Research Paper Introduction & Thesis

Siena Stanislaus

Erin Kelly

Exposition & Argument

Research Paper Outline

17 November 2016

All throughout history, and still today, it is common for cultures to embrace myriad social imbalances. Such inequalities develop from incredibly diverse bodies of people, a cultural aspect evident within the American population. Of these social disparities, discrimination on the basis of sex continues to affect the way so many Americans live daily. Women in particular face countless hardship simply due to their natural physicality. This imbalance on the basis of sex assists in the enforcement of societal values on intangible concepts, such as virginity and femininity. These values provoke women to feel uncomfortable when expressing their sexuality. As Leslie Bell discusses in her essay “Selections from Hard to Get: Twenty-Something Women and the Paradox of Sexual Freedom,” women are continually given contradictory directives regarding how sexually involved they should be. Women are encouraged to be sexually explorative in their youth, however consistently reminded to get married before it is too late. What Bell, like many others, fails to acknowledge is that there are more than one type of woman. The values embraced by society affect different types of women in different ways. There are barriers that women of color specifically face, that white women do not, simply because of their racial and ethnic background. Particularly in regards to sexuality and acts of sexual violence against them, there are considerations that women of color have that may contribute to the discomfort she may feel when deciding to report acts of sexual assault. Such considerations, as described by Nicole Pietsch in her essay “I’m Not That Kind of Girl,” include the way women of color are portrayed by society as ‘exotic’ and sexually promiscuous. This affects the extent to which she will be accepted as a victim within the courtroom. Other considerations include, as described by Marcia Gillespie in her article “What’s Good for the Race?” the racially internalized pressure women of color face particularly when their assailant is of their same race. Already a part of an oppressed group those within that community may criticize them and label them as traitors for acknowledging social issues within that body of people. These are just two barriers faced solely by women of color that may cause hesitation while deciding to report acts of sexual violence. This research document aims to acknowledge that while the societal standards and conceptions of women do impact women as a whole, there are aspects of intersectionality, particularly race/ ethnic background, that contribute to the level of discomfort women of color feel while deciding to report acts of sexual violence against them. This research document will discuss to what extent does the racial/ ethnic background of a woman affect the of discomfort when deciding to report, and why exactly it is necessary to acknowledge such distinction between these two groups of women, specifically during experiences involving sexual violence.