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Betty friedan feminism essay
How did the feminie mystique show betty friedan the desire for equality
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Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights based on the equality of the sexes. However, Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan did not agree that this definition was concrete, and it is essential to know who these women are because they were the start of the women's movement. They created feminism and equality, but each approached this idea differently. Steinem defined feminism to be an advocacy for women to become better than men. While Friedan viewed feminism to have never existed because it should have been a general human rights movement . Their ideas of feminism were split because of how they were raised and the predicaments they faced while growing up. This lead to Friedan’s belief that the National Organization for Women (NOW) had to focus …show more content…
on changing women’s public lives in politics and the workplace versus Steinem, who felt that it was a women's responsibility to fix their sexual issues and the broad range of relationships between men and women. Therefore, the main differences between Steinem’s and Friedan’s tactics and goals were their personal experiences, connections, and their split idea about who should and should not be involved in their sexualities. Both women were feminists, but their goals were different because they wanted either superiority over men or equality overall. From personal experiences, Friedan stipulated that men were not wronging women, but Steinem said because of their background differences, men are to be blamed. While Friedan was growing up, her mother would continuously torment her. While her father made sure there was food on the table, and therefore her feminism began in her mother's discontent. Even when her father said she should not be reading books or when her fiancé made her choose between her scholarship and him; she did not blame men for her problems. However, she saw how men and women were not equal partners. Therefore, Friedan was determined to label "The Problem That Has No Name" by running surveys through women and collectively finding there was a discrepancy between the reality of their lives as women and the image to which they were trying to confirm, the image she called feminine mystique. Moreover, as this realization changed many women's lives, it did not fix the lives of all women. Steinem can help the rest, but differently. Unlike Friedan, Steinem grew up with both of her parent figures being anything but that. And despite her parent’s being unfit, Steinem went to college and found a fiancé there too. He then became an ex-fiancé and soon Steinem discovered her pregnancy. An abortion was her best option, but it was illegal and although she was able to find a doctor that would do it, that still left the problem that women had to face the consequences of their sexuality, but men did not. There was no punishment inside the white male club, but there was ridicule directed to women. Women were humiliated by all of society, while men were praised. Therefore, Steinem promoted a “sexual revolution” while Friedan fought for all human rights under the law. Steinem being more open and less conservative like Friedan, the U.S. was able to take Steinem seriously and hear the women populations demands. With success, there was an end to job discrimination and more willingness to fix the underlying issues. Friedan became the founder of NOW and tried to offer a support system for women. And although it was helpful to have crisis centers, support groups, etc. it did not fix women inequality. Women wanted a solution, and Steinem was best suited for the job because with. the first feminist magazine, Ms., she concentrated on telling the U.S. about all the broad women's rights issues. When Ms. Magazine became a hit, the national media immediately threw Steinem into the spotlight. At that time, she took advantage of this publicity and let the nation know that they wanted to be the only women in office, or the single black family on the block, or the only Jew in the club, they wanted no comparison to men and to have their own identity in politics and their professions. Something Friedan wished she could refute, but could not because she was unappealing. Friedan was stuffy, respectable, and conservative—nothing that interested the national media. With all of Steinem’s popularity, Friedan quickly judged her to be sexist versus understanding Steinem’s point0. Due to Friedan’s hostility, other feminists saw Friedan as desperately trying to remain relevant. The difference between these women was Steinem was fighting for the abolition of gender roles and Friedan fought for everyone’s equality under the law, but what separated these women was Friedan’s idea that sexual matters were supposed to be kept private.
Friedan could not understand why being lesbian would have to do anything with politics. She believed politics was about hard work and discipline, not self-absorbed talk. There was a distinction between personal life and a political act and being pleasured was not political talk. Friedan made it clear that being single and whomever they loved was great, but she did not find it appropriate in the women's rights. Steinem agreed on the importance of women in the political arena but left Friedan's hasty comments alone. It was in Steinem's realization that they have almost conquered gender roles, but now it was time to fix political statuses. Therefore, Friedan and Steinem joined forces to get more women in office. However, even with a common goal they still could not agree with who was a feminist and who was not. In the end, Steinem became the face of the National Women's Political Caucus’ (NWPC). Due to Steinem becoming the face of NWPC and the primary advocate, Friedan grew more jealous and complained that Steinem was making men their enemy and soon men will retaliate. This caught the public’s attention, and soon Steinem was no longer in the spotlight and NOW was back in
power. Friedan and Steinem were both feminists that lead two different movements due to their personal experiences, connections, and their opinions on sexuality. Despite their differences in feminism, they both wanted some sort of equality. Friedan wanted the understanding that women are people, like men. Steinem agreed with this, but instead women were making up for lost time and succeeding past a typical mans accomplishments. It was important for these women to fight for feminism because it lead to the civil rights movement for all races and cultures. They were able influence the women of color, Chicanos, African Americans, etc. to strive for more in this society. There was hope that equality among any human was possible, and due to NOW and Steinem’s drive to keep fighting, the civil rights movement only continued to evolve.
“Even in the modern day world, women struggle against discriminatory stigmas based on their sex. However, the beginnings of the feminist movement in the early 20th century set in motion the lasting and continuing expansion of women's rights” (Open Websites). One such organization that pushed for women’s rights was the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA), established in 1890. The NAWSA was the largest suffrage organization and worked toward securing the right to vote. The NAWSA however was split into two, the NAWSA and the National Women’s Party (NWP), when suffragists were disagreeing on how to achieve their goal.
The word “feminism” means the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. Gloria Steinem was born in Toledo, Ohio and was forced to grow up faster due to her parents divorce. She began work as a freelance journalist and from there worked her way up to earn her title as one of the world’s most famous feminist’s. Gloria Steinem is a revolutionary figure in American history because she has changed the course of women’s rights in the United States.
One would have to be a fool to believe that men and women have always been or even are equal. Only in the past century have women been allowed to vote and 50 years since women of color could vote. Even today, women and men are held to different standards. Betty Friedan (1921-2006) was a feminist that was not only an author, but also, the first president of an organization known as the National Organization for Women. She is well-known for her work "The Feminine Manifesto", and she is the author of the article "The Importance of Work". Betty Friedan was a feminist during the height of the women's rights movement, so it is not surprising in the least that her article hit on women's rights. "The Importance
"We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever ("Declaration” 18). This statement from the Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States, compiled by the National Woman Suffrage Association, was read on July 4th, 1876 at Independence Square as an unexpected part of the nation’s centennial celebration. Originally, five women made a request for the document to be read at the official proceedings, but it was denied; however, the women decided to continue with their plan. At the celebration, they marched straight down the aisle to the podium where Susan B. Anthony delivered their Declaration to a “receptive crowd” (Rynder 15). The spirit evident in this event and statement completely captures the essence of the women’s revolution, not only in the United States, but in Europe as well. Feminism, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men (1). This idea of feminism was exemplified with the actions of the five women beginning more than 100 years ago; however, in today’s society, many would agree that women are shown nearly the same impartiality as with men. The women’s movements in Europe and the United States had political, economic, and social similarities and differences that led to this revolution.
“Feminism”, as defined today, is “1: the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes,” and “2: organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.”2 Many critics claim that feminism has been active longer than the word itself has existed.3 The word, “feminist” was not in true use until the late 1800s and early 1900s, but activism for women’s rights was alive and well a...
When comparing the works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Betty Friedan, and Bell Hooks, I assert that both Gilman and Friedan stress that college educated, white upper- and middle-class women should have the incentive to fight against and alter the rigid boundaries of marriage; however, Hooks in her piece From Margin to Center argues that Friedan and other feminist writers during the second wave had written or spoke shortsightedly, failing to regard women of other races and classes who face the most sexist oppression.
Although this is very deep rooted, women in today’s society are making advancements, in part because of the efforts of Betty Friedan. Friedan wrote the Feminist Mystique, a book about women's roles in society in the 1950's. This book is often reviered as the most influential piece of women's rights which sparked the movement for change. In 1966, Friedan cofounded a organization called NOW, and was named the presid...
...requent use of these appeals and strategies evokes a true response of sympathy and urgency to get a start on the revolution to gain women’s rights and equality. Steinem’s goal of her commencement speech to the graduating class of Vassar is not to relay stereotypical “entering the world with high hopes and dreams” advice, but to advocate social and political changes in America’s young, new future. She promotes social reform and helps to redefine what the feminist movement stands for. If society does not learn to unlearn the “traditionalist” ways, it will not move foreword in its attempt to exonerate women, men, and minorities from their preconceived and stereotypical roles. This argument is not only about the growth of women’s rights and power, but about the idea of humanism and that we all need to be liberated in order to initiate advancement of changes in society.
At this point, the difference perspective in ideology and political action has divided the women movement into some feminism types; socialist, Marxist, radical, liberal and many others. While liberal feminist focus their struggle for equality on civil, economic, and political rights, and education, the feminist socialist and Marxist believe women 's oppression is “the product of the political, social and economic structure within which individuals live.” (Tong, 1998: pp.94). Although some other people suppose that the feminist Marxist and socialist is quiet different, but both of them believe the source of women oppression are capitalism and patriarchy. The Marxist feminism is rooted in 19th century thinker such as Marx and Engels, whether
Gloria Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social political activist. She was a spokeswoman for the American feminist movement in the late 1960s (Wikipedia). She is also a part of the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC). Additionally, she is also the co-founder of Ms. magazine as well. In 2014, Steinem wrote an article for Ms. magazine titled “Our Revolution Has Just Begun.” In this article, she elaborates on the idea that sexism and racism correlate together in the post-feminist and post-racist age and in the women’s movement, specifically with women of color. In the first paragraph, I will talk about how people are still fighting for not only women’s right but human rights today. Then I will explain how
For many years, a political, culture, or economic movement aimed at establishing equal rights and legal protection for women. Feminism involves political and physiological theories concerned with issues of gender difference. Feminism seeks to achieve equality and social rights for women in all key areas, which includes education, personal economic, employment, and cultural sphere of human endeavors. Women's rights is an issue that not many people cover, but affects every woman's lives. There are both pros and cons to this issue. Men, social media, and people’s perspectives are all relating to this issue.
To get the answer to her question, she began to survey women of Smith College. Her findings lead to the writing of her first book, The Feminine Mystique. The book uses other women’s personal experiences along with her own experiences to describes the idea behind being a feminist. “At every step of the way, the feminists had to fight the conception that they were violating the God-given nature of woman… The image of the feminists as inhuman, fiery man-eater, whether expressed as an offense against God or in the modern terms of sexual perversion, is not unlike the stereotype of the Negro as a primitive animal or the union member as an anarchist” (86-87). That image of women that has been created by society and the same idea applies to race and how it is something that is so prone to society about things no one can change. Feminists were the ones who were able to fight for their rights even though some may believe that isn't what women are made to be but Betty Friedan did, which motivated her to fight for women’s rights in the second wave feminist movement. She was able to accomplish helping more women fight for their rights and set the ground for the women fighting
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, feminism is defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism is a major part of the short story, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, which is a story that portrays women’s lack of freedom in the 1800s. Women had no rights, and had to cater to all of their husband’s needs. The main character in “The Story of an Hour” is a woman who suffers from heart trouble, named Mrs. Mallard. When Mrs. Mallard was told about her husband’s death, she was initially emotional, but because of her husband’s death, she reaped freedom and became swept away with joy.
Throughout history, women have remained subordinate to men. Subjected to the patriarchal system that favored male perspectives, women struggled against having considerably less freedom, rights, and having the burdens society placed on them that had so ingrained the culture. This is the standpoint the feminists took, and for almost 160 years they have been challenging the “unjust distribution of power in all human relations” starting with the struggle for equality between men and women, and linking that to “struggles for social, racial, political, environmental, and economic justice”(Besel 530 and 531). Feminism, as a complex movement with many different branches, has and will continue to be incredibly influential in changing lives. Feminist political ideology focuses on understanding and changing political philosophies for the betterment of women.
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.