Dunham’s first thought is entitled “Killing All Men,” which immediately, centers feminism and women’s attention around men, when addressing the “anti-men” stereotype about feminists, which could be completely irrelevant to some women who lack males in their lives, for intentional or unintentional reasons. She then defines feminism instead as when “you believe you deserve all the same things that people who were born not of your gender deserve,” which may dangerously lead listeners to believe that men and the privileges they receive, is the standard, and the goal for what women should strive towards. Feminism would rather be best described as the “belief that gender inequality continues and so feminist activism and structural change remain essential” (Weitz, 2016, pg. 220). Also, the use of the word “deserve” is …show more content…
However, these historical women’s efforts are disrespected when Dunham comments that “seeing a bunch of women marching and getting arrested in petty coats is hilarious” and compares this to “seeing a bunch of women growing their armpit hair as a rebellious act,” which she states is as also “hilarious.” Dunham fails to recognize the fact that these women in petty coats and their efforts often resulted in police brutality, violence against women, and intensified societal discrimination towards women in America, especially women of color. This not so hilarious phenomenon even continues today against those who use protests and boycotts in order to actively resist gender inequality, which often even leaves to their murder, that is even excused by the justice
Feminism, as defined in the dictionary, is “the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” This doesn’t mean that women are just a bit tired of earning 75% that a man does for the same job. This means that women are standing up for themselves and are trying to achieve rights that they should already have. We were all brought into this world by a woman, but they are still not a man’s equal. Why is that? Is it too much to ask for to not be raped or killed or cast aside simply because of gender? Why is it that there are men out there that believe feminism is a scourge upon this earth that must be wiped out? They feel that their power over women is being threatened.
Women and all of mankind need to live a life together, not of solitude, working towards the greater good for all. Sadly, this key concept is often discovered aftermath of mass destructions, devastations, ill treatment, in-equality, and so forth. Feminism and women’s movements were not created for women to be “bigger and better” than men, but for women to work their way up to what men have. Many misunderstood this then, and continue to do so
Most men and women today believe that we do not need feminism, that the world is fine. Sorrowfully they are far from being accurate. We don’t need feminism because it is about genders, we need it because it is about our society’s humanity. Women all around the world are denied basic human rights simply by the fact they are women which is absurd. For instance,
‘Women and men are different. Equal treatment of men and women does not result in equal outcomes.’ (Corsten Report, 16: 2007) According to Covington and Bloom (2003) numerous feminist writers have demonstrated and documented the patriarchal nature of our society and the variety of ways in which the patriarchal values serve masculine needs. ‘Despite claims to the contrary, masculinist epistemologies are built upon values that promote masculine needs and desires, making all others invisible’ (Kaschak, 11: 1992).
Two centuries ago there was a women’s rights movement forming in order to fight an oppression. Women were poorly treated and seen as inferior to men. It is believed the women’s rights movement was “inspired-or rather provoked-by the insufferable male supremacy” (Davis 46). Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton among other women received unfair treatment at the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London. At this convention they were “fenced off behind a bar and a curtain similar to those used in churches to screen the choir from the public gaze” (Davis 47). They were excluded because the men believed their view at this convention was useless. Women during this time had to live up to the standards society had of them. If they did not follow,
When someone thinks of the Civil Rights movement they picture Martin Luther King Junior giving his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Someone might also think of Malcolm X and sit-ins held by those a part of the movement. Ask someone if they can name three female leaders of the Civil Rights movement and they might mumble out a single name, Rosa Parks. Looking through manuscripts, thesis’s, and reports there’s a common reoccurrence of male lead groups being the center of all the attention. Behind every man is a great woman proves true during the Civil Rights movement as well. These women who helped shape American history are some of the strongest that have ever been, unfortunately they are also some of the most forgotten. During the Civil Rights
September 25, 1952, a woman was born that would change many people’s lives and open many eyes to the oppression surrounding them and within them. She not only illuminates the issues suffocating society, but empowers the oppressed. “Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” (hooks 2000, viii). This definition of feminism, created by bell hooks, is profound, insightful, and used universally to teach what it means to be a feminist.
October 20, 2007, the day that I’m going to say goodbye to my hometown. I was born and raised in Philippines by my grandparents for sixteen years. It is heart-breaking to think that I will not see them anymore like how I used to. I was 16 years old, and it will be my first time to travel with my big brother in the airplane. Our trip from Philippines to Virginia is approximately about 18-20 hours. It is not a direct flight, so we have to change plane three times, and it is a long trip for us. I was crying the whole time when we were in the airplane. As soon as we reach our last destination which is the Washington D.C., we have no way of communicating with my mom and auntie because we have no cellphones. I was hesitant to
In wage gap arguments, for example, people commonly bring up the fact that women make about 70 cents to a man’s dollar (it was 78 cents in 2014), while neglecting that African-American and Hispanic women tend to make even less than 70 cents (“The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap”). This paints the image that all women have the same issues and suffer the same degree of discrimination, which is simply untrue. By sharing individual experiences and stories, non-white and poor women have an opportunity to bring attention to this neglect by liberal feminists. Stories of individual struggle can touch and encourage a group, a room– perhaps even a movement, to stand up against injustice. Surely, by describing her own hardships being enslaved, Sojourner Truth touched audiences and inspired them to take action. She also became a famous speaker and leader of abolitionist and women’s rights movements, which proves the individual can become the political (especially a political collective
making public to believe that feminism is a man-hating hate group. In the novel ‘We should all be Feminist’
We live in the modern society where women can vote, work, have access to birth control, freedom of speech, and be independent. However, two articles written by feminist writers Jessica Valenti and bell hooks demonstrate that feminism still exist because of an inevitable inequality that women face in the society. Both writers are convinced that most of the people do not really know what feminism is about or they do not look at it closer in order to be able to understand the purpose of this movement. According to them, feminism is not about being anti-men and spreading hatred towards males as many individuals claim. As bell hooks states in her article “[…] I tend to hear about the evil of feminism […] how ‘they’ hate men […]” (11). Feminism does
Michael Levin, a professor of philosophy and author of the book Feminism and Freedom, faults feminism for trying to impose an inappropriate equality on men and women that conflicts basic biological differences between the sexes (Levin, Taking Sides, 42). Women are not the same as men, neither physically nor psychologically. In the past, men tended to be the stronger more powerful gender, while women have traditionally been viewed as the weaker, more feeble one. The untrue assumption that men and women are the same in their ways of thinking and physical capabilities leads to the failure of the feminist message. Their agenda of eliminating all observable differences between men and women is doomed to fail and will inflict more pain than gain in the process. Recognizing the differences between the sexes and allowing each to do what they are strongest at will in the long run make society stronger, more efficient, and more effective.
Webster defines feminism as both "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes" and "organized activity on the behalf of women's rights and interests" (Webster 418). Equality of the sexes (in terms of rights) and the furthering of women's rights are seemingly positive aspirations; yet people tend to describe feminism using negative terms, and feminism today has acquired a bad reputation. "Radical" and "extremists" are adjectives commonly applied to feminism as a whole, when, in truth, feminists who adopt extreme positions constitute the minority. Moreover, these "gender feminists," or "militant feminists," as many call them, although they receive the most public attention because of their aggressive tactics and high visibility, alienate people in broadcasting their views. Their goal, to create a "sentimental priesthood" that will achieve collective power and retribution as oppressed "victims" of a white-male supremacy, seems unreasonable (Himmelfarb 20). In contrast, "equity feminists," or "academic feminists," embrace the basic principles of feminism. They celebrate women's achievements, work for the individual rights of all women, and, as Christina Hoff Sommers aptly says, "want for women what they want for everyone, equal protection under the law" (Himmelfarb 20). Though not all feminists agree on how to reach this goal, most argue for a reasonable, realistic, and positive method. By contrasting the differing feminist ideas of writers like Adrienne Rich, Gertrude Himmelfarb, and Camille Paglia, one defines a winning brand of feminism: a philosophy founded on equity feminist ideology and dedicated to the achievement of social, political, economic, and intellectual reform.
“This kind of compensation, say egalitarians, does nothing to advance the cause of gender equality, but rather swaps imposed gender roles and reinforces received ideas of misandry and misogyny.”, with men thinking that women hate men so they enforce feminism is one view that is wrong they are not trying to take things away from men but instead try to make it what they believe would be equal. The same situation for women who believe men hate women so they do not enforce feminism but they are not really denying that women shouldn't be feminist but instead just do not get involved because they do not really see it as their
Modern-day feminism is no longer about equality but more about superiority. Today, many feminists go around stating there isn’t a need for men, women can survive on their own, and that women are better than men. As Saira Khan states in her article on Spiked, “modern-day feminists engage in man-bashing rather than dignified demands for equality.” (Khan 1). It just shows how feminists would rather take their anger out on men rather than realize we a...