"A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. "
In our modern and changing society, feminism is an unpopular word with negative connotations, and people chose not to be titled as a feminist. (Watson) Why? The answer is simple, and that is because people don't understand what feminism means. According to the Oxford dictionary, feminism is: "The advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes." To put it in simpler words, feminism is the equality of rights for both men and women, with no superior sex. Feminist are not women who hate men and want to form a Matriarchy (a world ruled by women). They are not always angry and whiny, because everyone should be able to express what they feel, and we shouldn't need to apologize for having a bad day. We need to look beyond the media's stereotypical views of feminist and understand that the feminist movement is a fight for equal rights between the genders.
The concept of Feminism is used to highlight the gender inequalities in society, which are obvious in all the fields of the society. Feminism consists of certain philosophies, theories, and movements that were held in favor of gender equality. According to the feminists they are struggling for women to get equal rights. The concept of feminism started in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Feminism was considered to be the western phenomenon earlier. But as time passed, it spread throughout the world.
Through feminism, equality is brought in society, and both men and women learn to respect each other. Feminism did not start recently; women started fighting for equal rights many centuries ago. The feminist movements were greatly influenced by the French Revolution and the Revolutionary War in the late 1700s. It was during these periods that women stood out and started fighting for equal rights for all women. They fought against the oppression of their husbands, fathers, and children. They also fought against the patriarchal society. The first woman's movement was the women's suffrage movement. It was a group of women who wanted to change the way that men treated women. They wanted to make sure that women had equal rights as men. They wanted to make sure that women could vote. They wanted to make sure that women could get jobs. They wanted to make sure that women were able to go back home and have children, by choice. The second women's movement was the American civil liberties Union. They wanted the right to vote. They wanted the right to marry whomever they wished without fear. Historically, feminism began when women wanted the right to vote. And so, we are told today, that feminism has no relevance in a society where women are already free. I ask if women are not free to pursue feminism, how are they free to do anything else? Who are we to define the extent of freedom that we want to offer to half our population? Should it not be their choice?
Feminism and anti-feminism in Sula: Right or wrong? Feminism has been in society for decades. In some societies, we see how women are kept in their boundaries. In some countries, women have to cover their entire bodies in clothing to keep from dishonoring their families. In most traditional societies a woman is to remain virginal to be considered worthy of marriage. In America, women were constrained to the household and weren’t allowed to work or vote. These actions were and are considered by some, anti-feminist. But, when is feminism taken too far? Has the act of feminism become an excuse for women to act out because we have rights? I believe that feminism is not just about women's rights. Women should be able to do what they want with their bodies. I think it is important to note that there are many different types of feminism. Feminism is a form of feminism that focuses on the issues at hand. The main difference between feminism and other forms of feminism is that it does not focus on the issues at hand. Feminism is a way of looking at things from the perspective of women, which is why it is called feminism. In this essay, I will discuss how feminist views can affect society.
Feminism is a conflict theory which views society as male-dominated and it seeks to describe, explain and change the position of women in society. Feminism is, therefore, a theory of women's subordination and also a political movement. There are different types of feminism, which I will be evaluating in this essay; Liberal, Radical, Marxist, Black, and Postmodernist feminist. Feminists criticize mainstream sociology for being 'malestream'. By contrast, feminists examine society from the viewpoint of women an see their work as part of the struggle against women's subordination.
Feminism object to seeing a woman as an “object” and insist on seeing and representing women as “subject” by accepting their active role in society and giving them agency. Feminists’ movement began in 1960 and formed a new approach to literary criticism. According to a critic, the feminist movement was founded by Susan B. Anthony who believed that women should be treated equally with respect to their bodies and should not be subjected to any kind of discrimination based on their sex. In her book, the feminist manifesto: A history of feminism in America, Susan B. Anthony argued that women's rights were being violated because they did not have the right to vote or participate in the political process. She also argued that women had no say in how they were treated. This is why it is important to note that Susan B. Anthony was one of the first women to write about this issue. Susan B. Anthony wrote a letter to the American woman's union demanding equal rights for all women.
The Second wave of Feminism provided an increased economic benefit to women in the workforce affecting their status in society. The feminism activist’s efforts to achieve equal pay culminated with the Equal positive Pay Act 1972 for both a man and a woman. Even though this is still an issue the difference is gradually narrowing. By 1978 women were earning up to 78% of what men were earning in the same roles as a result of the equal pay act. With more women in these types of jobs, the average wage for women has risen and the dynamics of workplaces have also changed.
The relevance of feminism in today's society is in a state of constant debate and controversy. This may be due to the many negative connotations that have become attached to the notion of feminism. Many find that feminism is simply just females trying to rise above males. However, a large number of feminists state that their goals are not to rise above men, and instead, find equality among them. No matter how strong the debate against feminism becomes, feminists still passionately advocate for its relevancy and purpose. There are many topics that a feminist may choose to confront in order to support the importance of feminism.
Open-minded people are more likely to be able to see the world from a different perspective. Women's rights and women's issues have been addressed in many ways throughout history. Women have always had a strong role in society. From birthing to raising children. Women haven't always had a voice in society, but it's improved through the years that have passed thanks to women like Susan B. Anthony. However, as time has gone on women have also become more independent.
So why are women seen as fragile and helpless still?. Women have always been viewed as weak and incapable of doing anything. Why?. Historically looking back, fear and dominance have been used to justify violence against women. This is evident in the case of rape and incest which was and is considered a sin by most people. It is not surprising that women are still being raped today in many countries. Closed eyes and turned heads do not help.
How can we be part of a solution to make a better world for all genders?.
. <!Stop the dominance over one another, and have an understanding of what it means to be human. We all breathe the same air!>
The power of women is not limited to just men. There are many other groups that have been oppressed by the patriarchy. The most prominent group is the LGBTQ community. The LGBTQ community has been marginalized in our society for centuries. The LGBTQ community has been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation, their gender identity, race or religion. This discrimination has been a major issue in our society since the beginning of time.
How do we stop it?. By talking about it. By being aware of it, then doing something about it. Changing the hateful perspectives that formed this hate in the first place. By speaking up for what is right. By standing up for those who are oppressed and marginalized. By fighting back against the oppression of others. By making a difference in our own lives and communities. By showing love to all people. By loving ourselves unconditionally and accepting everyone else's imperfections as well. And by not allowing anyone to dictate our life choices or actions. By living with compassion and understanding. By not letting fear control us. By not allowing any one person to dictate our destiny. By not allowing any one person to dictate our future. We must be willing to stand up for what we believe in. By being open-minded and accepting that there are many ways of living without dominance.
It's a battle that we will be fighting for a long time, but is it worth it?. I think so.
Thanks for ingesting
Yours always
Leilani Raven Baugher
