What is the most important social institution in american life?
a. the family
b. the schools
c. the government
d. the media

It could be argued that it is "the media" that is the most important social institution in American life, since having a free press is one of the most important elements of a democracy. 

Although the world has progressed when it comes to gender rights, we have not reached total equality. Although it's legal in America, abortion has become highly debated and has been in the news a lot for turmoil. While many believe that females should have the right to decide what to do with their bodies, others argue that it is in fact another life they are affecting by choosing abortion. Some say this topic is highly debated because of the lack of women's representation in politics. In the United States, for example, we have yet to have a female president. Some say this lack of representation is contributing to a large wage gap between men and women. For every dollar a white man makes, a white woman is said to only earn 78 cents, while a Hispanic woman makes 54 cents, little over half of a white man's wage. For these reasons, gender equality is still a highly contended topic in the world. Although some nations are faring much worse than first world countries (take, for example, the DR Congo, where genital mutilation, rape, and domestic violence rates are high against the female population), the issue is still said to be one of high importance for all nations.