Prison: Institution of Gender Norms

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Women have experienced domestic violence as a form of punishment. Men feel entitled to punish their partner if they feel threaten in any way. Domestic violence is a form of punishment within the private realm. In situations were men are not able to “tame” their partner, norms are reinforced through the public realm. Unfortunately, the public realm has been shaped by patriarchal ideologies and continue to oppress all women. Angela Davis explained how, domestic violence and imprisonment are the only two forms of gendered punishment. Women have been criminalized due to men and gender norms.

Punishment Within the Private Home

During the 19th century, imprisonment was considered the best method for moral restoration. Cruel punishment was no longer practiced on men. During this early time period, women were already being sanctioned differently than men through the public realm.Unlike men, women were not sentenced to prison, but were punished through cruelty which in other words was domestic violence. Women were considered deviant if they did not respect patriarchal ideals. The public realm allowed men to decide whether a women was guilty or innocent within the private home. One form of punishment was, this Spiked cage intended to punish women adjudged quarrelsome or not under the proper control of their husbands. Women were parade around town with a spiked cage in order to cause fear, humiliation, and pain within the public realm. Men were able to keep control over their wife through this cruel punishment. After this cruel punishment, more than likely women were not going to disrespect their husband again. Men felt the need to use cruelty and violence in order to hold control of their masculinity.

Prison: Where They Teach You How To Be A Women

Public punishment has reinforced gender stereotypes created by patriarchy, State-sanctioned punishment is informed by patriarchal structures and ideologies that have tended to produce historical assumptions of female criminality linked to ideas about the violation of social norms defining a “women’s place”. It is clear that the public realm defends and protects patriarchy ideals.It is men who decide women’s role within society. Men were able to sanctioned women for not following duties expected from her.Not only that but, women continued to experience domestic violence and it was considered normal. Men were not scrutinized for domestic violence because it was considered a from of punishment by many.

The first U.S. reformatory believed that in order to reform women they had to learn different gender roles, an important part of the reform movement in women’s prison was to encourage and ingrain “appropriate” gender roles, such as vocational training in cooking, sewing, and cleaning. This reform led to believe that the public realm supported patriarchal ideals. In the legal case, Women Prisoners V. District of Columbia, district courts found that work details available to women were limited to reception, housekeeping, and library assignments, whereas men’s work details included carpentry and electrical /mechanical work . This case demanded prisons to allow women to have equal opportunities as men within different job occupations. Women were not provided equal opportunities because of patriarchal ideals being reinforce. Women were believed to be stay at home mothers who did not do hard labor. The public realm reinforced the believe that women were supposed to be the ones who cared for the home through there gender jobs. Women were retained in prison for longer periods of time in order to teach them proper gender norms.

Submissive In Prison

Even though the 20th century reform movement tried to create a separate but equal model,they still supported patriarchal ideals. Women were considered to be the most submissive gender and by this prisons believed, that women did not require much security, women prisoners pose no security threat. They’re just basic pains in the ass and are mostly interested in painting their nails and harassing us for more personal property. By not providing the same weapons and security as in a male’s prison, the 20th century reform movement was supporting that women were submissive and weak. In order for equality to have occurred, women should have received the same amount of security as in a male’s prison.

Accommodations For All

Stephanie Covington would agree that the public realm heavily relies on patriarchy ideals, in our society, gender-neutral is male. Things are still being done in order to accommodate to the needs of a man. Even when it seems like there are movements for equality, women are still receiving the short end of the stick. Women experience inequality with the programs that are offered to them. Women are considered to be the main care providers for children however, they are not provided with parenting services, lesser services for women is a parenting program offered at 27 men’s prisons and two women’s prisons. If women are considered to be the main care givers for children, why are they not receiving equal opportunities as men in order to bond with their children.

Women are controlled by patriarchal ideals within there private home. When they are incarcerated they are reminded of the role that they play in society by the public realm. The private and the public realm come together in order to punish women for not following patriarchal ideals. Even when in prison, women are still being dominated and judged by men. Women are reminded that their role in life is to be submissive and dependent on men.