What do you think about this statement concerning feminism?

Question

"When an individual is kept in a situation of inferiority, the fact is that he does become inferior." ~ Simone de Beauvoir

I can understand how unwanted baby girls in China can become inferior, but is this relevant to modern western feminism? I feel that women at this point victimize themselves too much, to the point where they force themselves to be inferior because they know nothing else.

Answer 1

What it means is that when a person constantly hears how much less ________ they are than _________, they can't help but internalize those messages to an extent.

Answer 2

Hopefully, most women in the Western world do not consider themselves inferior to men. As far as China is concerned, they outlawed the wisdom of the Tao, the Yin and Yang, that professes that females are very important in nature to balance males. As a result, China now has a lobsided number of males and most of the men there are miserable due to the shortage of women.  Many of them are now importing mail order brides from Vietnam.

Answer 3

As long as we live in a world that measures superiority versus inferiority - we will continue to experience this in many aspects of society - not just the presumed plight of women.

And we need to lay blame where it deserves - and that is in the hands of those who are made to feel inferior, as well as those guilty of playing superior.  You cannot give people your power - your self.  And if you let them take that - it is clearly your own fault for allowing them to make you FEEL that way.

I realize many will read this and feel that I am oversimplifying a complex issue - but again - you only make things as complex as you wish them to be.  

Women would move forward, much faster, if they just focussed on getting the task done - rather than stop to cry foul or draw attention to the injustices.  Perseverence and success are far stronger and more powerful in proving your point than standing up and railing against the barriers in your way.  Knock them down - quietly and firmly, and they will stop going back up eventually.  And those behind you won't have to worry about knocking them down for themselves one day.  But if you just talk about it - nothing will be accomplished in the end.

Answer 4

You’ve pretty much answered your own question. The statement was geared more towards the women who feel they are being victimized or oppressed. If you allow someone to talk down to you, mentally and physically abuse you and tell you you’re worthless, soon or a later you believe it.

Now in reference to the female aborted babies in China, for the longest, it was believed that a family would have good luck bestowed upon them if they had a male child. Which lead too a lot of female fetuses being aborted prior to birth. These beliefs lead many within the population to believe that the value of a female child was less than that of a male child. So it was looked upon unfavorably to have a little girl.

The only way I can tie that into western feminism is where you have people being discouraged if they find they’re having a girl vs. having a boy. I’ve watched many of my male friends get upset when finding out they where having a girl prior to the babies’ birth. So this could be along the same lines of the beliefs in China. Meaning we place more value on the birth of a son, and not the same value on the birth of a daughter, that later leads to problems with women advancing in modern society. This is one of the things feminist fight against (discrimination against women).

And asking this question does not make you’re a feminist. It’s just a question that you posed like everyone else posing their own personal questions, thoughts, and opinions of life and the issues between the sexes. It’s amazing how everyone can post what they wanna post, but the second some post something they personally don’t agree with, or want to dispute they label others and call people out there names.

Answer 5

Being in the so-called second class citizenship; due to the way I view things; let me tell you I don't feel as though I am in the slightest. I'm an Anti-Feminist; only because you labeled me so.   You and those like you say that; not me and my kind.  The way I look at it I'm no more inferior than an ant scuttling across the dirt.  As the old saying goes; it takes one to know one.  Tell me what are you feeling so inferior about that this thing called Feminism has been started?

Answer 6

I think there's a difference between being actually inferior and just having an inferiority complex.

Generally WESTERN feminists do fall into the latter category.

They are equal under the law to any man

Edit: absolutely. If you feel inferior, you could still be equal in reality.

Likewise you could feel equal and in reality be inferior.

The only way to be truly inferior is to both be discrimated against and feel that you should be discriminated against. There is no hope for those people

Answer 7

ur right, ur right and ur right, but .......u seem to be one of the many women in this world that has had it pretty good, and just cant see things from any other view point. there are many women, even in our part of the world,and at this present time, that from the time they are babies, are treated as a inferior human being., i know, i lived it, and believe me, its a long hard road, getting to were a women needs to be and feel in life.

but i too, know women that put themselves in the place to be treated as a second class person, and it drives me nuts!

and to add one more thing, a lot of women dont force themselves to be inferior because they know nothing else, they do it on purpose, cause its easier, someone else can take care of all the c**p of there lives, and then when something goes wrong, its not there fault, ........that my 2 cents.

Answer 8

Yes, you can be made to feel inferior. If you're told you don't measure up long enough, you might start to believe it. You've then victimized yourself.

I like what one poster said about quietly knocking down the barriers, and paving the way for those behind you. Complaining doesn't accomplish much. Yes, it brings issues into to open, but that's just a beginning.

Is this relevant to modern feminism? From what I have been reading, some issues still need to be addressed.

Interesting that you state that women "force" themselves to be inferior. Maybe you mean that women make themselves appear inferior to appease whoever is in charge at the time, IDN, I'm not sure how one forces themselves to be inferior.

Answer 9

No offense to women, but I think that statement is saying that women are inferior. Women were treated as inferiors in the early days and, according to the statement, if an individual is kept in a situation of inferiority, the fact is that he does become inferior.

Remember that women in the early days was not allowed to do a lot of things and they were expected to stay at home and take care of the children.

Answer 10

i think its related to the culture especially regarding the gender roles in a society i guess china has a totally different culture from that of western countries. traditionally and historically in china women had lower education and as a family parents tend to prefer son to daughters - some of the parents even abort the daughters before birth when the gender is revealed. so socially women are very oppressed and i also think it has something to do with the physique of the two gender. because chinese men are relatively smaller and weaker than westerners, so are chinese women, i think those chinese men feel threatened and feel like they have to be in control knowing that they're not physically strong enough so the high positions of social hierarchy are mostly dominated by male and consequently women tend to be shy and submissive and so they just live with the inequality between two gender. they're brainwashed and just systematized with the traditional values. i think it can change as china absorbs some western cultures and so women will be able to achieve higher education and women's authority and significance in a society will be empowered.

Answer 11

It does seem a lot of women cooperate when it comes to being treated like second class citizens.