The Feminist Movement Essay

Essay about Feminist Movement
Feminist Movement In the aftermath of World War II, the lives of the women have changed dramatically. Women spoke their minds out and wanted to
be heard. World War II brought them a new outlook on how they should live their lives. It encouraged women organize social movements such as
boycotts and public marches pushing for their human rights and protect them against discrimination. Alongside, they formed their own organization
representing them against the federal government like the NOW or National Organization for Women. Through the years, women have been struggling
to fight for equal rights and unfortunately still exist even at the present in some areas. Yes, women's status was not like what they used to back then,
where their roles...show more content...
Unluckily, as a public figure she is being looked up to especially by young girls. They try to copy her and wear too revealing clothes and try to act
disorderly. Sometimes these acts can lead from one thing to another. In the early 90's, studies have shown that teen pregnancies occur on a regularly
basis and has been severely increasing (Newsweek: Birth rates in U.S, 1991–96). As a result, this brings out a wrong impression of women to society.
Throughout the history, women were being discriminated against by ignoring or not paying much attention to them when it comes to dealing with
political issues. One in particular, was the controversial issue regarding women's right to vote. By the end of the 1880's feminist movements did not
meet their expectations due to lack of support from women themselves. " If by the end of the 1880's the suffragists had reached something of a
stalemate, by the end of 1890's and early 1900's the movement had entered a completely new phase. This was largely the result of new factors in the
situation: the growth of support for women's suffrage amongst women themselves, and the increasing importance of the labour movement in British
politics" (Banks, p.121). For these women, voting was becoming more like a powerful tool to be recognized in the society and understand the
importance of
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The Feminism Movement Essay
For many years the word, "Feminism" has developed many different meanings and various people interpret this word in different ways. I interviewed
five people who are close to me and I wrote down their responses to the questions, "What do you think Feminism is?" and "Do you consider yourself
to be a feminist?" There were many different responses to these questions. I first interviewed my friend, Jordan. He mentioned that he believes feminism
is about, "Power crazy, mannish women who think they are better then men." He thinks he is a moderate feminist because he believes women should
have rights; however he is not an activist of women's rights (Jacqueline, 2000). When I asked my mother what she thought feminism was she replied,
"Feminism is...show more content...
I completely disagree with what Jordan and Mike said about women being power crazy and angry with men. I also do not agree with Stephanie's
reason for not being a feminist. She believes she is not a feminist because she likes being a "stereotypical woman." I disagree with this because
feminism is about overcoming the stereotypical views of women and their roles in society (McLaughlin, 2003).
For years many misconceptions and stereotypes of the word "feminism" have developed. One main stereotype of feminism is that feminists are, "white
women, "mannish" women, women who do not wear makeup or don't shave their legs or underarms, and women who are said to be lesbians or
man–haters" (Bryson, 2003). Jordan and Mike both mentioned this stereotype in their interviews. Many people do not realize that feminism is not
about "manly" women who are obsessed with hating the male gender. In Women's Lives feminism is defined as the, "liberation of women and girls
from discriminations based on gender. The goal of feminist theory and practice is women's self–determination" (Finnegan, 2001). This definition is
straightforwardly saying that women should not be discriminated because of their gender and women should be treated equally. That definition did not
mention that women are angry with men because they are not equal to them. It is only saying that women should have the right to feel equal in this
society. There are no negative comments focused towards men whatsoever in this

The Feminist Movement
The feminist movement originally derived from a focus on dismantling workplace inequality, suffering from accessing better jobs creating gender
specific salary inequality within the workforce. However, gender discrimination changed when the Civil Rights Act was proposed, this movement is
often called the "Second Wave" of the feminist movement. The movement fought to achieve equality for women by challenging many unfair labor
laws. The movement also informed women about sex and reproduction rights and fought to legalize the use of birth control. Also, feminists established
many organizations and wrote books, articles, and essays challenging gender differences. The feminist movement began to gain ground when the
Presidential Commission published...show more content...
By being a selfless caretaker, wife, and a mother, a woman would achieve ultimate happiness. Friedan came to the assumption that this was infact not
true, because ultimately women have their own identity and desires. Friedan's also argued that women should work in professions and strive for
educational and employment opportunities which will provide them with a self worth and personal identity. In 1967, Women challenged the right of
a women to control their own reproductive lives and set a goal to challenge restrictive abortion laws and expanding access to contraception. The
National Organization of Women also included its own agenda for paid maternity leave, education aid, and job training. However, the National
Organization of Women did not ultimately represent all women. For example, many women argued the NOW was segregated by race and infact it
was too white and middle class to address all problems faced by women of different racial minorities. African American women argued that black
women were oppressed not only due to their gender but also because of their race. They believed that although black and white feminists had some
common goals, a separate organization would need to be established to deal with the discrimination they

Growing up, misconceptions of feminism lead me to reject the idea quickly. Identifying myself as a feminist made me uncomfortable since it evoked
the image of a troop of an angry man–hating, unattractive women. When signing up for classes for senior year, I wanted to pick classes of interest to
me, but sadly those classes were filled up, leaving me with no choice to enroll in a Gender Studies class. Unexpectedly, I never met with a mass of
enraged women spewing hate towards males; rather it was calm and filled with intelligent conversations.Media often broadcasts radical feminists as
the poster child for the movement, an image I had coming into class. This view began to deconstruct when I learned there is no right way of being a
feminist. One can be calm and rational or angry and upset, which is a logical way to feel about the patriarchal society. Unfortunately, due to the women
's rights movement being skewed, misrepresentation of the media leads to feminism being misconstrued and unaccepted by young women. To combat
the negative image, suggestions have been made to change the name of the movement, but this suggestion has come under fire for focusing on the
word than the actual issue and has led to the discussion of reeducating the definition of feminism.
Interpretation of women 's rights and the movement has always been skewed, with the movement increasing and decreasing in prominence. In America,
feminism started in the late 19th century, with the intention to stand

The Women's Movement Essay
The Women's Movement
Works Cited Missing
The women's movement began in the nineteenth century when groups of women began to speak out against the feeling of separation, inequality, and
limits that seemed to be placed on women because of their sex (Debois 18). By combining two aspects of the past, ante–bellum reform politics and the
anti–slavery movement, women were able to gain knowledge of leadership on how to deal with the Women's Right Movement and with this knowledge
led the way to transform women's social standing (Dubois 23). Similarly, the movement that made the largest impact on American societies of the
1960's and 1970's was the Civil Right Movement, which in turn affected the women's movement (Freeman 513). According to...show more content...
So, it laid the whole ground work for the choices I made. That it had to be a choice because you couldn't do both, because that's the way it was
presented," commented Cole.
Making the decision early on to go to college was not easy for Cole. She recalls in one visit to her guidance counselor that the counselor asked Cole
why she was taking hard classes and before Cole had time to respond the counselor implied that Cole was taking the classes because that was where
the boys were.
In 1970 when Cole entered college she became a member of NOW (National Organization of Women). Cole entered NOW expecting to take a stand
for all women. The key phrase in the previous sentences is– all women, which is one of the main reasons Cole dropped out of NOW. NOW only
seemed to take a stand for women going into college or going into the work force, not for the women that choose to go to work and start a family.
That may seem surprising to some considering that some of NOW's founders were mothers who had families. According to Cole, "Women who were
married or were wives were not included in any of the women's movement. They were said not to be modern women." In the present day NOW has
realized its mistake in not including all women and the organization has tried to go back and correct the problem with many married women, but the
women have chosen to have no part of NOW because some feel as though they weren't included then and they did just fine, why be included

Feminist Movement Essay
Feminist Movement
In the aftermath of World War II, the lives of the women have changed dramatically. Women spoke their minds out and wanted to be heard. World War
II brought them a new outlook on how they should live their lives. It encouraged women organize social movements such as boycotts and public
marches pushing for their human rights and protect them against discrimination. Alongside, they formed their own organization representing them
against the federal government like the NOW or National Organization for Women. Through the years, women have been struggling to fight forequal
rights and unfortunately still exist even at the present in some areas. Yes, women's status was not like what they used to back then, where their...show
more content...
In the early 90's, studies have shown that teen pregnancies occur on a regularly basis and has been severely increasing (Newsweek: Birth rates in U.S,
1991–96). As a result, this brings out a wrong impression of women to society.
Throughout the history, women were being discriminated against by ignoring or not paying much attention to them when it comes to dealing with
political issues. One in particular, was the controversial issue regarding women's right to vote. By the end of the 1880's feminist movements did not
meet their expectations due to lack of support from women themselves. " If by the end of the 1880's the suffragists had reached something of a
stalemate, by the end of 1890's and early 1900's the movement had entered a completely new phase. This was largely the result of new factors in the
situation: the growth of support for women's suffrage amongst women themselves, and the increasing importance of the labour movement in British
politics" (Banks, p.121). For these women, voting was becoming more like a powerful tool to be recognized in the society and understand the
importance of voting and to also participate actively in the campaign. Women suffragists finally reached their goal, in which women at the present are
getting more involved in politics by running for office and being leaders of the society. One good example is present senator Hillary Clinton. This
former first lady is one of the top senators in the United States today. She fought

Feminism : The Feminist Movement Essay
During the 19th century, Feminism had a massive effect on the females' role in society and in everyday life. After a while women got sick of living the
"strict" lifestyle.[1] The females were getting bored with staying in the house and not being able to do what they wanted. They decide that they had
enough and needed to make a change. They wanted equality between men and women and wanted the same opportunities that men received. Feminism
had a huge effect on the everyday role of women. It is a well–known fact that men were granted with rights; which in essence mean that women had
little to none. The women, fighting for what they believed in or sought to happen in the future was in essence the beginning of the Feminist movement
also known as the Women's movement. Motivated by the quest for social justice, feminist inquiry provides a wide range of perspectives on social,
cultural, economic, and political phenomena. There are typically thought to be three waves of feminism, each of which concerned themselves with
particular issues related to women.[2] In what ways did the Feminist Movement help mode and shape the lives of women of present times? Due to the
uprising of the Feminist Movement, women today have more rights, privileges and are given equal rights to that of a man.
The Feminist Movement consists of three waves. The first wave of feminism known as the Suffrage Movement, took place in the late 19th and early
20th centuries, emerging out of an

Feminism And The Feminist Movement Essay
The feminist movement has transformed over the past century through the strength of thousands of women who were willing to put their lives and
reputations on the line to fight against social injustice. The feminist movement has a common theme: rights and respect for women. However, it's
goals, methods and conceptions of who is included under the identity "feminist" has evolved considerably since the 19th century. The U.S. feminist
movement's objectives have progressed from prioritizing legislation to effect change, to combining policy with the deconstruction of societal norms in
to be more inclusive and widespread force. The activists of the first wave feminist movement were focused on fighting for women's political rights,
namely the right to vote. During the 19th and early 20th century, women were obligated to follow the laws but had no political voice. Women were
essentially property, passed from one male to another, father to husband or to relative if they didn't marry. Women didn't truly own any money they
made or any property they inhabited. Women's opportunities to obtain education were limited and restricted to the wealthy. They were even limited to
roles within the church––a place where women were supposed to have superiority as "moral strongholds." (Dicker 25) In response to this, women
began to push back against this inequality. Strong, intelligent and educated women broke social norms and expressed their opinions in an effort to
break down oppression prevalent

Feminism And The Feminist Movement
Feminism is a movement that I have never really claimed myself to be a part. I have nothing against those who want to stand for what they believe in,
but I think there's a way it should be done. Feminism is something that I have questioned a lot and have looked into. I am completely for women
feeling empowered; however, I find many things that I disagree with when it comes to the feminist movement. I've listed five of them:
1. Feminists tend to paint the picture like men are the only problem. It seems as if it 's easier to put the blame on men. Why do we have to bash
men who are doing their jobs? As women, we find it disrespectful when men use derogatory terms towards us; however, it's okay for women to use
the same derogatory terms. In my opinion, it's not okay. Feminists also seem to see one side to certain issues. For example, feminists do not see men
as being victims of domestic violence. Men are not always the abusers and I think that is is very reactionary to have this belief. Why is that if a woman
does this action then there is a "reason" that follows. It doesn't make it right and this makes feminists come across as being hypocritical. You have men
who do the right thing and they are degraded. Do you honestly want the responsibility of a man?
2. When it comes to oppression we haven't necessarily faced oppression like women in other countries. We can complain about the job market and
how we should get certain pay and jobs, but there are women dealing with far worse

Feminist Movement Research Paper
The feminist movement had an impact on American society because it provided a change in how both genders saw one another and themselves. Deep
culturing changes were altering the role of women in American society such as sharing of responsibility for childbearing and housework, more
equitable pay with men; equal pay for equal work, greater access to higher education, and the right of women to make individual decisions; regarding
reproductive rights. Society over time reconsidered the importance of equality because of how gender–segregated society was and how restricted
individuals were to the law. The world of American women was very limited in almost every aspect, from family life to the workplace, women were
expected to follow one path;...show more content...
Title IX ensured women equal access to higher education and because of this it opened up more opportunities for them. It's influence, revolutionized
higher education in high schools and collegiate athletics and made revisions to school curricula which focused on women. There was a subcutaneous
increase in the number of women in graduate programs and more women professors were hired (Lecture 26, The 1970s: Our Government, Our
Bodies, 12/1/17). Women were able to have control over their body, health, and well–being, and began to take a stance on their reproductive rights.
Sexual relations between both genders were not equal, and the fight for reproductive freedoms were extreme. Women pushed for the right to have a
choice in childbearing; shortly after, the pill was introduced and was a form of a contraceptive that helped separate sexuality and childbearing (The
Pill, 11/29/17). Along with reproductive rights were forced sterilization and abortion rights, state by state it became legalized to be a personal choice.
In 1973, Roe v. Wade legalized abortion, and abortion laws were rewritten (Lecture 26, The 1970s: Our Government, Our Bodies,

The feminist movement has been developing its method of solving social and economical issues in three consecutive waves, from the end of the 19th
century till present. Each stage had its benchmarks and significant shifts in the treatment of women – from viewing them as objects and commodity to
perceiving them as citizens in full rights and creators of their own destiny. Gradually, together with the growth of self–consciousness and demand for
more rights and freedoms, suffragists and later feminists managed to secure more legal precedents and norms manifesting and consolidating their
achievements, including the right to vote, to own property and participate in public life. As the number of these precedents accumulated and their
visibility in the legal field became clearer, as their practical application turned from the exception to a norm, then the issue raised: is the system which
needs such significant amendments viable and whose interest does it represent? As one of the most prominent spokespersons on the issue, Catharine
A. MacKinnon, described it, the existing system of justice and the power itself attained the male shape; and lack of power and inability to influence
the happening got the female shape. The overall message broadcasted by the society as a whole and the legal field in particular was that the
established state of affairs was normal and universally accepted, and women should be contended with it, as everyone else was. Everyone else in this
case meant the

The Feminist Movement: The Women's Movement
The women's movement also known as the feminist movement is a social movement for the social, political, and educational equality of women.
Feminist issues range from sexual harassment and violence, reproductive rights, child care, to workplace rights and equality, changing family roles, and
the need for equal political representation.
Women traditionally have been regarded as inferior to men. Women could not possess property in their own names, engage in business, or have control
over their own identities. The feminist movement dates from 1848 with the gathering at the Seneca Falls Convention (The Women's Rights, n.d.) and
in the 1960s, it experienced a rebirth and remains prevalent to this day.
One of the problems in defining a complex and...show more content...
However, they differ in their analysis of the origins of women's lower status, of why the lower status has continued, and of what changes are necessary
to end it. Within the women's movement there are several ideological positions and some that will be discussed here include: Liberal, Radical,
Socialist, and Black.
Liberal feminism believes that women's inequality is due to lack of equal opportunity. They focus on gaining equality in the public sphere and changing
the systems of inequality (Feminism, 2001). In the 19th and 20th centuries, liberal feminists focused completely on rights. Those rights, were thought
to be the only means for women to have full freedom. When demands for certain rights were gained, such as the 19th Amendment, liberal feminism
began to dissolve. It was later revived in the 1960s, with the establishment of women's rights groups (Liberal Feminism,

Modern Feminist Movement Summary
Feminism erupted in the 1960s, a decade of ferment and turmoil. From The Modern Feminist Movement by Jacqueline Gorman, it is evident that
during this time women throughout the United States spoke out against issues of unfairness, discrimination, and unacceptable social situations. The
modern women's movement began during this time. Activist groups like the National Organization for Women were focused on pursuing the rights of
women. One powerful labor activist, Esther Peterson, even suggested to the President of the United States to do an investigation on the condition of
women in America. The report discovered rampant discrimination against women in many areas of everyday life in America. The government finally
understood feminists' views, and started to appoint orders to propose necessary changes for the benefit of women....show more content...
For example, Gorman writes about dates in history that are crucial to the feminist movement, while also subtly including her opinions on the matter.
The fact that a book written by Betty Friedan, called The Feminine Mystique, was a bestseller in the 1960s is backed up by Gorman's opinion that the
book was "what sparked the modern feminist movement". The author's tone is mainly formal throughout the article, which contributes to a mature
style. It is set up as broad topic headings with an expansion of details in the paragraph below. The target audience is for high school students, based on
the word choice and

At its very core, the feminist movement aims to create gender equality. However on the individual level, feminism becomes a lot more nuanced, as
feminists come from many different backgrounds, have many different experiences, and identify themselves in many different ways. Feminism is a
movement for everyone, not just women, as it also addresses many other issues as a result of intersecting identities. Although gender equality seems like
a logical enough goal, many people are afraid to identify specifically as feminists, even if they agree with the concept. Much of the hesitancy to
self–identify as a feminist comes from the plethora of negative stereotypes that surround the word. These stereotypes are not only harmful to the
movement as a whole, but to the people who believe in the message but don't get involved because they fear the social repercussions. Were it not for
the negativity associated with feminism that blocks its true goal, more people would be likely to identify as feminists. Perhaps the most common
misconception that men, and even some women, have about feminism is that all feminists are bra–burning, man–hating lesbians. This single stereotype
can be dissected into three parts which all aim to discount the feminist message. The idea of bra burning has been associated with the feminist
movement since 1968 when the New York Radical Women protested the 1968 Miss America pageant, catapulting the second wave feminist movement
into the eyes of the media. No bras

Feminist Liberation Movement
I wonder why it took such an extended time for women to come up with a feminist spiritual movement in the Church, since it seems like they have
been oppressed for so long? Feminist spirituality is a relatively new field that has grown out of the struggle of women for equality in both society and
Church (CTM p. 184). Feminist spirituality is an expression of a current theology that has originated in Latin America that emphasizes the theme of
liberation from oppression (CTM p. 255). Additionally, I wonder if the Second Vatican Council had something to do with the upbringing of this
movement? I also wonder if the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s, provided women with the fearlessness to march for their rights in society and
the Church? Feminist...show more content...
Therefore, these events had a great influence in shaping the Catholic feminist movement, and ultimately turning it into a form of spirituality. According
to the Mary Joanne Henold, from the University of North Carolina Press, "The Second Vatican Council (1962–65), an inspiring but overtly sexist event
that enraged and exhilarated Catholic women in equal measure, as a catalyst of the movement within the church." (https://www.uncpress.org/book
/9780807873533/catholic–and–feminist/) In other words, it is evidently comprehensible that the Second Vatican Council pushed women to the side,
consequently establishing a movement. In addition, I think that women have the right to object their rights within the Church, with the feminist
movement, owing to the fact that they have been defined in terms of their sexual, reproductive functions, values or personal possibilities which are
determined by biology (CTM p. 185). Ultimately, this makes women feel oppressed and alienated from themselves, which I believe is

Women's Rights In The 1960s And 1970s
1960s & 1970s Lingering inequalities and other social trends from previous decades brought forth the modern feminist movement in the 1960s. These
feminists campaigned for gender equality with causes such as equal pay for equal work, abortion rights, and social parity. In 1963, author Betty Friedan
published The Feminine Mystique, which contained reports from a study conducted on female college graduates during the 1950s and early 1960s,
which uncovered that most women labelled themselves exclusively as mothers and housewives, and were unsatisfied with the roles forced upon them.
Friedan argued fervently that women needed to discover their own identities outside the roles of a wife and mother. Many believe that the arguments
made in The Feminine Mystique marked the start of the modern feminist movement (Loveday, 1)
Women's Impact on Government Soon after the modern feminist movement began, there was pressure put on the US government to decree
occupational equality. In 1963, the Equal Pay Act was passed, making it illegal for women to be paid less than men when carrying out the same job.
Then, in the following year, feminists saw another victory when Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibited employers to discriminate based on sex,
...show more content...
These radical feminists believed that the origin of gender discrimination could be found in the values of American society. They declared that men were
raised to view women as sex objects, rather than equal human beings, and that this arrogance led to violence, including rape and physical abuse,
committed against women. These feminists focused on restructuring the way women were represented in the media, literature, and popular culture
(Loveday,

Making a change in the world requires courage from individuals who want to make a difference in society. The start of American history, regarding
feminism rights, began during the women's movement from 1848 to 1920. Many women activists worked with endeavor to bring hope to women who
did not have same rights as men did, such as not having a voice in the political election. Even though feminist groups did not have sufficient power,
they believed that one–day women were going to have a prosperous future. It was a remarkable movement that showed how women activists gained
victory for their rights by surpassing barriers, and at the same time being able to revolutionize with little power. Major feminist groups went through
many changes as they fought for their rights of citizenship, and through political and social events, the nineteenth amendment was signed; however,
the feminist movement weakened after women were granted the right to vote. The feminist movement gave a rise to abolitionist women to fight for
equal opportunity. The feminist movement emerged as a way to establish equality women who were considered to work only in the household or did
not pertain rights (pp. 381, 2014). During the abolitionist movement, not only was slavery a concern, yet, the purpose of the movement was to "create
a society characterized by equality of blacks and whites [and] they hoped to bring about a mass awakening in the United States of the sin of slavery
(pp. 381, 2014)." The abolitionist

Feminist Movement
Women all over the world have been and still are treated as less than men in the social world. There has been improvement in the treatment of women in
society which came from the feminist movement. The feminist movement was originally Anglo–women fighting for workplace equality but there came
another separation and discrimination between the movement itself as women had not be socially accepted; women of color wanted not only equality
in the workplace but had to fight for racial equality in society. It originally focussed on dismantling workplace inequality, such as denial of access to
better jobs and salary inequality. The majority was white women wanting to get into the workplace. At the time women were homemakers and men
were breadwinners. Women were discriminated against in the workplace and often harassed. This part of the feminist women was mostly for white
women. Women of color at the time were fighting for the civil rights movement. Women of color didn't have rights due to not only theirgender but also
their skin color. Although the more radical white women in the feminist movement did have outreach programs. They included women in vietnam who
were against the war in the that country to build sisterly anti–war solidarity. Each race had a different fight throughout this movement. The movement
was successful in bringing forward rape crisis centers, women's shelters,...show more content...
Black women did not just focus on rights in the workplace but also had to fight for human in rights in the social world. Black women felt as though
they were being racially oppressed in the feminist movement which was true. Although the feminist movement was to fight for basic rights they still
discluded those of color. Black women were excluded from most public outings so they had to create the Black feminist movement.
Native American

The feminist movement came to fruition during the early 20th century. Over all, the push for women 's suffrage and rights was strong, but further
enhanced by leaders like Alice Paul and Jane Addams. The idea of equal rights for all was further scrutinized and contested after civil rights were
granted to former slaves. Women began to push for similar equality as illustrated through the feminist movement.
The feminist movement became very large and sprouted subsections, one being a subsection of feminism known as social feminism. This branch of
feminism was more interested in social rights and used suffrage as a tool to obtain these rights. The question that arises from this idea of a more
specific section of feminism becomes: does social feminism qualify as feminism in its truest form? Does social feminism embody the same ideas and
morals of the feminist movement? In general, does social feminism count as feminism? Some people question the validity of this brand of feminism. I
believe this section of feminism qualifies as feminism nonetheless. To examine this, we must first accurately define social feminism and feminism as a
whole, before we can actively compare them.
First, let us address the meaning of feminism as the overarching category, in which several specific divisions of feminism fall. Feminism is an
extremely simple concept to grasp, if one believes in equal political, economic and social rights for men and women, then they can be classified as a

The Feminist Movement Essay

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The Feminist Movement Essay