Stasis in Two Major Speeches

"Truth is powerful and it prevails."

"Religion without humanity is very poor human stuff."

"I am not going to die, I'm going home like a shooting star."

- Sojourner Truth 

"The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, "It's a girl."

"Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt."

"When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses."

- Shirley Chisholm

Defining the stasis in these two iconic historical speeches can be very difficult. In Shirley Chisholm's speech "Equal Rights for Women" she makes a clear argument for equal treatment of women especially in the workforce. As noted in one of her quotes at the top "tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt." Chisholm further argues this quote in her speech. She argues that women are just as capable of completing the same jobs of men at the same level. She argues that the number of women in managerial positions isn't acceptable when compared to the number of women in the population. While Chisholm advocated for women she was not asking for special treatment for women and this parallel can be seen in the speech "Ain't I A Woman" by Sojourner Truth as well. In Sojourner Truth's speech "Ain't I A Woman" her argument  is very complex and can be seen differently depending on how an individual chooses to analyze her speech. I appreciate her use of repetition of the phrase "Ain't I A Woman" as I believe this became the roots of several arguments  she makes in her speech. Truth speaks on the work she has done, pain she has endured, and the injustices brought against her not only for being African American but also for being a woman. She explains that if a woman can be helped across puddle or the street then that she be done for all women of any race. She argues that she is not inferior nor incapable of doing the things men do and there is no reason she should be treated like any less of a woman for being black, or any less of a human for being a woman. The complexity of her argument is very interesting and thought provoking. Both she and Chisholm do a great job of presenting their arguments, especially in terms of their audiences and their use of appeals and evidence.