What is a Subaltern? A sublatern could also be considered a subordinate or someone in lower rank (Dictionary.com). When Gayatri Charkravorty Spivak was writing Can the Subaltern Speak, she was referring a subaltern to a woman who is not white. Many may think that referring woman, especially those who are not white, are less than white men could be considered an old fashion way of thinking. But you have to rememeber Spivak in 78 year old Indian women where this is part of their culture. Of course now in western culture, we believe that everyone is to remain equal, regardless of their ethnicity, race or gender.
I think this would bring up a great point about the ethical issues we are facing today when fighting for equal right between everyone, but specifically gender. Just this year, we have reached a record of 130 women holding positions in Congress. This includes 105 in the House of Representatives and 25 in the Senate with a 32% and 68% split republican and democratic (Congressional Research Service). Although India is working on gender equality, they are still facing the issue.
Women have faced difficulties reaching equality in India for a long time. As of 2016, there was a 27% income gap, 34% to a 27% women in the workforce and many crimes against women. Crimes include rapes, dowry deaths, and honor killings (Sharma). The numbers are so much higher in India because it is almost built into their culture.
Spivak was making a point in her story this started from the beginning of colonialism and it is time to make a change. Gender equality has started to make some progress in the western culture, but we are still facing difficulties with it every day. Like mentioned before, we are just now reaching record highs in American and it is 2021. India, along with other countries are no where near our number and that is what needs to be fixed.
Subaltern. (n.d.). Retrieved February 06, 2021, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/subaltern
Ununiversity, S. S. (2016, December 1). Achieving gender equality in India: What works, and what doesn’t. Retrieved February 06, 2021, from https://unu.edu/publications/articles/achieving-gender-equality-in-india-what-works-and-what-doesnt.html
Women in Congress: Statistics and Brief Overview. (2020, December 4). Retrieved February 06, 2021, from https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43244.pdf
It is definitely eye opening and a topic that is given a blind eye here in the United States. Although gender equality is on the rise here, in other countries it’s still a major problem they are dealing with. I think parallels can also be drawn (not to the major some extremes but some areas) in the struggle the Indian women are facing in trying to gain equal rights; similar to the women during the women’s movement. I am even starting to notice more and more female positions as coaches and referees in major sporting events in the NBA and NFL.
You did a great job addressing a major issue not only in this reading but as well as in our everyday world. Gender continues to be a problem for our society now and as well as what our ancestors experienced. Throughout my 19 years alive the gender roles have switched so much and woman are starting to see an actual path of equality. There is still so much work to be done but the change is on its way and its readings like this that remind us of the progress that has been done and needs to be done.
Great job addressing the topic, before I had a difficult time understanding what the reading was trying to get across but you made it easier to understand. I believe that gender roles and gender are still very much an issue in our country and even in the world but I do think we are making strides and having women be more equal to men, that is including jobs and in sports. We still have a lot of growing and learning when it comes to gender but we are making progress!
I thought you did a really great job at addressing the issue and explaining how gender inequalities are happening all over the world. It is crazy to think that in 2021 we are still not at an equal role for males and females in the United States. I hope American continues to move in the right direction and push to make men and women equal in our country. It was defiantly eye opening to read all of the numbers and statistic percentages of male to female ratio in our country that you included in your presentation. It makes me think about how serious it is in other countries like India and what they are trying to do to change it, if they are trying.
I appreciated that you provided a definition for subaltern and what Spivak meant when she used that term. I also appreciated that you made the connection between colonialism and India’s current problems around gender equality. I also agree that the United States is still facing difficulties in 2021. Women make up 51% of the population but less than 30% of our elected representatives in Congress. The United States will continue to face difficulties with gender equality until our elected representatives look more like the nation as a whole.
Great Job on addressing the issues. I got a better understanding of what Spivak meant for women and the definition of subaltern considered a subordinate or someone lower ranked. You brought up some great points from the positions women have in congress to the difficulties women face in India and other countries. Progress and change that needs to happen for women in the U.S and other countries.
Your points highlighting the emphasis on women’s rights in Spivak’s writing were very informative. I am rather uneducated when it comes to colonial history, traditional practices, and gender equality (or lack thereof) in India. I think this is also something that past historians and researchers lacked in as well. Based on my interpretation, Spivak was suggesting a discrepancy in cultural competency within those writing journals and notes about India. Spivak emphasized that there is the presence of the “one” and the “other,” however there are other groups that are even below the “other” – aka the subaltern. In this sense, women were the subaltern, in that they could not be understood or even spoken to due to the lack of cultural understanding of impeding colonists. Your detailed explanation of gender inequality throughout the history of India is extremely important. In order to remove the barrier of the subaltern on a larger level, it is our obligation to become culturally competent.
The accurate data report is substantially useful for manifesting the phenomenon of gender inequality in India. Female nowadays positively appeal to gender equality, but the pity is that the society in India is still dominated by male. The safety, right and freedom of female can not get guarantee.
The fun fact that I become aware of not long ago is that the investigation of global enterprise CEO shows the percentage of female CEO is less than the percentage of male CEO who is called”David”. It is definitely true that even though gender equality is advocated in the entire world, we still have a long way to go.
your work is really fascinating. How you used the data in order to argue about gender equality is really outstanding. In many countries, gender equity is an issue pretty much a big issue. But this issue in India is important to notice because it is really bad. You did a nice job to brought this up. We all need to try harder to achieve gender equity in India, the US, and even other countries.
You did a great job providing and explaining the context.
I also like how you brought up the inequality in India, saying how it’s almost apart of their culture because it’s so extreme over there. I’m reminded of watching a video of a lady standing in public fully clothed/covered but as the camera pans over you can see men lusting through their eyes without trying to hide their desire, like that was the norm for them.
Great job explaining the ideas of the author presented in the article. It was great that you included other examples from our current life. I agree that we need to focus on creating equality among all gender in the US and other countries as well. I like how you brought up India as an example because it sets up a good basis for your argument.