Premium Essay

Feminism and Resistance to Equality

In:

Submitted By pbw8446
Words 329
Pages 2
Feminism
Patti Woolam
University of Texas at Arlington

Feminism
Feminism has been about equality for women in our society as women have historically been as not equal counterparts in a man’s world. Feminists have worked to address the equality in their struggles and exploitations of their gender. Many women were politically active for the women’s suffrage and began to call themselves feminists (Koppelman & Goodhart, 2014, p. 243). According to Koppelman, men are more likely to take gender issues lightly, to joke about women, and to discuss women without fear or discomfort that may affect discussions about racism or other forms of oppression (Koppelman & Goodhart, 2014, p. 240). Koppelman discusses gender biases with women historically with the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the 20th century with performing the domestic duties of the home. Resistance to women’s equality stems from these long held beliefs with change to feminists ideologies slow over time. Our society has long raised the males in the home to provide for the family’s needs according to Koppelman. Men usually have not appreciated women’s political activities, especially those of college educated women (Koppelman & Goodhart, 2014, p. 242). Likely, men are resistant to women’s equality as they feel women should remain with domestic duties of the home and the men to remain with remaining as the bread winner of the home. Overall, I feel that our resistance to feminism in the United States because of historical values and trends, which was explained very well in this chapter reading.
As social workers, we should utilize the feminist approach to address differences in gender inequality by understanding our client’s beliefs on social roles, chores, and family experiences to liberate women and transgender clients. It is important that we understand how they formed their

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Liberal Feminism vs. Radical Feminism

...Liberal Feminism and Radical Feminism The goal of feminism as both a social movement and political movement is to make women and men equal not only culturally, but socially and legally. Even though there are various types of feminism that focus on different goals and issues, the ultimate end to feminism is abolishing gender inequality that has negative effects on women in our society. The issues and goals that a feminist may have are dependent on the social organization or the type of economic structure that is present. However, an ultimate end (a goal, achievement and/or accomplishment) would have to be social equality between men and women. This would mean the elimination of bias and discrimination towards women and the elimination of all forms of established hierarchy, whether it’s mandatory or enforced. The two types of feminist theories I have chose to compare are liberal feminism and radical feminism. Even though they seem to aim for the same objectives, in the following paragraphs, I will compare and prove that they are very different in the sense that liberal feminism is form of reform feminism and radical feminism is a form of resistance feminism. They are both strategically different, and they have different ideas and beliefs that are almost the opposite of each other, which revolve around the reasons of why gender inequality exists, why women are oppressed, and why gender inequality won’t be easily abolished. The differences between radical and liberal feminism...

Words: 1504 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

What Is The Role Of Feminism In The Awakening, By Kate Chopin

...In today’s society there is a taboo f-word that leaves people feeling uncomfortable, offended, and angry: feminism. Feminism today is often demonized, met with opposition like “meninists”, and is associated with the ugly-armpit-hair-having-lesbian stereotype. It is often used as a punchline, a criticism for women who get a little too angry for comfort. Not only are these views of feminism wrong and insulting, they highlight exactly why feminism is needed. The resistance to feminism is largely based in a lack of understanding of what feminism truly stands for. Contrary to the opposition’s belief, the feminist movement promotes equality for women and men, and strives to erase the perspective that being feminine equates to being of a lesser value....

Words: 910 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Patricia Hill Collins Intersectionality Analysis

...Feminism is known to be the belief of equality between the sexes and also the movement created around belief. In relation to equality, it is the idea to end sexism and to end a patriarchal society. The word feminism was created in the 1880’s in France and the Netherlands, which only connects to Caucasians (Hobbs, Rice 1B). Feminism started with Caucasians before it got established to people of color. The Feminist Movement is entirely about the change for women but the movement consists of only a White women’s viewpoint, which they view the male as the enemy. Reading about feminism only makes references to European men and women but not people of color. During the Feminist Movement, three waves were created; the first wave was women’s suffrage, the second wave was the women’s liberation movement, and the third movement was centered on sexuality (Hobbs, Rice 23). The movement was focused on women and poverty, women and education, violence against women, women in the economy, and women and politics. These were standard movements that were fought for but it was the perspective of the White women but it may have applied to all...

Words: 1255 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Ways of Meeting Oppression

...conjunction to the Montgomery bus boycott. In this article Martin Luther King Jr. asserts there are three ways to deal with oppression: the first being acquiescence, the second is through physical violence and corroding hatred, and the third is through non-violent resistance. Further he proffers that the first two options keep the oppressed as “oppressed” while the third option of non-violent resistance is the best option as “ the nonviolent resister agrees with the person who acquiesces that one should not be physically aggressive toward his opponent; but he balances the equation by agreeing with the person of violence that evil must be resisted… with non-violent resistance, no individual or group need to submit to any wrong, nor need anyone resort to violence in order to right a wrong.” (pg 145) Martin Luther King Jr.’s non-violent resistance is a building block of which to create current social action and social policy, however if it were combined with a liberal feminist approach, he would be able to create more change so social and public policy. Using a liberal feminist approach, feminist theory offers several ways to deconstruct and reconstruct this system which is similar to Martin Luther King Jr. non-violent resistance. Further, this critical analysis will explore the goals of a feminist approach and how a liberal feminist approach offers more concrete suggestions on how to create social change. Feminist theorists generally share four concerns: first, feminist...

Words: 734 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Sexism

...the criminal justice system. Gender plays a significant role in understanding who commits what types of crimes, why they do so, who is most often victimized, and how the criminal justice system responds to these victims and offenders. In order to understand the current state of women and the way in which gender relates to crime and criminal justice, it is first necessary to provide a comprehensive analysis of the historical evolution of women in the criminal justice system and the affect that the different waves of feminism have had on policies and practices towards women in this system. I plan to argue that the criminal justice system is another form of patriarchal control, a sexist organization which creates conflict between the private sphere of a woman's life and the public. This control extends far beyond the just incarcerated women, it affects all women. Despite the fact that there have been changes to certain policies and prison regulations, though made with resistance, none of the changes have been for the better. By looking at past and present situations as well as the differing feminist perspectives on the justice system, I hope to offer ways and opinions on how to improve this system and allow women to equally balance their life in the public sphere as well as their life in the private sphere.  Before I begin, however, I would like to explain the reasons for which I had to write about this topic. I have always been very interested in criminal justice and criminology...

Words: 3618 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Womens Liberation Movement

...whole world was experiencing revolutions due to social discontent, this increased the desire, of women, in the late 1960’s to ‘confront existing structures of oppression,’ giving the impetus for the emergence of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Caine argues the emergence of the movement bought a ‘new tone,’ when discussing women’s oppression. Rather than focusing directly on women’s suffrage, this was a political movement demanding ‘rapid and radical change,’ in an ever increasing ambience of liberalisation. Upon inception, it is vital to highlight one can account different reasons for the emergence of the movement in Britain and America, as different domestic situations led to different reasons for the emergence of a more radical form of feminism. This essay, together with a multiplicity of historians, will consider the importance of World War II and the Civil Rights Movement, and the impact they had on the emergence of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Linked to this is the ever apparent discrimination women faced and increasing desires to change this, coupled with developments of new opportunities, demonstrated by the aforementioned world events. Additionally, the impact of literature such as Betty Friedan’s, The Feminine Mystique, needs to be considered. Whilst all the factors play an important role in contributing to the emergence, it will be concluded that the increased confidence especially politically, demonstrated by the factors mentioned, by women was ultimately responsible...

Words: 3414 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Poli Sci 100

...Legal-institutionalism Branches of State Levels of State Elitism Pluralism   Additional Concepts from the Texts: Night Watchman State Neo-liberal state Welfare State Liberal Democracy    Lec. 4 The State: Power, Authority, and Sovereignty   Concepts  from the Lectures and Readings: Power Authority Sovereignty Weber’s Typology of Authority Concepts from Readings: See Lec. 3 concepts   Lec. 5 Political Ideologies: Liberalism   Concepts from the Lecture Ideology Left vs. Right ideologies John Locke/ Two Treatises of Government J.S. Mill/ On Liberty Tenets of Liberalism Welfare Liberalism vs. Libertarianism   Concepts from Readings The Republic State of nature Tyranny of the majority Harm Principle ‘Politics as a Vocation’ Equality Rights    Lec. 6 Republicanism, Conservatism and Socialism    Concepts from the Lecture Republicanism Roman ‘Res publica’ Jean Jacques Rousseau Edmund Burke / Reflections on...

Words: 886 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Protofeminism

...Mary Astell’s writing and in what was does such an approach enable us to understand the significance of her ‘Tory Protofeminism’? Both Mary Astell’s works ‘A serious proposal to the ladies’ and ‘Some reflections upon marriage’ deal with the social problems that women had to live with at the time, and how they were constantly subdued by men. Being considered mentally and socially inferior, Astell argued that this social ranking between the sexes was unjust and unnatural. However, ‘Custom’, (or tradition) considered it for some time normal for a woman to be under the dominance of Man at all times. Astell tried arguing against this, as her protofeminist pieces were one of the first works which dealt with the matter head on. She fought for equality between the sexes, and questioned the morals behind believing women to be inferior to men. Many would be able to compare her to ‘The New Woman’; an image created in order to describe the modern feminist woman that was being introduced to society in the late 19th century. However, many would argue that, although Astell was a leading feminist of her time, as she was considered “The first major English feminist for her defiant praise of women” by Joan K. Kinnard, she was still strongly conservative and some of her views differed from the modern feminist ones of today. She still considered a woman to have her rightful place or role in the household and in society, and believed that a social ranking was simply inevitable and a ‘work of God’;...

Words: 2874 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Comparison Of Emma Goldman And Communism

...Russian ghetto of her old home, and the backwards and chauvinistic society of America, Emma Goldman set out to make differences in the lives of those who could change their lives themselves. Emma Goldman displayed the ideas of progressivism through her advocacy of many ideologies: feminism, social anarchism, socialism, and pacifism, to name a few. The first ideology that Goldman actively embraced was Social Anarchism. This type of anarchism advocates the importance of helping everyone, not sequestering all the wealth in the hands of the few elite. In social anarchism, the distribution of wealth, collectivisation, and violent revolutions to overthrow the present government are all ideas that are shared by the majority of its followers. One experience that led Goldman to embrace social anarchism was the Haymarket incident of 1886. A group of...

Words: 1786 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

50 Key Concepts in Gender Studies

...50 Key Concepts in Gender Studies Jane Pilcher & Imelda Whelehan Fifty Key Concepts in Gender Studies i Recent volumes include: Key Concepts in Social Research Geoff Payne and Judy Payne Key Concepts in Medical Sociology Jonathan Gabe, Mike Bury and Mary Ann Elston Forthcoming titles include: Key Concepts in Leisure Studies David Harris Key Concepts in Critical Social Theory Nick Crossley Key Concepts in Urban Studies Mark Gottdiener The SAGE Key Concepts series provide students with accessible and authoritative knowledge of the essential topics in a variety of disciplines. Cross-referenced throughout, the format encourages critical evaluation through understanding. Written by experienced and respected academics, the books are indispensable study aids and guides to comprehension. JANE PILCHER AND IMELDA WHELEHAN Fifty Key Concepts in Gender Studies SAGE Publications London • Thousand Oaks • New Delhi iii © Jane Pilcher and Imelda Whelehan 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the Publishers. SAGE Publications Ltd 1 Oliver’s Yard 55 City Road London EC1Y 1SP SAGE Publications Inc 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, California 91320 SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd B-42 Panchsheel Enclave Post Box 4109 New Delhi 100 017 British Library...

Words: 86432 - Pages: 346

Premium Essay

History

...Assignment/Dissertation Submission Form Student Information Please complete all parts of this form and submit with your assignment. All parts of the assignment must be stapled together before submission PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS Student Registration Number | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | Class Code and Title - PRINT the code and title as it appears in the student handbook V | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | | History of the USA since 1877 | Tutor’s name | Mark Ellis | Submission date | 17/11/13 | | | Extension/Re-submission Yes No | Extension/Re-submission date: | Where appropriate please √ your year, Now √ the attempt. 1st | 2nd | √ | | Yr 1 | Yr 2 | Yr 3 | Yr4 | | Postgraduate | | √ | | | | | | | ...

Words: 2640 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Paper

...FEMINISM IS FOR EVERYBODY Passionate Politics bell hooks South End Press Cambridge, MA CONTENTS Copyright © 2000 by Gloria Watkins Cover design by Ellen P. Shapiro Cover illustration by Laura DeSantis, © Artville Any properly footnoted quotation of up to 500 sequential words may be used without permission, as long as the total number of words quoted does not exceed 2,000. For longer quotations or for a greater number of total words, please write to South End Press for permission. INTRODUCTION Come Closer to Feminism 1. 2. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hooks, Bell. Feminism is for everybody: passionate politics / Bell Hooks. p.cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-89608-629-1 - ISBN 0-89608-628-3 (pbk.) 1. Feminist theory. 2. Feminism - Philosophy. 3. Feminism Political aspects. 4. Sex discrimination against women. 1. Title. FEMINIST POLITICS Where We Stand 1 CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING A Constant Change of Heart 7 3. SISI:ERHOOD IS STILL POWERFUL 4. Vll 13 00-036589 South End Press, 7 Brookline Street, #1, Cambridge, MA 02139 06 05 04 7 8 9 Printed in Canada 19 OUR BODIES, OURSELVES Reproductive Rights 25 6. HQl190 .H67 2000 305.42'01 - dc21 FEMINIST EDUCATION FOR CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS BEAUTY WITHIN AND WITHOUT 31 7. FEMINIST CLASS STRUGGLE 37 8. GLOBAL FEMINISM 44 5. 9. WOMEN AT WORI( 48 10. RACE AND GENDER 55 ...

Words: 37459 - Pages: 150

Premium Essay

Misuse of Women Protection Laws

...History Pg.7 5. Indian Feminism Pg.9 6. Where feminism goes wrong Pg.14 7. Bibliography Pg.20 ABSTRACT Women have always been an integral part of society. However, more often than not their contribution in the human society has been ignored. This gave rise to the need of empowering women and hence the feminist movement. This research project aims to comprehend and analyze the very essence of Feminism in terms of the 3rd wave and in Indian context. It also analyses the myths associated with feminism and the flaws which lead to the ambiguity in the whole concept of feminism. Further, the paper discusses as to whether the term “feminism” can be brought under one general definition or there is much more to it.   INTRODUCTION DEFINITION "A woman should be barefoot, pregnant and chained to a stove," stated Ben Glantz, a high school senior. Drew Pershing, another senior, also shared a joke, "What does a woman do after she leaves a battered shelter? The dishes...if she knows what's good for her!" Daily jokes and comments such as these, no matter how harmless, are detrimental to the status of women and a dangerous undermining of their accomplishments. Shared by both genders, sexually discriminative comments are widely accepted in society as normal and harmless. "I didn't mean anything by that; I was just kidding," whimpered Ben Glantz after receiving several cold stares from young women who overheard his bashing, sexist comment. The word ‘Feminism’ seems to refer to an...

Words: 5715 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Feminism

...Feminism in Multicultural Societies An analysis of Dutch Multicultural and Postsecular Developments and their Implications for Feminist Debates Eva Midden A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of PhD at the University of Central Lancashire May 2010       Student Declaration Concurrent registration for two or more academic awards I declare that while registered as a candidate for the research degree, I have not been registered candidate or enrolled student for another award of the University or other academic or professional institution Material submitted for another award I declare that no material contained in the thesis has been used in any other submission for an academic award and is solely my own work Signature of Candidate Type of Award School ___PhD_________________________________ ___Centre for Professional Ethics___________ 1   Abstract It was long assumed that both multiculturalism and feminism are connected to progressive movements and hence have comparable and compatible goals. However, both in academia and in popular media the critique on multiculturalism has grown and is often accompanied with arguments related to gender equality and/or feminism. According to political scientist Susan Moller Okin for example there are fundamental conflicts between our commitment to gender equality and the desire to respect the customs of minority cultures or religions. If we agree that women...

Words: 97145 - Pages: 389

Premium Essay

Nemoj Citati

...at the different types of feminism that are present in society. It will then trace and highlight the emergence of feminism in society. This essay will then delve deeper into the different types of approaches that were taken on by feminists within the field of social work. It will discuss what effect these approaches had on society especially women. According to Hooks (2000) as cited in Considine and Dukelow (2009:141) “Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression”. It is necessary to explain the different types of feminism that are present in society first. Freedman (2001:5) states that there are many different strands of feminism present in society, but the three most commonly recognised are liberal feminism, Marxist feminism and radical feminism, her explanation of these are as follows. Liberal feminism is based on the idea that everyone within a state should have the same rights and women should be treated equally to men. Marxist feminism is based on the belief that women’s maltreatment is linked back to capitalism. Radical feminists believe that men’s authority over women has a connection with patriarchy. The above explanation has been a brief introduction to the different types of feminism present in society. At a later stage within in this work, it will be examined what effect feminism has had on social work and society as a whole. Now that the meaning of feminism has been ascertained and the different types of feminism present in society today...

Words: 1646 - Pages: 7