Lesson 4. (1)
Throughout history, women are regarded as inferior to the men both intellectually and physically. Before the feminist response began in the 19th century, women are subjected to the rules of society dominated by masculine figures. Women are not allowed to have a property in their own name, to be educated, to engage in business and to take part in any major social issues. There are certain events in history as well as behavior types that galvanized feminist response to call for equality. It was apparent that the old society view women from a sexist perspective that negates women’s capacity to compete with men in several fields. For example, men such as Rousseau, Coleridge and Wordsworth dominated the 19th century literature, but the literary world was stunned by the emergence of one particular female writer named Jane Austen. She wrote famous novels such as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and four other novels in 1811. However, the attribution of the author to the literary works was concealed by the pen name “By a Lady” because of the fact that her identity might make her life unbearable for challenging the male dominated field.
Austen’s inspiration for her novels was mainly about the lives of women in her time and how society views them in general. During that period, money and money was considered as the forefront of every young girl’s mind. Austen’s work became a forefront for several female novelists, which is considerably a feminist response to the widespread shunning of women in a male dominated society. Furthermore, women’s issues were not treated with respect as contemporary male sexist critique women for their issues and consider them irrelevant to critical social matters. The main problem here is not mainly the female author’s predicament, but a reality that women in general are discriminated because of male thinking pattern and attitude towards the female gender. Women are seen as object for young man to obtain as a means for improving his life, providing entertainment, domestic labor, social standing and children. As a result, a general rule was prevalent among men that they should marry a woman that is affectionate, beautiful and submissive and these attitudes entailed sad predicament for women. These issues provoked pioneering feminists such as Mary Astell to plead for larger opportunities for women. In the United States, Mercy Otis and Abigail Adams insisted to have women emancipated in the Constitution.
(2)
The second wave of feminist movement started in 1960 and continued to 1980’s as part of vibrant step for women in the United States to be recognized as equal to men in terms of social and political standing. The impact of the movement during the 1960s until today can be considered to be deeper and broader than its predecessor. Regardless of the direction that the United States politics have taken, it is quite impossible for it to completely exclude women from its involvement. Women today are less likely to be reserved and their lives have changed breaching the boundaries of pure domesticated existence. A much broader respect for women has been established. The composition of the movement’s cause has diversified from mainly heterosexual predicaments into a more substantiated institution for lesbian feminism as well.
Feminist movements were initiated based on specific goals of creating social equality. Leaders of the movement were able to achieve their goal in many ways. For instance, political rights have been established sine women have been allowed by the constitution to take part in electoral voting. Furthermore, the role of women dramatically changed from a simple submissive housewife to women of career and success. There are large companies around the world where women hold’s the highest position, even government position have been occupied by woman in the US and in the rest of the world. Margaret Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Condoleezza Rice being the 66th US Secretary of the State and Hillary Clinton being the 67th Secretary of the State to name a few. Other feminist achievement includes, equal social standing both in wealth property ownership, rights to equal pay and rights against other forms of discrimination. Based on the goals achieved by the movement it can be assumed that the movement is necessary because without which, women would still be living in the same social limitations as before.
(3)
Given all the achievements of the feminist movement in the United States, it appears that equality has already been strongly established and no more further actions needs to be done to campaign the same cause. This is because the contemporary notion of equality and its vital components are slowly diminishing in the modern times. The concept of what the movement has been fighting for during the first and second wave of feminist movement was lost and most people now misunderstand feminism. For example, in traditional values, women still holds the crucial responsibility of taking care of her home and family. However, these family values are being negated by the fact that these maternal roles are no longer prioritized by some women, leaving their home and family to disintegrate. Some call feminists as radicals because the concept of equality that they are pressing to the society tips the balance between genders. Radical feminists over glorifying their statute and insists extra special treatment.
Feminist equality gears toward women empowerment, for them to be independent and integrate to the society and to be actually part of the social circle. However, some feminist steers away from the true calling of the feminist movement back in the 1960s. Over emphasis of their vulnerability and being the woman that they are contradicts the cause for fighting for equality. For example, feminist groups is pressing legislators to pass laws that will protect them from aggravation, discrimination, harassment and all sorts of degrading acts towards them. However, misconceptions exist as women they demand to be protected from vulnerabilities while asking to be equally treated at the same time. There is an apparent contradiction to their claim because if they require to be treated the same as men, they should also be prepared to protect themselves just like men and do not overuse the privilege of protection.
