LC473: Gender and Inequalities in Rihanna's Sociological Context

This essay delves into the experiences of Rihanna, a famous singer and businesswoman, to explore the pervasive issues of gender and race inequalities. The essay begins by defining these inequalities and highlighting their impact on individuals' lives, particularly focusing on how societal norms and biases contribute to discrimination. It then examines Rihanna's personal journey, illustrating how she has faced challenges stemming from both her gender and race in the entertainment industry. The essay incorporates relevant sociological theories, such as feminist theory and theories on race and ethnicity, to provide a deeper understanding of the underlying causes and consequences of these inequalities. Furthermore, the essay discusses the role of legal frameworks, such as the Race Religion Act 1976 and the Equality Act 2010, in addressing and mitigating discrimination. Through Rihanna's story, the essay emphasizes the importance of recognizing and combating inequalities to foster a more equitable society and improve the quality of life for everyone.

GENDER AND
INEQUALITIES LINK TO
REAL WORLD
EXPERIENCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Gender and race inequalities........................................................................................................1
Theories on gender and race inequalities.....................................................................................2
Gender inequalities laws and their impact...................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REREFENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Gender and inequality are one of the most common issue which is being faced by many
people. these inequalities make people experience tough situations in which they are made
realized that they are not equal. They have to face lots of discriminations and experience
inequality. These gender and inequalities issues is not only faced by women but it is also faced
by men as well (Rucker, Galinsky and Magee, 2018). These inequalities impact overall living
experience of people. Some of these inequalities are socially constructed whereas come of these
inequalities are created on the basis of gender of the person, family history of an individual, their
social background and many more. These inequalities have powerfully shaped today’s society
and view point of people. many people fight with these inequalities in order to reduce its impact
upon their lives but many times people face and experience these inequalities all of their lives.
This essay will lay emphasis upon gender and inequalities in a famous person’s history. This
essay will focus upon two major themes that are first is Race/Ethnicity and Gender inequalities
themes. These themes will be explained by taking an example of a famous person Rihanna who
has faced gender inequality in her life.
MAIN BODY
Gender and race inequalities
Gender inequality can be defined as an unequal treatment or perception about an
individual on the basis of their gender or sexuality. Most of these differences because of gender
equality for individuals are constructed on the basis of view point of society. Unequal treatment
provided to people simply on the basis of their gender impacts their overall individual living
experience and many times it can impact their overall family experience as well. These
inequalities can be experienced by people on the basis of their cultural or society norms, social
culture from where they belong and many more (Blau, 2016). Today society has constructed
these norms in such a manner that these inequalities are reflected within an individual’s life in
numerous dimensions of daily life. People face inequality and discrimination on the basis of their
race as well. Colours is one of the main factors because of which people face race inequality.
There are various examples of famous personalities who have faced gender or race inequalities.
Rihanna is an American singer and Business women who has faced gender inequality. She was
born in Saint Michael but globalization she migrated and moved to US. She has been taken as an
example for gender inequality because she has not only faced inequalities in terms of gender but
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has also faced discrimination on the basis of her race. She has faced lots of discrimination as she
was young black girl in music industry. Being a young black women people did not take her
seriously when she tried to conduct business. She has explained that whenever she tried to move
forward in her career her race was highlighted, her gender was highlighted and on the basis of
these factors she has faced a lot of discrimination which made her path towards success a bit
difficult. It has been observed that entertainment industry is one such industry in which more
both gender discrimination and race inequality are major found and faced by people.
Theories on gender and race inequalities
There are various kinds of theories that can help in explaining gender and race
inequalities in a much better manner. One of the theories is feminist theory which focuses upon
gender inequality (Brown and et. al., 2016). This theory focuses upon understanding nature of
gender inequality. This theory has helped in identifying or recognizing various kinds of flaws in
traditional philosophies and also helps in offering a new way of thinking about social issues that
affects an individual’s life and thinking or world in a much better manner. This theory helps in
understanding social structure of the society that supports men, traditional way of thinking of
people who support men and neglect issues that are particularly faced by women. This theory lies
on the fact that women faces various kinds of issues including race, ethnicity, nationality, class,
sexual orientation, or educational background and many more. There are various kinds of
differences that are faced by women in the society regardless of the development that have taken
place in past few years within the society. These developments have helped in providing women
their equal rights (Kahle and Peguero, 2017). For this, various kinds of legislations and policies
have been developed so that inequalities associated with differentiation and discrimination can
be reduced. These feminist theories are majorly concerned with inequalities of power. That
majorly focuses upon gender dualism and equalities faced by women. This theory can be linked
to like experience of Rihanna. She faced inequalities during her struggle period she had faced
various kinds of inequalities but two main types of inequalities faced by her during her career.
As per this theory she faced inequalities on the basis of her gender as being a woman she was not
taken seriously. She had faced discrimination on the bass of her race as whenever she wanted to
talk about business, she was suddenly made aware of her blackness. She said that without even
knowing her people used judge her and make judgement about her. Just by looking at her various
viewpoints of people used to occur and she was made realized that she was not capable of
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entering into the industry. She has not only battled inequalities but has also worked upon
changing people’s point of view and judging nature on the basis of gender and race of an
individual. Race and ethnicity have always been one of the major topics of concern in
sociological perspective. There are various kinds of theories that explains their point of view
about inequalities about race or ethnicity. Some of the theorist explains that point of view, one of
them explains that racism is functional for dominant group i.e. racism helps in describing racially
unequal society (Cohn, 2019). Many people by default accept this inequality and bring changes
within their living lifestyle but many people refuse to accept this racism and stands for their
rights.
Various previous research has explained that due to social norms, rules and regulation of
the society are one of the main reasons because of which inequality within society is increased.
Gender inequality is one of the main inequality or discrimination which is majorly build up
because of predefined norms of the society (Grusky, 2018). As these pre- defined norms helps in
building mentality of people which give rise to gender related inequality. Rihanna has also faced
these inequalities because of pre-defined mentality of people because of which she had to face
some challenges in establishing her career and achieving success. She was continuously
reminded that she is black and a woman. There are various kinds of theories that helps in
explaining it in a clear manner. In fact, till an extent Feminist theory also helps in explaining that
due to mentality of people or point of view of people because of social norms inequality of
discrimination increases within the society. Various kinds of legislations, rules and regulations
have been developed that helps in reducing these inequalities for the rights of people and in order
in enhance living standard of people.
Gender inequalities laws and their impact
As it has already been discussed that gender and race inequality is one of the most
common social issue which is faced by people in the society. There are different facts on the
basis of these inequalities are experienced by people. in order to reduce these inequalities on the
basis of gender, race, ethnicity and many more various kinds of legislations or law have been
developed so that frequency of race or gender discrimination cab be reduced. One of the most
common law developed for addressing race discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, or
ethnic or national origins and many more, Race Religion Act, 1976 (Hurtado, 2018). It was the
first legislation that was developed in order to address race discrimination. This act was brought
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into practise so that discrimination on the grounds of race can be reduced. This act covers
inequalities related to all the factors that are experienced by individuals related to race
inequalities. This act is applicable in fields of provision of services and goods, employment,
public functions, education and in many other fields. This act also helped in establishing the
commission of Racial equality which was basically established in order to take care of the fact
that the act was being followed in a proper and order manner. This act has helped in reducing
race or ethnicity related inequalities in a proper and effective manner. It has also been observed
that other than race inequalities gender inequalities or discrimination is also being faced by
people. there are many legislations or acts that has been developed to reduce discrimination or
inequality and factors that give rise to these inequalities (Hurtado, 2018). One of the acts that has
helped in reducing gender discrimination or inequality is Equality Act, 2010. It is one of the most
basic anti- discrimination, Act which basically focuses upon protecting inequality or
discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, age, belief, religion, gender and many more.
In order to maintain effectivity of this law four equal treatment directives has also been
developed which also helps in protecting people beyond religion or belief, disability, age, sex,
sexual orientation and gender reassignment. There are many more legislations or acts that have
been developed in order to reduce inequality experienced by the people. but these two are the
main acts that have been specifically developed for these inequalities.
CONCLUSION
From the above assignment it has been summarized that there are various kinds of
inequalities and discrimination that can be faced by people that can impact overall living
experience of people. There are various reasons or factors on the basis of which inequalities is
experienced by individuals such as migration, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, race, families, social
inequalities and many more. It has been analysed that out of all of these inequalities gender and
race inequalities is one of those inequalities which is experienced by more than 50 percent
people. Due to these factors or discrimination many people compromise with their quality of life
but some of the fight with these inequalities in order to build their own place in the society and
change point of view of the society. These inequalities are important to be focused on and
eliminated it holds and individual and their talent backwards. It has also been analysed that there
are various kinds of famous personalities who had suffered these kinds of inequalities in their
past history. In order to build their place in the society and achieve success in their respective
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fields they have gone through various kinds of challenges. Many famous personalities have
successfully overcome such challenges and achieved success.
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REREFENCES
Books and Journals
Blau, F.D., 2016. Gender, inequality, and wages. OUP Catalogue.
Brown, T.H., and et. al., 2016. Using multiple-hierarchy stratification and life course approaches
to understand health inequalities: The intersecting consequences of race, gender, SES,
and age. Journal of health and social behavior. 57(2). pp.200-222.
Cohn, S., 2019. Race, gender, and discrimination at work. Routledge.
Grusky, D., 2018. Inequality: classic readings in race, class, and gender. Routledge.
Hurtado, A., 2018. Intersectional understandings of inequality. The Oxford handbook of social
psychology and social justice, p.157.
Kahle, L. and Peguero, A.A., 2017. Bodies and bullying: The interaction of gender, race,
ethnicity, weight, and inequality with school victimization. Victims & Offenders. 12(2).
pp.323-345.
Rucker, D.D., Galinsky, A.D. and Magee, J.C., 2018. The agentic–communal model of
advantage and disadvantage: How inequality produces similarities in the psychology of
power, social class, gender, and race. In Advances in Experimental Social
Psychology (Vol. 58, pp. 71-125). Academic Press.
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