Gender Injustice In Sojourner's Ain T I A Women

“It takes great courage to open one's heart and mind to the tremendous injustice and suffering in our world.” (Gallagher, 2006) Injustice is prevalent all over the world, and throughout history, but as courageous victims of these injustices speak up, the inactivity of those around them is also uncovered. Ain’t I A Women by Sojourner Truth (1851), and What to the Slave is the 4th of July? by Frederick Douglass (1852), both highlight the injustices of their time, addressing the effect they have had in their lives. With Truth’s experience being gender injustice and Douglass’ subject being racial injustice, what is even more heart breaking than their oppression is the position of the church during the height of it all. Instead of fulfilling their

Truth uses a relatable and authentic tone in her speech, while making points and backing them up with evidence. She establishes herself as a strong and authoritative woman while reaching a multitude of listeners then and readers today. Truth’s first point is made through the use of an audience member when she says, “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches and to have the best place everywhere.” (Truth, 1851, p. 1) She draws the audience in with her engagement of an audience member, but quickly rebuts the man’s thought, Truth says that the treatment he says should be shown to women has never been shown to her. Sojourner Truth does not explain her feelings to promote sympathy, or to say she desires to be treated like the other women. Instead, she chooses to criticize it. Sojourner Truth asserts that the standard treatment of women is demeaning and unnecessary for someone like herself, being of strong stature and work ethic. She supports her claim when describes herself as being able to “… work as much and eat as much as a man…” also saying that “…no man could head [her].” (Truth, 1851, p.1) Sojourner emphasizes that she is not some dainty, helpless, woman in need of a hero, like the stereotype of women in her day suggest; but that she is a strong woman on her own, who is

Frederick Douglass is not alien to suffering and it is clear in his communication. Douglass’ passion about the subject of slavery and racial injustice in the world pours out into every word of his speech. He remains unfiltered and firm while delivering his message and the though harshness surrounding his claims is unexpected, it remains a defining factor of his speech. Frederick Douglass was invited to speak in front of an audience that is well meaning and are, presumably, good people, but instead of putting on a face and saying what they wanted to hear, he calls them to a higher level of service. A climactic point of the speech comes in paragraphs 49 and 50, Douglass says, “’ Is this the land your Fathers loved, the freedom which they toiled to win? Is this the earth whereon they moved? Are these the graves they slumber in?’ (1852) But a still more inhuman, disgraceful, and scandalous state of things remains to be present.” He does not deliver a message that is easy to listen to, neither one that promotes selfish pride, Douglass delivers the message that begs to be heard. With every word, Frederick Douglass serves a healthy serving of truth and motivation that his audience needs instead of adhering to the social normality expected of