Eddy1 J.Eddy Mrs.T EnglishIV March26,2014 Feminism Feminismhasbeenhighlydisregardedasridiculousandnotnecessary,andeventaboo,forover hundredsofyears.Misperceptionsoffeminismarethecoreproblemmakingitsothatprogressis slowed,andpropereducationonequalrightsforwomenaswellisntreallytaught..Feminismhasbeen skewedandmistaughtforsolongthatmostpeopleareshownthatitisntrightandshouldbedone awaywith. Feminist,feminism.Thesewordsoftenigniteahatredandangerinpeoplewhenbroughtupor enforced.Hostileattitudestowardthefeministmovementandtowardfeministsthemselveshave continuedtoexist(Rethinking).Evensomewomendonotbelievefeminismisgoodorimportant. Feministsareviewedasmanhaters,braburners,andbabykillers.

.Theseaccusationsandassumptions areincorrect,theydamageideasandpracticesoffeminists,andtheyblockprogress.Feminismisnt aboutdestroyingmenitsabouteliminatingpatriarchyandsexism(Khurram).Whenitcomesto feministsandfeminismingeneral,peopleverybarbaricItisasthoughthethoughtofwomenbeingequal andtreatedfairly,andnotbeingoversexualizedbyeverything,i.e.media,movies,books,commercials, etc.,istheworstthingtohappen(Finlay).Itistruethattherearesomeextremistfeministsthatdomore harmthangood,buttheyonlycountforaverysmallnumberofpeople(Saul).Theseextremeviewsand actionsarenotallthesameforallfeminists.Extremists,suchasFEMEN,afeministprotestgroupwho

 Eddy2 areknownbestfortheirtoplessattacks/protestshavebeenmisguided,andunfortunately,getmore pressandbadpress,thanagroupoffeministsworkingpeacefullywould(Saul). Feminismisacollectionofideas,theories,andpracticesallformedaroundthegoalofequal rights,opportunities,andtreatmentforwomen.Feminismsendgoalistocompletelyeliminatesexism andoppression.Feminismhasbeenaroundfor100sofyears.AbigailAdamsoncewroteafamousline inalettertoherhusbandin1776,concerningtheconstitution. [I]desireyouwouldremembertheladiesandbemoregenerousandfavorabletothemthanyour ancestors.Donotputsuchunlimitedpowerintothehandsofthehusbands.Remember,allmenwould betyrantsiftheycould.Ifparticularcareandattentionisnotpaidtotheladies,wearedeterminedto fomentarebellion,andwillnotholdourselvesboundbyanylawsinwhichwehavenovoiceor representation."(Abigail).Unfortunately,itseemsasthoughMr.Adamsdid,indeed,forgettheladies. Theconstitutionpertainedonlytowhitemen,leavingoutwomen.Thesuffragemovementwasbornafter thiswithmanydifferentwomenwhowantedmoresay,therighttovote,andequality.Atthistimethere wasathingknownasthespheresofinfluence.Themensspherewasworking,voting,political power,andthelikes.Thewomensspherewasdomesticity.Stayingathome,raisingchildren,doing housework. Morepeaceful,political,movementsandworkingsstartedearlyinhopesofshowingmenthat womenarejustassmartandpeopletoo.InJulyof1848,therewastheSenecaFallsconvention womenwithsimilarviewsandevenmen,gatheredforthisconvention.Oneofthemostimportantpieces presentedattheconvention,wastheDeclarationofSentiments.TheDeclarationofSentimentswasa revisedDeclarationofIndependence,thatincludedwomen.Theconventionwasseenasmoreofa joke.TheproceedingsinSenecaFalls,followedafewdayslaterbyameetinginRochester,brought

 Eddy3 forthatorrentofsarcasmandridiculefromthepressandpulpit.NotedFrederickDouglassintheNorth Star:"Adiscussionoftherightsofanimalswouldberegardedwithfarmorecomplacencybymanyof whatarecalledthewiseandthegoodofourland,thanwouldbeadiscussionoftherightsofwoman." (Seneca).In1867,SusanB.AnthonyformedtheEqualRightsAssociation,whichwasworkingfor universalsuffrage.Thismovementwasincrediblyimportantandleadtothe19thAmendmentbeing passed,statingthatadultwomenhadtherighttovote.Womenalsosuccessfullyranforofficeduringthis time.Thiswasamonumentusstepforwardtoequality(Imbarnoni). FeminismisimportantinallaspectsSuchasthedifferentpaymenandwomenreceiveforthe samework.Thewagegaphascertainlynarrowedwiththepastgenerationofworkingwomenin 1967womenonlyearnedabout58centstoamansdollarprogresshasstalledinrecentyears.If progresscontinuesatitscurrentrate,itwilltake45yearstoeradicatethewagegap(Glynn).Thewage gapisalargepartoftheequalitythatwomen,notjustfeminists,want.Womendothesamework,some timesevenhavetoworkharder,tostillgetlesspaythanmen.Thesebeliefsthatwomenarelesser people,whoareweakandonlygoodforcleaningandentertaining,isaviewpointtaughtbygenerations ofpeople.Menaretheleadersinteachingtheseviews,butnotallmenthinkthisway.Quiteafewmen, actually,seetheprobleminthesystemandagreethatthereneedstobemoreequalityformenand womenintheworld.Notallmenareevil,andnotallfeministsareextremeflasherswhoattackmodels. Therearemanyfacetstofeminismandfeminists.Thewholeideaandgoalisequality. Mediaisabigpartofthemisrepresentationforfeminismaswell.Everythingonthenewsis generallybadnews,andpeoplelovetohate(Holly.Rhiannon).Whatisgoingtobemoreinterestingto alargegroupofpeoplewatchingyournewsstation?Apeacefulfeministgrouphelpingoutat communitiesandwritingbooksandteachingseminarsforkidsandadults,orteenagers,thatteachesthe

 Eddy4 good,nonextreme,violentsideofsomefeministgroups,or,astoryabouthalfnudegirlsthatareaare apartofafeministgrouprunningontoacatwalkandattackingandexposingmodels,withonemodel punchingaFEMENfeminist.Thetoplessextremistsaregoingtogetmorepressandairtimethanthe dogooderswhowantapositiveimageforfeminism.Misperceptionsarebornoutofthese.People see,hear,andreadwhattheywanttoread,andfromthatfactsandtruthsgetskewed.Mistruthsare spreadandreachtheearsofthemany,whichcausesmoreproblems,andtheideathatfeministsare manhating,braburning,babykillers,isborn.Peoplewhodontunderstandwhatfeminismisare scaredbythesenew,radicalthoughtsthatwomen,areinfact,people,andthenproceedtoseewhat theythinktheyshouldsee,versuswhatisactuallygoingon(Shah).Mediaandsales/corporationsalso trytosetadifferencebetweenmenandwomen(Bowell).Theydothisbymakingitclearthatboysare toplaythepartoftheadventurer,theworker,andthetoughguy,whereasgirlstoysaremorepink andfrilly,andgirlsaremorelikelytobegivenbabydollsfortoys,thanaracecarorrocketship.Girlsare taughtatayoungagethattheyaremeanttobemothersandhavetoweardressesanddothingsfor men.Thisisoneofthebiggestissueswhenitcomestopeopletryingtoimplementfeminismorteachit togirls,evenboys,whohavebeentaughtsodifferently.Boysaretaughtthatwomendohouseworkand havebabiesandcook,whilegirlsaretaughtbymoviesandparentsandreligions,thattheyneedtofind amanandneedtocookforthem,cleanupafterthem,anddowhattheysayandhavebabies. Hundredsofyearsofthisteachinghasbeeningrainedintosociety,tothepointthatnoonewould questionit(Bryant).Exceptfeminists,whowantequality,whodontwanttobesubservienttomen,but wanttobeonequalplayingfields,withequalopportunitiesandpay,justasmen(Colossians3:18).J.K. Rowlingwastoldthatherbookswouldntbepublishedifpeopleknewtheywerewrittenbyawoman. JoanneRowlingsHarryPotterbookshavebeensomeofthemostpopularandtopselling/readbooks

 Eddy5 intheworld,andsheisawoman. Themain,andlargest,problemfacingfeminism,notjustinhistorybuttodayaswell,hasbeen negativeperceptionsandwrongteachingsastowhatthegoalis,andwhythatgoalisimportant. Feministsgoalsareabouthavingallmenandwomenbeequalinopportunities,pay,representation,and lifeingeneral.Todestroythepatriarchyandthesexistoppressionthathassloweddown,andblocked, progressthroughouthistory.Manymenandwomenhaveworkedtoevenoutthedifferencesovertime, butasseenthroughthewagegap,politics,andmedia,thisefforthasnotbeenasenforcedasitshould be.Abigail,AlicePaul,andmanyothersduringtheirtimeworkedhardjusttogetvotingrightsin1920. Newwavefeministsoftodayareworkingforevenmorethanthat,andareworkingagainstsimilar obstacles.Misteachingsmakeithardertochangethemindsofmany,toseehowwomenandmen deservethesamehumanrightsandprivilegesandchances.Thoughthereisanumberofextremist feminists,suchasFEMEN,whodomoreharmthangood,theyarestill,infact,gettingthemessageout there.Stillshowingthatwomenhavesomefightinthem,evenifsomeofthemarentdoingittheright way.Feminismisimportant,notjustforlittlegirlswhowouldratherbeadventurersthanhomemakers, orwomenwhowanttobepresident,butforeveryone.Feminismisforeveryone,notjustthefemale population,anditisgreatlyimportant. WorksCited Bowell,T.FeministStandpointTheory.InternetEncyclopediaofPhilosophy.JamesFieser.2010. Web.25Feb.2014. Bryant,Lee.FeminismHistoryLearningSite.LeeBryant.2006.Web.26Feb.2014. Finlay,Anita.HyperSexualizingWomenLeadsToSelfObjectificationMoreDestructiveAnd PrevalentThanSocietyAdmits.TheNewAgenda.20Feb.2013.web.6Mar.2014.

 Eddy6 Glynn,SaraJane.TheTop10FactsAbouttheWageGap:WomenAreStillEarningLessThanMen AcrosstheBoard.AmericanProgress.org.CenterforAmericanProgress.16Apr.2012. Web.7Mar.2014. Hannam,June.WomensHistory,FeministHistory.MakingHistory.InstituteofHistoricalResearch. 2008.Web.26Feb.2014. Holly.Rhiannon.TheFiveMainIssuesFacingModernFeminism.NewStatesman.NewStatesman. 20May2013.Web.26Feb.2014. Imbarnoni,AnnMarie.WomensRightsMovementintheU.S.TimelineofKeyEventsinthe AmericanWomensRightsMovements18481920.FactMonster.PearsonEducation,Fact Monster.2007.Web.25Feb.2014. Khurram,Shanzeh.Feminism:WhatIsItandWhyItsStillImportant.SparkSummit.Spark Movement.14Nov2012.Web.26Feb.2014. RethinkingFeminism.SCCS.Swarthmore.edu.CommonSpeakingTheNewsletteroftheAlicePaul WomensCenterVol.1,No.1.1981.Web.26Feb.2014. Saul,Heather.ModelPunchesFemenProtestersWhoStormCatwalkduringParisFashionWeek. TheIndependent.27Sep.2013.Web.5Mar.2014. TheSenecaFallsConventionJuly1920,1848.NPG.SI.EDU.NationalPortraitGallery.2006. Web.6Mar.2014. Shah,Anup.WomensRights.GlobalIssues.14Mar.2010.Web.25Feb.2014. Wishart,Ruth.WhyFeminismIsStillDesperatelyImportant.HeraldScotland.HeraldandTimes Group.11Dec.2013.Web.26Feb.2014. AbigailAdamsUrgesHusbandToRememberTheLadies..History.com.A&ETelevision

 Eddy7 Networks,LLC.2014.Web.3Mar.2014.