Kristina Peterson

Humanities 105 Dr. Anna Hackman

Final Project

Feminism.

December 1th, 2014

Feminism.

On feminist conferences often hang posters with the words Joyce Stevens:
"... Because women's work is never done and not paid or paid less or it is boring and
monotonous, and we first laid off and how we look is more important than what we do and if
we raped it's our fault and if we beat means we provoked and if we raise the voice we
skandalistki and if we enjoy sex so we nymphomaniac but if not then frigid and if we expect
from the company cares about our children that we are selfish and if we defend our rights, we
are aggressive and unfeminine but if not then we typically weak women, and if we want to
get married so we hunt the man and if we do not want to abnormal and because we still do
not have a reliable and safe contraceptives when men would not respond, and if we are afraid
of responsibility or abandon us make pregnancy and abortion culprits ... for many other
reasons, we participate in the women's movement. ". This text lists a fairly long list of
problems, which occupies feminists.
Feminism - a socio-political movement aimed at the elimination of gender
discrimination and the fight against sexism. At the heart of feminism is the idea of equality.
The problems of feminism is based on two premises:
1. In a patriarchal society, there is a binary gender system (gender binary) . This system
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divides people strictly into two groups-women and men, and this reflect reality in very
limited way.
2. As part of the binary gender system, there is an institutional gender inequality, and
femininity is being discriminated against compared with masculinity. Institutional gender
discrimination is called sexism.
Sex and gender not the same thing. Gender is determined by biological indicators
and anatomical differences. Gender is determined by the social behavior performed by roles
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and social identity. Biological data, however, is also built into the system of social
representations, and gender is often also determined depending on the biological indicators, it
is fun to remember.
Attributes of sex are anatomical, physiological, biochemical and genetic
characteristics.
Attributes are the social roles of gender, social behavior and self-identification.
Just because that cannot be touched. Often in the course of social interaction as biological
indicators taken into account in determining the gender of a person, but the last word belongs
to him and his identity. So, if a man is dressed in makeup and dresses, many may find him as
a woman, but he can identify himself as a man who simply enjoys wearing makeup and
dresses.

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Modern society distinguishes two sexes (male and female) and the two main characteristics
of gender-femininity and masculinity.
Femininity-characteristics of social behavior, characteristic of a biological woman.
Masculinity-characteristic of biological male. Normative notions of femininity and
masculinity exist in almost every society, and assimilated from childhood. Examples of
patriarchal gender attitudes: women should be weak, and be able to cook, have children and
be loving and never drive a car and do not make important decisions, less talk nonsense and
ask coat, men should be strong, serious, funny, clever, nimble , successful and desirable
inflated, it is better with a beard and a big salary. Another great example is chart 1.
It is very hard to put these norms into question and see their perspective, if you are
very fit perfectly in them and do not face with discrimination. Opponents of feminism are
people who exist comfortably in this system.

For example, successful white men who are fond of cars and football, and stupid woman who
wants to spent her husbands money and to be weak-willed princess. However, the first is
much more comfortable than the second, so the opponents of feminism among men is much
higher than among women.

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For whom it is bad and hard to live in a patriarchal society:

For anyone who does not fit into the narrow framework of gender.(shown in Picture 1) A
woman without breasts that do not want to have children and to be painted (you're a man?).
Beautiful woman who works at a construction site (you're a woman?). Lesbians with short
hair (you're a man?). Men in pink clothes (you woman?). Gay (not a human at all). Bisexual
(also on fire). Men who are fond of embroidery and is responsible for cleaning the house
(youre a woman?). Women who are not sexy (you're not a woman). Women who are too
sexy (whore). Thick (disgusting). Women with hairy armpits (also disgusting). Women with
shaved armpits (you're still stupid woman). People who do not identify themselves as neither
a woman nor a man as (lets put on fire this bisexuals). In short, there is a lot of such cases.
Patriarchal society tries to squeeze huge human diversity in the extremely narrow framework,
and it benefits for only a very very small group of people (white masculine men). (The things
which placed in the brackets is stereotypes or examples)
Why "feminism"? Why not humanism?
Because in a patriarchal society, there is very specific problem - infringement of femininity.
Feminism recognizes this problem and it can be solved in two steps. The first step - aligning
femininity and masculinity, put equal sign between them. The second - to eradicate gender
binary in general. If you do not like the term "feminism" because it was "too feminine" look
in the mirror and say hello to a sexist. And humanism is a philosophy that emerged in the
Renaissance, emphasized the value of a person as opposed to the value of the supernatural or
the divine. Humanism - the historical term that means something, and he can not just ascribe
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a new value. Saying "I'm not a feminist, I'm a humanist" - it's like saying I do not want a
pear, I will wear a dress." The first and second are not connected, they have completely
different perspective.
Myths about feminism:
The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family
political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children,
practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians.
By Pat Robertson.

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1) Feminists hate men.

Feminism - not Misandry. Feminists and feminists do not hate men they hate sexism and
patriarchy. Feminism stands for gender equality, for the removal of the binary gender system,
for treating people with respect, for a society in which every person is valuable regardless of
their gender.
2) Feminists want equal rights with men, but do not want equal responsibilities.
It is a popular belief offended men. "She wants the same rights, but says that I should pay for
dinner, because I'm a man!". Dear man, your interlocutor does not understand what feminism
is all. Too many people identify themselves as feminists, but do not fully understand what
feminism means to reproduce and sexist stereotypes. Do not draw conclusions about
feminism only because of this, make conclusions about these people. Many celebrities, for
example, do not understand what feminism is (Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Shaylin Woodley,
until recently, Taylor Swift, and others)
3) For feminists cannot be open door and give place in public transport.
Be kind and courteous to all and be with respect to all. Give the place in transport it is
possible to grandparents, children, men, women, dogs, anyone. Another thing is that there is a
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patriarchal norms, according to which women should give in, because they are weak. The
thing intentions. Give , because it's a good thing, and not because you are a man and have to
do it. Women, if you have given way, thank. No one had to do it.
4) If you shave your legs and armpits, cook soup, wearing a dress and generally
fit into the image of the traditional feminine woman - you're not a feminist.
This is very popular and terrible myth. Everyone is free to do whatever he or she wants, as
long as it does not limit the freedom of others. Feminists can shave their legs and do not
shave their legs, cook soup and do not cook, devote life and career or devote the live to
children and home, devote themselves to the study of social organization of meerkats, paint
armpits in pink, sometimes and sometimes not, sometimes to be feminine, sometimes be
feminine and so on. The same thing is with men. If you fit into the gender norm, does not
mean that you support gender discrimination.
5) To be a feminist, you need to engage in politics and activism.
It is not necessarily engage in activism. You can simply share the values of feminism and
understand its perspective about how to be a feminist.
6) Feminism is no longer needed, women can vote and for a long time to go to
school, drive a car and have a bank account.
In some places of the planet is indeed the case, but in many countries women are still not
eligible for human rights. And even Western societies do not have gender equality. The
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opportunity to vote and to have money does not mean institutional gender equality in all
social spheres. Yes, a woman in New York can be a CEO, but it will still be faced with sexism
every day - it is a reality, and you have to be blind not to see it. Ask any woman who had
been subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, and every other answer in the
affirmative. There are a lot of statistics, you need just open Google. What about people who
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do not fall under the definition of "woman" and "man"? Transgender and Genderqueer, for
example, face discrimination in huge volumes. Some do not even consider them as human
beings, calling the mistake of nature, and it's just awful. Feminism is fighting for their rights.
Feminism as a socio-political movement has helped women in all countries, not only
to get equal rights with men and opportunities, but also showed the role of women in all
spheres of culture. In addition to the struggle for women's rights in the political, professional
and educational spheres, feminism tried to transform the image of a woman - a weak and
subordinate to a strong and independent - in the dominant (androcentric) culture. Moreover,
in the eyes of the women themselves, feminism has tried to change the shape public
consciousness to admit women as full members of society.
Feminism in Russia.
Despite the historical extent of the women's movement in Russia, the word feminism long
considered as almost abusive. Public consciousness ascribed feminists are not successful with
the opposite sex, aggression and even traditional sexual orientation. For feminists sometimes
even credited with the desire to take away a woman's family and the power to send her to
work, while the motion submitted no specific right of women to work or to stand at the stove,
and the ability to make that choice yourself. In this respect feminists should blame only
themselves. Unfortunately the majority of feminists in Russia are divided into two types:
"stubborn idealist" and those who fell under the influence of mass media and picked up the
trend. None do not know what is worse. Oddly enough, most Russian citizens are actually
feminists, but they do not know about it, because in fact they recognize women's rights and
respect those rights. In this regard themselves to blame "the desperate human rights
defender." Impersonal equality to which they are calling, leads to standardization of all:
thoughts, feelings and behavior - but such standardization is not true equality. True equality is the recognition of differences and mutual respect, rather than blurring of boundaries. "
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Stubborn feminists" seek to embody the "naked idea". When they raise feminism in the cult,
they forget that the "bare idea" eliminates the human factor.
Therefore, the Russian attitude toward feminism can be characterized by the phrase:
"For that fought for it and ran." It is believed that when a woman told about her rights, she
had not yet defended them, thereby angering all the world's population of men. As in any
endeavor, there are difficulties, and excesses. In Russia, there are different manifestations of
feminism. In normal incarnation feminism does not give women the benefits, but restores
justice. It is not the whole day in the kitchen, but also she can do her own work
responsibilities. Many women succeed in a career that is more successful than men. They can
raise their own children, if for some reason marriage did not work.
Currently, the term "feminism" on everyone's lips means that woman does not want to
be enslaved by men, but in fact, women in Russia are not yet ready for pure feminism. Still
etched maternal instinct, which leads woman to care not only for children, but also to the
need for love, the desire to give its heat to the family, often leaving personal ambitions. And
while it will live these feelings, I think feminism does not take root. Another reason that
women in Russia are not ready for unconditional feminism, I think it's unwillingness to be a
strong woman. A strong woman is associated with the person who has gone through many
trials, resulting in quenching was vital. Still, Russian women want to be weak, fragile,
feminine, to be cared for. If the woman attacked in the alley, and the man is not intercede for
her, this fact "will please only feminist": it did not violate the rights of man and does not
stand up for her, that is, did not consider it weak. The usual Russian woman is not easy,
because in the man she wants to see the defense and support. But in Russia believe that
feminism will lead to the fact that men cease to be defenders. After all, a strong woman does
not imply that it needs support. Woman, changing yourself, changing and men. Previously,
when a man could not hammer a nail in the house, he was considered as a bad master. This
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fact could be his long disgrace, while he is not accustomed to their direct responsibilities. But
with the advent of feminism toolbox will not masculine accessories, and general. Here it is
necessary to hammer a nail by woman - even if it scores! You can not infringe upon a woman
and considered the weaker sex. Woman works on a par with men, and children let the nurse is
engaged, caring, educates and loves. Mom evening come with gifts.
Thus, in Russia, many women find that in their pursuit of rights as men, a woman
may lose their right thing - to be a woman. Nature has put a woman in the divine function,
from which it is so easy to refuse, fighting for the rights of the man. Nature has endowed her
beauty to the man idolized her, admired her femininity, and the woman, and ready to give up
on this. For what? To work alongside? To be around par with men? The family is supposed to
advice and love, and where there is a war for supremacy, it is hardly possible to find
happiness. As a result, many people ask themselves the question: "Given the position of
feminism unconditionally, can we lose something important? Abandoning their nature, do not
forget about the main thing would be: why do we come into this world for the struggle or
happiness? "
To sum up, I want end here, though it is certainly not all to know about feminism.
There is no shame in having been exposed to a rather narrow and inaccurate definition of
feminism. None of us are born knowing what means feminism means. It's just general
information to help make at least some more or less clear picture about feminism. I want to
underline that nowadays the word "feminist" many now perceive ambiguous. Men agreed
that a feminist - is unattractive lady with problems in his personal life. Their complexes she
tries to remedy the hatred of men, trying to show in any situation irrelevance male. Well,
something like that, in general. Of course, this image may be slightly modified, all people are
different, but in general, the majority of people it is about the same as I described. This, of
course, not the case. Feminism - it is a world view based on the idea of equality of women
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and men in public life. Hence it clearly shows that feminist - who believes that women and
men are equal. Woman- human. She, like man, has ambition and pride, none should forget
this. And also I would prefer to all people to put into question the social norms, develop
empathy it means often put yourself in the situation of another person, be kind and polite and
do not forget that all we have a brain.

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Picture 1

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Chart 1
Stereotypes
Male responsibilities

Female responsibilities

Take the lead in the relationships

Create a family

Foreign policy - the presence of friends,

Organize all the household chores

relationships with people

Give woman jewelry, beautiful clothes

Perform all the household chores

Cash earnings

Be faithful to man in body and mind

Expansion of space apartment, house

Become man's best friend

Find a job, according to the nature

Be beautiful and sexy for her man

Provide inspiration - resolution from men

Inspire a man

Appreciate the woman and protect her

Wear Jewelry

Do not blame women and take her for who

Enjoy the beautiful clothes

she is
To be responsible for the moral education

Wear skirts

To be responsible for the physical

Respect man

development
To be responsible for the spiritual education

Appreciate and praise the man

To be the head in the upbringing of children

Obey to man

Be respected man in the community

Manage her emotions

Be a serious man

Have patience and forbearance

Be loving - so that the woman could feel it

Be responsive

Understand the changing nature of women

Take part in the upbringing of children

He obliged to honor and respect his wife's

Do not perform the duties of men

parents
Separate spheres of influence of living

Be weak

together-that the man knew where his case,

and where womans

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Sources used
1.
Marjorie Garber (25 November 1997).Vested Interests: Cross-dressing
and Cultural Anxiety. Psychology Press. pp. 2, 10, 1416, 47. Retrieved 18
September 2012.
2.
Claudia Card (1994). Adventures in Lesbian Philosophy. Indiana
University Press. p. 127. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
3.
"cross-dress." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.
4.
Twine, France Winddance (2013). Geographies of Privilege.
Routledge. pp. 810.
5.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/09/us/pat-robertson-facebook-remark/
6.
http://www.feministezine.com/feminist/international/Ten-WorstCountries-for-Women.html

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