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Feminism and gender evolution
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In Feminism Matter: Debates, Theories, Activism, author Victoria L. Bromley not only begins to delve into what it means to be a feminist in today’s society, but also provides the critical background knowledge required to be able fully understand modern feminism. A key factor in understanding any social justice movement is comprehending the difference between subjective knowledge and objective knowledge. Subjective knowledge is knowledge that “...is informed by the person or subject who is speaking” (Bromley, 38). To elaborate, subjective knowledge is derived from an individual’s experience, which often leads to opinions. Opinions are a prime example of subjective knowledge, however it is indisputable that opinions are influenced by bias for …show more content…
Due to humankind’s desire for conformity, deviating against a social norm is discouraged, which can lead to certain traditions or behaviour to be accepted as normal. The example which Bromley uses in her book is the discourse of capitalism. It is accepted as a social fact that capitalism is the way our society works. However there is no logical proof as to why we do this. This knowledge is socialized into children from a young age so that by the time they are able to form their own coherent opinions, capitalism doesn’t seem like a subjective opinion but rather an indisputable fact of life. This is a perfect example of why understanding the difference between objective knowledge and subjective knowledge is imperative. In order to make any social change, humankind must accept that some ways of life that have been long engrained into society are not scientific facts and are able to - and sometimes should - change. Without this understanding, many civil right’s movements acts would not have …show more content…
As a white, middle-class woman, I hold much more privilege than people, particularly women, of colour who may fall at or below the poverty line. This has granted me many more opportunities in life, such as the ability to find jobs fairly easily, as well as retaining the resources required to get an education. These are all building blocks to power, as an education hypothetically leads to a well-paying job, which provides financial security and power in a capitalist society. I do experience some backlash when discussing feminist points, usually when in a group of men. I wish I had the privilege to have these debates while taken seriously, instead of being written off as a crazy feminist in attempts to dismiss my opinions. However, as I said, I come from a position of power which I must acknowledge, and understand that my view of feminism is drastically different than those of other women, and it is imperative that I listen to their views as well. This way, together, we can create a better future for feminisms, and for
Feminist theory, in particular, has influenced my sense of social justice and helped me discover my personal sense of social activism. Feminism, by definition, is a social justice movement. Its four main philosophies (liberal feminism, cultural feminism, radical feminism, and socialist feminism), as explained by Jones-Smith (2012) focus on equality. Of the four philosophies, I was very interested in social feminism. Socialist feminist has a goal of “change in institutional and social relationships” (Jones-Smith, 2012, p.365). I relate strongly to this philosophy as I believe that in order to attain social justice, change must be made at an institutional and political level. This philosophy has largely influenced my definition of social justice in the field of
“I have no idea what a feminist is although I have heard the term before,” said Stewart. I told her not to feel bad because I did not know the meaning of the term until I took the class and gave her bell hooks’ definition. Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression. Although they do not have to be an activist, they should be pro-choice. “With that being said I don’t consider myself a feminist but I am pro-choice. I give advice and let others learn from experience. A person is going to do what they want so I don’t push my opinion off on others.” While others have a clue to what a feminist is but do not fully understand their purpose. “I think a feminist is someone who wants more equal rights for women but take it to the extreme,” said Nia. I explained to her that a feminist does not have to be an extreme activist. Her response was “I still don’t consider myself a feminist because I don’t really care about trying to make a change for women’s rights. I think it’s as good as it is going to get,” said
There are countless examples of women standing up for themselves, protesting injustices, and empowering others. The idea also works the other way and influences behavior of people threatened by the idea of feminism. These people refer to themselves as either anti-feminists or meninists. A prime example of feminism in the real world is the protests at the early release of the Stanford rapist. This man raped an unconscious woman behind a dumpster and was sentenced to six months in jail. He served three of those months and is now on probation for a year. This is a classic example of how the justice system tends to blame the victim while favoring the attacker. Over one hundred women’s rights protestors gathered hours after his release demanding for the judge to be recalled. Because these women were calling for political reform, they would be considered liberal
Being a woman I will always be at a disadvantage to men and other women who are white. Men and white women are seen to be superior by society. Peggy McIntosh, American radical feminist and anti-racism activist, stated in “White Privilege and Male Privilege,” “…I have noticed men’s unwillingness to grant that they are over privileged in the curriculum, even though they may grant that women are disadvantaged” (McIntosh 140). Men are in denial that they are over privileged and does not admit it because of society. Society make men believe that they are superior then women. I think it is wrong because I am a woman and if I wanted to be a CEO of a company, it would be harder for me become one than it would be for a man. Even if I do become one through hard work, I would still be paid less than any men who are CEOs and I would be seen as a bitch. I feel that if I can do anything any other man can do, I should get paid the same by my abilities and not by what my sex is. Not only are women less privileged than men, but also white women. “I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely and positively represented,” stated McIntosh (142). She doesn’t worry about people seeing her as a problem because she is white. On the television or in the newspaper, African Americans have a negative representation and are seen as the “problem” of today’s
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)
According to feminist Victoria L. Bromley, if feminism is about combating all forms of inequalities, including oppression, towards all social groups, then feminists must study how masculinity oppresses both men and women. Patriarchy, men’s powers and dominance, hegemonic masculinity, the idea that the “dominant group” in society is most powerful, and hyper masculinity, the exaggeration of the emphasis on male characteristics, all lead to oppression through multiple forms: privileges and unearned privileges, hierarchies of power and exclusion. Bromley argues that the feminist approach towards eliminating oppression, is to use an intersectional analysis, a theoretical tool used for understanding how multiple identities are connected and how systems
Feminism is a political movement that seeks equality between the sexes. Motivated by the search for social justice, feminist analysis provides a wide range of perspectives on social, cultural, economic, and political ideologies. Important topics for feminist politics and theory include: the body, class and work, family life, globalization, human rights, popular culture, race and racism, reproduction, sex work, human trafficking, and sexuality. From early beginnings, to its current state, feminism has been a pervasive movement that has incited social, political and economic change and advancements. Generationally speaking, over the decades feminism has taken on many different meanings. Feminism has become a spectrum; each generation, or wave,
Feminism is commonly thought of as a tool for educating society on the rights of women. It teaches that a woman is equal to a man in every civil and societal accord. Realizing this is not always the case, Charlotte Bunch, a noted lesbian feminist of the 1970s also defined feminism as "a way of looking at the world - a questioning of power [and] domination issues" (WIE). Many feminists attempt to bulrush the ideals of stereotypical women and push them away from those who believe in these standards. "Feminist scholars also seek to question and transform androcentric [sic] systems of thought which position the male as the norm," says Barbara McManus. They strive to find, examine, and eliminate biases in a world encumbered with intolerant men who see women as thoughtless objects and most certainly not equals. Other women announce their impressive intellect, economic well-being, and individual personalities to the people who oppose them. "A woman should always present herself and explain her forthcoming jaunts into Feminists, like Edna, howe...
Feminism is the movement for removing inequalities from society. Women imbued with a spirit of radicalism understand that a liberal feminist attitude, despite the seeming slowness of change that accompanies it, may transform a community more rapidly than a revolutionary approach that alienates those to be convinced and, thus, extinguishes the possibility of improvement. (Weaver 49) Feminists confront the problems of their society in hopes of altering society to be equal.
Feminists shouldn’t bash other because they use different methods of obtaining empowerment and equality, but rather embrace what they have to bring to the table. Instead of scoffing at other’s tactics, feminists should “choose their weapon” and use their own strategy to reach equality and create change.
The most related terms when women’s right is brought up are feminism and feminist. A feminist, by definition, is someone the fights for feminism. The definition of feminism, one the other hand, is very complex. Throughout history, the word has continuously had bad images and connotations thrown its wa...
As Third Wave feminism is currently unfolding before us, and its aims encompass a wide array of complex issues, it is often hard to describe what Third Wave feminism is. The feminist theories, mainly associated with First and Second Wave feminism attempt to describe the power imbalances that are found in society, and while doing so expose other oppressions, such as discrimination based on race or sexual orientation. As this essay attempts to place a clear definition to Third Wave feminism, feminists are concurrently trying to deconstruct old definitions and open it up for women to determine what feminism means to them. In other words, no clear definition on what is meant to be a feminist is sufficient, as the Third Wave is about equality and freedom for all citizens, regardless of sex, class, race or sexual orientation.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author who has received numerous awards and distinctions. Her main argument is that everyone should be a feminist not because of our gender, but because it is what is right. Adichie has been featured in Beyonce’s song, “Flawless”, spreading awareness to the idea of feminism. “We Should All Be Feminists” is a book about her experiences in Nigeria, where men are more powerful than women. The intended audience of the passage is each and every person residing in heavily patriarchal societies. Hesr thesis is “we should all be feminists”.
Among the many subjects covered in this book are the three classes of oppression: gender, race and class in addition to the ways in which they intersect. As well as the importance of the movement being all-inclusive, advocating the idea that feminism is in fact for everybody. The author also touches upon education, parenting and violence. She begins her book with her key argument, stating that feminist theory and the movement are mainly led by high class white women who disregarded the circumstances of underprivileged non-white women.
Studying how the philosophies are constructed and what makes them unjust, this field constantly generates new ideas on how these philosophies need to be fundamentally reconstructed. Liberal feminism, for example, was built around promoting economic and political equality for women. By arguing the older concepts of the split between public and private realms as a way to politically protect male domination of women as “natural”, and ideas about a women’s place in the household, came evidence that supported legal cases leading “to the criminalization in the United States of spousal rape” (qtd. in McAfee. Another completely different approach is radical feminism, which advocates a separation from the whole system, perceiving that the sexual relations between male and female as the basis of gender inequality and female subordination (qtd. in McAfee. Democratic feminism talks about the voting process, and how the previously marginalized populations, such as women and other races, can be included in the process....