We are creating excuses for the problems we have by blaming gender differences. By continuing to dwell on the social differences between men and women in present day American society, we are merely propelling the problem of gender inequality and giving it a reason to remain, rather than eliminating it. Yet, in the 1990 s and continuing now in the twenty-first century, both the men and women of American society are impeding feminism because their shared responsibility is overlooked, especially in cases of rape and other sexual assaults. It is clear when we look at a topic like rape that both sexes can be at fault, not only for the action at hand, but for the deterioration of equality in gender issues caused by that action. It is a well-established fact that men do not rape for sex, but rather for power.
Men already have power just because they are men living in a male dominated society.
I am not at all saying that because women want to be treated fairly in society that they are then putting themselves as a whole at risk from the attacks of jealous men. Afterall, one never hears about women raping men even though women are trying to increase their amount of power. Yet, reports of rape have been rising as long as women have been fighting for equality. A simple explanation for this is the increased amount of women reporting rape in this country. This is one way in which women hurt feminism.