...the works written by feminist authors, I have a better understanding of what a feminist actually is. I also have a better understanding of my identification with feminism. Feminism is an ongoing collection of movements and ideologies that advocate for the betterment of women and a feminist is someone who supports this idea. However, my answer still remains the same as it did; I do not identify as a feminist. It would be an insult to feminist leaders for me to call myself one. I support feminist ideas and feel as though women have been oppressed and still are oppressed, but I am not an active supporter, therefore I would not call myself a feminist. I feel as though a feminist is someone who is active in their support for the movement, i.e. advocating for women by either teaching, writing, protesting, or doing things of that nature to improve the treatment of women. There is a major difference in saying that you support feminism and actually doing something to show that support. To further explain my understanding of feminism, I want to uncover the different layers of oppression that women face. While in the 1900’s the goal of feminism was for women to receive equal treatment to men, feminism is no longer in opposition to just men, but race, class, and gender as well. This is how the intersectional approach to feminism occurred. Intersectionality was introduced in class through Crenshaw’s essay about the racial dimensions of sexual harassment of African-American women. Intersectionality...
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...It is important to examine gender through an intersectional lens because the major systems of oppression are woven together, meaning: gender, race, sexuality, and class oppression is based upon each of these systems working simultaneously. It is the combination of all of these elements that ultimately leads to the creation of the conditions in which we live (Wallace). Also, intersectionality is not “The Oppression Olympics.” Intersectionality does not seek to identify who is the most oppressed. Instead, the goal of intersectionality is to determine the factors which foster oppressive systems and address them individually and also correctly. Using Black feminism as an example, I would like to make the case that intersectionality is beneficial when discussing gender because it is the essence of living intersectional...
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...towards people with mental health issues. Her reactions are very normal among victim-survivors of sexual assault, as noted in Reddington and Kreisel. Almost half of victim-survivors medicate after an assault and this also includes some people who self-medicate (90). Even though it is a slightly smaller section than the rest of the chapters, it is necessary because it helps normalize reactions that someone may have after they have been raped. It is helping to erase the misconceptions and the stigma around those reactions, which is in the direction of solutions around judgements of responses after sexual assault. Some people may have judged the drug use and her dropping out of school, but she still talks about it which I believe is very intersectional. In addition to the intersectionality, she validates others who may have had the same outcomes as...
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...Cartoonist Liza Donnelly uses her cartooning to discuss the patriarchy and issues women face in the world, but specifically those in the US. Donnelly believes “Women + Humor=Change” and uses the posted TEDTalk, from the 2010 TEDWomen Conference, to discuss how it could work. Donnelly brings up issues of how to break to mold of traditional conformity and a women’s role in affecting change. Her message is how women can use feminism as a tool for change for women and the world. In 2000, Feminist Politics: Where We Stand Hooks discusses how feminist politics has lost momentum. Donnelly effectively addresses this concern through her cartoons which are sharable, able to be put on bumper stickers, postcards and ads as Hook outlined to regain the feminist...
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...Images of objective, and often physical, situations serve for an easier representation to grasp the concept. However, intersectionality is at its core an invisible and subjective to the individual or defined social group. For example, in our Kimberley Crenshaw article she discusses the “black feminist critique”. It breaks down the systematic and discriminatory aspects of what I know as “white feminism”. Essentially, a system within feminism that limits legitimized participation to those who fit the “feminist image” of a white, fragile, middle-class woman. Crenshaw focuses on the aspect of intersectionality for black women who face both racist and sexist discrimination, but are often excluded from anti-racist/anti-sexist legislation and dialogue. For example,...
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...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...
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...I haven’t always identified as a feminist, I previously conflated feminism with misandry, and that prevented me from embracing the term. After researching the topic I realized it was about the equity of the sexes, and any political or social actions based in that belief. I realized I wanted to be a feminist, but I wasn’t sure how to as the only ideas I had of what a feminist should be like were based upon stereotypes. Do I have to stop shaving and throw away my bras? Do I need to become an extrovert? I have decided is that being a feminist woman consists of knowing yourself, being excepting of individual differences and practicing female solidarity. No one can tell you how to identify. For example I remember being in middle school when...
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...Over the past few years the use of technology has increased and led to many consciousness raising uprisings. It is only recently though, that feminism has made its way into the Internet, and made the third wave of feminism felt. As a result, consciousness raising on feminists issues has now become mainstream and has raised many questions on the issue of women’s rights. The concept is not a new one, but it is one that has gained traction through social media, the news, and blogs. In the process, consciousness raising though the Internet has brought many changes to the way protests are organized and the way people share their stories. The Internet has started a revolution for feminists. Feminism and consciousness raising has moved in to the digital...
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...SOCI2810 Lecture 4 September 28th, 2015 Public Anxiety AND Cultural Fascination of girls/girlhood Last Week: - Theorizing that says girl’s live in an externally hostile world - Splinters their authentic selves. Attack self-esteem - Result is girls lose their authentic voices. Can’t live up to dominant femininities - “Ophelia” framework emerges - See it in programs policies, popular culture and media for girls From Vulnerable to Mean - From the 1990s “Ophelia” vulnerable girl to the early 2000s: “mean girl” or “bad girl” - Who are they and why the focus on “mean girls” in 2000s? - “Mean girls” commit violence – ranging from indirect and verbal aggression to direct and physical violence - “Discovery” of girls’ aggression led to explosion of Girls, Relationships, Popularity - For writers including Simmons and Wiseman, popularity is a process that includes a number of positions within girls’ cliques: - Queen bee who controls and instills fear in other girls - Wiseman: girls’ friendship almost cult-like orgs - She helps girls understand privilege and stop exclusion - “Mean Girls” (2004) loosely based on Wiseman’s books 3 of Many Explanations They Offer for “Mean Girls” ➢ Naturalization of ‘girl’ category and girlhood: - While these scholars recognize a ‘problem’ with girls’ aggression, they argue that many girls have ‘successfully’ passed through this crisis time to become responsible adults, mothers. - “Don’t worry. Just a phase.” - What are the...
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...DOMESTIC CHANGING HEORY CHANGING PRACTICE 1. Introduction Throughout our world, violence confronts us daily. We hear about it on the news. We read about it in newspapers and on the Internet. We experience it subtly and overtly in all cultures and across nations in incidents ranging from ethnic slurs to hate crimes to violence carried out in the name of ideology. Such incidents of violence tend to be easily seen as they fall within the public domain. Less visible, however, but often more devastating, is the domestic violence that occurs within the family and often against women. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) (2001) notes in a summary of research done on four continents that as many as 20 to 50 percent of all women in the studies reported experiencing partner violence. But what are the links among domestic violence, health care profession, nurses, and ethics? In moral philosophy, there is a long tradition of debate on whether true moral dilemmas can exist, some arguing that it will always be possible to decide which obligation should prevail. On this concept regardless of the abstract possibility of an ideal resolution and the pragmatic reality that decisions are made and people have to live with them. An ethical dilemma presents a choice that must be made between two mutually exclusive courses of action, each of which is perceived to rest on a moral obligation that carries significant weight for the actor confronting the dilemma. According to Draucker...
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...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...
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...The changing role of women in Australia has come about largely through waves of feminism. The first wave brought women the vote in federal and State elections. The colonies began to grant manhood suffrage halfway through the nineteenth century, however, women were not included in the begining. When Australia reached Federation in 1901, it was agreed that all women should be given the vote at a federal level since women from South Australia and Western Australia already had a State vote. In 1902 all women were given the vote in federal elections except for those who were Indigenous Australians, or of Asian, African or Pacific Islander descent. Despite the enfranchisement, no woman was elected to an Australian parliament until 1921. The first federal female parliamentarians were not elected until 1943. This is just one example of how enfranchisement fell short of truly improving the lives of Australian women or changing attitudes about them. Women were still seen as nurturers who had no other destiny than to marry and raise children. The few women who did work (excluding the wealthy who were involved in voluntary work) not only had to find paid work, but also had to carry the burden of all housework and child-rearing. The notion of what jobs a woman could do expanded during World War I, but women's role in public life was still very limited. Factors which brought about the women's movement Contrary to popular belief, women's groups and activists remained active throughout the...
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...The purpose of this essay is to review Kimberle Crenshaw’s 1991 article about the marginalisation of women of colour. The article focuses on how feminism ignores black women’s ethnicity and how antiracist campaigns ignore black women’s gender. This is where the term ‘intersectionality’ arose from. Intersectionality is used to give people experiencing more than one form of oppression the opportunity to identify as both minorities at once instead of each one separately. For example instead of identifying as black and gay and a woman a person is able to identify as a black gay woman. This is intersectionality. As previously mentioned, the main topic of Crenshaw’s article is society’s ignorance of women of colour; both campaigns that could be aimed...
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...Matt Klaus Professor Firestone Com 4030 4 March 2012 Feminist Criminology, Aileen Wuornos, and the Future of Third Wave Feminism Crime committed by women is on the rise, especially in the area of violent crimes such as murder (Balfour’ 739). This has produced a new form of feminist studies in an area called feminist criminology. What hasn’t been studied as extensively is the question of why women kill. I argue that by using the individuality concept of third wave feminism and doing more research in the field of feminist criminology, patterns of criminal behavior may be established which may prevent severe female crime such as murder. This paper seeks to explain how advancing the study of feminist criminology is good for the U.S. legal system and could have changed the outcome for Aileen Wuornos. In this paper I will discuss what third wave feminism is, then I will discuss what feminist criminology is and how it applies to the Aileen Wuornos case, and lastly I will show that with advanced studies into the field of feminist criminology, odds of severe crimes committed by women could decrease. The third wave of feminism is not easily describable. However, it can be framed by saying that it is a movement that continues to advance the women’s rights agenda of the second wave (Zimmerman et al. 77). Unlike the second wave which was intended to give a voice to all women, the third wave tends to reflect more on the individual. By focusing on personal narratives, responsible...
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...“Parenting as a Religious Jewish Feminist” by Haviva Ner- David Haviva Ner-David’s, the writer of “Parenting as a Religious Jewish Feminist,” talks about the tallit (prayer shawl) and the tefillin (little boxes strapped onto the arm and forehead that contain scriptural passages), both traditionally worn by only men for prayer, which she believes enhances her perception of God and the sanctity of her own body. She mentions that in the bible Michael the daughter of King Saul and the first wife of King David “Wore tefillin and Sages did not protest her action.” It was most commonly understood that the Rabbis exempted women from performing certain time bound mitzvoth, such as putting on tefillin, because women’s time belongs to others their children and their husbands. As a mother of four with Michal being the oldest she talks about how she takes being a Jewish mother seriously. She introduces her children to Toraah and Mitzvot with love. She does not want Michal to grow up feeling as a Jewish female, resentful of her religion or marginalized and irrelevant all of which she often felt as a child and young woman. David goes on about how she would love to see her children adopt the values that she had chosen for herself meaning seeing her daughter pray with tefillin, and hear her son tell her that he refuses to say bracha thanking God for not having created him a woman. Michal and her other daughters may decide to follow in her religious feminist path or may not. As a mother she...
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