Casey Hayden and Mary King: “Sex and Caste”

Explanation and Analysis of the Document

Hayden and King argue that women are forced to operate within the confines of a caste system, one that parallels the caste system that subjugates African Americans. They note that this caste system is not institutionalized by law but that it is just as prevalent as white segregationist views. They point out that within the civil rights movement questions arise as to the role of women, who are “as capable as men but held back from full participation.” As women begin to “think radically” about personal relationships, their relationships with men are affected. As women begin to discuss these issues, men either withdraw or respond defensively. The result is difficulty in establishing a dialogue with men, who often respond with laughter and refuse to take the issues seriously.

Hayden and King decry this lack of public discussion about the role and position of women. They cite Nation, a liberal news magazine, which argued that women's positions as wives and mothers preclude their full participation in professional work—and that women should be content with the contributions their family roles allowed them to make. The authors then appeal to other women, urging them to “open up dialogue” about personal problems, “especially if we start trying to apply things we're learning there”—that is, in the civil rights movement—“to our personal lives.”

The authors conclude that, given the problems of race, war, and poverty, it is unlikely that the American public will be willing to take up the issue of women's equality. Nevertheless, if the goal of liberal activists is to “shape institutions to meet human needs rather than shaping people to meet the needs of those with power,” then it is crucial for society to take up the fundamental problem of gender relations.