Final Paper # 2

Taylor O’Neal

Women’s Studies

Final Paper : # 2

Feminism to Me


Feminism is a powerful word. It is one word that represents a long list of other conflicting words. Feminism has a sense of history, self-worth, strength, empowerment, pride, and triumph. Yet, it also carries the burden of devastation, misery, struggle, and constant controversy. How can one word come with an endless amount of opposing characteristics? One single word has caused problems for many people for many years because it involves so much background. This word is constantly disputed over because it can contain numerous meanings, and as time presses on, this word continually evolves and reforms. Feminism can hold many different meanings for many different people, but feminism to me is the struggle for equal rights and fair treatment for women anywhere, at anytime, and with anyone.
Today, the word feminism sadly has formed a negative reputation. When most people hear the word feminist, other words such as dyke, man-hater, liberals, bra-burners, and violent protesters come to mind. This so-called feminist stereotype has completely taken a misfortunate path because feminism should be thought of as a positive movement. In the book The F Word written by Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner, examples are shown where feminism is mocked and frowned upon in today’s society by using words such as “feminazi”. One quote in the introduction of the book sarcastically stated by Cheris Kramerae says,” Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings“. Such sayings and descriptive terms of feminism should be frowned upon because they are wrongly informative on the true meaning of being a feminist. Yet, the most agreed upon correct definition of feminism (also firmly stated in the book) is: the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.
In Women’s Studies this semester, we watched a video called “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” that was on YouTube. It discussed how anyone can be a feminist no matter your gender, age, size, race, religion, or ethnicity. Men can even be feminists! Being a feminists is like being in one huge club full of supporters for women’s equality; it has no restrictions or code to join. The only criteria needed to be accepted into the “feminist club“, is to fully believe that women and men are created equal and that everyone should be given fair treatment. This short 2:49 minute long video fully explains what being a feminist looks like, and how it looks like anyone, because anyone can be a feminist!
Feminism is a movement that started centuries ago, that has since continually progressed. The movement continues to grow, and evolve into different issues. Beginning to start women’s right to vote transforming into fighting for abortion rights today. As it changes, it loses and gains supporters. Some women and men are scared to refer to themselves a feminists, worried that it might associate them with controversial beliefs, because the movement has strayed from its original purpose.
So far there have been three remarkable waves of the feminism movement. The first wave of feminism, beginning in the 1900’s, focused mainly on women’s right to vote. Women were powerless in political decisions until 1920, meaning they had to obey and follow the laws, yet had no say in making them. Women were subjective to men, and socially ranked beneath them. Without the right to vote and share their opinions on matters that involved their daily lives, women weren’t counted fully as citizens. After years of struggle, protest, and oppression women finally were able to speak their opinions, and take part in political processes. They also began working outside of the home, and gained jobs that seemed unusual for women to attain, which gave them more economical status. The first wave began the individualism of women, by giving them their freedom and their voice.
In the second wave of feminism more political and educational rights were gained. More women began achieving higher educations by pursuing college, which came along with more substantial paying careers. By putting themselves through college and rightfully earning respect through their intelligence and dedication, women slowly reshaped the common idea of women staying at home with the children. Also during this wave of feminism, the movement began to take on broader controversial issues. Feminism became a more diverse movement as various sexual rights joined the cause. While women started fighting for their sexual rights such as the rights to contraceptives and abortion, many other women started fighting for homosexuality rights. By bringing these issues to the movement, many more trials and problems were brought to the publics attention, that before went unspoken and ignored.
Finally, the third wave of feminism is still taking its course today. Feminism has evolved into a variety of issues mainly all relating to sex in one aspect or another. These issues are either problems based on sexual rights concerning the body such as abortion, or problems with different sexual orientation rights, or even problems due to the discrimination based a person’s sex or gender. The feminism movement has greatly conquered most of the issues it use to stand for, such as the right to vote, etc., yet most people still don’t see the obstacles that women still face today, and how the stereotypical role of women still commonly stands in our culture. While in this third wave of feminism we face issues of body images, and women in the work force, and sexual insults in the media. The third wave is still pressing on strong. At the rate the feminist movement continues to strive forward, the issues we face today will shortly be the new history we learned about before.
With gay and abortion rights coming into play, the feminist movement strayed away from the original problem at hand. The main goal for the feminist movement is equality in society for women. I believe including gay and abortion rights in the movement increased the negative reputation on the feminist effort, causing a decrease in support, because it weakens the focus on the main feminist issues. Homosexuality and abortion movements should become a separate effort, that way they each effort receives the undivided attention it deserve. When these struggles are broken down into individual issues, I believe they can be better understood and supported, leading to an overall progression. Imagine if each of these issues were divided and then conquered; our society would be a much more peaceful environment.
Women’s Studies invites our molded, conformed minds to see the world of women versus men in different ways. It teaches us to recognize certain aspects of life that once went easily ignored, such as when we learned about sexual advertisements. Before taking this class, most students didn’t give ads in magazines, television, and internet sources a second glance. Yet, after taking this course, we can see the sexual degradingness these advertisements in our culture contain. Women’s Studies also educates us on the history of the women’s movement, and helps us appreciate the rights that women fought for centuries ago, that we still take for granted every day. This class invites us to think out side of the society’s “norm”, and stand up for what we believe in, and live in the ways that make us happy. Women’s Studies, I believe, plays a big role in feminism, because it is the class that reveals the truth about our culture. Most people don’t even realize when they are subjected to gender harassment, or when they are referred to as lower beings, or judged based upon sexuality. This class teaches the difference between the “normal” and the justified.
Feminism to me stands for something empowering. I proudly own the title of a feminist. Saying I am a feminist means that I believe I am equal to every one else in this world as they are equal to me. Being a feminist doesn’t mean I hate men, and it doesn’t mean that I am a lesbian because I have a love/respect for women. This also doesn’t mean I believe women deserve better treatment then men, or that women deserve more in life than men do. It only means, that I believe in equality for anyone and everyone. Mostly I consider myself a humanist - and a feminist is only a subcategory of being a humanist. Overall being a humanist describes myself and my personal views. I personally believe that anyone has the right to be treated fairly. We are all humans, and we all struggle. Everyone deserves equality and respect whether they are male or female, black or white, gay or straight. Being a feminist plays a small part in being a humanist, so I fully consider myself a feminist. Feminism has become a part of me and my life. Even though the word feminism continues to represent various meanings, some bad, and some good, feminism to me stands for compassion, peace, love, equality, motivation, personal growth, and individuality. So why wouldn’t anyone want to be a feminist?

References:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YA13GNT8Mc
The F Word by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner