Feminism is defined as a doctrine advocating social, political, economic, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. An organized movement centralized around the belief in equality of the sexes. Hence feminists are individuals who advocate for equal rights for women. Although feminism has a text book definition, it seems to have taken on 2 distinct meanings by society as a whole. 
On one hand feminism is seen as an evolution of women’s rights. Feminism has been noted as an emergence of women as leaders, contributors, and strong persons of value in our society. People, who understand that women can handle the same tasks, responsibilities, and achievements as men can, and are taking steps to ensure that women have the opportunities they deserve. A group that has been oppressed marginalized, and subordinate, that promotes for rights equal to standards of rights for men. Often times feminism is understood as a celebration of equal rights for both genders (or sexes), as both men and women can support equal rights and be against sexism.
On the other hand, feminism is seen as a digres
sion for women and spawn of hatred toward men. To many, feminism is a means for women to congregate with other women in efforts to overthrow men. A movement that fights for women to be at the leading helm of society due to being wiser, more civil, and rational than men. People that are causing ideals and principles like femininity, chivalry, and courtesy to be lost or forgotten by enforcing equitable treatment of both men and women. In addition, many also consider feminism as a rebellion against God’s authority; being that men should rule over their wives and feminism seeks for women to be in control.On the other hand, feminism is seen as a digres
As illustrated in this topic, feminism has taken on distinctly opposing views in the eyes of society. Feminism is also a concept that is growing rapidly, whether good or bad, in the way that it affects more and more of everyday citizens. The label of ‘feminist’ has drawn on various connotations that affect students at a school, colleagues in a workplace, or even members on a sports team. The opposing views many times spill over to demonstrated acts of discrimination, from either perspective, in attempt for pro-feminism or anti-feminism ideology to prevail. There are more and more increased altercations on the concept of feminism as more and more women start make their marks in various facets of life previously dominated by men. Although we currently see women succeeding and achieving in areas of sports, politics, and economic success, we still seem to face a discrepancy on what feminism is, and if it actually benefits women or in turn does more to harm women.
--Taurean Wong
Is feminism as practiced today good or bad for both sexes? And children as well, not just women? What do you think?
128 comments:
The feminism I have seen has for the most part been great. People supporting women, appreciating what they do, recognizing achievements, giving proper promotions, all these things are great. I personally have never seen any feminism that seems out of place, or hurtful to women or those around them. On the whole, feminism is a tremendous help to the world. In the majority of the country women are being seen less and less as a second class citizens , and more as great contributers to the world we live in.
That I think can have minimal negative effects if any.
So feminism and its side effects is the topic of our last post. You guys have been great!
On the positive side I must say that feminism, as well as any civil rights movement, has empowered a part of the population to achieve higher education and contribute more efficiently to the economy.
On the negative side, the traditional in-home responsibilities and roles have become a bit murky and from what I have seen, supervision of kids has suffered along the way. To some extent what used to be "mom the supervisor" has been replaced by an electronic device.
On the other hand however, if a woman decides to stay home and raise the kids, what kind of damage is she inflicting on her future employment prospects?
This issue has many grey areas. It is not black and white.
A message to liime_aiide
If you are in this class, please email me and let me know who you are!
The student "Hot blonde" emailed me the following comment:
"I think in todays society feminism isn't practiced the way it should be. I believe feminists are going too far. I do agree that women should have equal rights but i don't think they should be so quick to accuse men of being feminist. Take education for example, research shows that in the next 10-20 years, all of the elementary and secondary teachers are going to be women. I don't think that children should grow up being taught that men are only out there to hurt women and that women should be so quick to have their guard up. I can't recall how many times I've talked to girls and heard them say that men are trying to hurt girls and use them. I'm not saying that men don't do that because plenty of them do but it's not fair for guys to have such bad reputations before even meeting a girl."
I support equal rights. I do not support the feminist dichotomy that crys for equal rights one moment, and then expects special treatment the next. Equal pay for equal work; yes. Equal pay, but "I do not want to get dirty, or that is too heavy for me to lift, let's get man to do it, but I still want the same pay";NO!
We have to face the facts that men and women are not always equal. There are many benifits women have, that will never be equated to men. Likewise, men have advantages also. Feminism has divided society, and hurt traditional family values. I am not saying women should not share the sames rights as men. I am saying they can not have it both ways.
I completely support equal rights for women. I also think that the wave of feminism has produced some great leaders and has brought to surface many conflicts that have troubled america in the past. But I have seen feminist that go to this extreme of men being pigs and a hatred toward men. It's almost as if they want to turn the tables and dominate over men out of spite. I think that these women should focus on the future and how they can work together for equality, not focus on the past and try to get revenge for it.
As for the topic of children at home, I think that there are so many other ways for a child to be cared for nowadays. (Daycares, Babysitters, Electronics), but I don't think that those are as effective for a child's mental development as a mother's care could be, but that's a whole other issue on it's own.
I support equal rights for women. I mean I want to get paid the same as a man does if I'm doing the same work. I'm one of those girls who can get in the dirty work or be able to do what a man does without complaining. Now for the femenists out there who want eaual rights but what do the same as a man because your a woman is wrong! I believe that if you want to work where men work and get paid the same you have to do what the men do! Don't think that because your a woman that a man will do the dirty work for you. You have to prove you should get paid the same as a man is what I believe. And if you can't prove that then why should you get paid the same as a man! I'm glad that in America us women aren't downgraded to a slave to a man. Most feminist women don't see that, all they look at is how it is in America. So prove that us women are just as strong as men and then maybe people will listen to women more often about what they think!
Feminism in its true definition is a great thing. Equality is the essence of the feminist movement, but it has taken on a persona of a man hating movement. Anything that is motivated by hate is not beneficial. With the role of women changing, the woman's role in society is changing, ie the family unit. The loss of femininity, chivalry and courtesy is an unfortunate result of the practice of feminism to "overthrow men".
kndglv@yahoo.com said we can't have it both ways. I don't believe equality means having it both ways. It means that woman can equally contribute to society and be equally compensated and recognized as an equal. It is correct that there are many distinct physical differences in what men and women can do. It is also correct that we cannot always be equal. However, if the playing field is level, so to speak, then we are equals.
I have seen both side of the feminist issue. There is a sterotyoe out there for a lot of people when you say the word "feminist".. it gets used in the media often as a power-hungry, man-hater. That kind of view and attitude I disagree with. I do not think feminism is an excuse to out down men and point out their flaws and decide that women are better. I do agree with the other side of feminism. I think that if a woman has equakl education and qualifications then she should be entitled to the same benefits and compensation... and I agree with the previous statements about not being able to have it both ways. You can't demand the same treatment... unless...
However, I am a deeply religious and traditional person. I think that there are certain things that make men and women not equal in some areas. I think that if a woman can stay at home with her children then she should... I recognize that this is not possible in all situations, but I think if people re-evaluated their lives, made family and children more of a priority and were will to make a few small sacrifices then many more women would be able to stay at home. A question was raised about what staying home might to for future employment... Could being out of the work force for a long period of time make it harder to find a job? Maybe so... but I think the benefits to the family and to the children far out weighs the possible problems one might face re-entering the workforce. Anyway... this is just my opinion on things...
I think feminism is a good thing. We have come a long way and there have been many great, positive changes. My grandmother informed me that when she was a child, that she was not allowed to wear any pants. All of the women in the family had to wear dresses all of the time. Things were like that back then. Over the years, women have successfully achieved many things that men have as well. I think our generation is all about equality and I hope it continues to go that route. However, some feminists do take it over the edge sometimes. I don’t think it’s right to slander men or to teach children negative things.
I see feminisim as a good thing for society I mean I have no problem with women doing the same thing that men do. For all I care a women could be president, if she is good I would vote for her if not then no( as long as she doesn't do the joke of PMS and once a month threating A-bombs on everyone) but really women can do just as much as men I have seen that they are even better at a lot of things than we are so I have no problem with equal rights. But for the second part of feminism of where the article states that it is women trying to overcome men, that kinda scares me but I really don't see that happening in the near future and from the women I know they don't really want to be in control of everything.
Then for the children, I don't believe they should have equal rights as men and women. They are too young, the laws right now are perfect, they should live thier lifes before they have to deal with anything adults have to deal with.
Then as you say Ms. Smith the at home role is a little murky now, even though the mother is not home to raise the kids I have noticed that many stay as stay at home moms till the kids start school then many go to work and many get off right around the time the kids do, so really they dont suffer at all. But if the mother works long hours then yes less supervision would cause bad effects on the kids
i support equal rights for everybody... whether your white, black, man, woman, chinese, purple, poka dotted, every person should be treated the same wherever it may be (work, school, etc.). now with that being said there are things that women do that men just simply cant, and vica versa. so should a woman be paid differently at a construction job? yes if she is not as productive as the other workers, she shouldnt be paid the same just because she is a women. and i think that women use feminism at times the same way african americans use the race card.
I think its great Woman can be seen equal to men. On one hand woman can achieve the same respect on the job as at home. On the other hand women want equal rights for some things and not others. I don't think this is fair. I guess it has its positive and negative effects. For the most part I think it has worked well and now female students can look to a future never before seen possible. Women have taken on careers that some never imagined. As far as our children I don’t think it will hurt them as long as we don’t take it to an extreme. All extremes are bad.
I think the feminism i have seen today is really good. I mean we have a president elect who does support equal pay for equal work. I believe this is very good. I dont think i have ever seen any kind of feminism that seems wrong to me. I personally don't see how it can be. I feel that if a women is looked down apon becuase she wants to stay home and be a family mom that is just fine. We know have thoese options to choose from were not forced to do anything we don't want to do.
I dont agree with it but I still think there is alot of feminism that could be changed. It has improved alot but I still think their is alot of work to be done. They say equal pay for equal work but how do you know your actually being treated fairly. It is sad and bothers me that some people think just because most mothers stay at home and take care of the children they think they are not capable of. I agree with Women going out working and exersising their rights, on the other hand I can help but think what Athena Smith said the fact that alot of the children are going unsupervised and alot of the traditional stay at home mom and working dad are changing and I half to agree that the kids are the ones that are suffering.
Feminism has both good and bad efeects.It is good beacuse women now take high position that use to be for men alone, this help women fell good and feel appreciated and not being looked down upon.This is a very good thing that has happen to women ever since the time they were giving the right to vote. congratulations to women. The bad side of this would be that many of the women in high position do not spend enough time with husbands and children like it used to be and this has contributed to a lot of broken homes. In another view of the stuation, women in the third world are still being treated like a proprty owned by either the husband that married them or by their parents using them as way of life to make money, by selling them for sex or giving them in marriage at too early age.The women in those part of the world have no right what so ever.Maybe if the opportuned women in this side of the world view the life of other women in the third world, they would appreciate the chances they have and use it wisely and work out balances between jobs and homes and the right that was given them would not be looked at as a wrong or right issue.
I do not think feminism hurts the society at all. The word “feminist” brings on a lot of negative connotations, but we have to bring a balance to chauvinistic people somehow! I think there is nothing wrong with women saying they deserve the same treatment and pay that men do, and it’s a good thing for kids and anyone else. Feminists set an example for minorities or people who feel they have been treated unfairly. Standing up for equal treatment has brought about a lot of irritation from people who do not want to share power or pay higher wages but it is worth the trouble-no matter who you are.
Feminism was a great ideal, and helped pave the qay for what women are, compared to what they were decades ago. In my eyes, now women are equal, or even more so.
I say this because women fight for equality until they have to take the dirty parts as well. For an example, at the age of 18 men have a choice, sign up for the draft or be arrested. From that point on, men cannot work any government jobs without having signed up for that, whereas women can.
Men work, almost completely, 9 out of 10 of the deadliest jobs on the planet. 90% of all fatalities at the job place are men.
The wage gap myth has been proven to be wrong many times, but the hardcore feminists still believe it. Even my sister, who has made MORE money than me doing less work, at the same job place, and on the -same team- tells me how women get paid less.
Quick little lesson in economics for those women: If women are willing to work for .60c, or whatever Obama and the other feminists believe, on the dollar, what company (out to make money) would hire any men? Don't give me that, "They just want to hire men because they want to see their own kind promoted", if that were the case we wouldnt' have any outsourcing. They are out to make money.
Feminism was great, and it -can- still be useful in the very few areas were women aren't equal, or in the majority of places, more equal. However, and this is a big one, feminists need to seek equality for men AND women, not just superiority for women. The feminists who fight for true equality have my nod of approval, they do a lot of good and needed work. As proved by religious nuts in certain other countries though, the militants and so forth have given feminism as a whole a slightly bad name. When people hear feminists, they think of bra burning and so forth, they don't think of the women who struggled to get an education to work and excel in a job market they weren't welcome in before.
In conclusion, feminism is basically unneeded now, as it is hurting women as a whole. Until the more hardcore, anti-male bashing feminists are denounced and turned away, the umbrella that is feminism will be a bad name.
Ah, and about the equal pay thing, just wanted to go into detail.
The wage gap myth is from people looking at the whole of women's pay versus the whole of men's.
The problem comes in when you are taking a majority of full time males, and comparing their pay to the majority of part-time females. Trust me on this, even the IRS has addressed this issue. You are taking people who work 40-70 hours a week, and comparing their pay to people who work 20-32. Guess who makes more? When actually addressed of full-time vs full-time, women make the between 90%-110% of what men make. When part-time vs part-time, I believe they make the same, if not more.
What does this mean for you at home? Women do make the same, if not more then men. This isn't attributing the costs for health-care and benefits that men don't quality for, such as when my friend had to work while his wife was on maternity leave, and had her job waiting for her when she got back. He had the same option, but his job would be with another company and might not be available when he needed it, ie: he would have to quit.
Also, one thing about feminists that kind of get to me and this was a big annoyance on Toughest Jobs, "Anything men can do, we can do better. Look, the women is doing more than the guys. Ha! Women are moving this faster!" I am not sure if this is a defensive reflex in response to their own preconceived notions that "If I can do better than this guy, than women are better than men because we have internal genitals" or something, I don't know. It annoys me though. ^_^
I think feminism has done pretty well in the fight for equal rights. More women are becoming independent and are moving up in major companies. You see more and more female doctors as well. I think that equal rights should be very important to women and men alike, however I don't think one side should go too far to the extreme than the other. Feminism should be taken carefully and not thought of as an uprising against men. I think some groups push it too far over the edge and convince other women that men are irrelevant and not needed to run a society.
I think feminism can be a good thing promoting the equality between both men and women, as long as they don't go overboard with it. I've seen two types of feminist out there, the one that promotes equality for both men and women and does it in a more elegant manner and then there are the feminist extremist that promotes it over the top and shows more that they really want to in charge and it kinda feels like they just want to take over the world and push me aside. But overall I think that feminism is good for both sexes because it helps women get better positions in jobs and role status. And at the same time it tells men that women are just as equal as they are.
I think feminism is an archaic word thrown around today to incorporate any agenda to which women subscribe. I also think the way society applies the term is meant to label some issue involving women negatively or to suggest that some support for a component of feminine thinking is
unacceptable or harmful. For example, I think feminism that promotes and praises the successs of women in politics, career accomplishments and sports achievements,is a good thing. But feminism that degrades women with a rejection or criticism of conservative values yet praises others who support decadent social positions and behavior is troubling. I think it is a simplistic attitude to suggest that feminism can be wrong for women or can "harm" them in some inexplicable or unsavory way.
I regret that gender prejudice still exists and feel that men will always strive to suppress women's rights or to unfairly compartmentalize women's abilities in all areas of society. Feminism has more positive attributes then negative components and is here to stay although what or how it specifically impacts society is forever a transient and ever changing question.
I think that feminism is an awesome thing that has done so many great things for the world. Women are equal to men and deserve the absolute same rights, and without feminists we wouldn't have that. On the other hand, I do think that there are a lot of women that take it entirely too far. Just because we women deserve the same rights as men, does not mean it is their fault- nor are they pigs just because they are male. Also, if women want to have equal rights, then it needs to be everything, we cannot pick and choose. So overall, I think that feminism has its possitive and negative effects. But for the most part I believe it does more good than harm. Feminism shows young girls that they can do and be anything that they want to be. The sky is the limit. :)
I have a very negative view of feminism. I have met few feminist, but the ones I have seen were pretty
angry and disturbed individuals.
They hate men. According to them men are the root of all evil.
Men should be locked in dungeons and only kept alive for reproduction,
while women rule the planet. One can see why I would disagree with it.
I 100% agree that women should have equal rights. I'm sure that feminism started
out as women wanting equality and there still are one's like that, but overall I think it has
just turned into an organized hate group for men. If I were a woman and someone called me a feminist
I would be deeply insulted.
While I believe women are equal to men, kndglv@yahoo.com and others have pointed out that many women
want equality but not to be equal to men. Is this confusing to anyone else? Women want the same pay but for example, at my place of employment, you could tell some of the girls to take out the trash or some other physical, or degrading job and they would look at you like you were crazy. I am not speaking of the pregnant woman who stands around and does absolutely nothing all day but get payed. I suppose she has
an excuse being pregnant. But should she really be standing/sitting and doing absolutely nothing and getting paid? (this is not a desk job, it involves jumping over counters.) Equal pay for equal work?
Wait, not equal work=...not equal pay? Whaa....
(we do get paid the same where I work, by the way.)
To me, the argument of equal work, equal pay, just doesn't make sense in such situations.
In other jobs it would not be an issue, but here, it makes the point.
Women are equal to men. Women are proving this in the work force; there are many successful women.
But, Women need to act equal to be treated equal, and stop hating.
This is an excellent topic for a post. My friends and I have discussed this very same issue many times in the last year, especially during the race for the democratic nomination when Hillary Clinton was running for office.
The idea of equal rights for women on many issues is obviously an idea that should have long been accepted as mainstream.
However, I do have an issue with the issue of feminism as it is defined in the second part of the original blog. There is a line that needs to be drawn when eaual rights for one group causes discrimination against another. Some women have taken "womens rights" to such the extreme that they actually despise men, even taking it so far as to say "what do I need a man for when I can do everything by myself?" We can all, men and women, do most things by ourselves but does that mean we were created to do it? I myself am a stay at home mom. I worked in corporations for several years before deciding that the toll that it took on my young childrens lives was not worth the financial payoff. Now I am not saying that my husband could not have cared for our children but I am saying that the benefits of that decision has greatly increased the closeness of my family and oneness of my marriage. Am I still equal in my home? Of course. Does society view me any differently? No, in my experiences, society has actually begun to applaud me because more and more we are seeing the benefits of women, mothers especially, taking on more of the traditional roles of family.
The feminism movement that I have seen for women so far has had its ups and downs. For the most part I see a fair and equal treatment but in the workplace, however, there is a slight difference. There is always a male as the boss and when men are hired, they are paid anywhere from 25 cents to 3,4,and 5 dollars more an hours. Although this does not sound like a lump sum of money, it is in the long run. Women are often seen as weak, and emotional in the business community and are often overlooked in the deliberation of a new leader of the company. This generalization is both unfair and untrue. Time and time again, women business leaders make the company they run thrive and rarely let their emotions get the better of them. This inequality has got to stop.
I believe that feminism in general is a good thing for women, like a step towards individual freedom and recognition and equality, as stated. Maybe somewhere in the mix there is a feeling that if women start really pushing the ''men & women are equal'' title, then maybe society will twist around the meaning of what a woman really is, treating them as males, which may not always be good. Women are not like men, in a sense with how women may be more fragile physically and mentally, maybe not, but generally. All in all, I think the true root and act of feminism is a positive one and doesn't need to be overanalyzed, because what women aim to do is just set a basic feel of acceptance towards girls, reaching the same level as any man.
Crystal emailed me the following comment:
"Crystal:
I think feminism is definately practiced both ways. There are extremists who want women to rule the world, and then we have women and men who show feminism by just appreciating the equality. I think that t he extremists need to get a life. It's hypocritical for them to say women are better and should control eveyrthing. No, men and women are equal and we should celebrate that every day. Yes, we would have met new boundaries if we had gotten Hilary Clinton as president sure, however men seem to be more qualified. How can we demean them for that? Plus politicians aren't trustworthy in my opinion so would we want to ruin our good and honest way of being? i'd perfer to keep the men as the bad guys in that one. But seriously for women and children I definately think feminism is wonderful it shows children the achievements we have made, just like with other races. we are all equal now and I believe we are a better country for it and better role models for future generations."
I guess where you are also depends on the severity of feminism. In the US woman are free to defend their beliefs as a woman. However, if we look at societies in other countries like Saudi Arabia, woman don't have a choice. Some situations you can't win.
The world is a better place now that woman are not suppressed and share same rights as men here in America.
Although society tells us: women will get married and stay at home to look after the kids and care for the house, there are women that don't believe that life is right for them. That is fine. Its also alright if they do decide to become housewives. The whole point of that was to give them the chance to become and do what they want.
The children shouldn't be affected by it at all. Unless they are abandoned. A mother who works and takes care of the kids does have a lot of pressure, but who is to say she wont spend enough time with the kids and be home to cook them a meal. There are ways to juggle things around, and that is why the decision to have kids in the first place might be a risk they were willing to take.
I think that women finnaly getting the rights they deserve is great. Its clear that their isn't people being sexist aganist women with us almost having our first lady president. I also think that not just women should be treated right but men also. Just cause women were treated worng for a long period doesn't mean its the mens turn now. But its great to see women leaders out there now and having equal opportunity.
I believe feminism can be a great thing as long as it doesn't get pushed to far. I think that everyone, right now as a whole is trying to achieve equality and we are getting closer than ever before which is wonderful. Equal rights for women is much more necessary now since everything is so much more expensive than it was in the past and women are much more independent. As far as women not staying home to raise their children I believe that mostly has to do with the rising cost of living and not so much to do with the fact that they want equal rights(hope that makes sense). And everybody should get equal pay for equal work regardless of what sex or even race they happen to be. So, yes I do think feminism is a mostly positive thing and as far as kids are concerned I think it is wonderful because by the time they get into the work force everything will hopefully be much more equally based on experience and qualifications versus whether you are male or female.
No matter if the change going on appears to be beneficial or not you're always going to be stepping on someone's toes. I think it is a positive change towards rewarding women for the same accomplishments a man can make but, while trying to make things equal between the two sexes you also have women who want to take it to the next level and try to tower over men and control them back creating a bigger problem that will cause a great number of people to become upset. As a woman I would love to be a female dominant country, but even more important than my personal thought is the unity of this country. It is far more important for our men and women to be treated equally and limit conflict between the two rather than to switch roles to prove a point. It is also important to raise our kids with them knowing they can be anything they want to be or do anything they want to do no matter what their gender is. With all that women do in today's society we should finally be acknowledged EXACTLY the same as the men in our country.
I feel that feminism is excellent for both sexes, and children as well. It is about bridging the gap and disparity between men and women so we can essentially be "starting off" with the same opportunities in life whether its work, school, family, career, sport, military, etc. Just as we would want that same playing field based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or whatever. I feel like in every sense of the meaning it promotes equality which I am all for. Feminism is not bad because people want to extract the ill views of some, that is just a stereotype that people are taking on because of the radical views of a few. That should not determine whether the idea and concept in its essence is good or bad. It would be wrong to say christians are bad, because some take it to the extreme, or white people are bad because some are KKK, or that vegetarians are bad because some of them attack non-vegetarians, or any other lifestyle or group of people. That would be ridiculous, and it is ridiculous. So we just need to educate ourselves as well as educate and inform others. That way many untrue, exaggerated thoughts and concepts don't overtake truth. Feminism is great! : )
Some of you discussed various types of feminism and you are right. there are, ranging from mild to intense let's say. You may read about these types here
I think that feminism to a certain extent is a amazing thing. I believe in equal rights for everyone-all the way around, as long as it's legit. I am very proud to say that I am a woman and of course I want the same rights that a man has, but I will in return work the same as a man to get those rights. Nothing in life is handed to you, so with feminism- it is fighting for what we want. On the other hand, I have heard many stories in regards to feminists "bashing" the male gender and trying to feel more superior than men. If we fight for EQUAL rights..its exactly that: EQUAL.
I do believe that both men and woman should be treated equally, and feminism back in the day was necessary because they had few to none rights but now when i hear of feminist, i think of woman who are out to get men, maybe im wrong but thats the first ting that comes to my mind, but one thing i dont get is with these feminist acts and rights they want all the good stuff that men can get or have but not the other way around, when it comes to negative stuff they want no part of it...
I am seeing a lot of people tell how all managers are men, and how men make between .25c and $5 an hour more than women... in what world are you living in? No offense, but that is BS the likes I have not seen for a very long time.
Medical field: Women make more, because more and more men aren't welcome in the fields.
Teachers: Women make more, because more and more men aren't welcome int he fields.
CEO's: Women are making as much, if not more due to being "minority" and therefore being paid more out of fear.
In most jobs, if the women works full time, she gets paid as much, if not more than the male. NOT to mention her benefits, such as medical insurance, covers insanely more than the males, and thus also adds to basically better pay.
For anyone that believes that women make that much less, and that only men are managers... I don't know what to say to you. I honestly don't, outside of maybe you should look up facts, or simply look in your workplace to find that everyone makes the same.
Equal work = Equal pay. Very simply. It has been proven with -reliable- facts, and no matter what imaginary numbers some people like to come up with, facts constantly destroy the numbers about any sort of gap in pay between male and female. (Yeah, Obama, congrats on running lies in your campaign ad's. Women really make almost half what men make, no really. That is why women are all homeless and penniless. Yeah.)
i think femenism has had positive impacts on many things, but i think how its being used lately, is a little over the top. I do think women should have equal rights etc. but femenists have gotten a negative image because the take eveything to the extreme. They act like all men are women haters and thats just not true. They try to act tough an like women can do everything a man can, and yes she can, but not to the same abilites a man can. I mean come on lets get real. I just think women have taken it a little too far. And men and women are different for a reason. Its not a bad thing.
Feminism, as of now, is as as benificial as it is negative. Towards the beneficial side, it helps women fight for equal treatment, whether it be at work or in sports. On the other hand, it teahches gender how to judge and label people.In some instances, some feminists are extremists, as in they just hate all men in general. And along with that, some men will view feminists as women who are power hungry people who really don't deserve anything. But for the most part, I think Feminism is going alright.
I believe most feminism is productive for both races except for the overexcessive fanatical crazy parts, like women pushing for name changes for professional occupations like changing fireman to firefighters. Seriously?, That's among the dumbest things I've ever heard. I'm preety sure female firefighters don't mind, and it souds so much easier to say. Also the change from postmen to postal workers. Just Stupid. And fanatical. Some of the things hardcore feminists want to change border on terrifying. Also, I just went to a feminit web site looking for examples, and it spoke of rhythmic chanting for equality, which is something I find strangely strange. And, I think feminism is practiced for children well, in the sense that it teachers young women to be strong(er) young women.
Not so many years ago, the popular stereotype image of a feminist was a mannish, buzz cut clad, bra burning, man hater. Today, for me the image has softened. For me, real equality comes from treating everyone the same. This should begin with each person who is interested in living in a unbiased fashion.People should make this personal change within themselves before they look to anyone else to change. In declaring "I am woman, hear me roar, blah blah, I will own you some day because I am of the superior sex," this is declaring exual supremacy, or feminist power. To me white power, black power, gay power, straight power, man power, or woman power, are all equally ignorant things to believe in. You can be a woman with a doctorate who still washes her family's clothes, or a blue collar man who cooks dinner. I believe that all struggles for equality are worthy of people's time, and admiration. This being said, I also believe that it is easy to proclaim yourself to be fighting for equality, but acting like your arguing for supremacy. So, to answer the question, equality = good. Supremacy = Bad.
Thanks
I think this one is pretty obvious. Womens rights is better for everyone. Our world to day is for the most part fair in every way when comparing men and women. These days i see women getting jobs and promoted just as men do. I dont think its a big issue, in fact most women in job positions today probalaly do a better job than a man would if he were there. However, Mrs. Smith is right when she says that if a women goes and has a career, she jeopardizes, supervision of children. This is true, however, it comes down to one or the other. The Mom cant be a business women and think she can be the best house mom. I think this just proves that women need to educate themselves as best as possible to get part-time jobs that pay extremely well. This really would be the only solution to that. In the end the most important goal is, women actually have a choice, which wasn't there 50 yrs ago.
Yeh i support women fighting for their equal rights as long as there’s dinner on the table before 8. But honestly i think its great when its done the right way because women can be role models to little girls showing and setting them, paving a path if you will, to a future of equality and suburbia. Some feminists groups are too extreme, portraying men all in the same category as liars and whatnot. But if you think about it a women’s social status if not in the world but the united states hold high positions in our government. I think equal rights are coming if not already here.
Personally I would agree with Madelene that supervision of children has priority. But then you are hit with the reality of finances and the need for two incomes. So, if the issue boils down to a concept of equality that encompasses equal benefits and equal obligations, where and how do children fit in this new family equation?
Some have suggested the "solution" of paying stay-home moms. However the majority of people would probably resist such an idea.While they agree that raising kids is a full time job.
Back to square one.
I believe feminism is a good thing. Being raised mostly by my mother and having only sisters, we were taught that as a woman, we can do anything a man can do. However, feminism is the idea of feeling empowered as a woman and equal to men. It is not thinking that being female makes you better than anyone else. Anyone who thinks so is not a true feminist.
I want to bring up some of the points that Artimid is arguing so passionately about. The fact that women are often paid less is not a lie. It depends on what area of the country you are from. My eldest sister lives in Idaho and got paid less than the men there despite having the same training, seniority and more experience in her field. It is not true everywhere. The inequality does not extend as far in Florida. You have to remember that some areas are more backward in regards to rights. You cannot say for a fact that it is not true when others have experienced it.
Another point is about many medical field jobs. You have to remember that many of the medical jobs are ones such as LPNs, RNs, CNAs, Medical Billing and Coders, etc. Those have been always thought to be traditionally "women's roles" just as education has been. I am not saying that is right but we all know that a nurse does not make the same amount that a doctor does and men still outnumber women in that field.
Even in my field, which is Illustration, I am a minority as the majority of students in my major are men.
Yes, I am a feminist. However, just because I am pro-women does not mean I am anti-men. If anything, in the past years, it has come down to many women supporting men. Feminism- the right to do everything? That's another issue entirely.
Not much to say about this one. I think it is a good thing. Equal rights should be given both to men and women. We should be jugded and baised on our abilities, not sex, or anything else for that matter. I think most people think of a feminist as a butch woman with short hair who says she doesnt need a man. This is mostly because of hollywood and how they portray them in movies and on T.V. From what I've seen feminist are pretty down to earth and just want things to be even on both sides.
As for the children. You cant have your cake and eat it too. Trying to be the a successful business woman means you will have less time to devote to children, and the rest of the family.
I also agree with this "I do not support the feminist dichotomy that crys for equal rights one moment, and then expects special treatment the next"
I support equal rights. But also i feel that men and women cannot be always equal. On certain jobs that are really demanding i feel that women wouldnt do. When doing concrete construction the forms weigh 80 pounds a piece and they have to be picked up and put over an eight foot wall, many women can not do that. Also, if the job is not that high demanding and the job can be done by both men or women they definitly should be treated equal.
There is also a bonus for the competition between men and women because i feel that when a women wins a position over a male it gives the women a boost in there confidence, like what sarah palin did and hilary clinton.
Children on the other hand i dont think there is much of a competition possibly in sports but its segragated so it doesnt play that big of a role i feel.
Feminism I think is a good thing. I think that the woman should stand up for equal rights. When they fight for rights and win it encourages other woman to better their life because they now know they can get more. I do not think it is harming anyone in the process. If a woman can do the same job as a man and better she should first be able to have that job and second be paid properly for it. I do not think that Feminism is harming children. I think it is good for them to see people standing up for what is right in this world.
I support equality but feminism is a important because feminism help to get females more appreciated. This proves that a woman and a man can do the same job and they should be offered the same pay for the same job. Also, some people view of women when they have children is that they should become a stay at home mom. I believe if you decided to be a working mom that is great because it is possible to handle been a good mother and a good employee. So this shows that women are great leader whenever they are given the opportunity to excel.
I recogniz the comments about a need for dual income, but I would have to disagree. Not is all cases though. As I said in my original post there are definately some families that need 2 incomes... but that number is far less than the families that claim they need 2 incomes. Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices... so maybe you buy a used car instead of a brand new one... or a Saturn instead of a Lexus. Maybe you don't go out to eat as often and maybe you really don't need that 52" flat panel HDTV. Maybe supervising your children and helping them grown is more important that the material things we have put so much focus on in todays society. We have a big problem in this country of "instant gratification" and not being able to see the big picture. Living off one income is not always possible, I realize that and I am not condemning anyone for the choices they make. You have to do what you feel is right for your family. I am just trying to make the point that dual income is not always as "necessary" as we claim it to be.
I think feminism has come a long way. From women barely having a voice in our society, to now we have seen the emergence of women playing a major role in politics and now leading fortune 500 businesses. I certainly think thats it important but not as long as women are not trying to draw battle lines and attack men, rather than uniting. So overall I think it can be a very powerful movement as long as women keep a common goal in mind.
Well I feel it can be good or bad. It depends on how they practice the term feminism.
First, I'm going to discuss how it can be bad. It can start a rivalry between women and men if a female tries to dominate the authority of men. Right now men usually have the higher positions so don't just force your way in, try to ease your way in. Be patient and let it come to you. After a while it will come. For example, this year we had Hilary Clinton as a democratic representative for president of the United States. In my opinion, that's the highest position in the country and she almost won. So women holding higher positions is definitely going to happen sooner or later just be patient ladies. There is no need to have boycotts fighting for women's rights and hating men because you all feel you're more wiser and civil and better qualified for the higher positions. The day is coming slowing but surely. You all already have an amendment so just relax, and don't try to overthrow men.
Secondly, it can be good for both sexes. Some woman practice it as a celebration for equal rights for both men and women. Now women have their amendment so things are improving as the world progresses. Women are able to do almost everything a man can do, and women they celebrate that. Which is good for both genders because it makes them come together and unite. Makes them become ONE and celebrate together. Now that's a way more powerful team than women trying to overthrow men. If practiced this way, men and women will help each other escalade to the higher positions. They will reach the higher positions together. That's what we need and that's how it should be practiced.
I believe that the feminism that I have recognized today has been fantastic. People are appreciating women and what they have done and they are evn being recognized for it. I think it's great that a women in Hillary Clinton was in the running to become the next president. That says a lot for the women in America today. I think women deserve a lot more credit then what they already get. They do a lot for their families and the world today. And some people overlook what they do and think they aren't equal but I know that they are in fact 100% equal to males and hopefully that will never change.
I am all about equal rights. Not only for men against women, but for all people in general. For some reason men always seem to be superior to women. They get paid more, they always seem to be the ones that are head of the households. I believe that women should have the chance to make as much as a man, and carry on with the same duties that a man would. I don't think that there should be any kind of discrimination between the two. A women has every right to have the rights that a man does. When it comes to feminism, I sometimes agree, and sometimes I dont. It all depends on the way the matter is handled. For the ones who make crazy signs and claim all men are pigs, and such, I dont agree with too much. For the ones who just want equal rights, and thats all, I agree with.
I think feminism has done great things in our society today. Just look back ten or twenty years and the transformation of roles in the past and roles of today women have in society.
I have seen women that held higher positions than men, on many jobs, including higher positions in the construction industry. Equality in the workplace has come a long way but in some ways we will never be equal, it is just a fact. I also believe that some feminists of today that hold high level positions have to be somewhat extreme, with the competitiveness for positions they hold.
There are negative connotations held with feminism, especially in different parts of the country.
Children can be affected by feminism for the good and bad. For instance a mother instilling pride and confidence in a daughter or teaching a son that men and women are equal, also loss of family dynamics due to the pursuit of the almighty dollar. All in all I think feminism is has helped to change society for the better today.
I think that it is very true that feminism has gotten a bad rep, but I believe it has because of the actions of those feminist women out there. I think some women take it to an extreme that I just do not agree with. Of course, as a woman, I believe in equal rights for us and I think that is extremely important. I just think there are more, less extreme, ways to go about it as well as teaching our children to carry out that same outlook. It's important to let our younger generation know that the roles of women and men are changing for the better, and not to be stayed the same.
I am neutral on the topic of feminism, I really do not have a certain side. I do believe that women are created equally to men and we are just as smart as any man, but I also belive that men should be the providers of the family that is the way God intended it to be. There's nothing wrong with a woman being educated but I do not believe that she should support her boyfriend or husband. I hate it when I see a woman paying for things like dinner and a movie, it's okay sometimes, but I am seeing it more and more, men were intended to be the providers, some women think women should rule over men and I disagree with that, the men should be the head of the household, but not rule over his wife either. I believe in women rights such as equal pay and equal orrortunities, because that is definately not right if a man makes more money than a woman doing the same job. I do not believe that women should walk around hating men, I see that being wrong as well. So all in all, I believe men and women are equal and we should have equal rights.
I like Feminism to a certain extent. I want equal rights for women, i want their voices to be heard. The only thing i don't like is the feminists who are sexist themselves. The women who think that they are better then men in every way and that men are dirt. I will fight for women's right to the max, in the work place, at home and everywhere. it can be right, but once the women get stuck and close their minds in ways that will turn feminism into a hazard to relationships between male and female all sorts of ideas can become ugly. Children can be effected by Feminism greatly as well because they see how rights are to be acted. All ages can fight for a right to choose for themselves.
I think feminism is beneficial to both sexes, including children. Currently “equal rights” for every type of person is a very popular idea, and is believed in by many people. It wouldn't be fair to classify feminism as negative, especially when the movement has not really harmed anyone. The goals of the feminist movement would benefit women in many situations. For instance, in the future women may be taken more seriously in the work place, and praised deservingly in academics or male dominated fields such as engineering, or political science. I don't see how the feminist movement has a negative impact on males. It’s not like males will be considered inferior to women.
In my opinion, feminism in a positive form is awesome. Women should be recognized for their achievements, they should be given a pat on the back for what they "bring to the table" so to speak. However, I have seen some negative forms of feminism. Women who think that just because they are women means that they do not have to do anything productive give all women a bad name. Honestly, using the fact that I am a woman to get what I want is something I would never be able to do, unfortunately, however, I see this all the time. All in all, though, feminism is wonderful, As Abigail Adams said: "REMEMBER THE LADIES!!"
Feminism as in projected in the media, usually shows almost lesbian women who want nothing to do with man unless he's like bending to their will. They will also stop at nothing to spread their propaganda or doctrine. However the true meaning, as it was meant to be practiced I'm sure retains the majority as the archetype in general, this practice, when harmless, and only attempting for change to equalizations, would generally be less radical. However I am sure that the radical side is very much real, and not deadly but I'm sure to a point a bit dangerous.
By the way Professor Smith could you email the number problems I need, KirbyR1987@aol.com, or my facebook is generally the same...it wasn't you that was added...
I feel that the feminism that we see this day in age is a terrific form! The new form of feminism, which does also inculde men being happy (ie happy they get a break bringing home the food for the family all the time), is an exciting way our country has grown. Much better then the crazy bra burning feminism days I think!
On the effects of children; I do feel that it is great to show the new generations that it is good and right to treat every sex as an equal! People say that now the children are unsupervised because their mothers are at work, that is why they have daycare centers! Sure they aren't being supervised by their mothers but they aren't supervised by their parents in school either...so what is a few more hours until their parents get home from work?
Feminism has made some great advances for women's rights in the past one hundred years; however, some of the extreme behavior exhibited by these radicals make me wary of ever wanting to join them. Personally, I grow quickly annoyed with the ladies who are offended when a man holds a door for them. Also, many extreme feminists put down men and belittle them. To me this is just as bad as men belittling women. Ladies have come far; we certainly are human beings and have the right to vite. However, feminism should be kept relatively simple because anything extreme is detrimental to both the women and the men involved. It can also teach young children not to respect men. All in all, women need to be respectful of men, but I am glad we women can vote!
Being a woman, I see myself equal to men for the most part. I can do pretty much anything my boyfriend can do these days. If I want to go join a flag football league, I can! If I want to wear a suit everyday to a high paying job, I will!
I think women have just as much opportunity (if not more) than a man in today’s world. I will say that I would love to be a stay at home mom one day when I have children, but it is not like I have to choose that! When that day comes, I do not want someone to think I stay home with my children because I am a woman and that is what I am “suppose” to do. I will stay home because that is what I want for me!
I think that children are raised to see people as equal for the most part today. No matter sex or race… I think children see everyone as just people. When you have a black President and a woman VP candidate that ran against him, you see that people become more equal every single day!
Men are definitely the dominant out of the two but that is no excuse to treat a human being with no respect. Woman deserve to live as free as men. The only catch is we play two very different but important roles in society and things can get screwed up pretty easily when they go wrong. Theres so many things a powerful woman can do its scary but the female is a beautiful thing we should be praising them instead of denouncing them. Children should always know there place and be raised the correct way without limiting their future.
Feminism as practiced today is a great thing. As a female, I agree that we should continue fighting for equal rights. However, the attempt of actually throwing over a man in riots and violence, I think is too hardcore and extreme. It is good for children to see equality in their environment. On the other hand, I still believe in the man being the head of the household. I still think the man, if he is financially stable, should support his family while his wife raises the kids. Realistically, I understand nowadays everything is too expensive and it is almost mandatory for the woman to work. This brings me back to the fact that women should be able to make equal pay if it is whats going to support their family.
In my opinion, I think that feminism today has been positive to the society. For that, I am proud to know that women have been credited for their accomplishments as well as males.Even though it took many years for women to get the same respect and equal rights as men, women’s strength is finally showing and proving the society wrong! For example, women can work in the same positions as males and do the same work and even more, make improvements on things. Another positive feminism brings to society is the fact that it gives hope to the youth. I personally think that our generation is leaning more towards equality and better understanding with each other than it ever did before! However, I do think that some feminists have gone far to the point where they take advantage because of the gender factor. I know nothing is perfect, but there will always be room for improvement. =D
I believe that feminism is good for everyone.Women feel stronger, more independent,more capable in many aspects of life which is good for everyone around them.When a person feels good about themselves, they treat others well also. Majority of women no longer rely on men to take care of them and the children. Women do not let themselves get verbally and mentally abused by husbands as much just so they can have someone to support them.Feminism empowers women to stand up for themselves and it gives them a network of people to support them. Feminism definitely contributes to the downfall of the ideal American family with a husband,a wife, couple kids, a dog, and a white picket fence. Now it is more a single, working mother with her child or children in an apartment. And just because you are a feminist, it does not mean you are an extremist. A woman can be a CEO of a major company and still go home to her husband and be all woman. Feminism is great as long as there is balance.
you know its funny this came up because where i work we have three male managers and if you think thats a lot we actually used to have four. When one left a new female manager has replaced him and she was the talk of the restaurant for the first few weeks. Almost two days after arriving, our bartender to be funny made a comment that " why is she managing, in my opinion all women should be at home or in the kitchen cooking." Our new female manager almost flipped her lid. When i asked one of my co-workers why she had gotten upset his responce was that our new manager had metioned she was a very big femenist.
Now to go back to the topic, this lead me to thinking...as the article mentioned there are two different meanings of feminism that i have heard and that is of women who are totally against men and those who are just fighting to be equal if not treated the certain extent the same way as males without hate just looking for coopertaion.
I also belive that those feminist that so called "dislike the male gender" is just being hypocritical to what they are trying to stand for. To be honest its not about who is on top or who is in charge it is about both genders having the opportunity to do as they please in whatever they set their mind to. Some women (in my opinion) take it too personally when lets say for example a while back im not to sure if im right but women couldnt be in the frontline of combat in war. The reason i believe this is done is not because they think that we are inferior i just see that they look it as do you want the 120 pound chick running up in the front lines or the 220 pound guy who could take out a few men. Now once again i dont mean that comment as saying we are weaker than men but ladies..honestly we ARE built a little differently then men are.
I never saw a problem with being a stay at home mom and in todays society women can pretty much do anything they set their minds to thanks to many feminist groups who fight for the right reasons. These reasons being that we are just as capable to do many things just as well as males do. The only times i see feminism as a problem is the certain type of feminism that like i stated decides that all women need to take over the world for some reason and all men are evil. To be honest now a days its not even weird to see women playing football. i believe they even have thier own leauges.
Last thing. also if women decide to be a stay at home mom why should that hinder any emplyment opportunities in the future for women? Because a woman stays at home does not mean she is any less of a woman or any less capable of a man. if you saw my own mother run my house the way she does you could probably think she has enough skills to do anything ha shes like superwoman or something. But anyway womens rights have come a long way and most of the benefits have been good and hopefully with wishful thinking and more people opening their eyes we will truly be equal and wont need feminism or any such things.
I am all for equal rights and as far as I have seen, the feminist have not really been a problem, with the exceptions of those who should have been born a man. But really, I guess that I am old fashion. We talk so much about the problems in the families and our children, I think that we have taken a good thing and gone a bit over board. The fact is that men are men and women are women. I am by no means saying that one is better than the other, but facts are facts. They think differently then women and are built differently then women. There are things that men can do that we women just can not, no matter how much you may want to. The same goes for men. They can not bare children but we can. This is what God intended! I know that most men are ok with women doing certain things that they can do, and do it even better. But think about (as a woman) how we feel when a man opens a door for you, or helps you with something that you could never lift in a million years, I’m not sure about you but I sure feel grateful that we have men. To those women who want to overthrow the men, I say for what? As a woman in the business world, we should fight for what is fair. If you have more education, better business skills, or what ever the case may be, then I say stand your ground and fight for what you deserve or have worked so hard for. But if you try to take a man’s manhood away, you get these men who will fight to keep us down. Be smart about what you want to take from men, and let’s try to leave what we love about men intact.
Feminism has both positive and negative effects, though I believe the good outweigh the bad. Women are human beings just like men and they should have the same right to try and live happy,and productive lives. I don't believe that any person should have the right to subjugate another.
That being said there are varying degrees of feminism and some feminists seem to take the matter a bit far. Women should have equal rights, but they should not use past treatment of other women as an excuse for bad behavior and extremist ideals.
I think feminism is an excellent ideology. I have a friend who claims to be a feminist, and she just believes that women are equal to men and she be treated accordingly. I can agree with this. Women have come a long way in our society, and they deserve equal pay and opportunity.
On the other hand, I cannot agree with the type of feminism that advocates overthrowing men and becoming dominate in society. Both genders should be equal in every area.
I believe that all men and women so be treated equally. Everyone, regardless of gender, should be treated equally. Whether that is in business, school, stores, society.
We are all capable of anything, if we put our mind to it. I realize that some people believe that women can't do the more physical jobs because men are believed to be stronger, physically. However, I have seen lots of physically strong women. They may have to work a little harder at it but they are still able to do the same things as men.
I think it is only positive to have this type of feminism if it holds to the idea to men and women are equal. When it starts to cross over to the idea that women are better than men, or that women should overthrow a man's position, I believe that it has been taken too far.
Feminism can be compared to racial discrimination. Women have been fighting for there rights for many years as African Americans have fought for their rights. Women fighting for rights is not a bad thing but sometimes can be overbearing and overblown. for instance i had an AP US history teacher last year who spent two days teaching us about WW11 and two weeks teaching us about her favorite subject womens rights movments. And if a girl is raised hating men because they are not seen as equal than she will always have a bad view of men and not all of them are bad, and not willing to share equal rights. Like i said it is not a crime to fight for Women's rights as long as the subject is not overblown or takin out of proportion.
I completely support equal rights for women. I mean why wouldn’t I; I am a woman after all. I think that women deserve the same pay as men especially if they are doing the same work. If a woman wants to do a “man’s” job and can prove herself to do so, then she should be able to do it with the same pay. I personally don’t see why women should have to be a housewives taking care of children when the men had a big part as well. From what I have seen feminists just want things to be equal on both sides.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE EQUAL AND HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. OTHERWISE WERE GOIN TO COMTINUE HAVING ARGUMENTS AND UPRISINGS OF WOMEN AND MOVEMENTS TO GAIN THAT AUTHORITY WHICH IN TURN CAUSES PROBLEMS, SUCH AS HATRED OR WANTING THE POWER THAT MEN HAVE. BUT WHY IS IT THAT IF WOMEN DONT WANT MEN TO HAVE THE POWER THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE IT. THEN IT WOULD JUS BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND AND CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS. ITS JUS LIKE RACISM, EITHER EVERYONE IS TREATED FAIRLY AND EQUAL OR PROBLEMS WILL ARISE AND PERSIST.
Feminism has some very positive roles as well as negative. One positive aspect of feminism is that it promotes good treatment of women and girls of all ages. We as women demanded respect and now we are getting it, striving for equal pay, and overall better treatment is a wonderful movement towrd what is good. Women are not pushed last anymore, rather we are standing side by side men as equal inportance. However feminism has it's down side too. Lets be real for one moment, there are some things men are bilt for only and some things just women are ment for Ex, I don't think a womens hart was ever made to endure war (combat) just like a man would not be ready to give birth. In my opinion there are certain roles both sexes should up- hold, that if those roles are not filled the family and over all social structure dose suffer...
I support equal rights for women. There has been no negative side that ive seen so far. Its really empowering and filling everyone with knowledge about feminism. Its to let everyone know that a woman can do the same as a man. I think it is helping the world see both sides. It is about equal rights for both sexs, it is not about hatred towards the men. Its to let everyone know that a woman can do the same as a man. Woman have been fighting for so long for the equal rights and the deserve the same as anyone else.
I Think feminism is an awesome thing. It makes women feel like they are important (which they are!), I love to see people actually supporting women and their rights. Alot of people look down on women thought. Whats the first thing that comes to mind when i say the word Prostitute? women! yeah i know im right. but its not only women who are prostitutes, there are men too! I totaly suport womens rights! I hate the fact that med Do get paid more than women, thats bull shitake but there is nothing right now to fix that problem, Im jusr waiting until we get a women president!
I think feminism is a good thing. We have come a long way and there have been many great, positive changes. My grandmother informed me that when she was a child, that she was not allowed to wear any pants. All of the women in the family had to wear dresses all of the time. Things were like that back then. Over the years, women have successfully achieved many things that men have as well. I think our generation is all about equality and I hope it continues to go that route. However, some feminists do take it over the edge sometimes. I don’t think it’s right to slander men or to teach children negative things.
On the other hand, feminism is seen as a digres
sion for women and spawn of hatred toward men.
I wanted to point this line out. Typically, if something is seen someway, there is a reason. I wouldn;t doubt there are plenty of feminist who think like this.
My typical reason for dislking them is do not want to be equal to men, but better then men. They do not want a 1:1 dollar ration, but a 2:1 would be much better.
Given, I'm sure this may be a small group, and defninaly not all feminist, but I think this is something that has developed. With a category of people getting together for a common goal, they may develop an ingroup/outgroup mentality as well as group think.
Not to say I'm against womens rights. I just don't agree with feminism. I think, if there is a problem, it's that it's pertetuating the inequality. It does not break down gender barries but strengthening them by showing difference. This could be argued though.......
(Oh, last blog. Enjoyed the class. Maybe I'll see you all again).
I think that the opinion that feminism is an opportunity for women to overthrow men is very closed-minded. One that is intelligent can see that with every ideal, there is a small percentage that is radical. While those few radical feminists may have influenced that idea, there is nothing to prove that women feminists yearn to overthrow men.
I don’t necessarily consider myself a feminist but I do believe that there should be as much equality as possible between the sexes. A discussion began in a class that I was in about whether we would see an African American man or a White woman as President first (assuming they had the same credentials). I was outraged that one of the women in my class said that a woman could never be President because their emotions would “get in the way.” The fact that someone could be so sexist is preposterous to me. Not all women are overly emotional just as not all men are strong. There is also another side to this, though. I believe that if a man and a woman go on a date, its reasonable for the woman to pay. It is also acceptable for a man to show weakness, whether physical or emotional. These generalizations are what hurts our society. The effort to promote equality between the sexes not only benefits women, but it also benefits men. I don’t think that “feminism” is the correct term for this because it makes it appear that women are the only beneficiaries of this movement.
What could possibly be wrong about women earning the same wage as men in a profession where their abilities are equal? What could possibly be wrong with mechanics discontinuing their inclination to take financial advantage of women? I believe that the simple definition of feminism is “the belief that women should be given the same amount of respect and admiration as men in every aspect of society.”
ok, here is my deal, I think feminism has been such a great movement in the effort to create equality for women. it has open the doors for women all over the world to realize their dreams and without it us women would have nothing. I do however have a problem with those who see feminism as man haters. that is not true at all!! of course there are those extremists who will take it to that level but that is not the majority. these are women who only want to make something of themselves and be successful thorugh their own hard work and they only want to be regarded as equal when it comes to skills and paychecks. however, today the role of the woman has taken on a whole new meaning and the idea of the woman as the sole bread winner is being more accepted. I think its taken to too much of an extreme because I believe that it truely does take two to tango and and an equal house hold with strong moral values creates more stable and just better members of a productive society.
I digress, I only want to say that not all feminists are "man haters" and you should think twice before you put that label on someone.
I believe that feminism and what it sets out to do is a great thing. Women taking control of their lives and becoming more involved in the work force. Feminism and all of its value has been spreading fast world wide. I do not see any negatives on the women side, feminism has given women who were once lower class, the right to achieve their dreams. The only down side that there might be is on the effect it has on some children. With both parents in the work force, supervision might become an issue. But overall I am a supporter of feminism.
There is no question that woman need to be seen as mens equal. I always call my woman my other half. That is what they are. I support the feminist movement and their quest to recieve equal recognition from their other halves. Where I think the problem is though is the emphasis should remain on those points and not a contest of some type trying to out do men or something. There are things that men are better at and vice versa there are things that women are better at too. There are certain things crucial fundamental elements in the family setting that woman contribute and it is vital that they continue to continue. My mother is a beautiful woman. Strong, intellingent, patient, but of all her qualities their is one that shines brighter than the sun. She is wise she knows what is needed from her at what times and knows her power and doesn't focus on her is in charge of what in the house. She has the true feminist values engrained into her very fiber. I support my woman and am here to tell you their isn't anything you can't do. And somethings you do do better. But lets focus on our equality instead of or inequalities
Feminism as it is practiced today is both helping and hurting both males and females. It is helping females to get (almost) equal pay and benefits for work done, it also helps women feel good about themselves gives us a little bit of power over our lives. It helps men with the balance of responsibility in a family; they are no longer the sole provider. But it also is doing some harm to the traditional roles of what it is to be a man or a woman. Men no longer know if they should open a door or pay for the bill at dinner, if they do will they be stepping on toes? If the women is not home taking care of the kids who is? Is anyone? Or are they being raised by strangers at a daycare or worse sitting at home by themselves waiting for you to come home from your job.
It could be, possibly, both good and bad no? Honestly, I haven't personally witnessed any extreme form of feminism. I support equal rights for both women and other minorities, and we are seeing more of it as of late. As future generations come to be I think we will see these walls and divides falling left and right, like I said, I am totally for equal rights but some times I feel, as a white man, that I'm just the image pinned up to be compared to. Maybe you can relate or understand my perspective.
Take education for example, research shows that in the next 10-20 years, all of the elementary and secondary teachers are going to be women.
Well, I guess I'm going to be part of the small percentage of men in secondary education..as for elementary teachers.. think about it.. would you feel more comfortable with a woman or a man watching over your younger children? I think perhaps there is a hidden demand for women in those positions, and that of course, men are more reluctant to take the jobs due to this.
I do not think at all that this idea of feminism is really as prevelent as it was maybe 30 years ago. I don't thinkit effects women and children like it did at one point. You hear of women fighting for rights one all of a sudden it is realized that there is only one women working in a company of men and she is the secretary. Then you hear of all these women coomplaining of how this company discriminates against women. following this the company opens up its doors to women.
Now i have to say that I did talk to my mom and she said that since she grew up with when Feminism was in full force, she believes that feminism is still out there today we just don't call it the same thing and that companies are now alittle more willing to fix the problem.
I believe feminism has its positive and negatives. Femenists have brought womens rights a long way. Without them standing up for womens rights women probably wouldnt even be close to equal. But there are feinists who take things way to far. Women and men should be treated equal if their achievements are equal. Men shouldnt be treated better because they are doing a "manly" job and women shouldnt be treated better because theyre doing a "womenly" job. I personally dont believe in a manly job their are plenty of women who can do just as much if not more than a man can.
I would like to point out that women today on the tennis circuit typical earn the same money as men. Can anyone explain why? As far as I know, in the major tennis tournaments they earn exactly what the men earn, while playing almost half as much. Men play the best of five sets and women play the best of three. I do not mind them earning the same money but they should have to play the same amount of tennis. Which in the majors, is where most tennis players earn the big bucks. Billy Jean King and others were able to bring the pay up to standard and I fully agree with that, but lets make them play the same amount of tennis as men in the majors tournaments. I am surprised that no one has addressed this issue. Can you imagine for instance, if women wanted to compete in the Boston marathon and only run sixteen miles, because twenty six is just to far. If women want to be paid the same amount in these tournaments they should have to play the same amount of tennis. If you were to do the math they probably are playing half as much tennis and making the same money, it's not fair at all. Thankfully the women golfers thus far have not insisted that they only play twelve hole of golf becase eighteen is just too much for them. However, the over length is lower for the women, which is fine. Again I have no problem with that, at least they are still playing eighteen. Perhaps the answer could be to lower the height of the net, just as the length of a golf hole is reduced, which seems to allow women to complete eighteen holes of golf. The lowering of the net might allow women to play five sets of tennis. Just an idea!
I do think that feminism is a good thing for our society but I tend to agree with a few of the other posts that my classmates made in the way that there is the good and bad feminists. I agree that feminists who fight for equality are the right type of feminists because they fight for everyone's right to be equal which includes both men and women. I think that feminists that look for women to go directly over men because they feel they have been passed over for so long and gotten the short end of the stick are wrong. I feel that everyone should have equal rights and be able to work together without having to feel completive. Those are the kind of feminists that we need in our society.
Caduceus01
:)))
Not so fast. Read this
Feminism is a great thing, woman fought for very long to have the same rights as men. They have climbed the cooperate ladder to success proving that they have what it takes to be in leadership. Some woman bosses are even more strict then male bosses and can handle stress better.
In my opinion feminism that is practiced today is good. It gives women the same equal rights and opportunity as men do. It has been less than 50 years since women were giving the right to work equally as men, but they have accomplished so much in such a short period of time.
Feminism is good for both sexes I believe, because men and woman work together as a good team. Everyone have something to bring to the table from different points of views. Plus woman will work very hard to prove that they have every single right to be there as much as a man.
Feminism is also good in the eyes of children because it teaches the young girl; that they are free to do anything without limitations. It teaches little boys to accept the fact that girls are just as equal as they are, and are capable of doing the same work as they do.
Some people might say that a woman belongs in the home with the kids, cooking, etc. But woman are able to multi tasks and still be on top of verything. I see it all the time, and I too do it. I admit it's not easy all the time, but the point is that the work gets done. God made woman to do so many differnet things at once, and that is one thing most men do not posses.
To Mrs Smith:
As I read the article it seemed to prove my point. Ms Williams states she would like to be paid the same as men. Yet they are not having to play the same amount of tennis to earn the same amount of money. If there was a difference prize money noted, it looked to be negligible. So your point was? You agree? Or you were pointing out that people are talking about this very subject? I would like to say again that women should have to play five sets. If they are to be paid the same as men. It would change the entire dynamic of women tennis if they were required to play five sets and the William sisters among others might not be able to compete. There is quite a difference in five sets of tennis verses three. Five sets of tennis can take up to five hours to play. Women rarely play more than two hours. Again if you do the math two hours against five hours. That means a man has to work two and a half times as long to earn the same amount of money!
I love a good debate. Next.
I think feminism today is both powerful and strong, even though I think sometimes it is taken overboard. Women are hard workers day in and day out. So showing pride for the female and supporting each other is such a positive development. I believe that women are such strong individuals and deserve feminism to be independent and powerful. I agree with MidnightSun, that I have never seen any feminism that has been out of place or hurtful to anyone. It helps surrounding women, then why not more power to them?
Feminism should be looked at as women having the opportunity to succeed in society. This type of feminism is positive for women both young and old to look up to. Women have come a long way with this type of attitude fueling their ambitions. On the other hand, there are feminist who believe they are superior to me in every way. These women look down on men and try to bring other women into thinking in the feminist ways. This type of feminism is not positive for individuals to look up to. So depending on which feminism one looks at, it can be both bad and good for everyone.
well in my personal opinion i believe that the whole thing between men and women we need to get past because women have come a long way in 300 years. Now they can run for vice presidency and even spots in congress and the white house they even take steroids like men and lose all their gold medals like men. PLus we have to give them props for having kids because i know it must be painful process. But, for i think that the presidnet of the US should be held for men only because i think if a woman was president the white house would loook like a big gucci bag or something lol
Caduceus01
I am saying that in Wimbledon men make more for a given prize. At the same time it is true that women make more per set. However, what I was focusing on in the article was a comment by a woman player that the ratings for women are the same or better than men.
Then, if the ratings are better, the pay simply will go up. That’s how it works in a free market society. Elton John will get far more for performing one song at a gala than an equally talented singer who sings for 4 hours straight in a night club. Higher pay goes to the one who brings in the most to the profession (in whatever way “more” is defined.)
Why do I think women bring “more” to tennis? My personal opinion is that they have a stronger “star” presence on the courts. Plus, the fact that they play three sets and not five makes the game more exciting. Why? Because many women today have built up the endurance to go on to five sets. When they however stop at three, the final set is as exciting to watch as the first because the strength is still there. Personal opinion here, not supported by an academic reference. (And yes, I agree that people of the same built/frame should play the same amount of sets.)
The pay arrangements in Wimbledon reflect proceeds from tickets, media coverage, advertising and negotiations through top agents. Mainly negotiations.
One last comment. It can be misleading to look at aggregate or average salaries in a certain profession. Take teachers for example. The vast majority of teachers are women (men are more reluctant to get into a low paying profession) and therefore they have more years of service than men. That is reflected in the average salary. It does not mean however that when one is hired for the first time, one gender is getting paid more than the other.
In some aspects I believe that feminism is a good thing. That is having equal rights. But with anything good there are going to be bad aspects. Such as a dissoluteness of the family environment. For example, while dad is out working and mommy is out fighting for women' right what is little Johnny doing? Probably being babysat by someone. What message does that send to the children?
Some feminists are out to get men because may be they think that men are the "evil" of the world. This is not good because it portrays women as "men-haters". Granted, women have been oppressed in the past such as not having the right to vote but those time are passed. This is kind-of the same as African Americans seeking reparations except, instead of seeking money for damages women are trying to demean men. I think that this is incredibly counterproductive. Will this eventually lead to a war of the sexes? Only time will tell.
It depends on the kind of feminism you are talking about. If you want to support the idea of total equality between the sexes, then it should be a good environment for children to grow up on. On the other hand, if the kid grows up a super feminist/anti-man household, chances are the kid is going to develop some kind of hostility toward the oppossite sex. IF you ask me, feminism is a matter of choice; and the choice you make affects the way you view the movement.
I agree with "Hot Blonde". While feminism does have its benefits, it has gotten a little out of hand. Women by all means should have equal rights in this country just the same as the different races in this country should have equal rights. I think that this is being proven right now in our current political standing with an african american president and a woman as his secretary of state.
I also agree with "operationjapan" on the supportng equal rights but not supporting some over-zealous acts that seemed to be stemmed out of revenge for the past. This topic is definitely a gray area to me with a fine line between equal and out of hand hatrid and bias.
I think that feminism is good for everyone even children. Every gender should be treated the same way and giving the same rights. We have a lot of single mothers out there that need to make a living for themselves and their child. They need to be an example for that child and show them that a female can do things without a man help. Our little girls need to grow up to see that the sky is the limit and that they can do whatever they desire to do in life. We have a lot of jobs that require a male and females touch now a day that have been good for our society.
I think that feminism is a great thing because it’s about women having equal rights and opportunities. I mean it’s great to see people willing to support women in whatever they are doing. I do believe that feminism is changing, but in a good way. Women don't just have the title of being a stay-at-home mom anymore. They can take on the role of taking care of their children and working.
I think that feminism practiced today is good for both sexes and children because it shows that everyone has equal rights in whatever they choose to do, and children can learn that while they are still young. I haven’t seen feminism in a bad way, so what I think of it is that women are not trying to overpower or show hatred towards men. They just want to have the same rights and opportunities as men do.
the Feminist movement is a very good thing for Women, and a necessary thing for Men. Right now men are the more socially and economically powerful of the sexes, and oppression and injustice follows. As a man i would be more than willing to sacrifice whatever unfair advantage i was born with because the amount of in-equality in this world makes me sick. there are many groups that are being oppressed, but no group is larger, or has suffered longer than women. having said that i have seen the movement do some things that i see as illogical. One organization sued a fire department because the balance of firefighter jobs leaned heavily to the men. the organization thought the qualifications for women firefighters should be lowered. Equality doesn't mean every job is split evenly between men and women, it means every person, regardless of sex, has the same opportunities for the same jobs. we do not need to let people that are not qualified to preform one of societies most physical, important, dangerous jobs work the job for the sake of numerical equality of sex. Social equality is something everyone should strive for, numerical equality will follow where it should, forcing that issue will result in more inequality.
Some mothers feel alienated by what they see as “feminism”. They feel that feminism is right in there fighting their corner, until they decide to give birth and raise a child. They feel feminism either has no part in their life until they want to return to the world of paid work, or even actively lets them down (“feminism’s gone too far now I don’t have the option to stay at home with my child/children”).
I think this “feminism” is probably a sort of “straw man”… but I also think that, if this is the case, many feminists have done nothing to dispel this image and have even perpetuated it at times.
I think feminism is good, i like that men and women have equal rights. With having eaual rights it is able to show how strong women can really be. And that women dont need to have a man to control them. With having equal rights it has given women many opportunities to show how much they are capable of doing. For example, in jobs you see more women doctors and wommen being managers. And if there was not equal rights women wouldn't have been able to show that. so yes i blieve that feminism has been a great thing.
Is feminism as practiced today good or bad for both sexes? And children as well, not just women? What do you think?
I think Feminism as it is practiced today with the concept as defined and as intended, is a great opportunity for men to share the Educational & Occupational accomplishments and all the other so called burdens of the world with their female counter part.
The old world was based on the necessity and convenience of being a man in a male dominate world, when most families were held together by the glue of isolation, religion and In-laws.
I am very grateful for women being able to pursue educational esteemed degrees. Without feminism, we would not have women working with NASA. Female Physicians, nor Teachers, nor my Dentist. For most part, they have self authority to wear anything they want; (larger corporation still have some type of dress codes).
I was intrigued by a new series of classes that cultivated & introduced a Feminist Study as an elective, plus various workshops. That was over 20 years ago at Smith College in Northampton Ma. Teaching the feminist wannabes’; the women of the educated world a directive manner to learn the difference of asserting there rights and just being aggressively argumentative & un-lady like.
I am of the generation where the women of the day struggled to balance home life, family and get out there and work “nine to five”, was it a feminist movement? It seemed like women wanted more independence from being a wife to the house and all its contents, and be part of the bigger world.
The struggle for women to balance the family life and work to bring home the “bacon”, has taken a toll on our young adults today, as they are the ones who suffered from the “latch key kid syndrome”.
I think if you teach young women about Feminism then maybe more of them will seek college degrees before having a family, so that they are more emotional and financially capable to prioritize their child rearing years, when the kids need them the most.
I think feminism for the most part is a good thing. Society now has shown us that woman have gone reali far, like the article said in sports, buisneses etc. and not just in jobs but in households, single mothers do a great job without a man by her side. I think woman deserve equal pay but fairly. Meaning, for the woman that does what a man does. Like getting al dirty and doing hard jobs, those need equal pay. But to those woman who are gonna complain and not do the dirty jobs then of course not. Its not fair. Now the woman that wants to overthrow men and hate are just crazy. Men are needed in this world.
I think that equal treatment in general has made remarkable steps forward within the last century. Specifically in regards to women there have been many changes that have occurred. Feminism is an excellent thing, and it was definitely necessary for women's rights to be pushed. I am grateful to be offered the same opportunity today as a man, and I know this is because of all of the feminist that fought hard for that right. The stereotype that a Doctor is a woman has decreased, and there are countless female doctors, as well as countless male nurses. Women have equal opportunity in the workplace, where there is no discrimination when hiring or promoting. However there is no law for equal pay amongst men and women. This is why on the average men still get paid more.
Feminism in my opinion is simply a word. A word that has a very specific meaning to most of us and yet that meaning varies from person to person. You could say the same about the words Christian or Enviromentalist. People who are Feminist, Christian, etc., believe in similar principles but also disagree on many other issues as they pertain to their interests. For example, in a recent issue of Playboy Magazine, the centerfold refered to herself as a feminist in her pictorial interview. I see that as a clear example of how a particular label can mean completely different things to each individual. There are plenty of other "feminists" who think posing naked in a magazine is the exact opposite of feminism. Should woman be treated equally in our society, in our places of business, in our world in general? The answer is ABSOLUTELY! Feminism is not a problem, close minded, intolerant morons are.
The ideals of feminism can be beneficial to both genders. Equality and justice are principals that promote society as a whole, not just certain members of that society. It is especially beneficial for children growing up to be taught the value of equality. The goals and values incorporated with the feminist movement go along with a society moving forward to diversity and tolerance. Human beings are remarkable for their ability to thrive as a diverse society. It is in this melting pot that all the good of many cultures, races, ethnicities, and genders can come together and achieve feats otherwise unattainable.
I think feminism is brilliantly awesome. I mean the positive parts I've seen anyway. Women should have equal rights, and the work that women have done prove it. Now I will say that those women who want to overthrow men altogether seem a little ridiculous to me. Men and women are to compliment each other, not rule over one another. It is nice to see strong women taking charge and being in a position of power. I'm happy that women no longer have to play the traditional role of housewife. It's good that we are able to make our own decisions and be independent, but that's not to say men should disappear. I believe that there should be a balance of power between the sexes.
I think its better for both sexes. because no matter what there's going to be prejudice and stuff, but having men and women equal, especially in power positions like in govt and high corporate end businesses, that is good because there is a good balance. also, for children, because kids see their parents contributing equally.
In the end feminism will not exist for a long period of time. Women eventually will get paid the same amount as men. We should have a respect level for each other.
Women are rising up in the world. They are doing more and more things that men think they can do better. Men are being proven wrong. I think it is wonderful that many women are independent and are doing things so differently than it was before. We as women are showing the world that we can do things that not only men can do. This is great for children, women can be role models and children can look up to that. You can do anything you want to, as long as you put your mind to it. I think that many women have made that saying a fact with different things.
I think it has opened the doors for many opportunitys and it can be bad and good. That's a good point that is made in the blog about the bible and how men should rule over their wife. But I think in some cases it is neccessary for women to take action on the success of gaining the equality of men, they fought so very hard for.
And to SexyTeddyBear, I do not believe polk a dot is a race. And I do not believe women use that as a defense as the black people use the "race card" both exist! But being a women in society automatically puts you in a lower rank than men, maybe you should look up the support which shows men and their higher pay.
No matter how qualified one is, many factors determine success, so just because someone has a higher level of education, many other factors determine where someone's place is, and gender is one of them.
As for CardBoard_Composite, I totally agree with you and that is one of the negative sides because there are women who think like that and just take things "overboard".
I don't have a feeling for or against. I like the fact that the women in our society think they have to make things legal all the time. To be honest I work under two woman boses and they have been delightful to work for so I see no harm in letting the women in our society know that the can do it just like men can.
I think that for the most part feminism has had a good effect on society. Woman get a lot more respect in the work place and are accomplishing higher positions. I do however feel that there are some woman who have turned the idea of feminism into a misogynist campaign. And I do not feel thats what feminism should be. Feminism is the struggle and accomplishments of woman and how far they have come in society. Not hating men.
I think feminism has been a positive movement since the beginning. I do not believe that women try to overthrow men and take over society – at least, that is not scheduled in their announced agenda! Feminism has indeed motivated a part of society to become more productive and dynamic. Empowering women does not only empower individuals, but usually it is the empowerment of society as a whole. Mothers that are empowered, and experience equal opportunities and responsibilities in their society side by side with men, convey that positive concept to their children –be they boys or girls. When equality is practiced in society productivity increases leading to the increase in prosperty.
Although feminism has been a 50 year old movement now in the US, it is much younger than that in other countries with more conservative cultures. Saudi Arabia for example is experiencing such a strong feminist movement that is restricted with certain boundaries. That reveals the irony in how goals of the same movement changes and varies depending on which national borders it operates within. In Saudi Arabia feminists ask for more job opportunities and the permit to drive a car! While in the USA feminism pushes for more women to take over official positions. Perhaps the most recent and remarkable achievement for feminism in the USA is when Hilary Clinton was Almost going to become the first female president of the country.
Feminism in my opinion is definitely practiced today, however there are benefits and hindrances towards each perspective. I think feminism is very pertinent in society today especially because there is more and more females who are finding social injustices. Coming from a female’s perspective, I can confidently say I think the feminism movement is one of the greatest movements America has ever experienced. For women, I think it is definitely a beneficial thing, however for men, I don’t think it really concerns anything. I do not really thing it makes a difference to them, aside from the job market lessening, and them not being able to obtain as many jobs.
I believe that feminism practiced today has benefitted both men and women in many ways that I have seen. Women can now have the same job opportunities as men and the right to be treated the same. They now can do anything they want and don’t have to worry about being discriminated against because they are women. Women are now allowed to work and men can stay home with the children if they want, or vise versa. On the other hand, children are affected with this movement. Instead of their mother raising them, they now have babysitters or daycares taking care of them. Yet, if the mother does stay home with her children this can mean a lower income to the family and may change her job opportunities in the future.
Feminism has been a wonderful thing in certain aspects of my life. Having the mind set that anything he can do i can do makes me more outgoing and unafraid. I've had the privilege of seeing strong, powerful women build a business from the ground up, compete for and gain prominent positions in the corporate world, I've even had a friend go out for the high school football team and make it. The only issue i have with feminism is that not everyone respects it. The fact that certain jobs still pay males higher rates for the same work is ridiculous. More than half the time a woman's doing 10x the work of a man just to try and get where he started. Though times are changing i feel its not going fast enough.
I feel that feminism today has its ups and downs. Yes it is great that women are being acknowledged it certain areas to where as before we were told that this was not our place. It has given us equal rights to do what men have always done. however some feminist take it way over the edge. As far as our children, it shows that you are able to accomplish anything. You can be whoever you want to be. On the downside concerning our children, with women be able to achieve more it leaves them at home with a nanny who might just put them infront of a leapfrog game that is "suppose" to teach them there abc's. This is not as black and white as people make it seem.
I think now it has become detrimental to everyone. In the past there were more important issues it was addressing such as voting, harrasment, and employment. Now it seems to be focused on making women the same as men instead of exalting them for the differences and the values they add to society. Also, women have much more different views from each other than in the past. There is less unity in the feminist movement and that hurts society. Women should be happy they are women and use the skills they have that men don't. Women who have worried less about being equal with men and more on helping their country and being strong such as Thatcher, and many other foreign leaders, have helped women in the world more than someone who simply wants to prove they are stronger just to be seen as like a man. Women are fantastic because they are different and deserve the same respect as men. However they shouldn't worry about being as strong, or fast, or as mean as them. Besides, if we were exactly the same then the world would smell much more.
I do agree that feminism does have two distinct meanings. In today’s society I observe it to be more negative than positive. It does seem as though when the word feminism is mentioned people automatically think of women trying to overrun men. In this day in age I think that many people, especially young people, believe that discrimination against women does not exist anymore an. They think of it as a thing of the past, therefore feminism is not an issue that needs to be addressed. I personally believe that feminism, the good side, should still be encouraged. There are men out there who discriminate against women. It isn’t as much of an issue, but I do believe it still happens. Some women do take it to another level which puts a bad label on all women, but what can you do. Children these days should not even be taught feminism. They should just know that everyone is equal and they can do anything they put their mind to.
I think feminism can be either good or bad. I know some women who take feminism to the extreme, they do everything you could imagine a feminist doing; they don't shave their legs or armpits, they wear hemp clothes, they drive beat up old Volkswagens. They take feminism to the extreme, especially when they blurt out things that are completely unnecessary. I believe men can learn from the feminists that stand up for only themselves. At my last job i was underpaid, the boss (a male) hired men at much higher starting salaries. I thought it was completely unfair, i am a woman, so what?!? I brought up his ways of being not un-feminist, but sexist ways. Bringing out the little feminist i had in me, he learned that he was doing such actions. I don't think feminism is unimportant, but i also don't think it is vital.
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