In society, females are degraded

and denied the dignity and respect that men receive. For generations (and

especially in under-developed countries) women have been denied access to equal

opportunities, in cases of reading, writing, voting, family decision-making and

career development. This inequality has been facilitated by cultural, religious

and political barriers, and historically, women have been considered as the

weaker sex, incapable of making rational and abstract decisions. Barriers to

opportunities and sexist assumptions have caused women to become slaves within

the male-dominated society. The equality of women vary across countries and

cultures, as an example: in Arab countries, with high levels of Islam, women

are denied access to leadership, management, and political positions, and, in

turn, misrepresenting and denying them from decision-making processes. In

China, the top political positions are choked with males. These traditions

endanger females to male manipulation and control, limiting their

opportunities. This affects women on an individual basis, and on the macro,

societal environment, as they are unable to contribute to their families or

wider circumstances. It is contended that the status of women must change, to

be granted equal opportunities. This assessment will analyze The Handmaid’s

Tale by Margaret Attwood, discussing the socio-political sphere of female

inequality, and its relation to contemporary society.