What is feminism?
That's a very big request...'Please explain feminism to me.' And the answer is not simple. Just like there are many different versions of religion, politics, whatever - so there are many versions of feminism. Each person who adopts any ideology tweaks it to make it their own.
I think that the very basic, very essential idea behind all activism (and feminism is an activism), is to create an awareness that you cannot subdivide society into units - race, gender, sexuality, etc - and say that that subdivision should not be treated as equal to any other group.
Feminism focuses that rejection of subdivision on 'women'. Activism generally focuses on the unequal distribution of human rights, among other things (you get eco-feminists who are environment lobbyists). So, under human rights, you can't pay one group less than another for the same work, e.g. women are paid 30% less on average in a similar job to a man. You can't give one group less rights than another, e.g. right to privacy - abortion. You can't give one group access to cultural artifacts that another group doesn't have, e.g. marriage.
Often the 'enemy' of feminism is women, women who resist change, who don't allow other women to do as they want. Feminism asks women to support each other.
Often the 'enemy' of feminism is people who believe we should do things for the good of the broader community. And that is true, but the community must use it's power wisely, responsibly and not arbitrarily. The power of the mob should be used to guide, to lead, to suggest, not hurt, not demand, not enforce, not force.
I believe that we are all adults, and when a woman makes an informed decision then she should be able to do what she wants and she should be supported by women, by men, by the community, by the law, by all parts of society.
I think that the very basic, very essential idea behind all activism (and feminism is an activism), is to create an awareness that you cannot subdivide society into units - race, gender, sexuality, etc - and say that that subdivision should not be treated as equal to any other group.
Feminism focuses that rejection of subdivision on 'women'. Activism generally focuses on the unequal distribution of human rights, among other things (you get eco-feminists who are environment lobbyists). So, under human rights, you can't pay one group less than another for the same work, e.g. women are paid 30% less on average in a similar job to a man. You can't give one group less rights than another, e.g. right to privacy - abortion. You can't give one group access to cultural artifacts that another group doesn't have, e.g. marriage.
Often the 'enemy' of feminism is women, women who resist change, who don't allow other women to do as they want. Feminism asks women to support each other.
Often the 'enemy' of feminism is people who believe we should do things for the good of the broader community. And that is true, but the community must use it's power wisely, responsibly and not arbitrarily. The power of the mob should be used to guide, to lead, to suggest, not hurt, not demand, not enforce, not force.
I believe that we are all adults, and when a woman makes an informed decision then she should be able to do what she wants and she should be supported by women, by men, by the community, by the law, by all parts of society.
Comments
Post a Comment