The, Parks And Recreation, Leslie Knope, And Feminism Essay

“If my generation was too naïve, the generations that have followed may be too practical. We knew too little, and now girls know too much.” (Sandberg. Pg. 646) In the past, the call for women’s rights was heated as much as it was alive; many women today believe that they no longer need feminism in their lives. The misconception that feminist ideals are outdated has lead modern women to fall short in their desire to accomplish more. Sheryl Sandberg refuels feminist goals in the article “Lean In: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid.” She addresses lack of females in the work force, as well as, the way society prompts boys compared to girls. Bell Hook, in contrast, provides a deeper understanding of feminist ideals, along with, an in depth analysis of Sandberg’s work. The articles written by Bell Hook and Sheryl Sandberg express each woman’s perspective on modern feminism; although they both call for action, Sandberg focuses on the inequality between the sexes, while Hook broadens the overall argument to include topics such as race, sexuality and class equality.

To admit or to label oneself as a feminist is to accept a whirlwind of judgment from those around you. It is without a doubt that the word “Feminism” or “Feminist” turns heads, and not necessarily for the right reasons. Many have resorted to mocking, disagreeing, and/or hating Feminism without even having a good grasp of what it is. The stigmas that feminists face are that they are radical, extremist, liberal, lesbians who hate men, refuse to shave and enjoy burning bras (Lee).Conversely, feminists are principally advocates for social justice and equality as well as aim for the establishment of equally divided power between the sexes. It is obvious that many are unaware of and uneducated on the misogynistic injustices plaguing our world and the toxic environment we all live in- both women and men. Feminism is a positive concept that works to eliminate injustices between both sexes and to establish the value of women, thus should be treated as such a concept instead of being a forbidden idea.

Roxane Gay, author of the article entitled “Bad Feminist”, is a very accomplished American feminist writer. Her publication of “Bad Feminist” in 2012 gained national public attention (1). Feminism, as defined in the dictionary, is “the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes” (2), but Gay explains throughout her article that being a feminist is not just as simple as agreeing with this need for gender equality. The feminist label is too narrow and because of this the feminist movement is breaking apart. In this piece, Gay addresses how our society currently defines feminism and explains why this definition does not encompass everybody that it should.

On the same cable networks that act as the home for gay and lesbian television series, America finds its new woman for the new millenium: she’s smart, independent, gainfully employed, sexually confident, and, usually, she’s single. Television finally has room for a woman to fly on her own, without her minivan, Cub Scout den-mother meetings, or workaholic husband to feed and clean up after. The prime example for TV’s new “wonder woman,” is found in the four women of HBO’s Emmy Award winning series, “Sex & The City.” These

Television sitcoms of the 1950’s through the 1990’s showed women’s role in the American workforce by reinforcing common gender stereotypes. Since television sets became mainstream and entered almost every American home, the content of American sitcoms has reflected the culture of the times. Thus, as the popular American sitcoms of the 1950’s suggest, women living in the 1950’s had very little economic opportunity and almost no role in the American workforce outside of the home. In the sixties, women acquired more access in the workforce with the 1963 Equal Pay Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In the seventies, women continued to fight for equal pay to their male counterparts. In modern day, women are equal to men and feminism is decreasing. Four sitcoms, The Stu Erwin

When thinking about feminism in today’s society we tend to direct our minds and thoughts to a more radical and powerful train of thought. Feminism has been going on for centuries, with two main ideologies at the forefront; liberal and cultural feminism. Someone who identifies as a liberal feminist is someone who believes that women and men are a like and equal in most respects and deserve equal roles and opportunities (Wood & Fixmer-Oraiz, 2017, p. 58). And cultural feminism is someone who identifies as someone who believes that men and women are fundamentally differently; you have different rights, role and opportunities (Wood & Fixmer-Oraiz, 2017, p. 58). The women’s rights movement can be understood and broken down into three “waves”.

Gender is a very hot button issue in 2017 America. Many citizens are confused by it all and don’t quite understand gender. Would four boys from the town of South Park understand? Probably not considering one boy would fake being transgender just to skip the long bathroom lines. In the following paper I will discuss and analyze the show South Park and its view on gender roles in one episode as well as Family guy and analyze its view on gender as well.

The relationships among the women in the novel Hope Leslie reflect the middle-class concepts of female friendship, women’s sphere, and “True Womanhood” of this time. The women of the novel reveal both cultural norms and values through compliance as well as deviance of these customs. For instance, Sedgwick puts a much greater importance on the woman’s relationships with each other, than she does of the romantic relationships within the novel. In the closing paragraph Sedgwick writes, “marriage is not essential to the contentment, the dignity, or the happiness of a woman” (371). This reflects the concepts of the time because much of the romantic relationships or marriages were tied to convenience rather than fulfillment. Woman saw their husbands as incapable of understanding them or connecting with them on the same level of intimacy

Most people don’t understand the basics of the idea, and the practice of feminism. Feminism is historically a multicultural cause. Today's feminist activists are women and men of all walks of life who seek to combat racism, sexism, classism, etc. Feminism doesn't just liberate women; it also liberates men by breaking down the standards which society has put in place for both women and men. Women are very much still behind men in multiple ways. Furthermore, Feminists not only believe in equality between men and women, but also in equality between every gender, class, race, and sexual

“I think of a woman who is serious, no sense of humor, and not very fun,” says Lydia. When asked if she could name famous feminists throughout time, she had an impressive list including Adrienne Rich, Gloria Steinem, Shonda Rhimes, Sojourner Truth, Wendy Davis, and her own daughter. There is diversity in age, race, and styles of feminism for all of these activists. Yes, it is true that these are all women. However, that does not have to be considered a bad thing. Even though this movement helps with the patriarchal power structure implemented on men, the feminist movement is a movement by women and for women. So, it would be considered a good thing by many people that major names in feminism are, in fact,

South Park has been around for a while now. Since it was aired for the first time on 13th August 1997, the show has constantly pushed the boundaries taking on everything, leaving out nothing. The reception among the wider population and the media had a wide range from “shocking” to “excellent”. One of the aspects of this success story is that, because of its provocative tone the show has managed to stay in the limelight. Public debate was evolving around certain episodes, bringing more and more attention to the show. As it was constantly picking up contemporary themes, topics or events, expectations were growing and “ 'How will South Park deal with x ' has become a common catch phrase” (Johnson-Woods 257). Another

Representation is a very significant thing when it comes to children. The people and events that they consistently see as they grow are crucial to who they will become. Young women and girls are generally raised at a disadvantage and a lot of this is caused by the lack of representation. Women in the media are more important than they think; these women are role models to future generations. The characters in the television shows that young women watch are more important than one would think. As these girls age, they need to see more characters like Leslie Knope. Leslie Knope, portrayed by Amy Poehler, is the protagonist of the show Parks and Recreation. Not only is it incredible that there is a woman playing the protagonist, but that this show is about government and her role in it. Parks and Recreation is about

The Feminine Mystique is the title of a book written by the late Betty Friedan

Ever since 1997, South Park has revolutionized the cable TV scene as a profane and obscene program that isn’t afraid to mock religious, political, and cultural topics and not get away with at least offending somebody. Throughout its twelve seasons, some of the most prominent events in pop culture have suffered the wrath of ridicule from the show’s creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and succeeded in making millions of Americans laugh until they cry. The creative genius behind these cultural and controversial statements has exalted the series to iconic status in our entertainment industry for its satirical voice in each episode. Throughout its ten years on air, South Park has broken multiple political,

Books, plays, and movies that depict culture and social life often make statements about social issues such as gender roles, racism, and class distinction. Stories set up a context in which characters relate, often representing “stock” characters chosen from society and placed in situations where their stereotypical behaviors—and sometimes their breaking of these stereotypes—are highlighted. As feminism became a popular movement in Western countries in general and the United States in particular, female voices were naturally heard through fictional characters. Social and political issues commonly fuel entertainment; feminism, racism, and classism—recurring themes in entertainment through the 20th Century and into the modern day—have