Feminism Movement (Essay Sample)

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Feminism
Feminism is loosely defined as the consideration given to women and their opinions. It is based on calls for equality among all genders in political, social, and economic societal spheres. As opposed to the popular group where feminists are deemed to be of a female gender, Modern feminism has attracted men who champion for gender equality. Feminism is a revolution that seeks to break the ancient patriarchy entrenched in the society norms and traditions that discriminate women. Gender discrimination is one of the grounds for discrimination within the society with the list including age, marital status, race, tribe, and economic class. Feminists view the world as unequal, male-dominated, and oppressive to women.
For years, women from all over the world have struggled to gain equality and break the deeply rooted patriarchy structures that hamper their progress. Women development, personal development, and their opportunities are being taken by men before the existing structures discriminate women (Wilkinson 198). Feminism movements across the globe seek to ensure women enjoy their rights and have a voice in the communities through enlightenment and collectively championing for their recognition. Feminism objectives are based on the religion or in human rights where they argue that all people are equal before God and the law. In discussing feminism, one has to balance both arguments of and against feminism and critically analyze so as to reach a conclusion. This paper will integrate critical thinking skills in analyzing arguments on feminism.
Historical Background.
The last century was marked by the sustained fight for equality among people, social classes, races, genders, and sexual orientations. The feminist movement in the western world became one of the strongest and fruitful concerning its results. However, not everyone knows that feminism rose far before the twentieth century. The existing social inequality that was widely presented not only in the society and families but also in professions, utilization of artistic talents and political relevance became the topic for reconsidering the order. According to the studies on the feminist movement state that there are three waves of its development and raised problems. Even though the movement is spread widely and has appealed mainly to all problems, there are still many challenges that women might meet in their everyday life.
Feminism Waves
Understanding of feminism theories and movement can only be realized through the three waves. Feminism, at its initial stage, was less complicated movement; it developed into different philosophical schools with each school agitating for equality in different spheres. Whereas western Europe feminists agitate for equality in politics, bodily integrity, and the right to choose whether to procreate or not, In other parts of the world like Africa feminists focus of violence against women, FGM, and equality in property ownership.
The first wave of feminism occurred in the nineteenth century pioneered by Sappho, Christine de Pisan, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Jane Austen might be considered as foremothers of the female movement. Each of the pioneers based their social thoughts on the equality but couldn’t yield any fruit as they were no structures and circumstances were not conducive for feminism. Originally, feminists agreed that the problem of gender inequality could be solved through informing the society on the disadvantages of patriarchy. Wollstonecraft argued and stated that the role of a woman in the society was to raise and educate children. In ensuring equality, there is the need to change the traditional education principles for women and a change of the society attitude toward women. For instance, change the attitude from the concept of ‘wife’ to ‘companion’. Wollstonecraft widely appealed to the traditional attitude to ladies as too weak representatives of the society and only good for marriage. However, the feminist does not appeal only to the social complications but also to the female neglect. Wollstonecraft calls for equality that should exist between sexes that raised the need to invert the social order. However, the triggered needs of the possible changes have not been implemented fully yet.
The second wave took place in the 1960s and was fronted by labor unions and workers welfare groups and agitated for equality at working place. The movement reached its pick in the 1980s in the United States, Europe, and some parts of the Middle East. The above mentioned legal regulations of the first wave to turn over the social order were developed in the light of sexuality, family, workplace, and reproductive rights. The mainstream of women led to the wide employment at professional positions in all spheres and businesses: in the military, media, sports, etc. At the same time, there is one more side of feminism that included fights against the domestic violence against women and rapes. That led to creating crises centers for females, shelters for battered women, and protective divorce policies. In these terms, the United States adopted the Equal Rights Amendment as a part of the U.S. Constitution. This act helped to change the social order from the domination of the male over ‘the second sex’ the movements bow some fruits with changes in legislation, labor policies, constitutions, and affirmative action in labor practices.
The third wave of feminism was a continuation and modification of the second one and appealed not only to the order and regulations raised in the middle of the century. Having the post-structuralism shape, the third wave appealed to the idea of gender and sexuality within the new generation outlook at women (Stockill 123). This wave started in the 1990s and developed the ideas stated before: it appealed to creating shelters for women that have to survive through violence against them. At the same time, the wave appealed to the existing harassment against women at working places. Moreover, there the third wave paid much attention to the challenges with children care the equal educational demands and the available contraceptives. Nevertheless, the modern feminists condemned the previous policies as inattentive to the personal and individual rights of women and the concentration on the regulations and laws. Even though there were many active and fruitful changes in the social order and legislations, not all problems connected to the gender differences have been overcome up to now. Thus, there might be a lot of thinks that might be changed by the fourth wave of the feminist movement.
Logical arguments
In applying critical thing skills in this topic, I will analyze each argument and make recommendations. First, the fourth should overhaul the general social attitude to the feminist movement, its goals, and ideas. The aggression against men and traditions is unwarranted. Thus, the modern movement has to change the existing order to the better and create circumstances that are acceptable to both men and women. Thus, the changes that are required in the society is the work of all society but not only women as fronted by radical feminists. Today, women still are vulnerable to the violence on the streets, at homes, and working places. Taking into account the existing female vulnerability to males based on the physical difference, the feminine movement might appeal to the courts and governments for toughening regulations and punishment for those that overuse their physical force of males against weaker females. Such regulations might appeal to the idea of the developed self-defense: it might include the higher availability of items for self-protection. At the same time, the legislation might appeal to the tough punishment for men that complete violent actions against women. The idea of toughening legislation and enabling the improved protection might reduce the acts of violence against women at homes, offices, and in the streets. At the same time, the feminist movement might appeal to the developed gender studies and the education about the respect. Such additional programs might take place at schools, universities, and family centers. The developed attitude to individuals of various genders might help to prevent all forms of disrespect at working places and families. In my opinion, tightening regulations and excluding men in the feminist movement will only serve to worsen the hostility between the two genders. For the complete realization of the gender equality, there is a need to involve men in the society as most of the resources are owned by men and any attempt to sideline them is bound to fail.
Feminist criticism has been ongoing since mid-1960’s and is surprisingly fronted by women as part of their liberation struggle that saw it as an attempt to dismantle social and cultural values entrenched in the society traditions. In 1966, most women is America begun to oppose an attempt by the media to impose new ideals in their lives and termed the idea as modern colonization. Any feminist move that tries to change the social setting of the society is bound to fail since culture and traditions constitute to the identity of a community. Feminists should desist from attacking cultures since any attempt to disregard the culture of the people will always face an opposition.
There is no opposition in the push for gender equality; however, it is prudent to note that women have theorized all ideals of democracy, rights and freedoms, and tolerance without working hard to know what such concepts entail. It is men who die for their country, and this is evident in wars, the struggle against colonization, and the fight against terrorism. Women are always unwilling to sacrifice for the common good of the society, and it is hypocritical for them to claim equality to me. There i...