The Marks of Feminism
Throughout history and still today women fight against stereotypes and oppression for the sole fact that they are women. Stripped of human rights and equality in comparison to men, women deserve to stand on the same pedestal men are preciously placed upon simply because they are all human. A majority of people, including some women, invalidate the need for feminism by claiming that women often place themselves in lower positions than men. Feminists, however, would argue that regardless of the power a woman yields, that power will always be lesser than man’s in today’s misogynistic society. A myriad of statistics support that women suffer more emotionally, physically, mentally, economically, and socially than most men.
The idea that feminists are simply angry misandrists who want more privileges than men is common among people. To be a feminist is to believe that women deserve equality in all aspects, not because they are women, but because they are humans with born rights that over time have been modified or cut completely. The cost that a woman faces gives an idea on what inequality between genders looks like today. On average 6.4 million women around the world get pregnant in one year alone. In the US, women get zero weeks of paid maternity leave. Only recently did California, and three other states, grant women 6-12 weeks to recover from child birth. Women rarely choose to be pregnant, and if they choose to get rid of an unwanted child, whether
Feminists today are viewed as raging, man-hating bitches, but feminism in its true sense simply advocates women’s rights. While there are extremes on either side of the scale, most feminists fight
Stereotypes, whether about a race, gender, or ethnicity, have continuously been created and destroyed with the evolution of society’s thoughts. Movements of all kind have fought tirelessly to break down barriers that confine certain groups of people. The Women’s Rights Movement forged against immense repression to acquire the right to vote, work and have true independence. While they achieved their goals, women are still treated as an inferior to a more “dominant” male. Women are classified as lesser, more emotional and weaker than men.
Feminism. The f-word. This word has many different connotations. The dictionary definition of feminism is the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men (dictionary.com). The simpler, more stereotypical, definition is policies that are pro-women and anti-men. Before this class all I ever heard, was that the stereotypical feminist is a woman who hates all men and everything about men. She probably does not shave (ever) and she is most likely an angry lesbian. Those are just a few misconceptions. This may be true for some feminists, but not all. Feminism is an evolving movement. Feminism strives for equality for all not superiority for women. This view is also shared in both “Feminism is for everybody” by bell hooks and “Men and Feminism” by Shira Tarrant.
Feminist: ugly, man-hating, whiny women who can’t get a man. According to Experience Project blog, that is the uneducated stereotypical definition of a feminist. This definition holds so much misleading information within itself that it is truly baffling. The misconceptions of feminism that exist in the real and virtual world today cause the bumps in the feminist movement. I remember seeing 2014 as a year of social justice and equality for the genders. If someone is looking for a very inspirational definition of a feminist they can always listen to Beyonce’s song “***Flawless”. She made use of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s interpretation: a person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Personally I don’t think
Though the media has maligned feminism as a drive for selfish fulfillment by female professionals, those who stand to gain the most are actually those who have the least. The demand for full equality for all women is profoundly radicalizing when it addresses the additional layers of discrimination women experience because of class, race, sexuality, disability, and
What are feminists? Feminists are people who support advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. The first wave of feminism occurred during the early 19th century.
Often society today only addresses one side of the gender inequality issue; the grievances of women. Feminists have fought the ingrained tradition of women subjected to life as a housewife with no rights since women are looked down upon as the lesser sex. Women have spent hundred of years trying to break down gender barriers and constructs. Less discussed in the social issues of today are the grievances men face. The issues of misogyny and misandry are discussed by the authors of “Marked Women,” “A Woman’s Beauty,” “Man Bashing,” and “The Men We Carry in Our Lives.” Although men lead lives that are not absent from gender discrimination, women have historically and still currently oppressed by men in society and still fighting for equal rights.
Feminism is a living word. There can never truly be a one set definition for the word as the term has often shifted meanings to correspond to the time period. Feminists fight for the rights that men have under the United States Constitution and to have the right to not be discriminated against. Any action against any woman, intentional or not, goes against the principles that many women and men stand for.
Feminism is defined as a people that believe that women are being treated unfairly or unequally. Most feminist are strictly for the idea that women are the only gender being treated unfairly. They are for the aspects that women get paid less than men for working the same jobs, rape culture, harassment, domestic violence, and body autonomy. What most feminist do not understand is that annually almost an equal number of men are raped, sexually harassed, and abused. Women are more likely to receive the job
Many people have misconceptions about what feminism is. I believe that if they were to fully understand what feminism really is, with all its complexities, then everyone should be a feminist. Unfortunately, people often relate the word, feminism, with many negative connotations. For example, people will say “Feminists are radical women who believe men are inferior to them, and that their agenda is more important.” The first thing you need to know is that, feminism in its simplest definition is the want for social, economic, and political equality of the sexes.
Personally, myself I wouldn’t consider myself a feminist. Understanding that men do have higher roles in the workplace, but women are striving to get on the same level. Women do have the voting rights that already have been abolished, but it seems like women who are feminist are asking for more than the usual women. Some rights that are given to men is fit for them not for us we should just stay in our place. As we know there are some disguising human-beings on this earth, every relationship is different and is not perfect. I am a heterosexual female always will be.
A feminist is also a person who bases their beliefs and behavior on the values of feminism. Feminism is the various movements for equal gender rights. Feminism also receives a negative reputation. Some think that feminism is a solely sexist movement. Filled of women who have man-hating values and who are extremists.
They claim to want equality, but expect special treatment. Feminists like to think men and women are the same, but they tend to freak out when men start treating them like men. Feminists will go wild the second men dont pay for their meals on a date. Feminists want men to become sensitive rather than masculating themselves for equality.
Through out history many would say that women have finally been liberated from the cruel injustice of the patriarchal society. Through Women’s suffrage to what seems to be an equal paying jobs now in society. Yet time and time again, society had fail to comply with the freedom that females deserve. Women’s population as a whole in a global aspect still to this modernized society are being looked down upon for their gender, believing that women are weak beings and are incapable of making logical decisions without the waiver of emotions. (Even after hundreds of years for society to become equal, on a global ideal, misogyny is still extremely alive integrated with our everyday lives.
I consider myself a feminist because I believe in empowering all women. According to the lecture on the importance of language, a feminist is a person, regardless of gender, who believes in the equality and importance of all women in society. I am a feminist because I continue to educate myself to become more self-aware of the danger of sexism and inequality that threatens women’s rights.