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Bell hooks ideas about feminism
Bell hooks ideas about feminism
Feminism and its impact on society
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We live in the modern society where women can vote, work, have access to birth control, freedom of speech, and be independent. However, two articles written by feminist writers Jessica Valenti and bell hooks demonstrate that feminism still exist because of an inevitable inequality that women face in the society. Both writers are convinced that most of the people do not really know what feminism is about or they do not look at it closer in order to be able to understand the purpose of this movement. According to them, feminism is not about being anti-men and spreading hatred towards males as many individuals claim. As bell hooks states in her article “[…] I tend to hear about the evil of feminism […] how ‘they’ hate men […]” (11). Feminism does …show more content…
Jessica Valenti also supports the idea of people misunderstanding feminist movement “For some reason, feminism is seen as super anti: anti-men, anti-sex, anti-sexism, anti-everything” (2). She argues that feminism does not attempt to go against something or someone, but to make people feel better of who they are and what they can do in life. Feminism is about making people be proud of who they are and “to see through the bullshit that would make [them] think there’s something wrong with [them]” just because someone said so. Thus, both writers’ definitions of feminism exclude the common incorrect belief that feminism is directed against men. However, while bell hooks sees feminism as one of the ways “to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” (13), Jessica Valenti claims that feminism helps women to fight stereotypes they face and feel more confident in spite of the …show more content…
Before I thought that feminism is about being like a man: being able to do the work they do, being independent, strong and self-sufficient, being able to protect themselves and live the life they want without being accused or blamed of doing something wrong. However not I understand that the core of feminism is about being equal and have freedom of choices. Women should not be discriminated or excluded from work places or communities because of the gender differences. Women should not be sexually abused or oppressed. Woman should not
During the second week of class, we were instructed to read a reading written by Bell Hooks titled “Come closer to Feminism.” This reading is what I consider to be a very important addition to this unit. Unit one is all about Making waves, Confronting Oppression. According to Frye, it is a fundamental claim of feminism that women are oppressed (Frye, 1983). Before taking upon this reading, my understanding of the feminist movement was not nearly as clear as it is now. After reading this short handbook, I too agree that feminism is for everybody.
The word feminism is sometimes misinterpreted and associated with female superiority and hatred of men, although most people probably agree that feminism can mean the desire for social and economic parity. There is so much baggage surrounding this term that clarification of what feminism is and is not, is essential. Indeed, the way feminism has developed has not been pretty. “Feminism over the years have [sic] evolved away from its noble purpose of creating awareness and defending women rights to creating new ridiculous ‘belief systems.’...feminism has become more like a medium for angry women to vent their hatred and frustration towards man”(“Feminism is Chauvinism”). This definition goes completely against the true meaning of what feminism entails. Feminism can be defined as a fundamental respect for others and the desire for equality between men and women.
Bell hooks said feminism should be thought of as the “struggle to end sexist oppression,” instead of the movement to make women equals of men, as the rhetoric of the latter definition implies that it is always men who are oppressing women (26). For example, John Stuart Mill wrote that historically, the “subject-class” of women (166) were dominated by men, and power was “common to the whole male sex” (165). He only focused on the domination of women by men, and ignored how non-white and poor men have faced discrimination that rich white men did not have to endure, and therefore the former feels “powerless and ineffectual in relation to ruling male groups” (hooks 18). Mill also neglected to mention that black women are often victims of domination
Feminism can simply be defined as a range of movements and ideologies in which share a common ground in terms of defining, establishing and achieving equal opportunities to that of males, in regards to economic, cultural and social rights. It is a critique of male supremacy with efforts in changing this to end the social oppression of women. (Hooks, 2000)
Feminism. What does it actually mean? Many categorize feminists as hairy, bra burners that hate men, but are they? Does feminism actually comply with its stereotypes or are there a rotten few that spoil it for the rest? By google definition feminism means "the advocacy of woman 's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men". I personally find this definition to be flawed in the way that it includes the word "men". To convince individuals of the real definition of feminism, they need to know it is not about the women or the men, it is about the equality. People get caught up in the thought that feminism (equality) Bell Hooks has a definition that I think pinpoints the meaning of feminism perfectly, she states in her book Feminism is for EVERYBODY, "Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression" (Hooks viii). This definition is perfect due to
started out as a movement for total equality for all humans, yet it has become a philosophy (largely promoted by Stanton and others) based on animosity and condemnation against men. The rise in feminism has led to (not necessarily caused) an exponential increase in discrimination against men, as many feminists blame men for the injustice against and oppression of women through out the ages, and not without cause. Women throughout the ages have been considered sub-human at best, and property as worst, little more than chattel, and while it is still true that women are still oppressed in some places of the world, in America (home of feminism, equality, and freedom) women are reversing the balance of power. Rather than moving fprward with ideals of freedom and equality, feminism has become distorted and history is repeating itself; but with a twist. Now the women are on top and men are being oppressed.
Ecofeminism deals with ecological and feminist analyses and movements. It shows the relationship between women and nature in the view of historically, human-earth, patriarchal social structures and world views interconnected with oppression of women and nature. Feminist analysis mainly focused on Liberal, Marxist or Socialist, Cultural, Radical, Post-colonialist and Post-modernist approaches. Political ideology of feminism makes an effort to make women a self-conscious category, and it gives a power to generate a rational sensible attitude towards women, an approach to view the women in their own positions as well as own perspectives. Eco-feminist movements look for non-violent solutions to world problems. They always consider that feminine
Although the ideology has noble intentions, the word itself has become taboo and those who identify as feminist are perceived to have the quality of misandry: the hatred of men (“misandry”). This is incorrect because feminism, unlike misandry, is the ideology that all genders should be treated equally in every facet of society (“feminism”). The true definition is absent of the phrase “aiming for equality while hating men.” Though feminism does not imply misandry, much of society is under the impression that misandry and feminism, two very different ideologies, share the same meaning. Emma Watson, the Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Women, in an event to launch the HeForShe campaign eloquently stated, “I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has got to stop” (Watson). This movement is not discriminatory toward men, in fact, the HeForShe campaign is actively encouraging the male population to join. Watson addresses the lack of male support in the movement by retorting, “It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideas” she additionally states, “How can we effect change in the world when only half of it is invited, or feels welcome to participate in the conversation” (Watson). Social change will
Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. In simple terms, it is the ideology of women being equal to men and it is often misinterpreted as the belief of women being above them. Feminists believe in diminishing patriarchy which is a system of society and or government in which men are considered more powerful than women. When people are against feminism they are supporting sexism which is why it is important to educate ourselves on the matter and to understand why we need it.
Feminism, in its simplest definition, is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. (Webster) Feminists fight for equality for women to men socially, politically, and economically. At the peak of feminist discourse is equality for men and women in education and in employment. However, feminism also focuses on more than issues regarding the rights of women in relation to men. Issues of gender equality and women’s right to control their sexuality are also at the core of feminist theory. A key argument made by many feminists is how women have very little control over their sexuality, mainly being defined and controlled by men. T...
Feminism is a widely discussed topic throughout the world. Although there are many different definitions of feminism, author and feminist bel hooks defines it as “a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” (Dig Deep 662). Feminist is typically thought to only affect women because most well known feminists are women, but feminism really does affect everyone. There are many sub issues involved in feminism, but two important ones are class and race. Author Sheryl Sandberg discusses feminism focusing on the roles that women hold in the workplace.
Feminism Cannot Keep Up with Modern Times In “Bad Feminist” Roxane Gay argues that there is little room for multiple or discordant points of view within feminism today, and yet she claims feminism remains a key identity to her. Gay states the feminist movement has been so warped by doctored misperceptions for so long that even the public who should know better have bought into the essential image of feminism. The public only knows the doctored version that showcases feminists as mean and angry, militant about their ideas, and against expressing multiple views. Today women are reluctant to identify as feminist for fear of signing away their complexities of human experience or individuality.
Green Lantern is a science Fiction movie directed by Martin Campbell. This movie is about a police force called Green Lantern Intergalactic Corps that uses green rings which feeds on their willpower and has a mission to protect the universe from evil. The main Character, Hal Jordan played by Ryan Reynolds is chosen by the ring and protects his planet from Parallax. His childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris played by Blake Lively supports him throughout the movie. Dr. Amanda Waller played by Angela Bassett appears a few times and brings Hector Hammond played by Peter Sarsgaard to perform an autopsy on Abin Sur’s body played by Temuera Morrison.
True feminism sought for women to have freedom and rights, such as the right to vote, the right to gain an education, and the right to equal wages. In most aspects, we have been given these rights, but radical feminists are not content. There has been a jump from “We are equal to men,” to “women are superior.” Women have been fighting stereotypes for ages, proclaiming how horrid they are, yet quickly turn around and stereotype men and see no issue with this hypocrisy. The way for women to reach the equality they seek is to bring others up as well as themselves, not to tear them down. When feminists realize and act upon this, they will begin to see the results they have been hoping
Feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. It began as an organized activity on behalf of women?s rights and interests. This concept was developed to help women earn a place in a predominantly male society. Unfortunately over the years, the intentions of feminism have become distorted, not only by anti-feminists, but also by the feminists themselves. The principle of equality for women and men has turned into a fight in which feminists wish to be better than men. Feminism has been twisted and misunderstood so much that it has become a harmful idea.