October 15, 2002
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Women's Lives Pt. II - Women's Pain
Fugitive says that the Women's Movement has let her down. The issues and goals of the 1960's are largely realized. With people in their 20's and 30's, the gender gap is a non-issue. We see men and women as equal in intellectual capacity, we see sexual harrassment as an evil to be avoided, we see affordable birthcontrol openly displayed in the aisles of Walmart, and we see it as self-evident that a woman's prior sexual history has no bearing on the act of rape. In our generation, we live the hopes of the generation who fought very hard to secure these rights. So why aren't we Feminists?
Well, what is a Feminist anyway? Thoughtful readers have suggested that anyone who believes in the statements of equality between the sexes that I've listed is a Feminist. At one time those statements of equality were radical departures from the norm. But that time has passed. The term Feminist goes beyond belief in particular statements and implies social and political activism. So before I define myself as a particular type of activist I want to know what the people at the center of that movement are acting for. In my research last night (through questia.com) I scanned a smattering of books and articles released in the past year that deal with women's studies, gender issues, and Feminism.
I found articles that pointed out sexist terminology in biology texts used by med-schools to discuss the meeting of the egg and sperm. I found articles articles on ecofeminism which equates the exploitation of "mother earth" with the exploitation of women, radical feminism which asks "is mothering in women's interests", and Marxist feminism which demands that we kill the "two headed beast of patriarchal capitalism". There were articles that still in this day and age argue that the global answer to women's problems is access to abortion in terms that cast women and children as natural enemies.
This is a silly argument to propose to the women in China who are routinely subjected to forced abortions, have their menstrual cyles charted on the village square and exercise what little choice they have to abort female babies in hopes that their next child will be a male. The abortion of female babies in China and India has reached such an alarming rate that the natural ratio of 106 males to 100 females has been skewed so far as to produce 160 males per 8 females in the 1997 records from Shandong Province, China (pop. 13,345,000)
Remember the old Feminist slogan "the personal is political"? Feminists used this slogan to empower women to activism, they pointed out that the difficulties faced by women weren't just "personal problems" they were the proper subject of political action. Activism in the Feminist movement today judging by the articles published focuses on problems women faced in first world countries 40 years ago.
I'm not interested in denigrating work done on my behalf. I appreciate it. I'd like to say a hearty WELL-DONE to the sisters of previous generations of activists. I hope they will do me the courtesy of listening when I say that their issues are not my issues. I have issues. It is not reasonable to answer my concerns with, "You have it better off than your ancestors, why can't you be happy?"
What changes would you make in regard to women?
I'll start:
- Medical research that focuses on women's health instead of assuming that what's good for the gander will suffice for the goose.
This is my second entry in an online discussion with my sister. You can read her side here. We are both excited and stimulated by the many points you raised yesterday in our respective comments section. We hope you will continue to contribute, and that you will continue to be kind as we venture further into territory where we disagree with each other, and probably with many of our readers as well.
Comments (21)
Excellent! I will have to think about this and hopefully have my installment available around noon sometime.
Your last comment says it it all....
...violence against women.
MuSe
...amentment to my previous comment: Violence against women and their children.
MuSe
Interesting blog, again. However, I don't agree that the term feminist connotes political and social activism, and I don't believe all feminist movements that are active in social and political arenas can even be labeled in the same group. Do I have to be active to consider myself a Christian? Do I have to speak out in political situations to consider myself a liberal?
Feminism is a philosophy. What degree one chooses to act upon that philosophy varies with the person. You bring up the term "radical feminism," and I think this is the area you are addressing mostly in your blog. I've seen radical Christians, radical conservatives (oxymoronic though it may be), radical Marxists, radical existentialists.... But they only represent one arena of that philosophy. We all know the extremes will get more attention than the norms. On college campuses in women's studies courses certainly the extremes will be shown, but I honestly believe they strive for a middle ground and an acceptable philosophy that will help to define femininity that is acceptable--for each woman. People feel the need to speak out for those whom they feel have no voice (PeTA, for example, something many "radical" feminists are actively involved in), and "feminists" are no exception.
Man! These are good blogs, I'm really enjoying them.
==> Early childhood education (family, school, church, playgroup, and everywhere) regarding gender differentiation and its impact on one's life. Kids do this naturally around 3 and 4. Explore it. Don't let it go. What is a girl? What is a boy? How does our culture want them to be different? How are they really different? What are other things that make people different, and is gender the most, or least, or an in-the-middle important one?
I don't want to push the abortion discussion too far, but let me just comment that more than once, living in my mud hut in Central Africa, a woman with a flock of children and one on her back approached me begging for birth control, or whatever other magic let me be (then) childless. And stories were whispered about dead babies and dead girls. The genders are NOT equal, in this, and poor women particularly need help.
I will now lighten up. I love your cute little "0 eprop" devil so much that I am half tempted to click him....don't take it amiss if he tempts me too far, some day.......
!
All these cliffhangers!
The longer range implications of the boy/girl birth ratio in China is already being plotted. Rumor has it that the State is considering plans for mandated polygamy. Yer basic kudzu problem (or mongoose..pick your debacle).
One change I would like to see made in regard to women would be for the logical distinction between "equal" and "same" to be made clear to people. I think it is counterproductive to ignore the fact that women are not men, and men are not women. Which I think is what you're getting at with your much more specific suggestion. But I fear it is too subtle distinction.
Daff's comment said it far more eloquently than I could muster.
Yeah, what Daff said, with this addendum: You may find among your contemporaries an acceptance of the equality of men and women. I, on the other hand, still find far too many of those who feel that men are superior and a few who feel that women are superior in every way. I see too many examples of society putting limitations on women in other countries, and even here. One quick example - my SIL just took a job with an auto auction. She used her fashion design degree in the 80s to match paints in the body shop at my father's auto repair service. You don't find many women in that field, so I wasn't surprised to hear my mother's exclamation that my SIL was making decent money - and she's a woman!
Taking only the words of extremists in the movement, rather than the mainstream feminists, is akin to using only the words of Jerry Falwell and Louis Farrakhan to describe religious viewpoints or taking only the words of Phyllis Schlafly to represent the women outside of those who call themselves feminists.
I think the focus needs to move to education now, specifically about health and domestic violence. There are loads of resources for these now, but so many women don't *know* about them. Greater demand will bring an increase in services.
On the flipside, I wholeheartedly disagree with the often-radical view of women being superior to men. It's for that reason I don't call myself a feminist. Sexism runs both ways within the radical feminist groups, sadly.
There's already a LOT of medical awareness for women, but hardly any for men. (I'm in the medical field.) Men are afraid to admit to breast cancer, rape, and any other number of traditionally "women's" issues.
I guess what I'd like most is to not be defined by my vagina. I don't want to be treated any more special because I have one.
Sorry, I'm ranting.
I agree with you first change. - this is a very good discussion you both have going.
I don't have much to add, just reading through
Weeeee I'll join in, too, since it's a somewhat open forum.
As I've said on my own blog a few times - women and men are simply not the same. They have different strengths and weaknesses, both physical and mental, and although there are exceptions to all of these differences, there are "general", if stereotypical, differences between the sexes that should be acknowledged.
However.. surely the aim should not be that both men and women are equal (for this is impossible simply based on the above) - but rather, they have equal choices, equal rights to certain opportunities according to their personal, and non-sex specific, attributes? A great example is maternity leave. Fathers really do get the rough end of the stick here - perhaps if we made it "parental leave", and applied the same terms to both parents (regardless of the sex), we might be making a move in the right direction.
In so many "feminist" texts - this is a subject I've studied in some depth - the slant is very much anti-male, which completely undermines the whole "equality" issue. Anti-male isn't equal. It's the female equivalent of misogyny (yeah, I'm sure there's a word for it somewhere). Equality is, to me, the idea of giving two people of similar potential, the same choice/opportunity. Skin colour, religion, creed, culture or sex shouldn't be an issue, so long as it's within the realms of common sense..and by that I mean, a 90 lb waif of a girl shouldn't be given an "equal opportunity" position as a building site labourer just because she fits the EO quota, and likewise a 400 lb strongman with no children probably wouldn't make the best doula, and thus shouldn't get the job simply because *he* fits the EO quota.
I think dwaber made a vital point, and one which needs to be recognised. There is absolutely a subtle difference between "equal" and "same" - and too many people don't realise this.
Ok, I'm done...for now
Darn it, I forgot one thing.
Violence.
It's unacceptable to ANY human - male, female, whatever.
To support a nonviolent attitude towards women, without supporting the same towards men...that's a huge show of inequality.
argh...don't you hate it when it eats your comment instead of posting it? especially when it was a long one! anyways, i'm glad that you've done this series, and i think you'll find that there are lots of people out there who feel the same way as you! so you are not alone in your beliefs! not in the least bit!
and i agree with your point about womens health issues...there ARE definite biological differences between men and women, so things are bound to have different effects on one than the other, although i am sure there are also similarities as well...i do think they need to look at them seperately as well as generically.
As a Latter-day Saint woman, I identify with early prominent feminists--Mormon pioneer women who were strong in will as well as spirit. They stood up for what they believed in and fought the many hard battles that came before them.
The second publication in the United States to be managed, edited, supported and produced solely by women, the Women’s Exponent, took an ardent stand on women’s rights. These women were well-respected by feminists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. In 1863 Susan B. Anthony stated that her sisters in Utah were among her most zealous co-workers.
Prominent Mormon men, following in the footsteps of President Joseph Smith also worked to promote women’s rights. President Joseph F. Smith stated that men and women are "...indispensable to each other, each is the compliment of the other, both for this world and the world to come, for time and for all eternity. Then why shall one enjoy civil rights and the other be denied them?"
As a modern Latter-day Saint woman, I part ways with feminist ideas when those ideas begin to harm the family. When men and women recognize that we are indispensable to one another, we will treat each other with the kind of respect that will create positive changes. Where do we learn this kind of respect for the opposite sex? In the home--in the very place where some feminist ideas would destroy! When we learn how connected we are to each other as men and as women--as human beings--we will see positive change. This is the only brand of feminism that I can own.
I sure like you quiltnmomi! You are just alright with me.
I agree with you on the "medical" issues. I do believe that is turning around though as far as the raw science goes. I would, however, also like to see a shift in the traditionally "male" doctor's, whether that doctore is male or female, attitudes toward women - ie: less defining of women's health complaints as "hysteria" and various other attacks on their credibility. This has not been addressed by the Movement, again, because of it's failure to address parity. Men and women ARE different. The Movement needs to address that whole area. Thus far it has not done so. In seeking equality, it has avoided the issue of RESPECT for those differences. Keep going - I'm enjoying this.:)
Another great discussion here. So many different points of view.
I am enjoying these blogs.
I have a question!
Can one still be considered a feminist if one is against abortion used outside of rape/incest cases?
It's one I'm pondering.
Comments are closed.