This week I bring up the practice and ideology of feminism and the face of feminists.
To explore feminism, I use Bell Hooks‘ book, “Feminism Is For Everybody”. Feminism has in a general definition been defined as the unity of all and any genders against patriarchy. Patriarchy embodies a male-dominated society that seeks the subordination of females. Patriarchy thrives in a foundation of sexism to the extent where women are simply objects as opposed to subjects in control of their bodies and lives. Women just as well as men can participate in sexism and the oppression of women. In a patriarchal society, heterosexual men hold most, if not all, power in the social, economic and political spheres. Men are seen as the head of the household which is legitimized in the higher wages they earn. The number of men dominates the number of women in political office. A simple example is the fact that all of the U.S. presidents have been men.
Often, feminists are illustrated as sensitive, angry man-hating lesbians. There is a limited knowledge in the popular imagination of what feminism stands for and who a feminist is.
Feminism is a movement and one at has progressed over the decades. Three waves characterize the movement. The first wave of feminism was pioneered by white women who demanded equal rights, particularly the right to vote. Women of color challenged the first wave which did not examine class or racial oppression; this is considered by feminist scholars to be second-wave feminism. Second wave feminism considered that women also exploited other women exemplified in the demand for domestic servants who were often women of color by white women. Feminism recognizes the intersectionalities of oppression: gender, race, and class etc.
almendra 