Question

"Shirley Chisolm Speech"
by Shirley Chisolm

More than half of the population of the United States is female. But women occupy only 2 percent of the managerial positions. They have not even reached the level of tokenism yet No women sit on the AFL-CIO council or Supreme Court There have been only two women who have held Cabinet rank, and at present there are none. Only two women now hold ambassadorial rank in the diplomatic corps. In Congress, we are down to one Senator and 10 Representatives.

It is true that part of the problem has been that women have not been aggressive in demanding their rights. This was also true of the black population for many years. They submitted to oppression and even cooperated with it. Women have done the same thing. But now there is an awareness of this situation particularly among the younger segment of the population.

It is for this reason that I wish to introduce today a proposal that has been before every Congress for the last 40 years and that sooner or later must become part of the basic law of the land -- the equal rights amendment.

Let me note and try to refute two of the commonest arguments that are offered against this amendment. One is that women are already protected under the law and do not need legislation. Existing laws are not adequate to secure equal rights for women. Sufficient proof of this is the concentration of women in lower paying, menial, unrewarding jobs and their incredible scarcity in the upper level jobs. If women are already equal, why is it such an event whenever one happens to be elected to Congress?
Use the passage below to answer the question.

How does Shirley Chisholm’s allusion to the oppression of Blacks in America advance her purpose?

(1 point)
Responses

A) by showing how the indifferent white majority in America needs to look at their biases and assumptions about women to change laws

B) by giving her credentials as someone who has been subjected to discrimination in more than one way

C) by showing that Black Americans endured oppression that is far worse than any other group’s oppression or the treatment of women in America

Answer 1

A

Chisholm uses the comparison to show a pattern—like Blacks, women have accepted oppression but are now becoming aware and demanding rights—urging the majority to reconsider biases and change laws.