The Relationship Between Women in Various Dimensions - Research Paper Example

 According to Offen (1998), “feminism is a theory or movement that has been given various definitions by different people or groups to signify the role or status of women in the society.1 Various groups have used the term feminism differently to mean different things. For example, some groups have used the term to express the need for equality, justice and legal protection of women and get rid of any form of sexism. Feminism intended to push for the recognition of rights and privileges for women in a male-dominated western culture.

2 This study examines various aspects taken into consideration when defining feminism. In early twentieth century Anglo-Americans used the term feminism to refer to the supporters of “feminism.”3 The feminism was viewed as a movement aimed at expanding the place of women in the society through achieving economic, social and political rights and privileges equivalents to those granted their male counterparts. In Western traditions, women were undermined and denied the opportunity to own property or hold top positions in the society.

4 Feminists advocate men and women deserve equal rights and respects in the society. Therefore, the supporters of the ‘feminism’ movement that advocated equal rights women compared to those enjoyed by men came to be known as feminism. The European community had a different perception of feminism besides advocating equal rights granted to men. The Europeans definition of feminism expressed “womanliness” that exhibited sexual diversity.5 With that regard, the feminist critiqued social structures and institutions for failing to provide opportunities for women in respect to their gender status.

In this aspect, the goal of feminist does not focus on promoting rights and privileges granted to men but to have institutions and social structures that are inclusive of women. For example, they are supporting state subsidies of all mothers.6 Definition of feminism takes into consideration the roles of women in the society. Every society has specific roles for men or women. The advocate of “relational feminism” demanded the freedom of women to participate in all professions and be freed from the confines of the households.

7 Therefore, feminism focuses on the privileges of women to take part in voting, having rights, etc. It supports the establishment of social structures and institutions that can promote women to be more self-reliant, and they are competing for the same ranks with men in all aspects of life.8 The other aspect the definition of feminism takes into consideration is how women should or should not be considered or treated thus it establishes an ideology of fairness or morality.9 It sets standards of justice that defines how women should be viewed and treated in the society.

Feminism focus on promoting peace between men and women and advocates respects for women and abolishment of the oppressive culture such as women beating. It requires consideration of morality in a society in the way men and women interact in day-to-day activities.10 In conclusion, feminism takes into consideration the role of women in the society, equal participation of men and women in societal matters, fair consideration of all women and the freedom to be in control of their social, economic and political aspects of lives.

Bibliography Delmar, Rosalind, What is feminism? (Simon Fraser University n.d.): 8-33. Retrieved from www.sfu.ca/~decaste/./DelmarFeminism.pdf Offen, Karen, Defining Feminism: A Comparative Historical Approach Signs 14, No. 1 (1988): 119-157. 2. Strength and Weaknesses of Various Definitions of feminism The definition of feminism gives men and women equal status in the society despite their biological differences. Even though, feminism sought to improve the status of women socially, politically, and economically without altering social structures of the society, the movement has both weaknesses and strengths when applied.

11 It aimed at promoting justice for women by demonstrating there was no ethics in demeaning women and denying them equal opportunities with men through sexism. This document examines the strengths and weaknesses of various definitions of feminism in the society.12 Strengths Feminism has improved the status of women in the society by changing the way women are viewed and treated in the society.13 For example, women have gained rights to participate in politics, right not to be discriminated or harassed at their workplace, right to own property, etc.

It has increased socialization between men and women by reducing the perceived differences between them.14 Furthermore, feminism has opened up potential of women to exercise their worthy by eliminating sexism that hindered women from participating freely in society issues. The campaign against women discrimination has promoted peace and morality in the families. The feminism puts emphasis on respect for a female and their roles in the society.15 That respect has encouraged solidarity in the society and has led to recognition of women contribution in the society.

Feminism has closed the gap between men and women resulting to a desire for women to associate or identify with men since they perceive themselves as equal parties in a relationship.16 Women can enjoy more privileges and rights than before without demeaning their male counterparts. It has created consciousness about female in the society Weakness Feminism has propagated division among the women. The proponents of feminism believe that the movement should gain support from all women irrespective of their social, economic or political status.

17 However, some women are opposed to changes and are not sure of their roles or benefits after joining the movements. In fact, some have criticized the movement thus appearing as antifeminism. Therefore, emergence of the feminist movement has resulted to unprecedented divisions among women since some are strongly opposed or have failed to join the movement.18 Feminism has propagated intimation and humiliation of men at the expense of women in the quest for achieving justice for women.19 When a woman says or does something intimidating to a man, it is not given any serious consideration.

However, when the same thing is done by a man to woman feminists treats it as a serious issue of discrimination against women. It has led to men being treated with contempt by women especially with the introduction of artificial insemination or the introduction of cloning that are likely to result to disposal of men as women try to avoid heterosexual relationship.20 Therefore, feminism has promoted anti-male ideology in the society. Feminism should be defined not only by the rights or equality of women and how much powers women can acquire in the society compared to men, but by how much they contribute to the society.

21 The struggle for justice can give false recognition of women at the expense of men even without making tangible contribution to the society. Bibliography Delmar, Rosalind, What is feminism? (Simon Fraser University n.d.): 8-33. Retrieved from www.sfu.ca/~decaste/./DelmarFeminism.pdf Offen, Karen, Defining Feminism: A Comparative Historical Approach Signs 14, No. 1 (1988): 119-157. UNIT 2 2.1. Explain how the notion of compulsory heterosexuality is related to economic necessity in a capitalist economy, according to the analyses presented in the readings.

Compulsory heterosexuality is a suggestion that one’s sexuality is a societal obligation rather than being a choice. The idea is reinforced through various social institutions such as religion, media, regulations, literature, politics, etc.22 Compulsory heterosexuality is brought about by the dominance of male dominance in the social institutions. Sexual attraction drives men towards women while women are drawn to men by desire for sex and reproduction.23 This document focuses on how the concept of compulsory heterosexuality is related to economic necessity in a capitalistic nation.

The notion of compulsory heterosexuality is evident in the male dominance in the society. The assumption of heterosexuality has resulted to the female being overexploited at their workplace by their male counterparts.24 The social institutions have placed women in a lower social status than women. Women are assumed to be naturally heterosexual and have been abused sexually by men in order to achieve favors at their workplace.25 Therefore, the desire for women to maintain their jobs has led to sexual harassment by their male counterparts.

Women are expected to in female attire and look feminine in all aspects. The male dominance in the society and the assumption that all women are heterosexual is a social issue.26 The society expects women to get married and raise children while their husbands provide for the material needs. The outcome of such assumption has led to severe economic implications on women. It has created economic dependency on women who have to depend on men for support.27 It has denied women an opportunity for self-independence through participation in economic activities.

Compulsory heterosexuality encourages male dominance and leads to the assumption that women cannot resist sexual advances from men.28 It gives men power to demand sex orientations from women. Women are subjected to the forced heterosexuality through rape, sexual harassment, etc. That forced sexuality has confined women and limited their movement due to fear of men.29 For example, women fear walking at night or taking up some jobs that can expose them to the risk of forced sexuality. Compulsory heterosexuality has led men to exploit women labor and control their produce.

The institutions of marriage and motherhood have subjected women to unpaid productions.30 Married women provide free labor to their husbands thus denying them an opportunity to amass wealth. Furthermore, women are women are discriminated at the workplace and are given low-paying jobs or denied jobs at all thus demeaning their economic status at the expense of men. Women have no freedom to choose the number of children they want to give birth to.31 In addition, women are subjected to various birth control techniques in order to satisfy the sexuality men.

In conclusion, in most occasions women do have a choice for their sexuality, but instead it is imposed on them by men. Compulsory heterosexuality is reinforced by the social institutions whose men dominance is manifest. Compulsory heterosexuality demeans women and deprives them of the economic power to make wealth and life independent lives. Women are use for the satisfaction of men sexuality. Bibliography Rupp, L. "Imagine my surprise:” Women's relationships in historical perspectives, A Journal of Women Studies 5, No. 3 (1980). Faderman, Lillian, Who Hid Lesbian History?

A Journal of Women Studies 4, No. 3, (1979).   2.2. Describe the arguments in the historical debates about the meaning of ‘‘lesbian’’ and the development of lesbian identities or consciousness in various settings. Lesbian has been used to refer to love relationships between women or woman-to-woman sexual relationships. The term lesbian was first used in the medical journal 1883 to denote a woman-to-woman relationship before it appeared in the newspaper in 1892.32 Rupp (1980) argues that the lesbian is an expression of profound dedication and sensuality between women without any sexual relationship.

However, she claims that women-to-women sexual relations is complex and cannot be defined with words.33 This document examines the history of lesbianism and its development in various contexts. In 19th century the term lesbian had limited application since the term was not to be use to denote any sexual experience between persons of the same gender.34 In America, it was a serious offence for people of the same sex to engage in sexual orientations. Between 1920 and early 1950s there was a lot of literature publications about lesbianism.

The writers faced severe criticism and their publications banned in most of the western countries. The performances of lesbian in Hollywood films were prohibited by the Hays code.35 The first lesbian movement (Daughters of Bilitis) was formed in 1955 in the United States as national lesbian political and social organization. In the late 1960s the public held protests in New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia for gays and lesbians at the governmental offices and historic landmarks.36 The France theorist Joan DeJean held the sociologist's view pornography and scholarly separate from Saphao until the nineteenth century.

37 However, on contrary Saphao in France was synonymous to lesbian. In 1970s the understanding of lesbian changed took a new dimension as it changed from focusing on genital-based arguments into lesbian feminists. In 1971, New York Radica lesbians published “The Woman Identified Woman” that recognized lesbians as women dedicated to women politically.38 This publication shed new light about women-to-woman loyalty that recognized the desire of women to unite for a particular goal. In mid-1990s, Adrienne’s view of lesbianism changed because it overshadowed the ordinary relationship between woman-to-woman that was based on a mere friendship without any lesbian experience.

39 Nicki Hastie argued that Adrienne’s notion of lesbianism denied women the opportunity to express feel the power of being women and failed to liberate them from oppression they felt as a result of their sex. She expressed her preference for Stimpson’s definition of lesbian that she defined as “woman who finds other women erotically attractive and gratifying.”40 The modern lesbian movement began in 1969 and the movement associated with feminism since most of the lesbians were also feminists.

41 It came about as an organization that recognized the rights of women and wanted to be identified with women. The focus was to air their expression that women had rights over their sexuality and lifestyle.42 They also intended to provide moral and legal support to the lesbian mother and oust the claim forcing lesbian mother into marriage in order to maintain the custody of their children.43 Until now the issue of lesbianism has remained contentious. However, the movement has received significant moral and legal backing since the year 2000.

Various states have enacted legislation supporting same sex marriage that has demystified the social stigma associated with lesbians. The present day understanding of lesbian focuses on the relationship between women in various dimensions. Lesbian has connotation of feminism in the sense that women-to-women relationships have economic and emotional attachments and not necessarily for genital contacts.44 Women prefer having relationship with other women due to feminist experience. Bibliography Faderman, Lillian, Who Hid Lesbian History?

A Journal of Women Studies 4, No. 3, (1979). Rupp, L. "Imagine my surprise:” Women's relationships in historical perspectives, A Journal of Women Studies 5, No. 3 (1980). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3346519?uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid= 21104859409603 2.3. Discuss the Abortion Debate at the Turn of the Twentieth Century Abortion refers to extinction of pregnancy those results to end of pregnancy. The first case of stimulated abortion was recorded in 1550 BCE in Egypt.

In the 19th-century issue of abortion was not given much attention for various reasons.45 However, in the turn of 20th century the issue of birth control and abortion became of significant concerns to the medical team, religious groups, feminism activists, etc. Different nations have enacted their policies on abortion and have imposed penalties on those found guilty of the crime of abortion.46 This document examines the debate regarding abortions in the twentieth century. Traditional approaches for procuring an abortion included use of sharp objects, abortifacient herbs and application pressure on the abdomen among other strategies.

47 In a turn of the twentieth century, the states enacted laws to criminalize abortion and birth control methods. The Comstock laws prohibited information on birth control. In addition, there lack control on the quality of contraceptives. The declining birth rate was considered as a threat to the social order in the Traditional American Society.48 The other problem causing impediment to the issue of birth control and abortion was lack of medical research. Thus, there was the lack of accuracy on the information available regarding birth control and abortion techniques.

The methods of procuring abortion have changed over time due to technological advancement, introduction of abortion laws as well as rise of women right groups.49 A few anarchists and labor leaders championed the campaign on birth control. The concerns over the large families in the urbanized economy and stigma of having children outside wedlock were taken as the base for supporting abortion.50 They put pressure on the medical fraternity to conduct research in the area of birth control to protect women from death as a result of unsafe abortion.

Margret Sanger became the first champion in the campaign for promoting birth control and establishment of women clinics and acceptance of birth control practices in hospitals.51 She campaigned for the abolition of Comstock law, and that led to spread of information on birth control.52 The aim was to promote the health of women, maintain her relationship with her husband, and enable women to earn living, enjoy and control her sexuality, care for her born children, etc.53 Feminists opposed to legalization of abortion in some western countries argued that instead of passing laws to deal with abortion the states should come up with means of addressing the cause of the vice.

54 They claimed that irrespective of justification given for procuring abortion the person involved will always feel remorse for their deeds. In the late twentieth century, surgical abortion services were developed resulting to increased safety of mothers during abortion.55 Laws were also enacted to allow women procure abortion on medical grounds without attracting penalties. In conclusion, there are various changes that have occurred concerning abortion in the twentieth century. The change in technology has improved tools and procedures of procuring abortion.

Laws have also been enacted to ensure abortion is conducted under safe environment while others have criminalized abortion and imposed penalties on the offenders. Bibliography Rose, Melody, Abortion: A Documentary and Reference Guide. (USA: ABC-CLIO, 2008),1- 258 McLaren, Angus, Birth control and abortion in Canada, 1870-1920. Can Hist Rev. 59 no.3 (1978): 319-40. Available at Http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11614314