

108 feminist persuasive speech topics

- the top current women's rights & feminist issues.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

There are 108 persuasive speech topics here covering many current feminist issues. For example:

• that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap,
• that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports body image insecurities to serve its own ends,
• that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society...

They're provocative and challenging topics raising issues that I like to think should be of concern to us all! 

Use the quick links to find a topic you want to explore

• 25 feminist persuasive speech topics about beauty and fashion
• 16 the media and feminism topics
• 8 the role of language and feminism speech ideas

8 feminist speech ideas about culture and arts

9 topics on education and gendered expectations, 27 feminist topics about society & social inequality, 8 business & work related feminist speech topics.

• Resources for preparing persuasive speeches
• References for feminism

What is 'feminism'?

Feminism is defined as belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes, expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests.

(See: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism )

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25 feminist speech topics about beauty & fashion

• that from puberty onward a woman is targeted by cosmetic companies
• that the shape of woman’s body is valued over its health
• that physical beauty in a woman is conferred by popular beliefs
• that striving for what is regarded as the epitome of female physical perfection destroys women
• that physical perfection is a myth
• that compassion and collaboration is needed between women (and men) rather than competition and comparison
• that beauty, fashion and feminism can co-exist
• that clothing reflects social position or class
• that the fashionable clothing of any era reflects its dominate cultural beliefs
• that a modern feminist does not need to ban either the bra or the razor
•  that prescriptive beauty norms (PBNs) reinforce sexism, racism, colorism, classism, ableism, ageism, and gender norms
• that western feminine beauty standards dominate globally
• that there is no legitimate historical or biological justification for the ‘white’ beauty myth
• that modern beauty standards were used as “political weapons" against women’s advancement (see Naomi Wolfe - The Beauty Myth )
• that the beauty industry cynically and callously exploits women through “self-empowerment” campaigns – eg L'Oreal's  “Because you're worth it”
• that beauty shaming of any sort is shameful
• that health and beauty need to work together for the empowerment of women
• that beauty and fashion role models need to be independent of major brands
• that fashion and cosmetic industries have a moral responsibility to use the immense power they have in shaping people’s lives for their betterment
• that the unfair balance of power between the consumers of fashionable clothing and those who make it is a feminist issue
• that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap
• that genuinely sustainable fashion is only responsible way forward
• that clothing/fashion can make a feminist statement. For example: the 1850s “freedom” or “bloomer” dress named after women’s rights and temperance advocate Amelia Bloomer , the wearing of trousers, shorts, or mini skirts by women, or skirts and dresses by men
• that boss dressing for women is unnecessary and toxic
• that establishing superiority through wearing elitist fashion is an age old ploy

16 the media and feminism speech topics

• that feminism in mainstream media is often misrepresented through lack of understanding
• that some media deliberately encourages a narrow polarizing definition of feminism to whip up interest and drama for its own sake
• that mainstream media plays a significant role in keeping women marginalized
• that social media has created an independent level playing field for feminists globally
• that the #metoo movement reaffirmed the need for community and solidarity amongst feminists
• that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports ongoing body image insecurities to serve its own ends
• that the advertising industry decides and deifies what physical perfection looks like
• that the ideal cover girl body/face is a myth
• that eating disorders and negative body image problems are increased by the unrealistic beauty standards set by mainstream media
• that women get media coverage for doing newsworthy things and being beautiful. Men get media coverage for doing newsworthy things.
• that social media gives traditionally private issues a platform for discussion and change: abortion, domestic abuse, pay equity
• that print media (broadsheets, magazines, newspapers...) have played and continue to play a vital role in feminist education
• that ‘the women’s hour’ and similar radio programs or podcasts have been and are an important part in highlighting feminist issues
• that ‘feminist wokeness’ has been hijacked by popular media
• that social media reinforces prejudices rather than challenges them because the smart use of analytics means we mainly see posts aligned with our viewpoints
• that social media has enabled and ‘normalized’ the spread of pornography: the use of bodies as a commodity to be traded

8 the role language and feminism speech ideas

• that frequently repeated platitudes (eg. girls will be girls and boys will be boys) are stereotypical straitjackets stifling change
• that the derogatory words for females and female genitalia frequently used to vent anger or frustration demonstrate the worth and value placed on women
• that feminism is neither male nor female
• that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society
• that sexist language needs to be called out and changed
• that gendered language limits women’s opportunities
• that gendered languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi...) need to become more inclusive
• that the real enemy of feminism is language
• that limitations in any arena (work, sports, arts) placed on woman because they are women need challenging
• that male bias in the organizations awarding major awards and grants needs to change
• that the ideal woman in art is a figment of a male imagination
• that historically art has objectified women
• that heroic figures should be celebrated and honored for their deeds – not for what they look like or their gender
• that strong feisty female characters in literature can inspire change eg. Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte’s novel of the same name, and Offred from Margaret Atwood’s The Hand Maiden’s Tale.
• that the role of feminist art in any field: literature, film, theatre, dance, sculpture..., is to transform and challenge stereotypes. Examples of feminist artists: Judy Chicago, Miriam Shapiro, Barbara Kruger (More: feminist art ) 
• that feminist musicians have used their influence as agents of change, and to inspire: Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Pussy Riot, Lorde, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Nina Simone
• that there no subjects more suitable for boys than girls, or subjects more suitable for girls than boys
• that toys, clothing, and colors should be gender neutral
• that student achievement and behavioral expectations should be gender free
• that feminism should be actively modelled in the classroom
• that eligibility for educational institutions should be merit based  
• that boys should not ‘punished’ or blamed for our patriarchal history
• that gendered performance is actively supported and encouraged by some educational philosophies and schools in order to maintain the status quo
• that the belief that ‘male’ and ‘female’ intelligence are different and that male intelligence is superior is false
• that education is vital for the advancement of black feminism
• that rigidly adhered to gendered workplace and domestic roles sustain and support inequalities
• that domestic violence is typically a male gendered crime
• that patriarchal attitudes toward women make sexual harassment and rape inevitable
• that a safe legal abortion is a fundamental right for every person who wants one
• that humiliation and control either by fear and threat of rape, or rape itself, is an act toxic entitlement
• that a person is never ever ‘asking for it’: to be sexually harassed, or to be raped
• that safe methods of birth control should be freely available to whomever wants them
• that full sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people is an essential precondition to achieving gender equality
• that men should not have control over woman's sexual and reproductive decision-making
• that the increase in sperm donation is a feminist victory
• that a person can be a domestic goddess and a feminist
• that there is a positive difference between assertive and aggressive feminism
• that the shock tactics of feminist anarchists is justified
• that powerful feminist role models open the way for others to follow
• that intersectional feminism is essential to fully understand the deep ingrained inequalities of those experiencing overlapping forms of oppression
• that a feminist’s belief and practices are shaped by the country they live in, its dominant religious and cultural practices
• that female circumcision is an example of women’s oppression disguised as a cultural tradition
• that honor crimes are never justifiable
• that period poverty and stigma is a global feminist issue
• that we need to accept that some women want to remain protected by patriarchal practices and beliefs
• that environmental issues are feminist issues
• that everybody benefits from feminism
• that feminism works towards equality, not female superiority
• that anti-feminist myths (that feminists are angry women who blame men for their problems, that feminists are anti marriage, that feminists have no sense of humor, that feminists are not ‘natural’ mothers, that feminists are anti religion, that feminists are actually all lesbians ...) are desperate attempts to maintain the patriarchal status quo
• that toxic femininity is a by-product of fear and insecurity eg. The need to ridicule another woman in order to impress a man, shaming a man for not being ‘manly’, raging against a women for being seen to be powerful, competent and successful in a leadership position ...
• that blaming the patriarchy is far too simple
• that one can hold religious beliefs and be feminist
• that gendered jobs and job titles belong in the past
• that pay scales should be based on merit, not gender
• that adequate maternity and child care plus parental leave provisions should be mandatory
• that flexible working hours benefits both the business and its employees
• that token feminism is not enough
• that corporate feminism is for wealthy white women
• that feminism and capitalism are in conflict
• that women in power owe it to other women to work for their empowerment

Useful resources

The first three resources below provide an excellent starting point to get a broad overview of feminism: its history, development and current issues.

I've included the fourth link because I'm a New Zealander, and proud of what its women's suffrage movement achieved: the vote for women in 1893.  

• What’s the definition of feminism? 12 TED talks that explain it to you
• An overview of feminist philosophy – Stanford University, USA
• Britannica: an excellent over of the history and development of feminism
• The symbolism of a white camellia and the Suffrage Movement in New Zealand

How to choose a good persuasive speech topic and preparing a great speech

For a more in-depth discussion about choosing a good persuasive topic, and crafting a persuasive speech please see:

• persuasive speech ideas and read all the notes under the heading “What make a speech topic good?"
• writing a persuasive speech . You’ll find notes covering:
• setting a speech goal,
• audience analysis,
• evidence and empathy (the need for proof or evidence to back what you’re saying as well as showing you understand, or empathize with, the positions of those for and against your proposal),
• balance and obstacles (to address points against your proposal, the obstacles, in a fair and balanced way),
• varying structural patterns (ways to organize you material) and more. And click this link for hundreds more persuasive speech topic suggestions . ☺

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How to win every sexist argument: an 11-point guide

Sexism in the English Language Analytical Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

The gender inequality is one of the most discussed topics in the sociological discourse, but this idea is also related to the linguistic discourse because the gender relations are reflected in languages. Thus, Piercey states that the gender relations in the English language are based on the “masculine-feminine dichotomy that arises in the vocabulary” (Piercey, 2000, p. 113).

From this point, the English language is rather sexist in its nature. That is why, it is important to examine the unequal gender relations reflected in the language and to address the question of how the sexist language can reveal the drawbacks of the patriarchal social system which is answered in Piercey’s “Sexism in the English Language.”

The significance of Piercey’s discussion is the attempts to prove the idea that the English language is sexist in the nature, thus, the topic of the gender inequality is discussed with references to the linguistic discourse and the important aspects of the relations between the sexist English language and society are presented in the author’s article.

In spite of the fact that the English language is international and spoken in different equal societies, it is appropriate to refer to Piercey’s argument while stating that the English language is sexist, and it reveals the drawbacks of the patriarchal system because the gender references in the language are based on biases, the female gender is associated with exclusion and with the words having the negative connotation.

The aspects of the English language, which are associated with the gender issue are often based on the developed biases spread within the society and dependent on the discussion of the female roles. These ideas are reflected in the language because according to Piercey, “the English language is man-made , and it enshrines ancient biases and prejudices against women” (Piercey, 2000, p. 112).

Being the ancient ones, these biases can be discussed as influential for forming the society, and as a result, for forming the language. The English language seems to be developed to serve the men’s needs because the language is created with the references to the set of symbols used by men in their reality (Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams, 2007; Piercey, 2000).

Thus, the idea of the patriarchal system is clearly reflected in the English language because it presents the image of the men’s world.

The important drawback of the patriarchal system is the intended exclusion of women from the active social life with references to the strict distribution of gender roles. This exclusion is also reflected in the English language.

Piercey states that the language “reflects the cultural values of men, what they find important”, and as a result, this language becomes to be sexist in its form, and the author continues that through the use of sexist language “women are effectively eliminated and excluded from the day-to-day reality that they exist” (Piercey, 2000, p. 113).

Thus, women’s suffer from exclusion of the female gender in the language because there is the tendency to refer to the words related to the male gender as generic and appropriate for all the persons regardless their gender. That is why, Piercey’s idea that the English language works for the men’s benefits while excluding women from the discourse is rather relevant.

Furthermore, the female linguistic exclusion is also observed while focusing on the analysis of the vocabulary in relation to gender because the sexist language reflects the principles and drawbacks of the sexist society where women can be discussed within sexual or inferior contexts.

Piercey claims that “in English semantics, or in the meanings available in English, males not only have more words, but they have more positive words” (Piercey, 2000, p. 113). Following the author’s discussion, it is possible to state that those words which are considered as ‘female’ often include the some inferior or negative meanings, and the roots of this linguistic discrimination is the ideas of the patriarchal society.

The main outcome of such linguistic gender inequality can be further observed in the social relations as the progressive discussion of women as inferior, and it can lead to the further hidden discrimination.

However, it is possible to respond to the imbalanced power relations between men and women observed in the English language while focusing on using rather neutral or non-sexist language in which the aspect of gender is not accentuated. Moreover, according to Cameron, the use of the non-sexist language is correlated with the development of the non-sexist society (Cameron, 2005, p. 483-484).

Piercey’s argument on the observed sexism in the English language is rather credible and persuasive because while discussing the unequal gender relations in the language, the author provides arguments to state that the language is sexist and reflects the patriarchal system’s drawbacks.

The language determined by the social gender biases, negative associations, and gender exclusions not only reflects the gender inequality within the society but also contributes to the further discrimination. Thus, the author’s provides the discussion of these factors and ways to overcome them.

Cameron, D. (2005). Language, gender and sexuality: Current issues and new directions. Applied Linguistics, 26 (4), 482-502.

Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2007). An introduction to language. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth.

Piercey, M. (2000). Sexism in the English language. TESL Canada Journal/La revue TESL du Canada, 17 (2), 110-115.

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IvyPanda . 2019. "Sexism in the English Language." July 10, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/sexism-in-the-english-language/.

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This Is How Everyday Sexism Could Stop You From Getting That Promotion

By Jessica Nordell and Yaryna Serkez Oct. 14, 2021

By Jessica Nordell Graphics by Yaryna Serkez

Jessica Nordell is a science and culture journalist. Yaryna Serkez is a writer and a graphics editor for Opinion.

When the computer scientist and mathematician Lenore Blum announced her resignation from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018, the community was jolted. A distinguished professor, she’d helped found the Association for Women in Mathematics, and made seminal contributions to the field. But she said she found herself steadily marginalized from a center she’d help create — blocked from important decisions, dismissed and ignored. She explained at the time : “Subtle biases and microaggressions pile up, few of which on their own rise to the level of ‘let’s take action,’ but are insidious nonetheless.”

It’s an experience many women can relate to. But how much does everyday sexism at work matter? Most would agree that outright discrimination when it comes to hiring and advancement is a bad thing, but what about the small indignities that women experience day after day? The expectation that they be unfailingly helpful ; the golf rounds and networking opportunities they’re not invited to ; the siphoning off of credit for their work by others; unfair performance reviews that penalize them for the same behavior that’s applauded in men; the “ manterrupting ”?

When I was researching my book “The End of Bias: A Beginning” I wanted to understand the collective impact of these less visible forms of bias, but data were hard to come by. Bias doesn’t happen once or twice; it happens day after day, week after week. To explore the aggregate impact of routine gender bias over time, I teamed up with Kenny Joseph, a computer science professor at the University at Buffalo, and a graduate student there, Yuhao Du, to create a computer simulation of a workplace. We call our simulated workplace “NormCorp.” Here’s how it works.

NormCorp is a simple company. Employees do projects, either alone or in pairs. These succeed or fail, which affects a score we call “promotability.” Twice a year, employees go through performance reviews, and the top scorers at each level are promoted to the next level.

NormCorp employees are affected by the kinds of gender bias that are endemic in the workplace. Women’s successful solo projects are valued slightly less than men’s , and their successful joint projects with men accrue them less credit . They are also penalized slightly more when they fail . Occasional “stretch” projects have outsize rewards, but as in the real world, women’s potential is underrecognized compared with men’s, so they must have a greater record of past successes to be assigned these projects. A fraction of women point out the unfairness and are then penalized for the perception that they are “self-promoting.” And as the proportion of women decreases, those that are left face more stereotyping .

We simulated 10 years of promotion cycles happening at NormCorp based on these rules, and here is how women’s representation changed over time.

Simulation of Normcorp promotions over 10 years, with female performance undervalued by 3 percent

Simulation results over time

These biases have all been demonstrated across various professional fields. One working paper study of over 500,000 physician referrals showed that women surgeons receive fewer referrals after successful outcomes than male surgeons. Women economists are less likely to receive tenure the more they co-author papers with men. An analysis at a large company found that women’s, as well as minority men’s, performance was effectively “discounted” compared with that of white men.

And women are penalized for straying from “feminine” personality traits. An analysis of real-world workplace performance evaluations found that more than three-quarters of women’s critical evaluations contained negative comments about their personalities, compared with 2 percent of men’s. If a woman whose contributions are overlooked speaks up, she may be labeled a self-promoter, and consequently face further obstacles to success . She may also become less motivated and committed to the organization . The American Bar Association found that 70 percent of women lawyers of color considered leaving or had left the legal profession entirely, citing being undervalued at work and facing barriers to advancement.

Our model does not take into account women, such as Lenore Blum, who quit their jobs after experiencing an unmanageable amount of bias. But it visualizes how these penalties add up over time for women who stay, so that by the time you reach more senior levels of management, there are fewer women left to promote. These factors not only prevent women from reaching the top ranks in their company but for those who do, it also makes the career path longer and more demanding.

Small change, big difference

Even a tiny increase in the amount of gender bias could lead to dramatic underrepresentation of women in leadership roles over time..

Women’s performance is valued 3 percent less

Women’s performance is valued 5 percent less

Half as many women at level 7 and

only 2 percent of women at C-suite.

Half as many women at level 7 and only 2 percent of women at C-suite.

Women’s performance is valued 3% less

Women’s performance is valued 5% less

When we dig into the trajectory of individual people in our simulation, stories begin to emerge. With just 3 percent bias, one employee — let’s call her Jenelle — starts in an entry-level position, and makes it to the executive level, but it takes her 17 performance review cycles (eight and a half years) to get there, and she needs 208 successful projects to make it. “William” starts at the same level but he gets to executive level much faster — after only eight performance reviews and half Jenelle’s successes at the time she becomes an executive.

Our model shows how large organizational disparities can emerge from many small, even unintentional biases happening frequently over a long period of time. Laws are often designed to address large events that happen infrequently and can be easily attributed to a single actor—for example, overt sexual harassment by a manager — or “pattern and practice” problems, such as discriminatory policies. But women’s progress is hindered even without one egregious incident, or an official policy that is discriminatory.

Women’s path to success might be longer and more demanding

Career paths for employees that reached level 7 by the end of the simulation..

successful projects

“William”

started at the entry-level and reached level 7 in 4 years.

It took “Jenelle”

8.5 years to get

to the same level.

Entry level

1 year of promotions

started at the entry-

level and reached level 7 in 4 years.

8.5 years to get to the same level.

It took “Jenelle” 8.5 years to get to the same level.

Gender bias takes on different dimensions depending on other intersecting aspects of a person’s identity, such as race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and more. Another American Bar Association study found that white women and men of color face similar hurdles to being seen as competent, but women of color face more than either group.

Backlash, too, plays out differently for women of different racial groups, points out Erika Hall, an Emory University management professor. A survey of hundreds of women scientists she helped conduct found that Asian American women reported the highest amount of backlash for self-promotion and assertive behavior. An experimental study by the social psychologist Robert Livingston and colleagues, meanwhile, found that white women are more penalized for demonstrating dominant behavior than Black women. Our model does not account for the important variations in bias that women of different races experience.

So what’s to be done? Diversity trainings are common in companies, educational institutions and health care settings, but these may not have much effect when it comes to employees’ career advancement. The sociologists Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev found that after mandatory diversity trainings, the likelihood that women and men of color became managers either stayed the same or decreased , possibly because of backlash. Some anti-bias trainings have been shown to change behavior, but any approach needs to be evaluated, as psychologist Betsy Levy Paluck has said, “on the level of rigorous testing of medical interventions.”

We also explored a paradox. Research shows that in many fields, a greater proportion of men correlates with more bias against women . At the same time, in fields or organizations where women make up the majority, men can still experience a “glass escalator,” being fast-tracked to senior leadership roles. School superintendents, who work in the women-dominated field of education but are more likely to be men, are one example. To make sense of this, we conceptualized bias at work as a combination of both organizational biases that can be influenced by organizational makeup and larger societal biases.

What we found was that if societal biases are strong compared with those in the organization, a powerful but brief intervention may have only a short-term impact. In our simulation, we tested this by introducing quotas — requiring that the majority of promotions go to women — in the context of low, moderate, or no societal bias. We made the quotas time-limited, as real world efforts to combat bias often take the form of short-term interventions.

Our quotas changed the number of women at upper levels of the corporate hierarchy in the short term, and in turn decreased the gender biases against women rising through the company ranks. But when societal biases were still a persistent force, disparities eventually returned, and the impact of the intervention was short-lived.

Quotas may not be enough

In the presence of societal biases, the effect of a short-term program of quotas disappears over time..

Societal bias has moderate effect

100% of executives

Quotas are introduced. 70% of all promotions go to women.

Majority of executives are men

YEARS OF PROMOTIONS

Societal bias has no effect

Equal representation

representation

What works? Having managers directly mentor and sponsor women improves their chance to rise. Insisting on fair, transparent and objective criteria for promotions and assignments is essential, so that decisions are not ambiguous and subjective, and goal posts aren’t shifting and unwritten. But the effect of standardizing criteria, too, can be limited, because decision-makers can always override these decisions and choose their favored candidates.

Ultimately, I found in my research for the book, the mindset of leaders plays an enormous role. Interventions make a difference, but only if leaders commit to them. One law firm I profiled achieved 50 percent women equity partners through a series of dramatic moves, from overhauling and standardizing promotion criteria, to active sponsorship of women, to a zero-tolerance policy for biased behavior. In this case, the chief executive understood that bias was blocking the company from capturing all the available talent. Leaders who believe that the elimination of bias is essential to the functioning of the organization are more likely to take the kind of active, aggressive, and long-term steps needed to root out bias wherever it may creep into decision making.