What is Feminism?
What is feminism and what does it stand for? There are many debates in the feminist movement and one is how to define feminism and feminist. The simplist definition I have found is from bell hooks, feminism is "the struggle to end sexist oppression." Using that definition a feminist would then be a man or woman committed to the struggle to end sexist oppression. But there is so much more to feminism! Many women do not identify with the feminist movement, they feel they can not identify with the radical, "bra-burners" that they see on television. The movement has had many hurdles to face, within the movement itself as well as societally. To keep this as simple as possible I will not discuss the internal issues facing the movement. There is more to the women's movement than simply equal pay for equal work... Some of the issues are: child care, racism, ageism, classism, political representation, education, legal discrimination, violence against women, equality of opportunity in employment, sexual harrasment, feminization of poverty, reproductive rights, environmental problems, and much more. Definitions
What's the difference between Sex and Gender?
Sex is the biological attributes of a person. When you look in the mirror, its the biological things that you see that make you male or female. Gender is a socially constructed category. Gender is what society says makes a male or a female who they are...be it the way you dress, the way you talk, the way you walk, etc. Your sex may be female, but your chosen gender may be male and vice versa.
Only women are feminists...right?
Heck no!! Men can be feminists as can women. The issues the feminist movement works on are not simply women's issues, they are people issues, they are societal issues.
What does the Personal is Political mean?
It means that a woman's personal issues are also societal issues. An example of this is reproductive choice. A woman may be weighing her choices about her pregnancy and her neighbors will discuss it, have opinions about it. The entire nation, the world speaks about the choices she has and tries to limit her choices or make the decision for her. The decision she makes is not hers alone, the world around her wants to make it for her.
More Questions??
Is there a question that should be listed here?? Keep in mind that I want this to be a "Feminism 101" page...I want to keep this simple for people to understand. Email the questions to: Clover@mailcity.com. There is a link at the bottom of this page. Thanks!
A poem I Saw Myself on TV Today
Excerpts from my paper on Domestic Violence
Excerpts from my paper on Female Images in commercials.
Candlelight Vigil Across the Internet
Bread and Roses
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