It is not uncommon nowadays the idea that women are now entering the field of politics and law. As society enters a more democratic and promising period, women now have a chance to express their opinions over key issues and events. Before, women were inadequate to men as women were the ones to stay at home and provide care for the family. This attitude has plagued many countries since the early 17th century as women became personal slaves to men, while some had to become ignorant to the world around them. However, since the early 19th century towards the present, women have slowly fought for their rights and called for the modification of various theories and teachings presently introduced in society. These women see these teachings and theories “solely male-concentrated”, and did not take into consideration the opinions and insights of women. In my personal perspective, feminism’s vital role is to ensure that women’s place in society is to be respected in a male-dominated world, performing a watch guard duty to show another side of the arguments which cannot be explained by only studying the position of men.
Feminism simply means “justice for women’s position and image” in the patriarchal society as females cannot provide their opinions over crucial decisions and events. Feminism’s central goal is to reorganize what the world sees about various human relations, adding the position of women regarding the issue to explain another side of the argument. Feminism also aims to fight for gender equality as women have long been treated lowly by men due to their stereotypical role as homemakers. To ensure that reorganization would take place, feminists do not only cover the general issues of gender inequality; they also focus on the issue of patriarchy, individual freedom, social justice, and human rights for women. It is uncertain as to when feminism began; however, there had been four assumptions as to when Feminism first came into form. The first possibility, according to some experts, is at the start of humanity and the first civilizations. Ecofeminists such as Susan Griffin (1978) noted that women were more in touch with nature than with men in the early period, seeing them as god’s deities on Earth. The second possibility connected feminism to the 15th century when Christine de Pizan wrote her book “The Book of the City of Ladies” in 1405. The book expressed the need to apply feminism with religion, as women should be considered equally by men like how Jesus treated His mother Mary. The third and fourth possibility dates back to the 16th to 17th century, two of the known periods where the abolitionist and reform movements are beginning to gain momentum. In the 16th century, Aphra Ben, a playwright and novelist, was one of the feminists known in the century. Her work “The Rover” in 1677 and the “Oroonoko” in 1688 concentrated on women oppression and why it must be stopped. Mary Wollstonecraft, known novelist of the book “Vindication of the Rights of Women” asserted that men have treated women like slaves .
However, the feminist position was held back constantly due to their lack of control in the government sector and gender. The patriarchal policies present in society had also played a role in hindering the progress of feminism. There was also a problem on education as women were forbidden to study, especially in the United States. In the US alone, change was not as giving as in the other regions as women’s rights and movement in the US had met heavy opposition from the government. As a means to fight the streak of tyranny, women became public speakers and abolitionists to ensure they can make their point known. Patriarchy became known as the term referring to oppressive male authority, while feminist referred to the term “Sexism” to express how men have constantly asserted dominance over women despite their differences in gender and capacity .
The contemporary stance of feminism concentrates on four tenets. The first tenet refers to the anatomical differences of both sexes. Both men and women are born with the same skills and capacities despite their anatomical differences. The second tenet concentrates on the unjust power distribution men try to control due to the notion they are more powerful than women. This stereotyping, according to feminism, must be eliminated to ensure that leadership and equality can exist between both sexes. The third tenet concentrates on one’s individuality and fulfilment, noting that people are human repositories of talent. Finally, feminism also concentrates on the entire reform of society to conform to the equality women crave in the presently patriarchal society .
Works Cited
Farmer, David John. Public Administration in Perspective: Theory and Practice Through Multiple Lenses. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2010. Print.
Kahn, Jack. An Introduction to Masculinities. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons, 2009. Print.
Langer, Cassandra. What's Right With Feminism: How Feminism Has Changed American Society, Culture, and How We Live from the 1940's to the Present. Lincoln: iUniverse, 2001. Print.
Levin, Michael. Feminism and Freedom. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1987. Print.
