"Feminism" is about equality of the sexes, and activism to achieve such equality for women. Not all feminist theorists have agreed about how to achieve that equality and what equality looks like. Here are some of the key writers on feminist theory, key to understanding what feminism has been all about. I've listed them in chronological order so it's easier to see the development of feminist theory. Feminism refers to a diverse variety of beliefs, ideas, movements, and agendas for action. Feminism women’s rights. Feminism…
According to the dictionary, feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. This means that what a feminist wants is not a matriarchal society where men are oppressed by domineering women, but equality for women. This doctrine has existed for many years, and it first became prominent during the late eighteenth century. However, if we are to explore how feminism affects society today, we must focus on its more recent history. Specifically, the “second wave” of feminism which arose during the 1950s and 1960s. This new feminist movement arose a few years after the publication of The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. This book struck a nerve with the American housewife, and caused many to question if all a woman was capable of doing was merely cooking, cleaning, and pleasing her husband. In 1966 Friedan and others formed an activist group named the National Organization for Women, or NOW. This group demanded equal pay for equal work and enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination in employment due to race and/or gender. As the feminist movement progressed, more and more women began to stand up for their rights, until in 1980, when women comprised the majority of undergraduates. But enough with history, how does feminism exist in our society today? First we must take a look at how feminism is perceived. According to…
Feminism has been born through decades of ignorance and misguidance, a perception of a weaker sex, and a belief that equality is not truly meant for all. Because of this deprivation of equality and privileges that exist exclusively for men, decades of work have been put forth from the feminist movement to ensure that no woman will any longer be held back or have opportunities revoked simply for having the status of a “weaker” gender. Before taking this class, I was hesitant to ever label myself in such a manner and questioned those who had, but after reading Penny Weiss’ revealing piece “I am not a feminist, but …” I no longer have that same reluctance.…
I guess many people around the world doesn’t know what feminism really means. Feminism by definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Equal opportunities in every aspect of life, from politics to…
What is Feminism? According to the Webster Online Dictionary, feminism is the “belief in social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.” Feminist movements are formed to give these rights to women who have been deprived of their privileges and rights denied by society. In this essay, I will discuss feminism in America as a movement which aims to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression. According to bell hooks “the feminist movement is not about being anti-male, the movement is to clearly address the problem of sexism in society today” (hooks 2000: viii-ix). What Hooks meant by this statement is that the feminist movement is not a male-bashing movement, but a movement for us as Americans and worldwide to end unfair treatment of people because of their sex.…
“Fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating… This has to stop. For the record, feminism by definition is: “The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.”-Emma Watson…
Men and women in America can be treated as equals and are able to get equal opportunities. Actions are being taken by women who see themselves as feminists. A feminist is a person who supports social, political, legal and economic rights for women equal to those of men.…
With their example, we have found a way to create common ground among women and fight together. This brings around the word feminist. The term feminism is something that is not new to the women’s fight; but, is a term and an identification that has become more popular within the past few years. It is hard to define a feminist because, as with many things, not one feminist has the same views as the other. In just, it is a term to describe or identify a set of people who are working for the common goal of equality amongst the sexes.…
Feminism is the power for females to break the boundaries that they exist to be inferior to men. Women should be free to live the life they want and not have to listen to any guy.…
In the 1860s the fight for women's rights had started, since then we've made many accomplishments one of the biggest being the 19th amendment women's right to vote. Feminism is the belief in social, political, and economic equality of the genders. Feminism can also be described as a movement, and it's the feminist movement that's been trying to give equal rights to all women who have been denied of their equality and rights.…
Feminism is the ideaology aimed at achieiving equality in political, economic, social rights and equal opportunities as the opposite sex. It opposes domestic violence and sexual assult.…
Feminism is the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. Throughout history, women’s liberation has changed because of dedicated feminists. They have devoted their lives to helping women get the same opportunities as men and more. Madeleine Albright, a feminist advocate said, “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” There is nothing more powerful than a woman who has found her voice, and who uses it to help other women.…
“Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings,” as Cheris Kramarae once eloquently stated. Feminism strives to end sexism and to achieve equal rights for men and women. In America, it has been attributed to getting women the right to vote, being able to run for a political office, and demanding workplace rights. However, sexism is still extremely rampant in the country, especially in the workplace, and feminism is the only way to end it.…
You probably know that 1 out of every 5 women have been sexually assaulted, but the fact that people overlook is that 1 out of 7 men also get sexually assaulted. Feminism was all about equal rights when women were fighting for a vote, but according the dictionary.com,¨The advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men¨but how can men and women be equal when women are still dominating in the political aspect of things where women are getting away with things like rape because ¨they don't do that stuff¨. I am pro equality not anti feminism and it's clear now that feminists are only fighting for women’s rights.…
All of my life I’ve been told “you throw like a girl!” or when I’m upset, I’m asked “Is it ‘that’ time of month?” From a young age, being a girl was to be the lesser sex, and now there’s a group of people who fight against these roles. “Feminism- The advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, and economic and social, equality to men” (cite); This is the definition for feminism, which is the radical notion that women, are people too. This includes that being a female, isn’t an insult. Feminism to most people, goes with a feminist, or a person who believes women should be allowed to have the same rights as men. However, feminism should have a second definition because to be a feminist is more than believing women are equal to men. To be a feminist is to fight for change in the social, political…