1. "Don't Read With Your Eyes" I know at times this may be hard to do, since the only tool to decoding the world around you, is a 2015 model, but we still must consider the social and historical climate of the time period of the work. Remember Foster states, "Instead try to find a reading perspective that allows for sympathy with the historical moment of the story, that understands the text as having been written against its own social, historical, cultural, and personal background" (Foster 228).
2. "It's All Political". Chopin wrote about the world around her. As Foster states, "The world contains many things, and on the level of society, part of what contains the political reality of the time--power structures, relations among classes, issues of justices and rights, interactions between the sexes and among various racial and ethnic constituencies" (Foster 115). It is no wonder that Chopin would chose this as a topic of her writing, yet many of you may be surprised to find out that Kate Chopin did not consider herself a feminist. After reading her novel, many find this difficult to believe. Is Kate Chopin like modern women today who have a hard time identifying with the title of feminism?
Discuss Feminism in our Modern Society: You are not limited to these questions.
What does it mean to be a feminist today? Are there negative connotations associated with the word? Why? or Why not? What is the image of the modern women? Do we still have two polar opposites on the spectrum: Reisz and Ratignolle? Is feminism an illusory or real?
I have added Aziz Ansari's commentary for an important reason. While I know he's a comedian, and not an authority on feminism, comics often satirize the world around them. In that sense, like Chopin, Ansari is also commenting on the political and social issues of the time.. This is just one of many viewpoints on modern day feminism. Feel fee to respond to Ansari's arguments as well.
First, I would like to say that the word "feminism" should be redefined. If you look at the root structure of the word, "fem" means woman and "ism" means all of. So, technically speaking, "feminism" means "all of women," which doesn't suggest "equal rights for men and women." So no, not everyone should be a "feminist."
ReplyDeleteI believe there are two types of feminism. Modern feminism in America, that blatantly serves no purpose because women have all the rights that they could have. What rights do women not have? We can vote, we can work, we can divorce, we have abortion rights, and even our companies pay for our birth control! One main argument that feminists point out is the wage gap that "exists" and that men are more often hired than women. However, the Equal Pay Rights of 1963 abolished all wage gaps. Therefore, the wage gap that exists is not due to sexism, but other factors, maybe amount of time worked or actual effort put in. Also, if companies could pay women less, wouldn't they hire more women?
The other type of feminism is the traditional feminism that serves for the legitimate equal rights of women and is prevalent in Middle Eastern societies where, currently, women are not able to vote, do not have a voice, do not have easy access to education, and cannot get a job. These oppressions are legitimatized and their rights should be fought for.
There are negative connotations associated with feminism today because the stereotype is one of a woman screaming, like Ansari pointed out. While I have encountered modern feminists such as these that use expletives to try to get their point across, this should not be generalized to all feminists.
I believe we still do have polar opposites of Reisz and Ratignolle. While Reisz isn't actively trying to bring about the rights of women in Victorian society, she does rebel against it and that speaks measures. Ratignolle is a woman who is oppressed by her husband and children; she is incapable of thinking for herself. However, I believe that they are both content with their lives and we shouldn't look down on either of them for being happy.
Perhaps the word feminism should be redefined based on its stems, but its current definition is understood. Saying that you are a feminist just means you believe in equal rights for men and women, regardless of an extensive evaluation of its stems.
DeleteI do believe that there are no longer barriers in society that block women from being whatever they want. However, people still make assumptions about the roles of women, and it can give ideas, especially to young girls, about what they are supposed to be. Honestly, some of that happens to men, too, who are searching for the "right" thing in society. This is just human nature. We make generalizations about what kinds of things the majority does. Even so, there is nothing stopping women in this age from abandoning "traditional roles" and being what they wish.
Regarding the pay gap, a national law means nothing outside of government jobs. Even the government is still working on diminishing their pay gap. Private companies are worse. Lately, it has received more attention, and the government is working on enforcing equal pay in a variety of places, but it is so easy for a private employer to make up a justification for paying a woman less. As more women enter into fields where they did not appear as much thirty or forty years ago, the pay gap will decrease. I think time will heal most of the pay gap as our generation enters the workforce, but that is no reason to stop advocating equality now.
Maddi, I do agree with you on the fact that women have all the rights that they possibly could have in modern day. I think what you sort of looked past is peoples reactions toward women doing certain things, even though it is their right. Like Alyssa said, people believe that we should have equal rights, yet society still somewhat treats the sexes differently through stereotypes. It is not that women don't have the right to do something, but rather they are judged differently if they do. Women have the right to be part of the military, but some people are going to look at them like they are crazy for even trying to go up against the strong men out there. Also, the President comment that I made, it might just be me but I feel like if we were to have a woman president today then the people in our society would go crazy. It is not that woman don't have the right but rather woman are continuously viewed differently.
DeleteI agree with Ansari on the fact that we think the term, feminism, has too strong of a negative connotation. Many people will agree that both sexes should have equal rights, but say they are not a feminist. My biggest confusion on the subject is this: people believe that we should have equal rights, yet society still somewhat treats the sexes differently. Men are still given the stereotype of being stronger and tougher. Women are still stereotyped as weaker and fragile. Even the workforce is still a bit sexually separated not by the employers, but by people themselves. Not as many women are mechanics or construction workers. Men aren't fashion designers or florists (and if they are, they are assumed to be homosexual.) Although it's not as much as it used to be, it still takes place.
ReplyDeleteI do think that we have the polar opposites. We have the "lady-like" type and the "tomboy" type. The term "lady-like" itself expresses that there is a specific way women should act but, even though we use term, we don't necessarily believe that. We are constantly contradicting ourselves. I'm glad we were reminded of Foster's "Don't Read with Your Eyes." I think a lot of us weren't taking the time period in consideration, which also explains why some people believed her suicide to be brave, and some cowardice.
I do believe that feminism is has its stereotypes, much like any other group of people that share a belief. I also do not think gender equality is not that big of a problem in the United States, which is why these negative stereotypes keep on getting worse. It is seen as that the modern feminists argue for the unnecessary. Yes, women may seem more vulnerable and susceptible to get taken advantage of, while men are more aggressive and tend to forceful. Women are more biologically and psychology prone to be emotional, while men are prone to being stronger and think things through less. By no means is aggression against any gender justified, but men are more genetically inclined to be the abusers in a marriage. Much like how women are somewhat expected to be the "mother-type," yes it is a stereotype, but like all stereotypes, there is some truth to it. Women are genetically inclined to be motherly, mostly with their own children, this connection starts at embryo and gets stronger later on. This role was not imposed on by society, because it is even evident in animals. If men had a uterus and carried children for 9 months, maybe they would be stereotyped that way too. If that if these are the biggest problems in our society now, and unlike Edna, women now have the ability get a divorce, sue, and just plainly speak up. Are they really problems? Whether they do or not speak up, that does have to do with individuals rather than society as a whole. Certain situations and circumstances may prevent some women from reaching their full potential and feeling the oppression Edna did, but with the many opportunities our nation offers, it cannot be said that we live in a gender discriminating country. While there are countries in the middle east where husbands throw acid on their spouses faces, and they really cannot do anything about it, let alone leave. I do understand that just because someones situation is not the extreme worse case it can be, does not mean that it is not bad. Feminists need to focus the bigger issues, rather than pity problems such as what names people will call them, the stereotypes are what some modern feminists tend to care about because it has become a fad to look for reasons to get insulted. This negative image covers up the original feminists who truly care about equality and not about if a guy merely whistles at you in the street.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your bringing up the "pity problems" than some (not all) feminists have. Some feminists, particularly the extreme feminists, victimize themselves to grab attention. You're right--there are bigger problems than if a guy whistles at you or calls you "hot" instead of "beautiful." There are women in the Middle East with no right to education, marriage, and overall lifestyle. Because of the victimizers who are self-labeled "feminists," the true, traditional movement of feminism gets overlooked.
DeleteI agree with you completely. I'm glad you mentioned the truth behind the stereotypes of women being motherly. And since when did it become a bad thing to be a mom, anyway? I also agree that women today should be more concerned with getting equal rights for women everywhere, not just America.
DeleteAfter reading The Awakening and discussing feminism frequently in class, I believe that like all activist groups of people, feminism does carry some inevitable negative connotations due to the reputation surrounding it largely created by extremists. I agree with Ansari when he states that when people think of a feminist, they automatically picture a crazed woman yelling at you instead of someone, man or woman, who simply believes in the equal treatment and pay of both sexes. In The Awakening, we saw that Madame Ratignolle was regarded as a loving, mother-woman because she had made the decision to have children and primarily spend her time caring for them as opposed to practicing art or pursuing other interests like Edna does. While we feel that Ratignolle could be wasting her potential, we also look down on Edna when she disregards her children, society both then and now has a hard time standing on a middle ground when it comes to mothers focusing more on themselves than their children. I have never thought that women in the United States are viewed much differently than men due to our equality laws and practices, but the maternal image of a woman seems to always stick with us no matter how greatly modernized society advances. I understand that many feminists may not want to carry that motherly ideal around with them, but as a woman, you are biologically created to reproduce, whether you want to or not. Therefore, I really think the idea that each and every woman has "maternal instincts" is not something we could ever stray from. No matter how cold or indifferent a girl may seem, estrogen and ovaries do shape us as caregivers whether it be to a child or anyone surrounding us. As we've all progressed through high school and the men in our class have matured, bringing up feminism around them or any male seems to put a bad taste in their mouth. Men and women as well jump to the conclusion that feminism is free bleeding, bra burning, and the screaming girl. American feminists are privileged in our legally given rights and governmental support, if there's anything U.S. feminists should work towards, I believe it should be reconstructing the image given in order for more acceptance by both sexes.
ReplyDeleteAs Ansari stated, the true definition of a feminist is someone who believes that men and women should possess equal rights. Although most people agree with that statement, in a modern world, society views feminism in a negative way that only highlights the extremes and stereotypes. In the early 1960s, the feminist movement began after Betty Friedan published the book, The Feminine Mystique, which questioned the typical roles of woman throughout society. As the movement progressed, many women became more direct and militant based in their actions. Despite the fact that these radicals were the minority within the movement, they are responsible for the negative connotations associated with feminism, and possibly for a good reason. Despite its true definition, most men, and many women, find it as an insult to be labeled a feminist. Additionally, the feminism movement seems to be dying out due to the fact that it is becoming less and less of an issue, and even more, due to the bad publicity it has been given. As Maddie already introduced, we need to redefine feminism so that society has a more precise understanding of what it means to be a feminist.
ReplyDeleteWithin society, I don't feel that there are polar opposites of the spectrum as exemplified by Mademoiselle Reisz and Adele; at least not to that extent. Even though there are women who are very different from each other, perhaps in character or belief, it wouldn't be fair to label them as opposites. Most women within our society feel that they should bear equal rights to men despite their social class. In our novel, Adele is the ideal motherly figure, and while there are still women similar, most do not act in the same blind fashion. Adele, while intelligent, seemed to only understand society on the surface and she failed to realize the extent of her oppression. The oppression that women face now is on a much smaller scale than that of the Victorian society in the novel and while there are still women who act blindly, only fulfilling duties given to them, they are far from the majority.
The need for extremities within the feminist movement is no longer present within our society, but there will always be a need for balance between feminism and masculism.
Feminism has a negative connotation because of the extremists. It is just like Ansari said in the video. Nobody wants to be associated with those people that scream feminism at everyone. On the extreme end of the spectrum, there are women that oppose everything associated with being a woman and call it an abomination of the culture. "How dare people expect me to wear a bra!" Everything exists for a reason. I have a met a few feminists who just hate men and think men are just evil, power monsters that are the source of all their problems. The vast majority of people do not want to be associated with this group of people, so we just grow to despise the term.
ReplyDeleteI think this is comparable to the racism that occurs against the Middle East. The most we see about Middle Easterners in the media is about terrorists, so whenever we see any Arab person, we think terrorist. It is a human nature thing. We have to force ourselves not to make generalizations. Most of the time, racism against Arabs happens in rural areas because less Arabs live there. Rural communities are just not exposed to Arab people as much and do not get the opportunity to interact with them in their lives. This leads to so many assumptions and blind fear. The same thing happens with feminists. The most we hear of is the extreme views, so we make assumptions and just avoid the conflict. In the process, women's rights can lose some of the attention it deserves.
I am not sure if we still have Adele at Mlle. Riesz anymore. There are women who appear in those archetypes, but I do not think it is for the same reasons. There was so much oppression on women in the Victorian Age that women could not speak against anything. Now, women have every opportunity to pick whatever place in society they choose; or they can make their own. Pressure or expectation to be a certain person or act a certain way happens to everyone. Men and women suffer expectations of their future from their family and community. Regardless, we all have the opportunity to break away and become our own person. Unlike Edna, no one who wishes to do so is really alone anymore.
Luke, I agree with a lot of what you said. I think people need to understand that those men hating feminist that you talk about in the first paragraph are not actually feminists. By hating men they're going against the idea of equality between the genders. Extreme people like this who hypocritically call themselves feminists are the reason the word feminist has such a negative connotation to it.
DeleteWith most things/groups the most extreme parts/members get the most attention. This happens with feminism too, the media and other factors have contributed in making the face or immediate idea of feminism this image of an angry man hating women when in truth women like that are not feminists because they are not focused on equality. Despite this the idea that the squeaky wheel gets the oil continues and loud rude people like this get the attention are get falsely labeled in peoples head as feminists when the real feminist and their goals are overlooked.
ReplyDeleteIt can be argued that in places like America women are politically equal but I think the focus of American feminism is equal representation and respect. When a women enters a male dominated field she's usually expected to be perfect or as good as the best guy and if she's not she's considered a failure and is criticized; while a man joining a male dominated field may not be scrutinized as much for not being the best or doing a mediocre job. Often the way we view powerful men and women differs, a powerful man could be seen as powerful and in control while a women will often be seen as bossy or shrill. This also applies to other things like if a man has a family but focuses hard on work he would be viewed by a lot of people as a hard worker, dedicated, and self sacrificing but a women would be label by a lot of people as selfish or a bad mother avoiding her family. Obviously not everyone views men and women this way but because of integrated gender roles in our society a lot of people see women AND men who go against the roles as wrong and attack them.
In places that aren't like American where women do not have a right to education or political equality feminism is focused on a different kind of equality. This might be going off topic slightly but there's this documentary on netflix called Girl Rising that's about the lack of education opportunities for girls in the world. Along with education issues it highlights how girls without educations have not way to escape abusive home lives and are often forced into marriage by the age of 13, with not education or relationships beyond there families they have no other ways to support themselves an cleave their families. Around 14 million girls under the age of 18 are married each year and the #1 cause of death for girls 15-19 is childbirth (according to the World Health Organization). However girls with 8 years of education are 4 times less likely to be married as children. Although issues like this (education, forced child marriage, rape, domestic abuse, etc.) may seem like may like more of a human rights problem then a feminist problem (whether or not someone agrees/likes the word "feminism") if the base idea of feminism, equal rights, was followed/informed then hopefully a healthier environment of equality would be fostered so women could escape abusive situation and children could be raised with the idea of complete quality so the cycle of inequality could end.
I do agree with what you said about women joining a male dominate job, and being held up to higher standards of performing better just because they're a woman. There are so many more issues like this, but the only people who get heard when fighting against them are th extremists. Sadly, that's what we all picture, that woman yelling at you all mad and what not. I hate that those extremists seem to focus on the meteocre problems rather than on the whole spectrum. You can't be a kind of feminist, mostly when there is so much injustice in the world.
DeleteRegarding social respect, why does it matter what a man thinks of a woman? Recently, I encountered an NC State male alumni who, when I told him of my desire to attend Duke, laughed at me. Was it because I was a woman? Maybe. Maybe not. Regardless, it didn't and doesn't change my plans. Why does it matter if you have the respect of others? Respect for yourself should be fulfilling enough.
DeleteMaddie, I understand what you're saying but I have to disagree with you. If there is a group of people with a joint feeling of disrespect for another group then their group mentality of disrespect could cause unnecessary problems and barriers for the later group. If the male alumni you encountered was indeed laughing at you because you are a women and he hypothetically gains a position of power in the future then you can imagine that if his respect for females hasn't changed he could bring his bias into the workplace and perhaps belittle, be overly critical, or not hire females because he thinks less of them. It's one thing to believe in/have respect for yourself , but if someone with more power than you has a bias against you then it doesn't matter how good you are they're likely going to try to hold you back for no logical reason.
DeleteOn a different note I'm very sorry you had to deal with such a rude person and I admire that you didn't let it bother you. If he was in fact laughing at you because you are a women, even though it didn't bother you, don't you think it's aggravating that even now a days this guy is sexist enough to belittle your plans just because your a female?
When I hear the word feminism used today I automatically think of it as having a very harsh meaning and tone. I'm not sure if it is the way the word is used in context or people's defensive reactions when feminism comes up in conversation but I would never think that it only means equality between men and women. I think what I am trying to say is a lot like what Aziz Ansari said in his commentary. He said that people get very defensive when they hear the word feminism being used and act like they don't want to support it, even women. But what is so bad about equality between men and women? Nothing. So why is it what when feminism is used people are automatically putting their opinions out for everyone to hear but when we say equality everyone supports it? I feel like the way feminism is used in context and people's relations to it have a lot to do with the ongoing problem.
ReplyDeleteIn today's society, I don't think that we have a problem with the definition of feminism, or the equality between men and women, but rather the word itself. Today, I think people thing there is pretty much equality between men and women everywhere. Sure some jobs are meant more for men but only because they involve heavy labor or something of the sort. There are both men and women doctors and most jobs involve both genders but I think that people in general are still sexist in a lot of cases. I see this personally with my job. I work at the car wash and while most people don't think twice about it, there are still some that say it "isn't a job for a girl" and "girls shouldn't be working here". I also think the the President is a big sexist example. We have yet to have a female president and I personally think that if a woman became the president many people would be furious and go against it. This is a problem that most people don't think twice about because it is not nearly as major as it once was, but are we all really feminists?
When some people hear the word feminist, they tend to sigh deeply and roll their eyes because it obviously has a negative connotation to them. I think that people who are strongly against feminism and strongly for it both share some flaws in their views. As the dictionary definition states, feminism is the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. People who are stongly for it are completely moral for believing in rights for women, but it seems that today in America, it breeds anger towards men. Let me be careful in saying this. Not EVERY woman thinks this way, but I believe it is a growing concern within the feminist movement. Some feminists take it too far and become consumed with the absurd idea that women are greater than men, rather than stick to the actual definition of the word which states that men and women are equal. In other countries, I do not see this as as big of a problem as it is in America. As other classmates have said, women lacking rights is not as large an issue in America today. Women are just as guilty as men at saying that they're better at certain things than the opposite gender. Some "feminists" would argue this and say that men are only ones guilty of gender slurs. Before someone labels themself a feminist, I think it is important for them to actually practice what they preach rather than turning it into an extemist group that breeds negativity. The exteme feminists are what give the the people who are opposed to feminism the idea that feminists are obnoxious and far-fetched.
ReplyDeleteThose who are strongly opposed to feminism are only educated on the actions of the extreme feminists. They look at them and think "Why in the world would I want to be associated with that group?" It is not true that every feminist is as extreme as those people. I don't necessarily believe that all who are opposed to feminism are against womens rights or equality to men, they just don't undertstand the true meaning of what it is to be a feminist because they have seen nothing but the extremist groups. It is important to distinguish between the correct way to advocate womens rights and the wrong way. This goes for any other advocacy group as well.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with your pointing out of the umbrella that feminism casts--surely not everyone "has" to be a feminist when there are so many controversial issues that correlate with feminism. Thank you for explaining the overused and frankly misused statistic with the wage gap. You're absolutely correct, correlation does NOT imply causation. Too many people look at a misleading graph and jump to conclusions without actually delving into the study.
DeleteI agree that Feminism is given a bad name because of extremists, but that does not mean I would identify myself as a feminist. Yes, the definition of feminism is "the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men," but there are some issues, specifically abortion, that do not necessarily fall under that definition. It bothers me how they seem to be non-negotiable issues to many feminists. If one believes life begins at the moment of conception, how can you argue against them on the grounds of "choice?" At this point, it may be an overused argument, but what about the child's right to life? There are circumstances, such as rape, where the issue becomes more complex, but I hate the thought of a child that never has the chance to live.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that bothers me about many feminist arguments I have seen is that false statistics are occasionally used. "Women earn $0.75 to every $1 a man makes." This statistic shows a correlation between wages and gender, but so often I see it used to prove that women are oppressed in the workforce. This statistic does not show any causation, so one cannot conclude that women make less because they are women. Whether it is because of social pressures or biological drives, men are more likely than women to choose a job because of the salary. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to choose a job that will fulfill a passion or bring them happiness (Maybe this is why the male suicide rate is 3-4 times higher than that of women's). And this statistic does not take into account the amount of hours worked on average by men and women. It only shows the average salaries of men and women. Another statistic that I have seen is that “30% of female emergency room visits are from domestic violence.” In reality, this statistic is actually under 1%.
When it comes to Aziz Ansari’s argument, I disagree that because you fall under the definition of something you must be part of it. I do not see feminism is an ideology, like being liberal or conservative. It is a political faction, more like the democratic or republican parties, so I am “pro-choice” when it comes to being a feminist.
I completely identify with your reasoning on why you don't consider yourself a feminist. I agree that, within that definition, are consequences that are too controversial to ignore, such as abortion, and for that reason I do not consider myself a "feminist."
DeleteI have never identified myself as a "feminist" although I have a close friend who very proudly upholds the label, and it was not until recently that she has helped me see beyond the negative connotations associated with feminism. My biggest problem with modern feminism is its application, and the way in which many feminists concern themselves with issues that, quite frankly, are insignificant and petty when compared to the life-threatening situations women in truly oppressive areas, such as the Middle East, face on a daily basis.Yes, feminism is more than just about equal pay between men and women and the introduction of women into male-dominated careers, but wouldn't all the fervor of modern feminism serve a better purpose if it promoted equality between men and women where it is an actual concern? Like Luke pointed out, perhaps it is bias that prevents me from seeing the "other sides" of feminism where it promotes and instills its values in oppressed societies. Has anyone wondered what some of greatest feminist leaders of all time, such as Betty Friedman or Carrie Chapman Catt, leaders of the Women's Suffrage Movement, would think about modern feminism?
ReplyDeleteFeminists today are people who not only believe in the equality of men and women but who also feel strongly enough about the subject that they are willing to brave the reputation associated with the modern-day image of feminists. The word feminism absolutely has a bad connotation simply because of the attention “extremist feminists” – women who won’t shave, will picket bars and construction sites, etc. – receive in the news. As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. This is a positive because they do bring more attention to an important political issue but also a negative because the result has been making feminism a laughing matter. I don’t believe there is a modern stereotype for women, there is simply too much diversity: women are CEOs, small business owners, part-time, full-time, stay-at-home, or the bread-winner of the family. There are still the two opposites of the spectrum (like Edna and Adele), but now every possible role in between is filled. Feminism is not illusory because as long as there remains a minority that do not believe in the complete equality of men and women then discrimination and unequal treatment will always be an issue that demands attention. I completely agree with everything that Aziz said, and find it comforting that there stands educated people that are bringing positive attention to feminism.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to feminism it is almost impossible not to think about the negative connotation that comes with it. Yes, it does mean the overall equality between men and women but, with such extremists out there that's not what comes to people's minds when it comes up in conversation. The modern-day image of feminists is one that consists mainly of the extremist women who refuse to shave and picket establishments. In my opinion there isn't really much for feminists to fight for in America, women have the same rights as men voting, divorce, work. That being said, there are still the ever present stereotypes that women are weak and men are strong making it difficult for women to pursue male-dominated career paths. Like Kaitlyn said, we have yet to see a female President and I agree with her comment that the country wouldn't exactly be happy if we ever had one, once again because of stereotypes of women being to emotionally unstable to run a country. I agree with everything Aziz said, just because you're a feminist doesn't mean you are an extremist or that you even have to associate with them because you are standing up for what you feel is right, not what the extremists are doing or believe in other than the basic premise of feminism.
ReplyDeleteI think the don't look with you eyes argument is extremely important too and I had said in my awakening blog post that looking at Edna's suicide purely as cowardice is only looking at it through the lens of modern society where women have so many more rights than we used to. However, I do believe that gender inequality still exists even if it is much better than it used to be. I believe that there are definitely negative connotations associated with the word because of the extremists that Aziz Anasari mentioned which gives feminism a bad rap. Feminism is purely about equality, and man-hating, angry women who call themselves feminists, in my opinion, aren't true feminists because they're not looking for equality. Saying all feminists are pushy and crazy is just as narrow minded as saying that all men are against women, it's ridiculous and just isn't the case. These "feminist" extremists believe that women are superior which isn't at all what the movement is about. The movement is about making women be seen as equals to men in all environments, especially in the work place. You can say that there are laws protecting women in the work force all you want, but the reality is that in the corporate world, it seems that women have to work much harder to gain the respect of their primarily male coworkers and they do generally earn less than men. In my opinion the argument that the pay gap doesn't exist because it's against the law is similar to the argument that people don't smoke pot because that's against the law. A prime example of the pay gap can be seen when Sony's emails got leaked and it was discovered that Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence were paid less than all of their male co stars in the film American Hustle. Those women put in just as much time and effort into that movie as their costars, but they were only paid 7% of the film's profits while the men received 9%. I believe that it is wrong, and I think that any ethical person would agree, even if they don't associate themself with the word "feminist". I don't think the word itself actually matters, the only thing I'm concerned with is what it stands for which is equality between men and women. Kate Chopin is a perfect example of how it doesn't matter whether or not you say you're a feminist as long as you believe in the principles behind it. I'm a feminist, but I do not care if other people take on this label. In my opinion, the label doesn't matter. In a UN speech given by a Emma Watson for the he-for-she campaign she described anyone who believes men and women should be equal but don't want to call themselves feminists as inadvertent feminists. I thought that was a great way of looking at it because it doesn't matter how you identify yourself as long as you practice and promote the beliefs of gender equality.
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ReplyDeleteModern feminism is defined as almost every civil rights group has been defined by in the past, by the extreme ends of the movement. There are people who are for and against modern feminism. Some say that there is no need for a women’s rights movement anymore, stating that there is no wage gap, and since women have Affirmative Action and can vote in America, there is no need for this. There are others that do state that there is a wage gap and view it outside of just the USA, wanting to spread it to countries where women are still treated inferior. But in America, it is nearly impossible for a woman to say that she is a feminist and not have your mind immediately associate her with the stereotypical man-hating “femnazi”. I do consider myself a feminist, but to an extent. For example, the stereotypical “femnsazi” is said to believe that what someone is wearing doesn’t matter at all, but there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed, meaning that you shouldn’t dress in something that can pretty much be considered underwear and not expect to be stared at. Are girls held to a higher standard, yes. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and break these standards. I do strongly believe in the equality of men and women, but I am prepared to be associated with the extremist stereotypical beliefs that come with that label.
ReplyDeleteModern feminism is a tough subject to tackle because of these stereotypes. Whenever a woman says that she is a feminist, she is almost automatically bombarded with ridicule and condescending remarks. But if a man, Anzari for example, claims to be a feminist he is praised for this. That highlights the double standard between genders. It is seen everywhere in our media. Women have it grained into their brains to look, think, and act a certain way, but are even ridiculed for achieving these standards. School dress codes are a primary example of this double standard. Girls have full pages of what they can and can’t wear, while boys normally have half a page saying no ripped shirts and no hats. But in many school systems girls are not allowed to wear dresses that aren’t a certain length, yoga pants, leggings, tank tops, anything that shows off the female figure is banned. And sometimes even when these girls meet the standards of dress code, they are still sent out of class to get a change of clothes. And what is the reason for this? “It distracts boys.” This teaches girls in our future generation that a boy’s education is more important than hers and she should be ashamed of her body. If you Google sent home for dress code in news, you’ll get pages of examples of young girls having to be sent home to get a change of clothes because it. That’s only one reason, but it’s still going strong.
Feminism is a touchy subject, but we need to rip off the band-aid of the stereotypical feminist and view the borader spectrum of feminism, not the America and Euro-centric feminism. There are still countries where women are treated like second-class citizens, or even property. That is the feminism that I associate with. Where women and men are equal not on the scale of the country that I live in, but on the planet that I live on.
The word feminism, as many of my classmates have pointed out, carries a very powerful negative connotation. The word, due to its associations , has become polarizing when it is mentioned getting powerful support, squeamish apathy, or strong opposition. This is due to the extremists that have corrupted the image of the word and the people who identify as feminists from its origins as people in the pursuit of equality between the sexes to some abhorrent picture of those who don’t want equality, but rather the oppression of men to get back at them for a long history of oppression. Some of us know that image to be absolutely ridiculous, that it represents an outspoken few who have twisted the word away from its true meanings to be something completely different. Unfortunately, it is this outspoken micro-minority that draws the eye of the public, and some are unable to ignore them and so group them together with the rest of the people who identify with the word. This causes the shared image of the group to become what is displayed by that minority, and to become the first thought in people’s mind when the word is used. Right or wrong, that is what the image of the word feminism has become. This image has caused people who share the goal of true equality, such as myself, to shun the use of the label out of fear of being lumped together with that image. The use of the label to define something carries connotations that a person may not want. Even though most feminists carry the same basic set of ideals, there is variance among each and every member of the group. This variance makes it hard to group them all together in with a single term, which is why I don’t particularly care for the use of the term and do not want it applied to me. That being said, a shared identity makes it possible to organize as a group, so I understand why it is used. Feminism , in its plight of being defined by its extremists, is not alone. In fact, I would bet that most groups that use a term to describe a set of philosophical, moral, or religious beliefs suffer from a similar fate.
ReplyDeleteSociety today has put a very negative connotation on the meaning of Feminism. Like the man said in the video, a feminist is someone who wants equal rights for both men and when. Whenever some think of these "rights" they are only thinking of government policy and such, not about the stereotypes that have been set in place for both men and women.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that men and women deserve to have equal rights, I do not consider myself a feminist. Saying that agreeing with the definition of feminism makes one a feminist is like saying that believing in God makes one a Christian. It is possible to agree with some aspects of an idea and disagree with others. Feminism is a complex topic and simplifying it to an umbrella definition that encompasses the majority of people is definitely an oversimplification. I don't agree with abortion, I don't agree that women should be given more rights than men, and I don't agree with most of modern feminism. I do, however, believe that women in other countries who are unable to get an education or job or escape an abusive husband should be given the rights that they deserve. They would love to have the rights American women have, yet many American women still feel "oppressed." I believe that I am equal to men, and I don't really care if the rest of society agrees. I am not as strong as most men and I am more emotional than most men and I don't need to pretend that we are the same in these and many other aspects. There are gender differences; however, differences and weaknesses aren't the same thing. I do think we still have the opposite ends of the spectrum, the Reiszs and Ratignolles, but I think that women that fall into these categories choose these lives for themselves. While Madame Ratignolle didn't have the choice to be a mom or not, she may have still enjoyed it. Some women really do aspire just to be a mom. I don't know why being a stay-at-home mom has been given such a bad reputation. If that's what makes you happy, go for it. It doesn't mean you aren't doing anything with your life, because you're definitely making an impact on your kid's lives. People feel like they have to either be a millionaire or the next Gandhi to be successful; however, making an impact on just one person's life is successful to me. And if that life is your kid's life, that is just as valuable. Fortunately, unlike Madame Ratignolle, women today are able to have a job and be a mom. If they feel like they must earn a ton or work some prestigious job to be successful, they can, and they can even be a mother as well. Or not. Because women in America have the right to choose. We are not oppressed. So what if someone makes a joke every now and then? I'm confident in who I am and if someone tells me to get back in the kitchen I can laugh in their face instead of whining about being oppressed. The only oppression women in America face today is rape. I don't mean to discount it by bringing it in at the end of my argument, because it is horrible and cruel and I wish it could be eliminated. It is definitely a problem that needs to be taken care of. I think, in America, rape awareness and elimination should be the main focus of feminism. But that's just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis is a topic that has been in the news quite recently with the HeForShe campaign. Its a campaign put on by UN Women (we see it associated a lot with Emma Watson) and “aims to engage men and boys as agents of change for the achievement of gender equality and women's rights, by encouraging them to take action against inequalities faced by women and girls”. On Sunday, Emma lead a speech with pleas to not let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do. It just reminded me of stuff I do through band. I play the trombone which is kind of stereotyped as a “boy instrument”. Anyways, I have a lot of opportunities to be honor bands (students from all over audition for a spot in these groups). I’ve been in two this year where I auditioned, made it and happened to be the only girl out of the ten or so that make it- this not being the problem. The problem is when someone comes up to me and says “Oh, you know all of us guys just had a bad audition and let a girl finally beat us.”. I guess for me thats where I get to first hand see how women are modernly put into these dainty gender roles that we saw in The Awakening.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of Maddi’s response to Tessa regarding the social aspect and why it doesn’t matter what one really thinks of another. Comments like these don’t certainly make me go “I’m a girl, therefore I’m not fit to go to this college or play this instrument so I might as well just quit just because he said so”. If anything, they just make me want to try harder (I’m saying this without trying to sound I condone this activity of making gender roles). Is it a giant problem that needs to be solved ASAP? No. Like Tessa said, places other than America deal with feminism but on a completely different level than the issues of lesser importance that I just pointed out.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/06/europe/emma-watson-he-for-she-international-womens-day/
This is the article with the video of Watson’s speech. The words of Aziz Ansari were somewhat similar, as both public figures discussed the negative connotation with the word feminism and how people hear the word and automatically think to the far end of the spectrum. Watson discussed how it was become synonymous with “man hating” and Ansari made a visual of feminism with women that don’t shave, etc.