Aerielle Maxwell

Do Feminist Have the Right to be Extremist?

Our society today has been in a battle to protect and support womens rights.

Feminism has been a hot topic for decades but this year in particular has really shed

some light on womens rights and how they are being affected. Donald Trump amongst

other white republican men have been victims of the fury of feminist. Which brings me to

the point of this research paper, have feminist and their movement for equal rights as

men become a male bashing movement instead of a productive one? Trump, the

womens march, and womens rights in the workplace are some topics that I found

important to support why I feel feminist have the right to be offended and fight back.

A young girl protesting for her equal rights in the workplace

 Feminist are deemed as unpleasant, bossy, rude, and male haters but I dont find

those descriptions to be accurate. In our society men are seen as dominant, bread

winners, and head of their household but if a women wants the same respect and aims

for the same success for her self and family she's an extremist?

Trump

Donald Trump caught some backlash over the comments he made about women

in the workforce, their bodies, and other rights that were at stake for women. Lets cover

some of the horrific statements Trump has made about women and digest them. In the

beginning of the republican candidates race Trump viciously attacked Carly Fiorina by

stating "Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of

our next President? I mean, she's a woman, and I'm not supposed to say bad things,

but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?1 To listeners it sounds as if he is viewing

her as a sexual object and not as a successful human being.

Trumps views on women are sexist and as result the feminist of the country were

enraged and motivated to stand up for themselves. Following that comment Trump

proceeded to make a comment about women and their right to abortion: There has to

be some form of punishment," Trump told MSNBC, referring to women who would seek

to defy the ban.2 He stated he was an evolved Republican and his previous stance of

pro-choice had also changed with his entrance to his new party. Trump stated and later

corrected himself and said the doctor would be punished but either way it's not his

choice what women should be able to do with their bodies, it is their choice. Finally the

1
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/donald-trump-sexism-tracker-every-offensive-
comment-in-one-place/
2
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/donald-trump-sexism-tracker-every-offensive-
comment-in-one-place/
comment that sent feminist over the edge would be the inappropriate comments about

attempting to have relations with an unnamed women that was recorded. He made lewd

comments about grabbing her in inappropriate areas and that he aggressively tried to

have relations with this woman but that she was married. He knowingly pursued a

married women and tried to disrespect her and her family, and felt no shame in

discussing his actions. Women everywhere stood together and began protesting against

Trumps unpopular presidency goals.

Feminist activist taking the streets to protest for women's right to have an abortion.

Womens March
 January 21, 2017, the Womens March on Washington, was one of the most

monumental marches in history. The second day of Donald Trump taking office women

all over the world gathered together and joined hands to show a powerful front that his

platform and plans for their bodies and future weren't in his hands. The Womens March

composed of men and women including: founders of the black lives matter movement,

the author and transgender rights advocate Janet Mock, and Terry ONeil the president

of the National Organization of Women. Over 1.5 million people participated and with

the inauguration being a day before, the turn out for the march was close to double of

that for Trumps inauguration.The Press Secretary Sean Spicer disagreed with the facts

that the turnout for the inauguration was low but according to the WMATA officials, who

told the Washington Post that 570,557 riders used the Metro system between its 4 a.m.

opening and its midnight closure on Friday. That number falls short of both President

Obamas 2009 and 2013 inaugurations, which saw 1.1 million trips and 782,000 trips

respectively.3 Personally this was monumental for the movement and for women who

have been personally victimized in the workplace, in their personal life, and even the

transgender community. The platform for this march was to address and reform the

issue with gender inequality, as well as racial and economic inequality.4 Feminists and

supporters of feminists marched for those rights listed above, are those rights radical or

extreme? Women wanting to make a living for their families without having to depend on

a male in their household is inspiring not something to be prosecuted over. Many other

countries allow women (or their partner) a year off upon the birth of their newborn child

3
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/inauguration-crowd-size/514058/
4
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/opinion/what-the-womens-march-stands-for.html?_r=0
 Womens March on Washington

with pay. In The United States you are considered fortunate to be given 12 weeks with

pay, that is egregious.

Conclusion

The Womens March on Washington and Donald Trumps unconventional

comments go hand in hand. They both have ignited feminists in our country. Which

brings me to my initial question are feminist extremist? With the information I have given

I would strongly disagree that they are. Women just want to be treated fairly in the

workplace, when you work for an employer no one wants to feel disposable and we all

want our work to be meaningful. Giving birth to a child shouldn't be a burden it should

be something joyous, women shouldn't have to worry about their livelihood being

jeopardized because they want to start a family. Lastly, if we are competent enough to

form rallies, protest for our rights to make choices for our own bodies we shouldn't be

criticized or chastised for having an abortion. Its a womans choice to do what she sees

best with her own body and if that makes her an extremist, I would proudly take that

badge of honor. Fighting for those basic rights not only benefits the generation to follow
but its something that will be documented in history and whatever issue comes to follow

behind this one, a young girl or boy will believe that they can make a difference.

Bibliography (photos)

Allum, Cynthia. "82 percent of Americans don't consider themselves feminists, poll

shows." The New York Times. The New York Times, 09 Apr. 2015. Web. 01 May 2017.

Glen, Melissa. "The meaning behind the Women's March." The East Carolinian. N.p., 23

Jan. 2017. Web. 01 May 2017.

"Trump's order on abortion policy: What does it mean?" BBC News. BBC, 24 Jan. 2017.

Web. 01 May 2017.