Women Receiving Equal Treatment? Really?

It's really shocking how many articles sound so blatantly sexist. Take, for example, this article by Mary Raffali, published in the New York Times in 2001. The article is titled, "Judges Giving Women Prison Terms More Like Men's," which already opens up the discussion that men and women were not previously being sentenced equally. As I went on to read the article, I discovered that women were now being sentenced more harshly for reasons such as, "chivalrous behavior has changed with the call for equality," "as part of a move toward male-female equality, criminal justice removed the kid gloves," and even, "there is a perception that women are not supposed to commit violent crimes, and people are outraged." I found it a bit humorous actually, that while women are being seen as equal in the criminal justice system, we aren't entitled to equal pay.

But wait...there's more!
A professor of criminology at Hofstra University, John Wilderman, said: "Shoplifting was more of a diversion for housewives. It was a way of being deviant and getting excitement." Because apparently, the life of a housewife (women's work) is clearly sad and boring and without excitement. The worst part is, as Professor Wilderman says, "More women are responsible for a child, a family without a man, without any supports." 
A lawyer, Adrian Diluzio speaks of the changes in women's arrest trends saying, "women are taking on qualities that were traditionally thought of as male qualities. They are more aggressive, take greater risks, and have more interest in the profits." While I get that these attitude can lead to an increase in deviant behavior, can't those traits also propel women forward in the workplace or in any area where they want to get ahead and strive for better things??

Sorry for being so snarky, this article really annoyed me with the way the author and contributors spoke about women. I did find some interesting information in there though. There is some information on the changing arrest statistics, showing how women were previously arrested for larceny more than any other crime in Nassau County, NY, but since the mid-80's, have been arrested primarily for drug-related crimes. I encourage you to check out the article and let me know your opinion. Am I taking this too personally, or do you think that the article comes off as sexist?

Women Being Sentenced Like Men