As a fourth wave feminist of color, black feminism means many things to me. It means that I have many opportunities available to me that the first, second, and third wave feminist did not have. It also means that although we as women of color have been fighting for equal pay, equal rights and equality in our relationships, that we still have a long way to go.
Before I took this course, I thought that feminism was about equality, fighting, and power. When it comes to equality, I thought about being on the same level as men in every aspect of life. An equal opportunity to attend college, an equal opportunity to serve in the military, an equal opportunity to run for office, etc. When it comes to fighting, I think about fighting for
…show more content…
I refuse to let someone get in the way of my dreams. If I have a relationship with someone and they are trying to change me or do not support my dreams then I will no longer associate with them. If I am around people that do not like the fact that I am in college in my late 20s and that I want to work up toward earning a Ph.D. or a J.D. then I do not need them in my life.
When it comes to my future, I am concerned about many things. I am concerned about finding a career doing something I love with a decent salary and benefits. I am also concerned about finding someone who loves me unconditionally and will accept me for who I am. I am concerned for the next generation of feminists. I wonder if our future leaders will appreciate the sacrifices that people generations before them have made so that they can have an opportunity to go beyond what their parents have accomplished. I wonder if there would have to be a 5th wave of feminism and how many “waves”, it would take until we have 100% equality with men. I am also concerned with the future of Social Security. I remember a time where you could retire at the age of 62, but in one of my classes last week, I was told that the minimum age is around 67. I hope that around 2045 (when I am 62) that there is some Social Security left for me so that I could retire.
I am also concerned about my freedom. I am concerned about reproductive rights and freedom to be me. I have always been the girl that refused to conform to
I still consider myself a feminist after this course. I believe that there is the need to establish, define, and achieve political, economic, and social rights for all not just
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
What does it mean to be a Feminist? Does it automatically mean you hate men or does it mean you're an activist for women's rights? Contrary to popular belief, feminism is not about establishing a superior gender. It is about fighting for equality and destroying the social, cultural and historical norms set upon women throughout the world. The Twenty-first century has brought change and growth to female empowerment. Although, in many parts of the world women are given the same rights as men, they are still treated and viewed inferior to men. G.I. Jane perfectly illustrates the struggle women have gone through, even when given “identical” opportunities as men.
Feminism is women’s rights and how to exploit them, making life easier and better for them. These women have been working hard for decades and have helped the economy grow. These women also need support to help make this world and not get discriminated against because they are women and aren't as strong as guys. Help women believe that they are doing good work and that they are just as good as men. Women’s rights are important, how women’s rights has changed over time, and finally they should have more support when it comes to work and politics. Women’s rights are important and they should have more support when it comes to work and politics.
Feminism exists to give everyone the same opportunities and basic rights typically granted solely to straight, wealthy white males. Modern and early feminists alike fought for these rights and “while acknowledging these limitations (sexual orientation, race, and personality), both groups of peace workers recognized the significance of building identities for their respective communities through embracing principles of nonviolence and respect for diversity” (Pois). Feminism is a movement for those who are not born with everything handed to them, and for those who are forced to fight for everything they have. Anyone placed in a lesser position, seen as not meeting the expectations set before them, or otherwise disprivileged is represented through feminism. Feminists from each generation have aided in the development of women’s rights to create a better world for themselves and those around them.
Men and women are supposed to be equals. Women are supposed to share equal rights and opportunities with males, but sometimes women experience discrimination and face inequality. (It’s not only women; people of different genders/sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and etc. face discrimination still to this day). Some look at this world as if it is a man’s world, and women were put on this Earth to help their husband, have kids, and raise their children. Well, women can do more than that! Not only men, women can be leaders and hold high positions too. Women can go into male dominated professions, and be successful. When feminism comes to mind the first thing I think of is the women suffrage movement. Then I think of the 19 amendment and how it gave women the right to vote (a right we should have had in the first place). Susan B. Anthony is a well-known feminist who believed that slavery should be and would be ended, and not only that she pushed for women to have the right to vote (the right they had been denied at the time). I also think of the early 20th century in America, and several things that happened. There was Margaret Sanger, who in the early 1900’s pushed for people to be educated about sex (sex education). Also, she pushed on the topic of contraceptives which at the beginning many people didn’t like the idea of at first. I also think of women like Coretta Scott King who not involved in the Civil Rights Movement, she was also a feminist. She also had a part in the
Girls, Ladies, and Women, we need to stand up and control our future. It’s appears that we have been doing, so for the past decade, but are we really controlling our lives with our own beliefs? Everyday women of all ages are being influenced by media and influenced by society. It’s always good to see the world and understand different views. Although, how can we understand different views, if many of us do not even understand ourselves? To understand ourselves, means that we have to understand what was, what is, and what could be .We need to ask questions to our inter person like what were that girl’s dreams? What is that lady’s reality and what
Towards the end of the twentieth century, feminist women in America faced an underlying conflict to find their purpose and true meaning in life. “Is this all?” was often a question whose answer was sought after by numerous women reaching deeper into their minds and souls to find what was missing from their life. The ideal second-wave feminist was defined as a women who puts all of her time into cleaning her home, loving her husband, and caring for her children, but such a belief caused these women to not only lose their identity within her family but society as well. The emotions that feminist women were feeling at this time was the internal conflict that caused for social steps to be taken in hopes of
“You cannot be a humanist unless you are a feminist. You either advocate equality for all or you are a misanthrope” (Michael A. Sherlock). From women’s suffrage to abortion laws feminism has evolved with contemporary battles and a variety of approaches. The
For myself in this course I was here to receive an education, after taking this class and understanding things more I now can say I’ve been here to claim my education. When I first thought about taking this, my impression was it was going to be the history of things not on current events and topics that were discussed. This course has opened my eyes and mind to another aspect of the world. Asserting myself and being heard and not just seen is something I have been working on with my counselor. Finding my inner voice and making my wishes heard, not letting others speak and decide what is best for me. This course teaches on how it was and is through several readings and with each reading I was able to have that “click” moment where I connected with the topic and it made it more real to me. Feminism is not just a word anymore it now has meaning to me.
Many times in life men do not think that women can do the same things that they can; whether it’s picking up boxes or being president. There will always be that “macho man” thought of the man being stronger than the woman. In many jobs women might do the exact same thing that men do except men are getting paid more than women even if it is an insignificant amount, it happens in many places and even though many people disapprove of it there are still jobs like that out there. And there are still employers who think that a woman should not be in the work force if so home. Many feminist have been working to solve this problem and there are still people who are working to solve and change many more of these problems, and even though in some places it doesn’t seem like it, feminism and feminists
Feminism by definition means the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social and economic equality to men. But many a time’s people restrict the boundary of these forgetting the very important element of diversity of women living in different places and in varied situations.
When referring to the history of feminism in the manner of the first, second, or third wave, one is undermining the experiences that were ongoing during, in middle of, and before those waves that history defines. What ideologies of oppression were being spoken of to raise awareness and whose experience was being excluded/diminished? The articulation of feminism in using the metaphor of waves to describe how the ideologies peaked and rescinded, is incorrect because it focuses only on the voices of those who were able to bring their problems to the surface and excludes those who had a different experience or may have brought awareness in a quieter manner. There are many feminisms and each interpretation is defined by the collective oppression, rather than looking at the situation in an individual perception, which is what creates disagreements and division between feminists. Many definitions of feminism, feminisms, exist simultaneously because it is evolving as fast (or, well, as slow) as the world is changing and if one group of people are to speak of others experience of oppression (or lack of) in place of them, the result can be the glossing over of experiences and therefore, undermine experiences of others.
The idea of women being equal to men has been debated for a very long time. Even when civilizations were just starting, most women were treated very differently from men. When women started fighting against this oppression they were called feminists. Feminism can be separated into three waves. The first wave of feminism was from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s. The second wave was from the 1960s to the 1980s. The third wave of feminism started in the 1990s, but its end is unclear. Some people believe it has ended and the fourth wave of feminism has started, but others believe it continues today. The different waves have been very different in some aspects, but very similar in others. The main differences between the first and third wave of feminism are what they fought for, how they protested, and society’s reaction to their cause.
In 1776, the then First Lady of the United States was the first to raise her about women’s rights, telling her husband to “remember the ladies” in his drafting of new laws, yet it took more than 100 years for men like John Adams to actually do so. With the help of half a dozen determined, and in this case white upper-middle-class, women the first-wave feminism, which spans from the 19th century to the early 20th century, finally led to their goal after 72 years of protesting. The Nineteenth Amendment, which secured the rights for women to vote finally passed in 1920. This grand victory brought other reforms along, including reforms in the educational system,