Post by Administrator on Feb 15, 2010 18:17:13 GMT -5
What Is Feminism?
In any approach to this complex question, we first must understand its scope. ‘Feminism’ is by no means a monolithic movement, free to be dismissed as ‘just angry, unshaven, man-hating lesbians’. Indeed, Kate Pritchard Hughes points out on pages 13-14 in the book Contemporary Australian Feminism, 2nd ed that there is an...
Given this amazing breadth and depth of subjects, then, it becomes clearer to understand why ‘feminism’ is an oft contested definition, meaning different things to different people. Indeed, feminism may be better understood as an umbrella term encompassing many diverse theories, beliefs, and attitudes. What links them together, ultimately, is arguably the belief that women and men are treated differently, having different 'levels of personal power, economic power, and institutional power. In other words, women (as a group) have less than men (as a group).' (Kate Pritchard Hughes, Contemporary Australian Feminism, 2nd ed, (South Melbourne; Longman, 1997), p. 5)
This belief is then partnered by the desire to right this imbalance, to strive for equality. In this regards, it is argued that ‘feminists do not have to be women’. (Natasha Walter, the new feminism, (London; Virago Press, 1999), p. 5). Of course, this too is a controversial belief. Nevertheless, the fact that many men do identify themselves as feminists serves to dispel several myths about what feminism isn’t, among those the idea that feminism is about hating men, and that all feminists are just frustrated, angry women.
The first step towards an answer to ‘What is Feminism?’, therefore, is to understand that feminism as a construct is a great and varied thing. Aside from the vast array of subjects covered earlier, feminism itself is a multi-tiered and multi-faceted political, economic, cultural and social movements simply by the fact that the inequalities between men and women stretch to so many different areas. Depending on who you talk to, these tiers can change and grow to include dimensions such as the environment as well.
Thus, while a definitive, all-encompassing answer to the question ‘What is Feminism?’ is highly dependent on whom you ask, what arguably ties everyone together is ultimately the belief the women and men are treated differently and inequitably, and the desire to see equality. And that belief, and that desire, is imbued with such universality that by its very nature, it defeats the boxes and constructs that have been foisted upon it.
Because such a belief, and such a desire, can become inherent to us all. It doesn’t matter if you shave, if you colour your hair, if you are heterosexual or homosexual, if you paint your nails, if you love pink, if you want to be a mother, if you want to be a career person, if you want to be both, if you want to be a housewife. If you understand feminism to be ultimately about the belief that men and women are not treated equally, and if that knowledge invokes a passion to see that inequality disappear, then arguably, you are a feminist, and it is up to you to decide which elements of feminism speak to you.
In any approach to this complex question, we first must understand its scope. ‘Feminism’ is by no means a monolithic movement, free to be dismissed as ‘just angry, unshaven, man-hating lesbians’. Indeed, Kate Pritchard Hughes points out on pages 13-14 in the book Contemporary Australian Feminism, 2nd ed that there is an...
... incredible volume and variety of feminist thought and writing. There are radical feminists, liberal feminists, Marxist feminists, socialist feminists, postmodern feminists, ecofeminists, postructuralist feminists, cultural feminists, lesbian separatists, psychoanalytic feminists to name but a few! And they have written about economics, sexualities, ethnicities, mothering, cyberspace, the law, the body, medicine, technology, rape, education, race, literature, mental health, pornography, science, film criticism, violence, childrearing, anorexia, communication, reproductive technology, linguistics, masculinity, popular culture, history, families, social policy, the environment, international development and social theory - to name but a few!
Given this amazing breadth and depth of subjects, then, it becomes clearer to understand why ‘feminism’ is an oft contested definition, meaning different things to different people. Indeed, feminism may be better understood as an umbrella term encompassing many diverse theories, beliefs, and attitudes. What links them together, ultimately, is arguably the belief that women and men are treated differently, having different 'levels of personal power, economic power, and institutional power. In other words, women (as a group) have less than men (as a group).' (Kate Pritchard Hughes, Contemporary Australian Feminism, 2nd ed, (South Melbourne; Longman, 1997), p. 5)
This belief is then partnered by the desire to right this imbalance, to strive for equality. In this regards, it is argued that ‘feminists do not have to be women’. (Natasha Walter, the new feminism, (London; Virago Press, 1999), p. 5). Of course, this too is a controversial belief. Nevertheless, the fact that many men do identify themselves as feminists serves to dispel several myths about what feminism isn’t, among those the idea that feminism is about hating men, and that all feminists are just frustrated, angry women.
The first step towards an answer to ‘What is Feminism?’, therefore, is to understand that feminism as a construct is a great and varied thing. Aside from the vast array of subjects covered earlier, feminism itself is a multi-tiered and multi-faceted political, economic, cultural and social movements simply by the fact that the inequalities between men and women stretch to so many different areas. Depending on who you talk to, these tiers can change and grow to include dimensions such as the environment as well.
Thus, while a definitive, all-encompassing answer to the question ‘What is Feminism?’ is highly dependent on whom you ask, what arguably ties everyone together is ultimately the belief the women and men are treated differently and inequitably, and the desire to see equality. And that belief, and that desire, is imbued with such universality that by its very nature, it defeats the boxes and constructs that have been foisted upon it.
Because such a belief, and such a desire, can become inherent to us all. It doesn’t matter if you shave, if you colour your hair, if you are heterosexual or homosexual, if you paint your nails, if you love pink, if you want to be a mother, if you want to be a career person, if you want to be both, if you want to be a housewife. If you understand feminism to be ultimately about the belief that men and women are not treated equally, and if that knowledge invokes a passion to see that inequality disappear, then arguably, you are a feminist, and it is up to you to decide which elements of feminism speak to you.