Feminism – A Boon or Bane
'Equality
knows no gender, there is no limit to what we as a women cannot accomplish and
we cannot achieve progress unless half of us are held back.’
It has been ages since we talk about Feminism. But what this feminism actually is? Feminism is a set of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and opportunities for women. It is an idea, a doctrine and a theory demanding equal rights and opportunities for women. However it does not mean extra rights and privileges to women over men. In general sense, it simply talks about equality. The concept of feminism seeks to provide the basic, what men actually have with even asking for it while the women have to fight for the same. It is about respecting diverse women's experiences, identities, knowledge and strengths, and striving to empower all women to realise their full rights.
History of Feminism
Feminism
holds the position that modern societies are patriarchal. They prioritize the
male point of view and that women are treated unjustly in these societies.
Efforts to change this include fighting against gender stereotypes and
improving educational, professional, and interpersonal opportunities and
outcomes for women.
Feminism’s origins can be traced back to the 18th
and 19th centuries, with early feminist ideas emerging from the
Enlightenment and the rise of liberal and socialist movements. The first formal
feminist movement, often associated with the first wave, gained momentum in the
mid-19th century, particularly in the United States and the United
Kingdom, with a focus on women’s rights and suffrage. Philosophers like Mary
Wollstonecraft and John Stuart Mill began advocating for women's rights and
challenging the societal constraints placed upon them. Mary Wollstonecraft
is seen by many as a founder of feminism due to her 1792 book titled 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman' in
which she argues that class and private property are the basis of
discrimination against women, and that women as much as men needed equal
rights.
Depending on the historical moment,
culture and country, feminists around the world have had different causes and
goals. Most western feminist historians contend that all movements working to
obtain women's rights should be considered feminist movements, even when they
did not (or do not) apply the term to themselves. Other historians assert
that the term should be limited to the modern feminist movement and its
descendants.
Originating
in late 18th-century Europe, feminist movements have campaigned and
continue to campaign for women’s rights, including the right to vote, run for
public office, work, earn equal pay, own property, receive education, enter
into contracts, have equal rights within marriage, and maternity leave.
Feminists have also worked to ensure access to contraception, legal abortions,
and social integration; and to protect women and girls from sexual assault, sexual
harassment, and domestic violence. Changes in female dress standards and
acceptable physical activities for women have also been part of feminist
movements.
Many scholars consider feminist campaigns to be a main
force behind major historical societal changes for
women's rights, particularly in the West,
where they are near-universally credited with achieving women's
suffrage, gender-neutral language, reproductive rights for
women (including access to contraceptives and abortion), and the right to enter into contracts and own
property. Although feminist advocacy is, and has been, mainly focused on
women's rights, some argue for the inclusion of men's liberation within its aims, because they believe that men are
also harmed by traditional gender roles. Feminist
theory, which emerged from feminist movements, aims
to understand the nature of gender inequality by examining women's social roles
and lived experiences. Feminist theorists have developed theories in a variety
of disciplines in order to respond to issues concerning gender.
Since the late 20th century, many newer forms of feminism
have emerged. Some forms, such as white feminism and gender-critical
feminism, have been criticized as taking into
account only white, middle class, educated or heterosexual perspectives. These criticisms have led to the
creation of ethnically specific or multicultural forms of feminism, such as black
feminism and intersectional feminism.
Need for Feminism
Feminism
is much needed to create gender equality, to dismantle all forms of oppression,
to remove inequality for all gender specially for women and to ensure a just
society for all. It promotes broader understanding of gender diversity and
challenges harmful gender stereotypes.
Mentioning
the concept of 'equality' in the Constitution will not automatically bring
equality in the society. Major portion of the society believes that the women
should be housewives. Misogyny prevails from entertainment to politics.
Wherein, in entertainment industry women are objectified. Even there are many
politicians who have made sexist remark on women. In this scenario of misogyny,
equality granted to women in Constitution is just a theoretical equality. The
society judge the capabilities of humans based on their gender. Women and men
have equal capabilities there may be certain biological and psychological
differences between them but they are equal in virtue of talents. This
discrimination is created by the society and must be relinquished by the
society only. Hence, the concept of feminism is of utmost importance.
Feminism
addresses persistent inequalities faced by women, such as the gender pay gap,
underrepresentation in leadership, and systemic violence, etc. This can be
explained below:
•Women
continue to face a significant gender pay gap, earning less than men for the
same work, impacting their financial security and overall economic empowerment.
•Women
are underrepresented in positions of power and influence in politics, business,
and other sectors, hindering their ability to shape policies and decisions that
impact their lives.
•Women
are disproportionately affected by violence, including domestic violence,
sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence.
•Feminism
challenges the patriarchal systems that prioritize male dominance and
privilege, leading to discrimination and inequality.
•Recognizing
that women’s experiences are shaped by intersecting identities (race, class,
sexual orientation, etc.), feminism seeks to address the unique challenges
faced by marginalized groups within the broader movement for gender equality.
•Feminism
empowers women to take control of their lives, make their own choices, and
participate fully in society.
•It
advocates for legal and policy reforms that promote gender equality, such as
equal pay, access to healthcare, and reproductive rights.
•While
often associated with women’s rights, feminism benefits everyone by challenging
harmful gender roles and promoting a more just and inclusive society for all.
•Despite
progress, gender inequality persists in various forms, highlighting the ongoing
need for feminist activism and advocacy.
•Feminism
calls for fundamental changes in societal structures and attitudes to address
the root causes of gender inequality.
•Recognizing
the diverse experiences of women and other marginalized groups is crucial for
creating a truly equitable society.
Due
to the following reasons we can conclude that introduction of the concept of
feminism is of utmost importance. The reality is that feminism will be
necessary until women are equal to men, but right now we aren’t. Men are at the
top of the ladder, already reaching for the sky, and women are a few rungs
down, holding on tightly. Now we have hammers to break through that glass
ceiling above our heads.
Importance of Feminism
We
still need feminism today because women are too often expected to go to work, look
after the kids, clean the house till it sparkles and still have food ready on
the table for their husband and kids. Feminists highlight the burden of
domestic duties and parental demands and try to instigate laws which could
prompt cultural change, like paid parental leave.
Women
are constantly seen as the inferior gender, compared to men even when we are at
the top of our game. There are not enough leadership opportunities for women,
and, if women do manage to achieve leadership positions, they are quickly
stifled by the culture of misogyny that runs rampant in our society.
Today, 129 million girls do not
have access to education, for example, and of
the 690 million people who are food insecure globally right now, 60% are women and girls. Women-owned businesses receive less than 1% of
global procurement spending. Meanwhile, the gender pay gap too remains deeply
entrenched, with the UN reporting in September 2023 that for each dollar men
earn in labor income globally, women earn just 51 cents. Women also spend three
times as many hours on unpaid domestic and care work as men (and that was
pre-pandemic, it’s believed to have increased since).
Women also have worse health outcomes
than men, particularly when it comes to areas that are more unique to women,
such as maternal and menstrual health Pregnancy and childbirth cause over 800
entirely preventable deaths per day. With due consideration to all these
issues, it becomes quite clear that how importance feminism holds presently.
Until and unless all the issues against women are resolved we have to
constantly fight for it.
Anti
– feminism
Anti-feminism is opposition to feminism.
Anti-feminists opposed particular policy proposals for women’s rights, such as
the right to vote, educational opportunities, property rights, and access to
birth control. Antifeminism is often linked to the men's rights movement, a social movement concerned with discrimination
against men.
Many people particularly young men are
becoming anti-feminist. They believe it to be inequality against them. The
major reason being the privilege assumed by women over men. Increasingly, men
are reporting mistreatment in their daily lives. Some antifeminists argue that
feminism, despite claiming to advocate for equality, ignores rights issues
unique to men. They believe that the feminist movement has achieved its aims
and now seeks higher status for women than for men via special rights and
exemptions, such as female-only scholarships, affirmative action, and gender
quotas.
Antifeminism might be motivated by the belief that
feminist theories of patriarchy and disadvantages suffered by women in society are
incorrect or exaggerated; that feminism as a movement encourages misandry and results in harm or oppression of men; or driven
by general opposition towards women's rights.
Conclusion
Feminism plays a crucial role in our society, and its significance goes beyond just women; it impacts every individual, regardless of their gender, background, or beliefs. Feminism is all about empowering everyone, not just women, and it’s a common misconception that only women can be feminists. Feminism is about enabling people to live authentically and lead fulfilling lives without being held back by outdated norms. To put it simply, it benefits both women and men. For example, feminism supports women’s right to work and questions why men should bear the sole responsibility for providing for their families. It advocates for freedom and equality for all.
One of the most important aspects of
feminism is encouraging young people to actively participate in this movement.
Their involvement can help us make progress more quickly. Just imagine a world
where everyone is treated equally – it’s a dream worth pursuing.
It is worth mentioning:
'Women belong to earth as much as men do. It is right that they should be paid equally as their male counterparts. It is right that women should be able to male decisions about their own body and should not be lectured on sexism and misogyny by anyone. This is the time when we all should be seen as the same band of spectrum and not two different set of ideals. ‘
Imra Fatima
1st year (2nd semester)
S S Khanna Girl's Degree College
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