...Nearly every group of people has been discriminated against at some point in human history. Some of the most common forces driving this relentless continuum are racism, xenophobia, and sexism. In my opinion, sexism has been one of the least resisted and most common forms of discrimination. However, relatively recent movements have begun attempting to create equality for men and women, and have begun shifting the societal views that put women at such great disadvantages. Feminism is the belief in political, economic, and societal equality between the sexes. The name “feminism” can be extremely misleading, as the prefix “fem” implies that the movement is advocating superiority of women. As a result, the main reason resisting feminism is ignorance,...
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...What is feminism? Is it some sort of gender inequality where woman are considered to be at a disadvantage? If so, to whom, the male gender? I, being male, am utterly confused as to what the founding principles are and would love to be informed on what seems to be a controversial epidemic. Though my lack of knowledge and understanding leave me in a cloud of ignorance that arouses every corner of my brain. Therefore I am left to hypothesize in conjecture to what feminist claim feminism is. In Roxane Gay’s essay, “Bad Feminist” she claims that, “Essential feminism suggest anger, humorlessness, militancy, unwavering principles, and a prescribed set of rules for how to be a proper feminist… This is nowhere near an accurate description of feminism, but the movement has been warped by misperception for so long that even people who should know better have bought into this essential image of feminism” (Gay 169). Here we have what started off to be a clear and distinctive definition of feminism, and then quickly dissolved. Which leaves me to wonder, do feminist actually know what feminism is, or are women just formulating opinions about their personal struggle and labeling it feminism? Surely I am to believe that it is both, and that feminism is too ambiguous to be understood, and be of any concern. Nevertheless there seems to be multiple definitions of feminism, a more economical definition is presented by a woman named Elizabeth Wurtzel who asserts that, “real feminists earn a living...
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...Feminism can be defined as a series of political movements originating in the USA to abolish gender inequity and gain equal rights and opportunities for women (Ritzer and Ryan, 224). The women’s movement is broken down into three consecutive waves of feminism. The first wave of feminism began in the early eighteenth century, with it’s main objective to gain women’s suffrage (Ritzer and Ryan, 224). Much of the first wave was characterized by women breaking societal norms and roles imposed upon them and redefining the stigma attached to the perceptions of what women ought to be. As a result of the first wave, the second wave of feminism began in 1972 and provided new information about feminism, as books, such as The Feminine Mystique, began publication (Ritzer and Ryan, 225). The highlights of the second wave consisted of legislative victories over sexism in education and the right to an abortion. The second wave, however, consequently noted the interaction between race oppression and gender oppression, also known as ‘intersectionality’ (Ritzer and Ryan, 225). The third wave of feminism was influenced by the first and second, with it’s existence being debatable. Scholars argue that the movement has changed forms and has indeed continued into the twenty-first century. In actuality, this generation is educated about feminism. Their knowledge derives from the first two waves, with which they draw their own political views to live their lives by, thus the creation of...
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...Abstract Feminism has evolved over the years; it is no longer solely focused on suffrage or other forms of institutionalized sexism. The focus today is the personal experiences women face which are characterized by issues such as reproductive rights, sexuality, and domestic violence. Feminism hopes to do away with generalizations for men and women that were created in earlier generations. The present article sought to identify and explain the characteristics of the three major sociological paradigms, a) the function of women in society, b) the conflict women experience in society, c) the symbolic interaction that each gender have with one another. The studies presented have been known to be the most recent and reliable research performed on feminism. Feminism “The feminist ideal seems simple: it is a movement fighting for gender equality. As neutral as its definition sounds, the movement has unfortunately at points been exploited as the female agenda to take over the world.” (Tasnim Ahmed , 2015) Feminism has evolved over the years but it all started back in the 18th century. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, an author in the 18th century, wrote an essay titled, “A Vindication of the Right of Woman” which entailed arguments for a woman’s right to an education. Wollstonecraft’s essay predates modern feminism, which can be divided into three waves (Carl, 2011, p.200). In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the first wave began which revolved mostly around the women’s suffrage...
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...I haven’t always identified as a feminist, I previously conflated feminism with misandry, and that prevented me from embracing the term. After researching the topic I realized it was about the equity of the sexes, and any political or social actions based in that belief. I realized I wanted to be a feminist, but I wasn’t sure how to as the only ideas I had of what a feminist should be like were based upon stereotypes. Do I have to stop shaving and throw away my bras? Do I need to become an extrovert? I have decided is that being a feminist woman consists of knowing yourself, being excepting of individual differences and practicing female solidarity. No one can tell you how to identify. For example I remember being in middle school when...
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...ideology, there is not a defining answer as to what feminism means. The Oxford English Dictionary defines feminism as the “advocacy of equality of the sexes and the establishment of the political, social, and economic rights of the female sex”. The term ‘feminist’ itself has been used in the United Kingdom since the 1880s but it’s philosophy had been dated back centuries before. Since then it’s meaning has evolved into different branches from radical feminism to liberal feminism for example, and is used on a political platform. It is fact that both Mary Wollstonecraft and Hannah More are examples of women who philosophised about women’s rights and their place in society. They both produced published works discussing women in society focused upon educational reform, and many have debated the extent to which they should be considered feminists. However, although their views contradicted each other, based on the modern day definition of feminism, both Wollstonecraft and More should be considered feminists for numerous reasons. Firstly, it is indisputable that Mary Wollstonecraft was a feminist and even as far to be considered as the “founder of western feminism”. In Wollstonecraft’s writings, a new female value is consciously introduced and effectively infused into a movement across the late eighteenth century. There are many books that focus on Wollstonecraft’s thought alone as they all depict the influences and meanings of feminism to Wollstonecraft. They all commonly convey significance...
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...Assess the contribution of feminist sociologists to an understanding of family roles and relationships. In this essay I will explore the different schools of feminism such as Marxist, liberal and radical feminism, who share the view that women are oppressed in a patriarchal society but differ in opinion on who benefits from the inequalities. Each school of feminism has their own understanding of family roles and relationships which I will assess through this essay. Firstly one must look at the division of domestic labour and conjugal roles. Conjugal roles refer to the roles performed by men and women in relation to housework, childcare and paid work. Traditionally men had the instrumental ‘bread-winning’ role which the women had the expressive role (childcare and primary socialisation). Feminists say that the traditional division of labour is neither natural nor beneficial to women as their expressive role is unpaid and taken for granted. However different feminist views disagree on who benefits from this unpaid labour. Marxist feminists would argue it is capitalism that benefits most as wives keep their husbands happy and therefore they are left with a content workforce. On the other hand, radical feminists would argue that men are the main people to gain from women’s oppression as we live in a patriarchal society. A functionalist view from Wilmott and Young says that there has been a ‘march of progress’ in which the family has become more symmetrical with more joint conjugal...
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...Feminism in Canada has been shifting, reforming and reinventing itself since its inception in the late nineteenth century in an effort to bring a genuine sense of equality to both men and women across the country. Though feminism takes many different forms – classical feminism, liberal feminism, post-modern feminism etc. – each definition maintains commonalities which attempt to shed light on issues related specifically to the historical disadvantages of women and the goal of egalitarianism. In Canada, feminism has unfolded in three distinct stages often referred to as the three waves of feminism: (i) the first wave started in the late nineteenth century characterized by basic demands for equality via suffrage and recognition as persons; (ii) the second wave originated during World War II taking a more proactive approach to women’s workforce and reproductive rights; and (iii) the third wave began in the 1990’s challenging broader issues of equality such as racism, capitalism and colonialism. The following essay will analyse each wave based on their chronological time frame, ideological foundation and the social movements which emerged as a by product. First wave feminism started the general movement and, even though its goals and fundamental ideology may seem drastically different from second and third wave feminism, it should be credited with forming the foundation in which the fight for gender equality originated. First wave feminists were primarily driven by maternal feminism...
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...Philosophical Paper: Defending Men Through the Study of Masculism and Explaining 3rd Wave Feminism Further Submitted by: Xiayra Mae B. Magtibay 1LM2 Submitted to: Mr. Emmanuel De Leon Abstract This paper will be discussing gender equality through further explanation of Masculism and 3rd Wave Feminism by depending on essays and articles made by 3rd Wave Feminists and the philosophies of Plato. This paper will be pointing out the objectives of Masculism and Feminism and their similarities. This paper will also attempt to explain that the demands of both genders can be met. Defnition of Terms * Masculism: is a movement that advocates for the rights, equality and dignity of the male sex in an egalitarian framework. * Egalitarian: believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities * Feminism: the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men and an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women. * Misandrist: a person who hates men * Gender : the state of being male or female * Gender Roles: is a theoretical construct in the social sciences and humanities that refers to a set of social and behavioural norms that, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex. * Gender Equality: is the measurable equal representation of women and men. Gender equality does not imply that women...
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...Feminism vs. the modern woman In this essay I will discuss the impact feminism has on the modern woman. Around the early 60’s and the years before that women were home stayed mothers/women who took care of the work around the house such as cooking, cleaning etc. They wanted to do more with their life than just cook and clean, so they also wanted to have a job and make their own money. In the 60’s women began the feminism. They wanted a life for themselves. As we see in the short story, The yellow wallpaper, the woman is ‘fighting’ for her own freedom. She is dominated by her husband, but she is breaking free of it. Women had by then for many years been the weak sex and they wanted to show men that they could do so much more than just to stay home. Many women such as Betty Friedan and Germaine Greer helped founding organizations for women who wanted to come out of the hole dominating man relationships. In Little Red Cap and Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf are there two very clear examples on how the feminism has impacted the modern woman. Little Red Cap is the more traditional fairytale of those two. Little Red Cap goes to her grandmother with food from her mother, she goes through the woods and meats the wolf, and in the end grandmother and Little Red Cap got eaten, and the hero is the huntsman. It shows us that women cannot take care of themselves; they need a man to do it for them. In contrast to that fairytale there is Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf where Little...
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...Evolution of Sexuality, Gender and Feminism in Cyber Culture Within the ever-evolving cyber world, in which many people find themselves living, there are traditional aspects of a previous culture which are re-emerging with technological advances. There are changing expectations of almost all themes and ideas in life, including gender and sexuality that are emerging with different notions and concepts which accompany them. In Neuromancer, by William Gibson, gender and sexuality of cyber culture are themes which are redefined and addressed throughout the novel. Through these new definitions of sex and gender, which are modified by technological advances, feminism, sexuality and the male-female binary are altered and take on entirely new meanings, which represent the decline of some aspects of humanity. Beginning with sexuality, there were very strict definitions of sexuality in our culture before it was exposed to an internet and cyber infested world. There were expectations and notions which existed prior to the emergence of cyber culture. These concepts are discussed and depicted in Gibson’s Nueromancer. There are many scenes which show this evolving and changing notion of sexuality of the future; the most memorable would most likely be the scene where Riviera performs a sexual scene to an audience including Armitage, Molly and Case. He uses his hands and mind to paint a picture of a woman, which he is having sex with; the woman is Molly. Riviera is able to paint a vivid...
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...How feminists are awful for gender equality Now I know what you're thinking “How dare you talk badly about feminism, you white cis male!” Look i'm not bashing feminism, because the concept of feminism itself is a good concept. Feminism by definition is “the advocacy of women's rights on the ground of political, social, and economic equality to men.” What I will be talking specifically is “third-wave feminism.” (which was coined by Rebecca Walker in her 1992 essay titled “Becoming the Third Wave.)” Now for those of which who do not know what “third-wave feminism” is, allow me to explain what I have gathered and experienced. In my eyes “Third-wave feminism” is like cancer, it spreads and grows and takes over different parts of a fully functioning system and eventually killing it. But in the average “third-wave feminist” eyes, they think that they are helping gender equality by...
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...BIOGRAPHY Virginia Woolf, an English author, feminist, essayist and critic, was born on January 25th, 1882 to Sir Leslie Stephen, the editor of Dictionary of National Biography, and Madam Julia Prinsep Stephen, a nurse who published a book on nursing. Virginia’s maiden name was Adeline Virginia Woolf. She grew up in an atmosphere conducive to her future career as a writer since her father, Leslie Stephen, was a respected and well-known intellectual and writer. Although she was not sent to a university as her brothers, she was able to educate herself thoroughly by delving into the volumes of her father's vast library. Woolf grew up during a period of intense feminist activity in London and was an active member of various women's organizations. By the time she came into her own as a writer, significant advances had been made in women's rights. By 1918, a limited franchise had been granted to women in England. During the interwar period, Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Her mother’s sudden death in 1885 and that of Stella, her sister whom she looked up to as a mother were the catalysts for Virginia’s mental breakdown. Modern scholars have suggested that her mental breakdown and subsequent recurring depression were as a result of the sexual abuse which she and her sister Vanessa were subjected to by their half brothers, George and Gerald Duckworth. Virginia married Leonard Woolf, a journalist, in 1912 and they collaborated...
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...inherent qualities and some modern feminist ideals have not helped to resolve this. Surprisingly, an essay by Herbert Kohl titled Should We Burn Babar has brought this to my attention. To summarize his main idea, the Babar children’s book series, by Jean de Brunhoff, according to Kohl has powerful and potentially harmful negative influence on American children’s perspective of life,...
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...Here's an essay plan for.. "Assess the view that religion inhibits change". The studies with a "*" next to them are what I'd mention, but I've included the studies which would work. Paragraph 1 - Introduction - Give a definition of Social Change and state that the three founding fathers (Marx, Durkheim and Weber) were interested in social change. Paragraph 2 - Functionalism - I'd start by mentioning functionalism. Write a paragraph saying what it's about (organic analogy, socialisation, norms and values, etc). - Identify and explain some studies: -- Durkheim - Totem Poles -- Parsons - Core Values -- Malinowski - Life Crisis and Unpredictable Events* -- Civil Religions* - Link back by saying that due to religion being responsible for keeping norms and values running, society is unable to change. Therefore, functionalism inhibits change. AO2: Functionalism is sometimes considered too positive and ignores negative aspects of society such as oppression and conflict. Paragraph 3 - Marxism - Like Functionalism, Marxism states religion inhibits change. Write a little bit about Marxism and how it states that there is conflict between the middle and working classes. - Identify and explain some studies: -- Halvey -- Leech -- Hook -- Caste System* -- Camel Quote - "It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the gates of heaven".* -- Divine Right of Kings* AO2: Neo-Marxism - Otto Maduro and Liberation Theology. Could...
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