Feminism in Society — What Everyone Needs to Know
Not everyone fully understands what feminism means in society. Many people confuse the concepts and believe that women strive to be more important and stronger than men, when in reality, it is only about equality.
Contents of the article:
What is feminism?
Feminism is still not very widespread in modern society, and many people confuse it with matriarchy. However, these are two completely different concepts that must be distinguished. Feminism is seen as a movement for women”s rights and, in particular, against discrimination against women by men based on gender.
The key point is that women should not lose their social, political, and economic rights and opportunities simply because they were born women. Mary Shear once said something that”s still relevant today: “I”m not a woman, I”m a woman.” This statement speaks volumes.
In the 1900s, feminism was hotly debated, with some men saying that by founding such a movement, women were trying to replace men in society by abandoning their interest in family and children. This is a fundamentally wrong notion. Childbearing is a natural and physiological function for women, and they would never give it up. The idea is that, despite childbearing, women should have equal rights with men.
From the very beginning, feminism was perceived very negatively in society, but today people have a more simplistic view of the movement; many accept it and understand that feminists are right.
Feminism has many different positions, but none of them implies cruelty to men. True feminists treat the opposite sex well, but at the same time, they put themselves first and are ready to defend their dignity in any situation. Even radical feminism, which can be considered a fairly rigorous movement, does not separate women from men.
It is not misogyny, but equal rights for men and women. Radical feminism is also divided into several currents, one of which is separatism. Women in this movement argue that they should not expect good things from men. They strive to destroy relationships built on patriarchal principles, but very few belong to this movement, and more women strive only for equality.
Read also: Problems of feminism in the modern world
The feminist movement has been around for over 100 years, and in that time it has changed society. Initially, the issues of feminism were global and concerned.
Why is it necessary to change centuries-old traditions?
Until now, many have been perplexed as to why feminist women are seeking to overthrow a tradition that has developed over centuries. It is not easy to answer this question. However, the most important thing is that both men and women are happy. Even if women feel inferior and cannot occupy certain positions and do “male” things, the rights of one sex are violated. In other words, restoring justice requires feminism.
Levada Center conducted a survey, the results of which showed that almost half of citizens support equal rights for men and women. Among men, 51% of the gender representatives voted in favor. Among women, this proportion is much higher — 75%.
At the same time, 78% of survey participants were in favor of men having the opportunity to hold positions in key organizations. The men retained their positions, 50% of the participants voted in favor.
What is feminism? Everything you wanted to know
Why don”t all women want to be feminists?
The question arises: “If feminism is so good for women, why don”t we all want to be part of this movement?”
In fact, feminists do not set out to force every woman in the world to side with them. She simply demonstrates this and strives to achieve justice for all women, regardless of whether they become feminists or not.
Interestingly, many do not fully understand what feminism is and believe that joining the movement requires them to abandon their family. It is a common and very false belief that some feminists become wives, mothers and even housewives. However, the principles on which family relationships are built are different for them. Feminists are not afraid to tell their husbands to wash the dishes after dinner or vacuum the house, while girls outside the movement do all the work themselves and justify themselves with “ancient traditions and customs.” This situation is very useful for men who repeat phrases about “traditions and customs.”
Feminism arose as a response to the problem of disrespect for women”s rights and providing men with greater opportunities when getting a job and starting a business. Today, many women have no problem working immediately after giving birth, although this movement will only gain momentum in the future.
