Essay Questions

One of the historical injustices against women is oppression. How does the book support this idea?

The book ‘Women on the market’ is entirely advocating for fair treatment of women in society. Women have been unfairly treated in society over the ages due to the culture that only favors men as the superior gender. For instance, the boy child is given more privileges than the girl child. Sadly, Irigaray argues that even the modern environment does not accord a woman equal treatment. The author finds it astonishing that some cultures in the contemporary world view women as objects of men. Therefore, the author is right when arguing that women's oppression is one of the historical injustices that has limited the potential of women in the world.

What is the book's argument in favor of fairness for women and men?

The question of whether women should be treated as men should be viewed objectively. Firstly, men and women have specific roles that a particular gender must conduct. For instance, childbearing is the role of women because a man cannot carry a pregnancy. Similarly, hard labor is conducted by men and vise versa. God created man and a woman to carry out specific duties. However, men tailored the cultural rules to favor men as a superior gender, which subjected women to oppression. Since there is no particular day a man can be equated to a woman and vice versa, both genders must be treated fairly. Women should be treated fairly and given access to all available opportunities. By treating women fairly, they will demonstrate their potential and contribute significantly to the existence of humanity. Therefore, there is no single day both genders can be equal because they are all created for particular purposes. However, both genders need to be given access to available opportunities.

Is commodification of women emerging as the main satire in the book ‘Women on the Market’?

Irigaray applies the Marxist theory of commodities to explain how men treat women in society. According to the author, it is satirical for men to treat their fellow human beings as exchange properties. Women are brainwashed since childhood that their role is limited to marriage and raising children. Fathers marry off their children in exchange for money or other forms of pride prices. The value of women is determined by their virginity, motherhood, and taking care of their husbands. However, viewing women as objects of men is a significant historical injustice that must be reviewed to give them opportunities to exploit their potential.