Logos in Shirley Chisolm's speech "Equal Rights for Women"

In Shirley Chisholm's speech "Equal Rights for Women" she uses logos as a device to appeal to her audience. She uses statistics to depict overwhelming ratios of men to women in high power positions. For example, she says "More than half of the population of the United States is female. But women occupy only 2 percent of the managerial positions." Obviously it doesn't make sense logically for women to be the majority of the population but only fulfill that small of a percent of managerial positions available. She also calls into question in her speech how racial prejudice is unacceptable and therefore discrimination against women should also be unacceptable. I have included an interesting link that includes recent statistics for women's income in the workforce (Women in the workforce information). Chisholm also speaks about how there was proof that the current laws were not sufficient enough to secure equal rights for women. She included that "the concentration of women in lower paying, menial, unrewarding jobs and their incredible scarcity in the upper level jobs" was proof of how current laws did not give women equal rights. The link I provided is proof that women are still facing these issues, just not in as large of a concentration.

Kairos of "Ain't I a Woman?"

Sojourner Truth's speech, "Ain't I a Woman?" was given during 1851 in Ohio. The speech had a profound impact at that time due to the abolitionist movement. Truth, once known as Isabella, have this speech at the Women's Rights Convention.  Not only was Truth giving a voice to African Americans but to women as well. During this  First Wave Feminism was sprouting and Truth utilized the growing movements to add power to her talk. Truth remarked on actions she saw where she was treated unjustly. The situations she witnessed could also be seen by her audience, again reinforcing how crucial the time period was.

Kairos in "Equal Rights" by Shirley Chisholm

"Equal Rights" by Shirley Chisholm is powerful and moving because of its kairos. Understanding the time period of the 1960s, a time where many prejudices against African Americans and women escalated, allows for the audience to connect and grasp the situation that immediate action is necessary. Following up to Shirley Chisholm's speech addressed to the speaker of the House of Representatives, there was an "unspoken assumption is that women are different" and inferior to men. Second Wave Feminism was a movement that was in full swing alongside the Civil Rights Movement. The kairos of the speech made it very appropriate for Chisholm to push for equal rights of all people. Chisholm shortly after became the first African-American women running for American presidency. She used her decorum as well as her position in the government to share the injustices using sharing personal statements how she is "no stranger to race prejudice." An additional source with great use of kairos is 'We Have Found You Wanting" by Rose Schneiderman. She speaks about the mistreatment of women in factories harshly because her speech was directly after the 1911 Triangle Factory Fire. She reports that every week she learns about the "untimely death of one of her sister workers." Schneiderman's speech has an angry tone where she demands change and equal rights for women because of her situation with even more application of kairos than of Chisholm's speech. These speeches reflect how society is hesitant to change and how time and time again equal rights for all people cannot be totally be achieved.

http://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/primary/testimonials/ootss_RoseSchneiderman.html

Logos in "Ain't I A Woman" by Sojourner Truth

Logos refers to the authors appeal to persuade by reason. In "Ain't I a Woman," Sojourner Truth has several arguments as to why women deserve equal treatment to men. She affirms that "[she] could work as much and eat as much as any man." She compares herself to men. Her argument is that they are the same and should be treated as such. By comparing herself and what she is capable of to men, she shows the audience that their are no huge differences between the two. Women are capable of all things men are. Another element of reason is her use of the Bible. She destroys the argument of men being more powerful because Christ is a man. "Where did your Christ come from then?" She uses several rhetorical questions to show how invalid the argument is. She alludes to the bible. I believe this is because religion was a big part of life back then, and she is using the church's word against them. She points out the hypocrisy of the men and demands that they let the women come in and make a change.

Ethos in "Ain't I A Woman" by Sojourner Truth

In Sojourner Truth's speech, "Ain't I A Woman?" ethos is established both extrinsically and intrinsically to share that there should not be a double standard for women who are fully capable of doing everyday activities. This moving speech was presented at the women's convention in Ohio in 1851. As an activist for women's rights and an abolitionist in the mid-1800s, Truth used her voice to speak out against injustices that many people were too afraid to voice. Before reading her speech, her extrinsic ethos was already established with her reputation. Escaping slavery, Truth is a great example and someone who is revered as an "evangelist, feminist, and abolitionist" (History). Using her extrinsic ethos, the audience will be more prone to understand the movements she is advocating because she has first-hand experiences of not being able to exercise her rights as a black woman. Intrinsically, Truth recalls examples of the double standard set by men against women. She alludes to how men expect women to be weaker and need assistance from men when "lifted into carriages and over ditches." Her ethos refutes those claims by stating that she did not need a man for those simple task by declaring "Ain't [she] a woman?" The intrinsic and extrinsic ethos established by Sojourner Truth in "Ain't I A Woman?" expresses her disagreement towards the double standard set by men towards women.  (My additional source that I used for background on Sojourner Truth: of http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/sojourner-truth)

Exigence in Sojourner Truth's Ain't I A Woman

Exigence refers to the urgency or demand of a text. "Ain't I A Woman," was delivered  in 1851 at a women's convention. During this time period women were did not have a lot of power, if any. There primary duties were to look after the children, cook, and take care of their husbands. Sojourner Truth is tired of the discrimination she and all women face. Her tone is pretty fed up and she doesn't understand how men can treat or see women be treated this way. She points out that were all born from a women. And to say they don't deserve rights because they are colored and/or female is wrong. She points out their hypocrisy and drops the mic because she can't stand the treatment they face. And from reading you can see her urgency, her demand, her anger. She finishes the text with the notation that women are coming to get what is rightfully theirs and the men "better let them." Sojourner Truth is over the disrespect and she demands that her voice along with others are heard.

Exigence In Shirley Chisholm's Speech "Equal Rights for Women"

In Shirley Chisholm's speech "Equal Rights for Women"she argues for the equal treatment of women in the workforce. She explains that during a time in which racial discrimination was being deemed as "unacceptable", that discrimination against women should also be unacceptable. The exigence in Chisholm's speech is clear, because although we live in a time where women still are not paid the same wages, more women are holding the same jobs as men. Chisholm spoke during a time where women were not at all seen fit to be doctors, engineers, or CEOs. In today's time although there still are not as many women in certain professions as there are men, there is no longer a clear gender division. We live in a time where there a female doctors, male nurses, and a female running for the presidency. I believe Chisholm's urgency for congress to pass the equal rights bill came from a sense of restlessness as well as being a woman and being African American. Chisholm has experience discrimination from both sides and knew that if something was being done about civil rights for African Americans, something needed to be done for the equal rights of women as well.  

Ethos of "Equal Rights" by Shirley Chisolm

The Ethos of the speech “Equal Rights” relies on Chisholm’s extrinsic and intrinsic authority. Since Chisholm can understand the political and personal components that is pertinent in social change for discrimination her rhetoric has verity. For example in her speech Chisholm mentions how, “in the political world”, she was discriminated against mainly because of her gender and to a lesser extent her race. Chisholm is qualified to speak about the inequality in the political world due to her participation in several departments. These include the position of founding member of Congressional Black Caucus as well as holding the position of Congresswoman. Not only did Chisholm rise in the ranks of the government her universal kindness and caring was well known. William Howard, Chisholm’s campaign treasurer, once said in an interview that, “she was very much a part of each individual”. Chisholm’s speech is centered on equality which is fitting with the other values she was known for fighting for such as: minority education and employment opportunities. Other social activists add to Chisolm's ethos in and out of the political environment. Their testimonies can be found on http://chisholmproject.com/.
By Tienne Mohs

Sojouner Truth and Shirley Chisholm's Fight for Equality

Sojourner Truth's Speech
Shirley Chisholm's Speech

These two texts are two speeches given by two different women during two different time periods; however, the issues addressed in both speeches are similar. Take some time and read these two speeches !