FEMINISM

Life and works of Rizal

SUBMITTED TO: PROF. EDWIN MAESTRO

SUBMITTED BY: JOY PASCO/3EDFIL6A

Feminism and equality

On particular goals and strategies as varying, see the sidebar for links to various articles on feminism.

Feminism is one theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes,even though many
feminist movements and ideologies differ on exactly which claims and strategies are vital and justifiable
to achieve equality.

However, equality, while supported by most feminists, is not universally seen as the required result of
the feminist movement, even by feminists. Some consider it feminist to increase the rights of women
from an origin that is less than man's without obtaining full equality. Their premise is that some gain of
power is better than nothing. At the other end of the continuum, a minority of feminists have argued
that women should set up at least one women-led society and some institutions.

Freedom is sought by those among feminists who believe that equality is undesirable or irrelevant,
although some equate gaining an amount of freedom equal to that of men to the pursuit of equality,
thus joining those who claim equality as central to feminism.

Agreement on definition

According to Tilburg University women's studies chair Tineke M. Willemsen, "[i]t is hardly even possible
to give a definition of feminism that every feminist will agree with". Bronwyn Winter has criticized
resistance to defining feminism for specialists and nonspecialists, a resistance "so widespread as to
appear to be the dominant feminist theoretical position: a sort of 'non-position'".However, definitions
have been offered in feminist literature and practice.[citation needed]

Equality

Much of the literature defines feminism as being about equal rights for women or equality between the
sexes. Not only did feminism influence equality among genders, but also in race. The Chicana Feminism
Movement became politically active in the search for female and lesbian equality within American
society. It challenged the roles of gender stereotypes.

Using different language, Riane Eisler, "re-examining human society from a gender-holistic perspective",
"propose[d] ... two basic models of society", "[t]he first ... [being] the dominator model, ... what is
popularly termed either patriarchy or matriarchy—the ranking of one half of humanity over the other"
and "[t]he second, in which social relations are primarily based on the principle of linking rather than
ranking, may best be described as the partnership model. In this model—beginning with the most
fundamental difference in our species, between male and female—diversity is not equated with either
inferiority or superiority."[T]he problem is not men as a sex, but men and women as they must be
socialized in a dominator system."She advocated for a gylany, a partnership linking the two genders, in
lieu of the present and historical androcracy.

Of historical interest, Plato, according to Elaine Hoffman Baruch, around 394 B.C., while believing that
men ultimately would excel, argued that women should be equal with men politically, socially, sexually,
educationally, and in military combat and should be able to enter the highest class of society, that most
gender differences could not be explained by biology (Plato being one of the earliest published thinkers
to say so), and that a system of child care would free women to participate in society.

Some radical feminists critiqued equality, denying that "equality in an unjust society was worth fighting
for".

Ambiguous on equality

Further information: Egalitarianism

"Feminism makes claims for a rebalancing between women and men of the social, economic, and
political power within a given society, on behalf of both sexes in the name of their common humanity,
but with respect for their differences." When feminism and related words began being widely used in
the 1890s in Europe and the Western Hemisphere and continuing into modern times, the terms'
relationship to equality was often unclear. "Then, as now, many parties used the terms polemically, as
epithets, rather than analytically; then, as now, the words were not used by everyone to mean the same
thing. And, as the study of their history reveals, they referred far more often to the 'rights of women'
than to 'rights equal to those of men.' This is a subtle but profound distinction. Even then the vocabulary
of feminism connoted a far broader sociopolitical critique, a critique that was woman-centered and
woman-celebratory in its onslaught on male privilege."

Feminist author bell hooks wrote, "Masses of people think that feminism is always and only about
women seeking to be equal to men.... The feminism they hear about the most is portrayed by women
who are primarily committed to gender equality — equal pay for equal work, and sometimes women
and men sharing household chores and parenting. "[F]eminism is a movement to end sexist oppression."
Deborah Siegel "use[s] the term ["feminism"] in a general sense to refer to the philosophy powering a
movement to eradicate sexism and better women's lives."

Genders (usually distinguished from sexes) are counted as other than two in some feminist utopian
literature, according to Karin Schönpflug, analyzing works by Gabriel de Foigny (1676), Ursula K. Le Guin
(1969), Samuel R. Delany (1976), Donna Haraway (1980), and Alkeline van Lenning (1995).

Ascending toward equality

Feminism in practice can be exhausting and expensive and other needs may compete for personal and
organizational resources. Pragmatism may encourage seeking lesser goals, such as having more power
than without feminism while not trying to seek full equality.

According to Alice Echols, "Carol Hanisch ... argued that looking pretty and acting dumb were survival
strategies which women should continue to use until such time as the 'power of unity' could replace
them."

One feminist leader, Ann Snitow, speculated that difference feminism became preferred over gender
equality so that "men might be more responsive".

In the late 18th century in Britain, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman of
"[a]sserting the rights which women in common with men ought to contend for"."Let it not be
concluded that I wish to invert the order of things; I have already granted, that, from the constitution of
their bodies, men seem to be designed by Providence to attain a greater degree of virtue. I speak
collectively of the whole sex; but I see not the shadow of a reason to conclude that their virtues should
differ in respect to their nature. "I ... would fain convince reasonable men of the importance of some of
my remarks, and prevail on them to weigh dispassionately the whole tenor of my observations.—I
appeal to their understandings; and, as a fellow-creature, claim, in the name of my sex, some interest in
their hearts. I entreat them to assist to emancipate their companion, to make her a help meet for them!
[¶] Would men but generously snap our chains, and be content with rational fellowship instead of
slavish obedience, they would find us more observant daughters, more affectionate sisters, more
faithful wives, more reasonable mothers—in a word, better citizens."
Superiority

According to Diane Davis, radical feminisms "tend to be interested in female privilege rather than
equality." Spiritual feminism and ecofeminism, according to Prof. Davis, are interested less in equity
than in finding ways to flip the ["masculine/feminine"] binary privilege"to place "the 'feminine' ... on top
(so to speak)."Some authors of utopian fiction wrote about "ideal worlds in which women's positions are
better than men's".

A minority of feminists have called for the existence of one or possibly more societies in which women
would govern women and men. Some scholars have reported that some such societies existed, although
not without dispute as to their existence.According to Cynthia Eller, feminist spirituality stated a belief in
"female equality or superiority" in the past and the future while not in the present[36] and some
adherents debated "female supremacy versus equality of power relations between the sexes" in
prehistory. In the early 20th century, however, few of the first feminists created any organization to
develop a concept or plan for such a society.

Freedom, apart from equality

Difference feminism is based on the assumption that women and men are different, that for women to
be equal to men means to be like men, which is not desirable Instead of equality, difference feminism is
based on women having freedom.

In 1916, Charlotte Perkins Gilman argued for feminism without calling for "equality". Favoring women's
"freedom"[9] and "full[ness]", she wrote, "[f]eminism ... is the social awakening of the women of all the
world. It is that great movement ... which is changing the centre of gravity in human life..... It is the
movement for ... [among other goals] [women's] full economic independence..... [A]nti-feminists [speak]
... in their frantic fear of freedom for women." She wrote of essential differences between women and
men, including in motherhood and fatherhood,[9] and that "[f]eminists are women, plus: plus full
human endowment and activity."

Politics

Organizations

Examples of organizations in the U.S. seeking equality are the National Women's Political Caucus
(NWPC) and the National Organization for Women (NOW) and, historically, the National Woman's Party
(NWP). NOW, at its first national conference, in 1967, called for equality, e.g., "Equal Rights
Constitutional Amendment", "Equal and Unsegregated Education", "Equal Job Training Opportunities",
"equal employment opportunity [to] be guaranteed to all women, as well as men", "the right of women
to be educated to their full potential equally with men ... eliminating all discrimination and segregation
by sex", and "the right of women in poverty to secure job training, housing, and family allowances on
equal terms with men".

Notable Politicians

Victoria Woodhull ran in the 1872 election to be President of the U.S., asserting a right to equality.

Nesta Helen Webster, a political conservative in the U.K. early in the 20th century, implied the genders
might be equal and believed that there had been "women's supremacy ... [in] pre-revolutionary France,
when powerful women never attempted to compete directly with men, but instead drew strength from
other areas where they excelled, in particular, 'the power of organisation and the power of inspiration.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN EVERYONE’S LIFE?

Without women the whole human species would cease to exist.

She is a sister. A sister you can always rely on. A sister with whom you can share your feelings, your
secrets with an assurance that they would always remain hidden from others. A sister who is ready to
fulfill your demands and spend her pocket money on you. A sister who would fight your and her father
to get you the bike of your choice despite your parents’ opposition to the idea of getting you a bike at
relatively younger age.

She is your friend in school or college. A friend who will do homework for you instead of completing her
own homework and accept punishment in the class. She will keep you away from the girls who want to
take undue advantage of you by being your friends.

And when you grow up and its time to settle down she enters into your life as a wife. She becomes your
best friend, stands by you through thick and thin. When something goes wrong and you are feeling lost
and afraid, she hugs you, caresses you, strokes your hair and tells you everything would be fine although
she herself is afraid of the situation. She takes care of your family. And it is woman as your wife who
brings the proud moment in your life when you become a father.

She teaches you in school and college as a teacher.

She is a colleague in your office who shares your good and bad moments equally. She is your advisor in
office and offers free advice on official and family matters.

She is your neighbor who prepares breakfast for you and gives you packed lunch for office when your
wife has gone to her parents’ house for a day or two.

She is your grandmother, your mother-in-law, your sister-in-law.

She may be your doctor who cures your disease.

She may be your financial advisor who helps your money grow by giving you sound financial advice.

She may be a soldier who protects the borders of the country so that you can sleep peacefully in your
home.

She may be a policewoman who is out on the road so that your daughter feels herself safe on the road
when its late at night.

A woman is a blessing for men