Raunch Culture Analysis

Secondly, feminism can be considered a single doctrine with regard to the core goal of redefining ‘the political’. Feminists argue that sexual inequality has been preserved because the sexual division of labour within society is thought of as ‘natural’ rather than ‘political’. The ‘public sphere’ of life, comprising for example politics, careers, art and literature, has traditionally been the preserve of men, whilst women have been confined to the ‘private sphere’, centred on the family and domestic responsibilities. Women are, in this effect, excluded from politics, and therefore the question of sexual equality is an issue of little, or no, political importance. Feminists are thus united in their desire to challenge the divide between what Elshtain described as the ‘public man’ and ‘private woman’.

There is no denying that raunch culture can be seen everywhere in our culture today. Music video vixens, advertisements, social media posts and much more can all be targeted as sexy because like people say sex sells in todays world. In Ariel Levy’s book, “Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture” in one of the main chapters “Female Chauvinist Pigs” she explores various perspectives associating with the differences between “female feminism” vs “female exploitation”. Levy discusses raunch culture and the irony in the actions women take to show their freedom, as they began to become more comfortable with the inequalities that feminists have been trying to fight for decades. Throughout the whole chapter

When Beyonce stood in front of a large LED screen that displayed “FEMINIST” at the 2014 VMA awards, like-minded women everywhere cheered. There stood a celebrity who did not shy away from the word that had become similar to a curse. Very few women were willing to own up to the title of Feminist before Beyonce did. It is, perhaps, a leftover sentiment from the raging second wave of feminism, the so called “bra-burners” who would protest Miss America Pageants. Today, Feminism attempts to speak for a broader definition of women than in the past. In the midst of the second wave of feminism, non-white women were still trying to be heard in the feminist movement. In the Combahee River Collective, Black Women state that, “The only people who care enough about us to work consistently for are liberation are us.” Though truly it is difficult to discuss the history that we are living today, Feminism has tried to embrace both queer feminists and non-white feminists, and also feminists who are unafraid to embrace their femininity. Rio Grrl is particularly famous for publishing

Identities do not exist in a vacuum. They are thrust upon us, formed and reinforced through all manners of social pressures but, in particular, through consumption itself, as well as how we consume. This is particularly true for the binary way in which gender is defined – ouridentities as “male,” “female,” or otherwise. Our possessions, things, come to have personal significance and meaning to us and how we exist in this world. More than that, we come to view people the same way we view a product – one more thing to be consumed and added to our collection. This system does affect all genders, but in many ways does seem stacked against femininity or gender non-conformity. Moreover, the commodification of women and women’s bodies has been normalized to such an extent so as to be made out to be feminist in its own ways – one needs to look no further than the porn industry or sex work, or the rhetoric which suggests to women that all they need to do to subvert patriarchy is to put on some makeup, go out, get drunk, and sleep with whomever they want. This brand of liberal “choice” feminism seems to free women from the bonds of the expected and from society, and yet it simply is a form of control that comes from within, rather than from some governing body. Empowerment is important in its own ways, but it is served to the public as a soporific, something to distract from the systematic discrimination and objectification of women, and prevent any sort of criticism on the matter. It

“A sexual revolution begins with the emancipation of women, who are the chief victims of patriarchy, and also with the ending of homosexual oppression.” Kate Millett could not have described the Sexual Revolution any better, a sexual liberation to argue that women are in fact, equal to men in more ways than society allows. In the 1960’s, women began to catch on that women are treated inferior to men, in ways that women are a disgrace if they were to have intercourse with many men, whilst it is acceptable for men to have several sexual partners; this to women was unsettling. The Sexual Revolution was a movement that encouraged the equality between genders involving a transformation of the sexual norms in society; therefore, the arousal of birth control, the legalization of abortion, and the founding of the new term intersex are all medical perspectives based on the repercussions of this reform.

By admitting some of the genuine challenges that are being faced by non-mainstream feminists, Gay forces her audience to face the chilling reality of many women whose struggles are not being equally represented. Gay is aware that her target audiences are perhaps either side of the feminist movement and via this rhetoric she challenges both audiences to take into account whether or not this is “good feminism” versus “bad feminism”.

Throughout this text, Bennett uses feminist language, and indeed the word ‘feminism’ without properly defining the term. It is true that this book is aimed at an audience that is likely to known these terms. Yet, by not giving a definition Bennett opens the floor for radically different interpretations based upon where the reader’s definition falls on the spectrum, from hating men and wanting female superiority to wanting equality and justice for all regardless of sex, that defines the various ‘schools’ of feminism. Despite this lack of clarity, many of the arguments that Bennett makes are still valid. Specifically, Bennett notes that the language of feminist and women’s history has changed from the biting and often uncomfortable rhetoric of 1970s feminism to more neutral

Recent massive transnational protests named “Slutwalk” have marked a new form of rage from modern women’s right activists, stirring varied societal objections from both men and women towards feminists. From a defiant display of a thousand women dressing in underwear and fishnets storming down the streets of Toronto, to public declarations from well-known feminists stating they will never fight for the right to be called sluts, the re-appropriation of the word “slut” cannot succeed due to its inseparable negative connotations, and has reinforced the misunderstood image of feminism as a solely sexually aggressive absurd circus, alienating feminists from their political allies and hindering the progresses of other female rights agendas.

Iris Young defines humanist feminism’s form of oppression as “the inhibition and distortion of women’s potential to be in a society that allows the self-development of men” (Young 1984, 174). She makes note that for a humanistic feminist the form of oppression that women cannot be held to the same standard as men. The aim for humanist feminists is to have men and women stand as equals; equating the woman to the man. There is, however, another form of feminism, that embraces womanly characteristics: “Gynocentric feminism defines women’s oppression as the devaluation and repression of women’s experience by a masculinist culture” (Young 1984, 174). Rather than noting the key differences of men and women the Gynocentric feminist would much rather embrace what makes a woman a woman instead of ignoring these qualities. Instead of holding women to the same standard of men, womanly qualities are embraced and valued to the same extent that things are valued from a masculinist

What individuals as a rule don't see, however, is the misfortune regarding human potential when ladies don't make it to the highest point of their fields. Gender balance is a complex mosaic; A photo that can't be finished without comprehension and investigating the local, national, and demographic components of this issue. Therefore, we can't approach these issues without completely peeling back and investigating every layer. It is essential for everyone to reassess how we measure, screen and view the status of ladies, so an adequate decision regarding both the advancement that has as of now been made toward accomplishing full sexual orientation balance and the difficulties and deterrents that lie ahead.” Gender inequality seems to evoke a certain sense of resistance from both men and women, who argue against “radical feminism” and suggest that women nowadays are empowered to follow whatever career path they choose and succeed on their merits.” (Feminist) Therefore, woman must remain true to the cause and resist accepting the false idea that females have made it to the end of the line and men must create a new perception of today’s woman that is honest, fair, and

In modern day society, feminism continues to be a widely debated topic. Unbeknownst to some who claim feminism is a new, radical idea, the feminism movement was raging on in the 19th century as well. Though it remains unknown whether or not Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was a critique of the feminism movement or a part of it-- it is certain that he, along with others, was painfully aware of the increasing demand for women’s rights at the time. Now it comes to question: what is feminism? What started out as a simple advocation that women deserve the same rights as men and should be treated as equals, has evolved over the ages. It has become the fight for the freedom for women to express their sexuality, end objectification, be judged

In the wider conversation of modern day feminism, many people tout loud acts of rebellion such as burning bras or refusing to shave as protests against the patriarchy. Marches and loud voices are often given the spotlight in showcasing ways women fight back against the oppression they are subjected to on a daily basis. The wider narrative often forgets about the subversive acts that women do everyday to challenge the patriarchal hierarchy of power: mothers raising sons who will be the men to stand up to misogynists each day, teenage girls who shop on all areas of department stores in order to mix and match what may be seen as traditionally male or female clothing, housewives who also run side businesses from their homes to provide them with additional money just for their needs. These subversive acts are women who don’t ask for permission when they see an opportunity for healing or liberation, deciding to take the chance because they have already lost so

For many decades, the feminist movement has had a negative connotation. But, that was not meant to be the case. In group discussion with college freshmen, Dube (2004), a lecturer in the English department at the University of New Hampshire, discovered a wholly inaccurate assessment of feminism from her students. In their viewpoint, feminists were “bra-burning, hairy-legged, man-hating lesbians constantly looking for sexism where it cannot be found” (p.1). However, this could not be further from the truth. The purpose of modern feminism is not to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition. It is not a club that requires exclusivity in the form of gender, religious beliefs, etc. Nor does it demand that its members stomp on others in order

To understand the internal debate of feminists, you have to understand the history of feminist views on sexuality. The sexual empowerment of women has seen two major revolutions. According to Leila Rupp at the University of California Santa Barbara, the first movement began in the 1910s with the push for women’s suffrage and legal equality. In the first revolution, equality was demanded for a more equal partnership within the family, and the institution of marriage. The second revolution in the 1960s gave rise to the idea of freedom and equality outside of the bounds of marriage (Rupp). The two sexual revolutions disperse at essentially the same rift which occurs in the feminist view of pornography, and at the root of the rift is a sexual identity crisis. Does free love, liberation from marriage, and breaking of sexual taboo liberate women, or is a fixation on sex a masculine idea at heart.

Women’s freedom has always been a debatable form of policies and rights. With readings from Barkty, our system aims to turn women into docile and inferiorized bodies; and breast is not exempted. (p.24) Today’s women are reluctant to be bare-breasted in public because of stereotypes that would label them as being ‘easy’, while also bringing ‘slut shaming’ into motion. (26) From the male gaze point of view, these women are yearning for attention and to be sexualized; however, they are also seen as undesirable, unable to be in a committed relationship and especially the type of woman who you wouldn’t bring to your parents for her ‘rash’ and ‘loose’ ways. (26) Once this social sanction is emplaced it means, “the loss of badly needed intimacy; for both heterosexual women and lesbians, it may well mean the refusal of a decent livelihood.” (25)