fem·i·nism (ËfemÉËnizÉm/)
noun
the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.
Many people think that feminism equates to the hatred of men or the belief that women are superior and deserve better than the opposite gender. In reality, feminism means that both genders should be treated equally when it comes to things like pay or legal rights. It goes beyond the prices of toiletries or the lack of hygiene a woman might need to have (see free bleeding) to prove a point; it is about the preconceived notions about and the standards society sets for women.
It is known that womenâs wages are one of the main problems when it comes to feminism. On average, a woman makes 79 cents for each dollar a man does, even when they are doing the same exact job. And even if women have a higher position in a company, oftentimes they still get a lower pay than men. Women are also treated as inferiors in workspaces even when they have the same capabilities as their male co-workers. To make things worse, women of color and Latinas get an even lower pay and worse treatment than white females do.
Women are joining more and more majors that belong to the STEM track, and many of these women are treated like unicorns (rare and mythical creatures, that is). Society still believes that there are certain jobs that are more appropriate for women. So, having a woman studying chemistry, engineering, or math is âuncommonâ. But, luckily, many awesome women are changing the stigma that certain majors and careers are designated just for men.
We also see how women donât have strong representation in the government, especially in the fact that the United States of America has never had a female president (Ever heard of Queen Elizabeth or Chancellor Angela Merkel? If women can rule places like England and Germany, why is having a woman as the president of the U.S. so unheard of?). Excuses like âwomen canât control their emotionsâ, âthey canât think rationallyâ, or âthey would declare war whenever it was âthat time of the monthââ are paraded around as if these arguments hold any weight in actuality. Right now, around 20 percent of Congress is female when half of Americaâs population is made up of women. Women should have a greater representation in the government simply because there are just as many women as there are men in this country.
Another cause that feminists are fighting for is a womanâs right to look and dress how she wants without judgment. Wearing something too tight or too short makes a woman seem easy. But wearing something too loose or too long makes her a prude. Why are women so often judged on what they are wearing? Women are not portrayed as a victim, but rather as the instigator when it comes to sexual harassment, assault, and rape. We donât teach the perpetrators to control themselves, but we teach women how not to be provocative because, ya know, their outfits are definitely the reason why horrible things happen to them.
You may not have known that feminism can also be divided into several categories. No one feminist fits into a perfectly packaged box. As individuals, opinions vary and some people identify with one or more of the following subcategories of feminism:
Liberal Feminism:Â Seeks sexual equality by reforming the political and legal scene. In a few words, it argues that the only way to achieve equality is through legal means.
Radical Feminism: The movement that believes that the only way to achieve equality is to recreate the concept of gender entirely.
Socialist Feminism: The belief that women will achieve equality when they are financially independent of men.
Cultural Feminism: The theory that encourages feminine behavior. Cultural feminists place value on the female nature.
Before assuming that all feminists want to create chaos and disorder in the world, make sure you know the truth about the movement. Hopefully this article shed light on feminism, its mission(s), and the varying opinions that are housed under a united cause. What the f-word really boils down to is equality for all people despite gender.
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**Disclaimer: The opinions in this piece are not representative of Her Campus or Her Campus Drexel as a whole. While this piece contains mainly facts, any polarizing opinions belong specifically to the author.