Feminism at the Concert

When one closes their eyes and hears the word feminist, one can imagine seeing a mob full of women marching down the street burning their brassieres while chanting anti-male chants, while holding signs that sheds light on the unfair treatment women were exposed to for several decades. On the other hand, if one closes their eyes, and hears the word feminine, one can imagine seeing either a dainty female looking sweet and innocent, something like a princess, or a lady with “tasteful” sex appeal. These images along with other images associated with femininity and feminist comes from how the media, new papers, and stories portray them. Looking on the surface, they seem quite the opposite in nature. In Claire Miye Stanford’s essay “You’ve Got the Wrong Song: Nashville and Country Music Feminism” Stanford poses a question, “Can a show that is so ostensibly interested in the ‘feminine’…also be feminist?” (Stanford 277). At first glance, one would disagree, but more TV shows are portraying their leading women as a feminine feminist. Shows like Nashville, Insecure, and Orange is the New Black are breaking the boundaries and changing the views on what the new feminine feminist looks like.

During the Victorian Era, women struggled to attain gender equality by challenging the traditional roles that defined them. These women no longer wanted to remain passive and obey the demands of their husbands nor be domestic and the caretakers of their children. They strived to attain the role of a 'New Woman', an intelligent, liberated individual who was able to openly express her ideas (Eltis 452). Whereas some women were successful in attaining this new role, others were still dominated by their male counterparts. The men felt threatened by the rising power of women and repressed them by not allowing them to work, giving them unnecessary medications, and diagnosing them with hysteria (Gilman

How does one supersede the unelected authority of entertainment, avoid extremism, and in turn prevent the otherwise inevitable implosion of a well-intentioned cause? The film V for Vendetta said it best. “...you cannot kiss an idea, cannot touch it, or hold it... ideas do not bleed, they do not feel pain, they do not love.” If we could fix the ideal itself, that would be the most ideal solution. We would cut out anything that might empower someone to interpret it for immoral action. Unfortunately, we live in a society that places a moral dimension on a non-sentient object or idea. By this I mean we live in a world that places the blame on an idea and its interpretations, and not its interpreters. The best solution to the single minded bigotry that is holding a movement of equality at bay is via education of the public masses. It is by teaching tolerance, understanding, and critical thinking. It is by promoting a society that is founded on the principles of how it treats the lowest of the low that these movements of equality can succeed, because even in a perfect world, we cannot silence extremism. We can however, teach our youth the benefits of open mindedness, and allow for a creative and non-uniform spirit to dictate the moral truths of our society. So, I encourage every one of you to do two things: to promote what you believe to be true and just, whether it be feminist or some other ideal, and to

During the early 1900’s women were completely “disenfranchised and expected to defer to their husbands and fathers” for advice and guidance and were essentially not allowed to think for themselves (A Woman’s World). Over the next ten years women started to fight for equal rights. They gained speed with the Universities and intellectuals but were still overall hindered by the “arrogant man” (A Woman’s World). However

In the early nineteenth century, women were expected to be, “‘angels in the house,’ loving, self-sacrificing, and chaste wives, mothers and daughters or they are… ultimately doomed” (King et al. 23). Women of this time were supposed to be domestic creatures and not tap so far into their intellectual abilities (King et al.). The role of women in the nineteenth century is described:

I realized that feminism was rooted in equality but branches into so many other issues like combating rape culture or the inclusiveness of LGBTQA+ and POC in the movement. And a campaign that supported the eradication of toxic societal norms was something I could wholeheartedly get behind. Before this discovery, however, I lived in blissful ignorance because I shared the same sentiment as most teens my age; you’re a kid, you can’t make a difference. I did not stand for anything of importance besides the occasional bandwagon belief because what did my opinions matter? Did I even have my own? Or were my words simply regurgitations of the ideologies my parents fed me? At sixteen years old, I was unsure. Give it a year, some heated conflict with my parents as well as a relearning of values and I would be. At seventeen years old, I fully understood what I chose to back those beginning days in APUSH but, more importantly, the significance of having something to stand for. I realized that a person’s beliefs characterize who they are and before I became a feminist; I didn’t have much of an identity -- I knew who I wanted to be but not who I was. So, in a way, discovering feminism and the girls at my table who first educated me helped me unearth who I am today. And I’m proud of who I am, proud that I am no longer the girl that shames, the girl who is unwarrantedly spiteful, the girl that puts others down. Not

“A woman is human. She is not better, wiser, stronger, more intelligent, more creative, or more responsible than a man. Likewise, she is never less. Equality is a given. A woman is human.”(Nazarian, 7) Women portrayed a prominent role in history. In the early 1920s women's roles where to stay at home to cook, clean, and take care of the children. However during World War 1 women were to go to work and produce war time essentials. They where also given the chance to vote, and this is when women began to be seen as equals. Women wanted to stand on equal ground with men. In the 1920s women started a new generation by the way they dressed, and acted in society. Women fought for individuality and wanted to be seen more as humans. In the 1920s women’s roles changed society, such that women now have a more prominent, unordinary role then before; which created a different view on women. The rules that women fought against changed society’s views on them forever.

What is a woman’s role? Is it to be a housewife and take care of her husband and children? Or is it much more then that. Between the years 1897- 1917 the progressive era came of age. This era not only created rapid economic growth but also created a voice for woman. As woman began to have a voice they were ready to use it and make a change that would affect American history forever.

In his article, “Why Men Have a Problem with the Word ‘Feminism’”, author Martin Daubney explains how he doesn’t clearly like the word feminism. Though he believes in what the word stands for, equality and freedom of choice, irrespective of gender, sexuality or race, he is repulsed by the word feminists. This is because of how the word is perceived; the word feminism now tends to symbolize an aura of negativity. The reasons behind the negativity are the acts of the radical feminists. “All men are rapists”, that statement was supposedly said once but as is can’t be taken back it is all that the men tends to remember. What was supposed to be a positive message for the benefit of mankind became a word that gives people a personal bad attitude.

In examinations of women’s art and activism, researchers claim that the results of these activist groups' performances are almost always challenging the cultural assumptions about genders. In “Code Pink, Raging Grannies, and the Missile Dick Chicks: Feminist Performance Activism in the Contemporary Anti-War Movement,” Rachel V. Kutz-Flamebaum argues that feminist performance activist groups integrate a combination of gender norm-embracing and norm-challenging elements in their performances. By spreading their viewpoints as they attempt to gain public attention and legitimate results from mass media, these feminist demonstrations in both Emily Anderson’s “Treacherous Pin-ups, Politicized

Sadly, the use of the word feminist had tended to bring a bitter taste in the mouth and mind in the past, however, our modern-day culture has managed to bring the true meaning of feminism to light, and

In the 19th century, with the ever-increasing industrialization and mass production of goods filling the streets, more money was required to live comfortably. Roles were set with women taking care of domestic duties and the men working to meet the demand of the outside world. Women’s work in the household had become more and more distant to the eyes of people everywhere. Unable to change the ideologies, women were content with exerting influence over their domestic spheres, and the beliefs of “true womanhood”. The woman I have chosen is one that sought to change that mold by moving away from traditional boundaries, into a more modern way of thinking.

In the early 1900s the life of women was much worse. Women simply were not valued by society and even upper-class women had few privileges outside the family. For women like Sheila, a decent life rested with the chance of marrying a wealthy man. Mr Birling sees Eva as just one of “several hundred young women”. But times where starting to change, in 1912, political and social unrest where massive problems, at the time, women where campaigning for equal rights.

Despite being under the rule of a female monarch, women faced many inequalities and suffering during the Victorian age. Examples of these inequalities include not having the right to vote, unequal educational and employment opportunities. Women were even denied the legal right to divorce in most cases. As the Norton Anthology states, these debates over women’s rights and their roles came to be known as the “woman question” by the Victorians. This lead to many conflicting struggles, such as the desire by all for women to be educated, yet they are denied the same opportunities afforded to men. While these women faced these difficulties, there was also the notion that women should be domestic and feminine. There was an ideal that women should be submissive and pure because they are naturally different. The industrial revolution introduced women into the labor workforce, but there was still a conflict between the two identities; one of an employed woman, and one of a domestic housewife.

The year was 1912 in London, England. Women lived at the mercy of their fathers, brothers, husbands and bosses; clearly a patriarchal society. Women’s lives consisted of keeping house and raising children and caring for their families. Those who worked outside of the home were limited to menial labor, earned significantly less than men, and surrendered their earnings to their husbands. Any inheritance of real estate or money a woman may have received was given to her husband and, most often, she had nothing to say about how it was managed or spent. A woman could not vote or run for office, and received little support, should she desire an education other than a ‘finishing school.’ (Clearly,