Feminism is defined as the belief in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes and the movement organized around this belief. While the feminist movement gained recognition with the women’s suffragist movement and again with movements in the 1960 and 70’s it has actually been a widely used method of expression and independence for women since the fifteenth century. Throughout history the feminist movement has often been associated with women’s suffragist movement in America but the philosophy of feminism actually originated in Europe. Today the feminist movement causes confusion in relationships and in the home, roles are being reversed and while some try to hold onto the old way to doing things they need to realize that women have gained their own rights and are fully capable of standing on their own two feet without the assistance of their ‘gentlemen’ accompaniment.
Other than something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue a well know wedding tradition is for the groom to carry ‘his’ new bride over the threshold of their residence, while it is important to respect tradition women have forever been treated like they are incapable of standing on their own two feet or making it through the threshold of that door on their own. Historically women have been confined to the home and the domestic life while to public life of socialization, land owning and politics was reserved for men. Modern society has come a long way since the days of being seen and not heard and yet women fight for positions in the workforce and other areas of life away from the domestic sector.
Women recognized the need for change as far back as the fifteenth century. Years of searching and thinking with no organized method accomplished nothing. By the enlightenment feminist had developed a clear philosophy of both what rights they wanted to gain and how to go about gaining those rights. With the dawning of the western abolition movement women across the west began to also move for rights of their own. Women began to apply the American concepts of freedom and equality to their situations; after the Civil War many suffragist believed that the Fifteenth Amendment would include their right to vote rather than prohibit discrimination at the polls simply on the basis of race. After this unexpected disappointment the women’s suffragist took root and fought to for the right to vote and express their voice in society. After the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment and gaining political equality the early feminist movement lost much of its steam. Women were no longer bonded by one common goal and broke down into smaller groups and organizations that advocated more for the general civic and social equality of all rather than the needs of women as a whole.
The general goal of the first feminist movement was not strict equality but rather the development and an increase of laws and political factors that directly benefited women. After women gained the right to vote many questioned the goals of feminism, was it a movement for equality or simply a movement to respond to the greater needs of women? Whether or not the question was truly answered the dawn of international turmoil opened the flood gates of equality. The World Wars opened many doors and opportunities for women and put them in positions equal to those of men; while women proved themselves capable, when the war was over they were fazed out of positions and the doors of opportunity were once again closed. From 1930 to 1960 the number of women professionals significantly dropped.
During the 1960 and 70’s the second wave of feminism took hold. The movement was a rift, seemingly breaking apart the suburban life represented in pop culture at the time. What many fail to realize is that this second wave of feminism did not develop out of a total shift in the way women were thinking and what they believed they deserved. Many who represented feminism during this movement sought change through the encouragement of their ‘bored out of her skull’ college educated, housewife mother. While the first wave of feminism was sparked by the abolition movement, the second wave closely followed the Civil Rights movement. While groups were fighting to resolve racial difference and find equality women took a stand against the inequality they had been facing since the end of the war period. During the second wave of feminism three groups emerged; Anarcho-Feminists, Liberal Feminist, and Cultural or Difference Feminist. When people picture a feminist and see a women burning her bra or fighting through a crowd they are relating feminists with the Anarcho- Feminists who believed that equality could not be gained without breaking down the establishments and perceived roles of the family, mother and father. Liberal feminists had a more pragmatic approach to their difficulties, rather than taking a stand against the government, liberal feminists believed their problems could be solved by working with the government. Women who believed in accepting their place and the way society treated them are known as Cultural Feminists, who believe in celebrating the differences of womanhood rather than attempting to critique or attempting to enter the ‘male’ spheres of society.
Through time and even in the same time period the feminist movement has changed within itself and changed the structure of society. There are many who highly respect the feminist movement and many who condemn the movement, but both groups are not blinded enough by their thoughts to ignore the accomplishments. While men and women coexist in society by many they are still not considered equals, whether she is supporting her family singlehandedly or running a Fortune 500 Company some will still consider women as part of a lesser group. Women must push some compassion and attention away to maintain position. When people depend on those around them they are often considered lesser. While the women’s place has traditionally been to be seen and not hear and to care for domestic aspects of life that is no longer her place, if she relies too heavily on the men around her, her accomplishments are not seen as those of an equal but rather those of a women. Whether tradition or romanticism begs a man to carry his new wife across the threshold he must realize that the gesture is no longer needed, we are capable and able to not only stand on our own feet but also walk through the door as an equal and a capable member of society.
1. “Feminism” http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/feminism. March 31, 2008
2. “Feminism." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 1 Apr. 2008 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-216003>.
2 comments:
Cammie,
I thought that your brief was very informative. I like how your brief is like a time capsule guiding us through the feminist movement. Your argument is well structured and easy to read. You set up the beginning with the basic definition of what feminism is to help the reader establish a clear meaning of what you are writing about. I thought it was a great example using the old wedding tradition of the husband carrying his wife over the threshold at the beginning and then bringing it back into context at the end to sum up your argument.
Your brief was well descriptive that really appealed to the reader. There were a couple of word choice errors, or grammatical errors I should say, but nothing that really stood out.
Your argument about women’s rights should be equal to that of men, and that they should be considered to be equal by all in society is clearly shown through your writing. I was very impressed with your brief. I can tell that you put a lot of hard work and effort into it. I enjoyed reading your brief; it was very well written and entertaining, to me as a reader. Your brief was great and there are hardly any suggestions from me to make it better other than the few grammatical errors, because it was so well written. I thought this brief was great! :)
Taylor
Cammie-
Good brief! I like how you covered feminism in such detail and showed how women have gained their rights through the centuries. However, I disagree on multiple points. First, it is true that women have gained their rights through the centuries, but completely abandoning tradition in the name of feminism seems quite drastic and selfish. Western culture is built around manners and the polite treatment of women; completely reversing the roles of each gender is ridiculous. You say that treating women with respect is the same as treating them as inferior, but the opposite is true. Chivalry celebrates the differences between men and women just as cultural feminism does; it does not mean that women are unable to stand on their own. On the contrary, it is now recognized in our modern-day world that women are equal to men; chivalry simply retains the old traditions that show that women are still respected. The pains that women have taken to achieve this equality are acknowledged, and the rights they have earned are never going to be taken away. Chivalry is not a threat; it is a manner of behavior that shows women that they are still a valuable part in society and in the lives of the men around them.
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