Final: part 2

Feminism is quite possibly one of the hardest words to define. Feminism is a multifaceted concept, dealing with equality of women, eliminating oppression from the past and present. Throughout history, women have supported feminism for different causes and personal reasons. With all of this in mind it is difficult to create a clear definition of feminism. Therefore, in order to understand what feminism is one must know its origins and its history.

The history of feminism is commonly separated into three different eras, or waves. The first wave of feminism began in the late 1800s and continued into the early 1900s. The original goal of feminists was to acquire suffrage, or the right for women to vote. First wave feminists “fought for the right to vote, and when the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which passed in 1896 and was ratified in 1870 didn’t grant voting rights to women, many were sorely disappointed” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 21). The Fifteenth Amendment declared that the right to vote could not be denied “’on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude,’ yet the word ‘sex’ was conspicuously omitted” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 21). However, women were persistent in their mission to gain suffrage. The film “Iron Jawed Angels” showcases the use of perseverance and intelligence of suffragists to attain their goals. Alice Paul, a prominent figure in the women’s suffrage movement, and the NWP (National Woman's Party) lobbied congress and President Roosevelt relentlessly in every manner from protesting outside the white house, to a hunger strike. It was their determination and creativity that eventually lead to women getting the vote. The first wave of “the women’s movement is significant, however, not only because women obtained the right to vote, but because their work helped change the perception of women from voiceless dependants to independent thinkers with a valid voice in shaping the country” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 23). Until this point, America existed in an entirely patriarchal system and women were completely subservient to men. The end of the first wave is generally accepted to be the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919, which prohibits the government from denying the right to vote based on sex. However, the first wave of feminism was just the beginning. Accomplishing the right to vote was indeed a colossal step towards gender equality. However, it merely laid the groundwork for future women to pursue more advances in gender equality.

The second wave of the women’s movement began in the 1960s, and continued into 70s, and early 80s. The second wave of feminism marked a change in aspirations for women. There was more “[focus] on women’s independence and equality with men” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 25). Second wave feminists began to fight for “increased gender equality in the workplace, access to reproductive health care and sexuality information, and civil-rights legislation that made discrimination on the basis of sex or race illegal”(Rowe-Finkbeiner 26). A more radical manner in which women protested America’s disposition towards male dominance during this time was bra-burning. In their quest to achieve social equality with men, women saw bras as man-made article items that objectified women, forced femininity, and perpetuated the patriarchal system. This is symbolic of the perception of the second wave that women needed to become more masculine in order to be taken seriously and obtain success. In general “second wave feminism fought hard for legislative victories that granted substantial rights and opinions to women” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 29). Yet, the second wave was still not the end of modern feminism. Second wave feminists indeed made massive strides towards equality. However, women still face stereotypes and gender inequality in America.

The third wave of feminism began in the 1990s and continues to this day. The third wave brings together the “fight for women to have professional career opportunities and the idea that ‘traditional’ gender-roles and actions don’t need to be thrown out the window” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 31). For instance in Lisa Belkin’s “The Opt out Revolution” Belkin interviews several women that occupied high powered jobs, many of them second wave feminists, who chose to quit their careers to raise their children. At first these women had all the drive in the world. However, when they added children to the equation they realized that working on such a high level and raising a child is a very strenuous affair. Therefore, many of them came to the conclusion that they would rather be a part of their child's upbringing than further pursue their careers. This mindset perplexes and infuriates many second wave feminists who believe that modern women’s goal should be to be successful and independent. However it is impossible for women to be men. Belkin’s argument for why women choose to raise a family is that they are biologically predisposed to do so. The fact is that women still face inequality such as the wage gap between men and women but third wave feminists are trying to become more down to earth. Young women today are more whimsical; they “want to have more fun” and be “hip, sexy, and cool” but the silver lining of all this is that these young women are “standing on the shoulders of second wave [feminists]” and enjoying the successes that they achieved (Rowe-Finkbeiner 31).

The history of feminism demonstrates how different women have perceived feminism. If you were to ask a first wave feminist what feminism means they might respond that it is the movement to give women the right to vote. A second wave feminist might answer that it is the idea that women should be politically, socially, and economically equal to men. Third wave feminists could give a diverse slew of answers. The point is that feminism is connotative, and its meaning is different for different people and it differs depending on the era. Rebecca West, a British author, one said that “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” In summation, feminism can be described as the movement or idea that women should be equal to, and have all the same opportunities as men.

You know you’re a feminist when you want a society where a woman’s competence, control, presence and influence extend to all areas, not just those directly connected to child bearing housewife and doing the things apparently important people think they don’t have time to do. A lot of feminists, including myself, would also like to see a society where men are as encouraged to care for others in a domestic setting as women are. I think women should be able to make decisions about their bodies and reproductive rights, have the ability to achieve professional leadership positions, and not give up their dreams if they choose to have a family. Also women shouldn’t be submissive and take on this “June Cleaver” role as a housewife. Before this class I was not aware of feminism or how far women have come to achieve rights and equality. To be honest, I was one of those who viewed feminists as men-hating lesbians. This class has made me more conscience of who I am as a woman and how much potential I have to make an impact in this world and follow my dreams.