As a woman 

Now, woman has always been, if not man’s slave, at least his vassal; the two sexes have never divided the world up equally; and still today, even though her condition is changing, woman is heavily handicapped.” The Second Sex, Simon de Beauvoir

After reading some excerpts of The Second Sex of Simone de Beauvoir, I felt some kind of injustice and bitterness because of being a woman. Thoughts like, it is unfair that woman´s life is more painful, demanding or difficult, came to my mind. They were words that I have heard many times, but I had never felt really. Then, I started to think and to look for a kind of relief or comfort that could stop the frustration I was feeling in that moment. After that, one question came to my mind. If I had a second life and I had the possibility to choose between being a woman or a man, what would I choose? Completely sure I said to myself, I would choose being a woman. Then, why I am feeling frustrated of being a woman? And the answer for me was because I have read these excerpts and maybe the author convinced me a little bit of the idea that being a woman is a problem. But does it mean that I believe that? NO! 

Simone de Beauvoir tries to find the reasons behind the question of why the world have been dominated by men. She analyzes different factors that may explain the submission ofwomen. She concludes that the woman is subject to man for historical and cultural reasons, because there are no biological or psychological differences that justify the different treatment. Although  I do not agree with her reasoning for several reasons, I want to discuss and analyze the basis of all this discussion: the inferiority of women.

Probably, if I ask those who think that women are inferior, nobody will answer yes, or at least I hope so. However, many women complain that they feel inferior because the world treats them as such. "Women face severe disadvantages," says the author. Are thesedisadvantages real or is instead a perception of which we have convinced?

If the disadvantages are real, then it becomes necessary to think which actually those disadvantages are. Definitely a first example appears around the workplace. Many women have to accept lower wages or higher difficulty accessing to certain positions (related to political or business management for example) just because they are women. Under this argument, then it should be a disadvantage for men to be men if they want to work in child care or something related to it for example. Do men face greater difficulties than women to enter this market? The answer is yes. However, men do not feel inferior or discriminated by this situation, but women do feel discriminated or with less freedom when they face with such situations. Why does the difference in the perception exist? It's an interesting question, but it is not my purpose to respond it now. However, I think the answer is related to the value that society (and the market) gives to the different types of jobs that each sex finds it difficult to access.

Under my perspective, the fact that women face disadvantages is subjective and depends on who and from what point is analyzed. All people face certain disadvantages in certain partsbecause of our personal characteristics, but we also have other advantages in other parts. The belief that the female sex is the second or lower sex for me is a belief that has no justification in reality, but rather, is based on the perceived unfairness of some women. Although the story has great guilt in the formation of this perception, I think we should judge the situation from the present and according to today's reality.

Men and women are different, and as such we are treated different. We are neither better nor worse, neither superior nor inferior, just different. Neither men nor women can be replaced by the opposite sex, because there is something in its essence that makes everyone better for certain things. We all have different qualities, are more adept at some things and less for others, so is the life. I see in the feminist discourse a kind of self-conviction that the world is pressing them or it is taking away their freedom. I think, many times this  self-conviction limit women and makes them become trapped in feelings of helplessness and injustice, instead of persist in the pursue of their ideals

Certainly, in the past, the women's were treated differently. They had fewer rights and they were seen as inferior, but this has changed today. Even there is some way to advance but I think we should change the focus and not see the issue as a struggle for domination of one sex or another. The world is made by men and women, and men and women are needed to the progress of our world. Men and women have much to contribute, it is up to everyone to discover where she or he can leave his mark. Why are we going to compete if there is room for everyone? Why are we going to invent a fight where there is no reason to start it? 

I am a woman and I'm proud of it. If I had the choice between being a man and woman, I would choose to be a woman without hesitation. And the reason behind my choice is being a woman gives me the greatest privilege of which a man will always be private: motherhood. Parenthood is something shared by men and women. However, motherhood is something that can only do women. We have the choice to exercise motherhood or not, we are free to choose. Men on the other hand, they can never choose to take their child choose in their womb.