Feminism in the Contemporary Era - Essay Example

Feminism in the Contemporary Era Feminism is one of the most controversial concepts through the of history. The said view can be attributed to the social status of the women. The idea of feminism can be considered to have evolved through the development of the social structure not only of a particular nation but for the international community as a whole. The main objective of the study that is undertaken is to be able to focus on the view related to the present state of the feminist belief. This is with regards to a common observation that feminist in the present society can be considered to continuously practice the thought but are unwilling and disinclined to call themselves are feminists. The said view had aroused interest since the said groups can be observed to practice the basic theories of feminism. The objectives of the research can be achieved through the exploration of the different related topics. One of the primary phases is the presentation of the basic definition of the feminist theory. In addition, the evolution of the said view is determined. Upon the presentation of the said preliminary descriptive phases, the state of the modern feminist thought is then considered to be able to determine the need and the necessity of the principles of feminism in the present generation. The Feminist Theory The feminism can be considered as a social thought with a long historical foundation on triggered by the status of women in the society. Through the 19th century, different groups and schools of thoughts have defined the concept of feminism. If the dawn of the term feminism is considered, the said term came to light in the early 19th century between 1913-1914 when movements advocating the social rights and reputation of the women continuously dominate the news and even literary and academic annals. Based on the thought presented by Cott in The Grounding of Modern Feminism (1989), the concept and the term feminism had been used in the early stage to be able to capture the change in the view of the society regarding the women. The term can be considered to designate the increase in consciousness of the people regarding the need for the equal rights in woman. The main basis of the view on feminism can be related to the treatment and perception of the traditional society regarding the responsibilities and the rights of women. It can be considered in the early eras in history that women cannot lead and hold responsibilities in the society. Another ancient view is having women as a second gender, a gender that can only follow the male. The said society that treated women as less capable can be considered as the main driving force of the move to change the view of the society (Wollstonecraft, 1796). On the onset of the said concept, the women can be considered to barely have any participation in different aspects of the society namely the economic, political, cultures and traditions. The female gender is viewed as dependent to the male. The multifaceted coverage of the feminist concept can be considered as the main reason for the changes that it had stimulated. From the time that the concept had been generated to the present era, it can be viewed to have escalated to the point that the changes had even shaped the present society. Transformation had occurred in the society that formerly only appreciated the strengths and capabilities of the male population. The Evolution of Feminism Through the course of human history, the female population had evolved in terms of roles and functions in the society. The concept of feminism can be considered as one of the major factors that had triggered the said change. This can be attributed to the fact that feminism had affected every aspects of the society. Every ideas and every thoughts can be viewed on the basis of feminism, thus, changes had occurred when such ideals view that certain norms and traditions in the society is impartial towards the female. There are different events through the history, specifically the era after the onset of feminism that can be attributed relative to feminism. Such events cannot be localized due to the fact that the changes transcended national boundaries and traditions. Due to the massive effect of the concept, the revolution that was feminism resulted in economic and social modifications. One of the earliest changes that had occurred is the achievement of the women’s right to vote which then in the turn of the 20th century became the right to lead the political and organizational structures. Although the transition was slow, the achievement of political leadership can be considered to be increasing in occurrence (Freedman, 2002) Another example of the changes that can be observed in relation to feminism is the empowerment of women in different forms. One is the role of the women in working for the family. In the early part of history, the woman population is not allowed to hold jobs outside of the home because it had been believed that working for the family is the man’s responsibility. Similarly, in organizations and companies, women that are allowed to work are not allowed to lead and hold leadership. Such traditional views though are continuously and gradually being altered (Andrews, 1997; Freedman, 2002). There are other events of development and evolution that can be related to feminism. The capability of the concept of feminism to influence can be clearly observed. Through the course of history different forms of feminism had evolved and affected people. Included in the said groups are liberal feminism, radical feminism, black feminism, postcolonial feminism and third-world feminism. In addition, multiracial, socialist and Marxist feminism, anarcha-, individualist and post-structural and postmodern feminism can also be viewed. These terms can describe the vastness of application of the concept in different fields and groups (Andrews, 1997; Freedman, 2002). Aside from the issues different issues and views where feminism is involved, included in the main issues wherein the said view is applied are in concerns that are related to discrimination of different forms, cases of prejudice and stereotyping, subjugation, coercion and domination (Chodorow, 1989; Gilligan, 1977). Analytical View on Feminism Based on the definition of the concept of feminism, it can be considered at one glance as a positive influence that caused unprecedented change towards the recognition of the roles of the female population. Although this is the case, it can be a point to consider that every step of the way, feminism had always been hindered. Determination of the causes of having two sides in the story of feminism can be considered as an important factor in the determination of the present state of the concept in the modern era, specifically the unwillingness of the people to be labeled as feminists. People that support and believe in the advocacies of the feminist groups can be considered as pro-feminism. The said groups can be classified on the basis of participation and even belief. They can vary in terms of dedication to the belief. Some can practice feminism in simple and justifiable ways while others on the other hand can reach the point of being fanatic to the idea that can lead to hurting others and defying the real meaning of feminism which is equal rights (Kimmel, 1993). One of the most important examples of pro-feminist are the men the support the equal rights of women. It can be considered that equality of the sexes is the most important driving force of the feminism. For that matter, fanaticism in relation to feminism can lead to the discrimination and oppression of the rights of the men but the support that is given by men advocates of feminism although they cannot be considered as member of the female population is an important achievement of the female group (Goldrick-Jones, 2002). Basically the positive views regarding feminism can be related to the quest for equality between the male and the females and the prevention of crimes and events that can victimize the female. Although this is the case, there are certain situations wherein certain groups can exploit the theory of feminism to be able to dominate other people. In cases wherein the female population overtly applied the feminism causing impartiality to the male gender, it can lead to negative effects. In relation, the anti-feminism also came to life since the advocacy in favor of the woman cannot be controlled easily. If there are male groups that support feminism, there are women on the other hand that are anti-feminism, being defied by the female groups. The main reasons of the anti-feminist groups are based on the tendency of the concept of feminism to discriminate the male gender (Smith, 1996). In addition, certain groups that contradict the belief of feminist and still advocate the traditional view of women (Poloma and Garland, 1971). The presented issues and notions can be considered as related to the present state of feminism in the modern era. The culmination of the views of the population regarding the concept of feminism, pro-feminist or anti-feminist, makes up the concept of feminism as it had evolved towards the present era. Feminism in the Contemporary Period Based on the presented notions and data, feminism had been an important force that created and contributed to the present view of the world on the female population. The evolution of feminism had been a difficult one yet influential. Through the passing of history, the concept of feminism had adopted to the changes of the society. Although this is the case it can still be considered as an influential force. In the present era wherein a different character of feminism can be viewed, it presents a unique attribute. The said attribute is the fact that although feminism can be observed through the actions of the people specifically the female population, it is a common behavior that being a feminist is being hidden. People are now disinclined to be known as a feminist. On the basis of the said scenario, one of the most common queries is related to the necessity of feminism in the society today. This is in relation to the fact that feminism in the early eras had already altered the way the world view the female members of the society. The basic goal of feminism which is equal rights for women had already been achieved, thus, it can be perceived that the concept of feminism is already unnecessary and has no application. In relation to the said notion, it can be considered that the basic goals had been achieved but the oppression can still be present in different forms, for that matter, based on a personal note, the views related to feminism still applies in the present era. The concept can even be a protection and a wake up call to continuously respect the rights of the women. If the present state of the female in the society is determined, it can be considered as almost the opposite of the ancient roles taken by female. In the social and political fields, the recognition of the needs of the participation of woman had even been stated as one of the fundamental contributing factors to the balanced growth and development of a nation (Chesler and Hughes, 2004). For that matter some groups can view that the feminism is no longer necessary. Although this is the case, it is important to consider that the oppression still occurs in different forms, thus, feminism can be the protection and reminder of the rights of woman for equality, thus, the need for feminism even as a personal philosophy can be considered as a continuous process. On the basis of the behavior of the woman regarding the feminisms in the present generation, one of then possible reasons for wanting not to be called as a feminist is based on the radical connotation of feminism in the early past of history. For that matter, the present era wherein the basic rights of woman to work vote and lead had been achieved, voicing out feminism can be considered as an overt and even redundant reaction. This is only one of the reasons though. Another reason that can be considered is the fact that feminism had already been one of the important philosophies that had been inculcated not only in norms and culture but also in the basic human behavior. This can be considered to have been earned through the course of history. Although there are criticisms, the positive aspects of feminism can still be considered as important foundations of the different traits and behavior that influenced the present generation. It can even be considered that the days wherein women were viewed as a second gender after men can only be a memory etched in the history of human society. This can be attributed to the fact that women continue to excel in different fields and to succeed in different endeavors (Freedman, 2002; Cott, 1989). In addition, due to the fact that present era had already achieved the state wherein men and women are equal and oppression rarely is violent, massive and active feminism can be considered unnecessary. This is why the women are not inclined to recognize themselves as feminists since one of the main views of feminism is the active imposition of philosophies to be able to achieve equal rights of woman (Freedman, 2002; Shugart, 2001). Through the course of history a number of achievements can be credited to feminism. One is the presentation of the need for the equality of women to men but at the same time recognizing the uniqueness and diversity of the said gender. This can be related to the recognition of the femininity of the women. Aside from being recognized in the different facets of the society, one of the most important is the role of the woman in the family. In the past eras, women where considered responsible of the household and submissive to the husband. But the influence of feminism created a family wherein the man and the woman are both capable to support and care for the family. This is as equal partners and not as one being more superior (Cott, 1989). Conclusion Feminism is one of the most influential concepts in the history of the human society. This can be attributed to the fact that it had molded the society from a state wherein the women are under men to what it is today wherein the two genders can be considered equal. There had been different trends related to the influence of feminism but the present era wherein the concept can be considered less evident had been the subject of the study undertaken. Basically women are not inclined to call themselves as feminists in the present generation based on two possible reasons which are the main view on feminism and the silent practice of the concept. People of the present generation view feminism as a rather radical concept that can be actively expressed to be able to hinder oppression of the women. Female of the present generation do not call themselves feminists since they are not actively participating in such advocacies. In relation to the continues practice of the ideals of feminism on a daily basis, it can be based on the fact that the influence of feminism had already been inculcated in cultures and traditions, thus, it is a common notion that daily activities can be based on the basic and fundamental philosophies of feminism. In conclusion then, the concept of feminism can not be considered as an unnecessary notion since it had been incorporated in the different aspects of the society. It had already changed the norms of the people, thus, the way of thinking and viewing the female members of the population as an equal to the male population can be considered as the majority in the present era. For that matter, even in the absence of active feminist advocacies, the practice of feminism can be observed in small gestures such as in letting the women vote, having a mother work for the family and electing a female leader. Feminism is a concept that is already marked in the genes of the society. Consciously of unconsciously it can influence the people’s every actions. It is then not a concern that feminism be unnecessary. The more important concern is the need for vigilance in the application of the philosophy based on feminism in all of our actions. Feminism is responsible for the way people make decisions but actions are still the greatest responsibility of every individual, feminist or not. Reference: Andrews, M. 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