What is feminism? What does it entail?

Question

I guess I've always considered myself somewhat of a feminist, but I've come to realize that I don't know exactly what the term means.

What are feminists known for? I mean, I know how they view women as equal and perfectly capable as men, but what else? What are some good feminist authors? Would Jane Austen be considered one?

Answer 1

Feminism is a rather large umbrella that covers various movements, streams of thought, ideologies built around the basic issue of gender difference. Historically, three waves are identified:

1. In 19-20th century - the right to vote, and the right to education as well in some places. This was also called the emancipation of women.

2. In 1960s - legal and social equality. This was also called women’s liberation.

3. In 1990s onwards – some see this as a reaction to women’s lib and some a continuation of it.

Essentially everybody has the same view – as you say, women as equal and perfectly capable as men - and campaign for women’s rights, interests, and equality. But they don’t necessarily agree about the means to the end. There are various branches and offshoots, like liberal feminism, radical feminism, black feminism, third world feminism...and so on.

Authors there are plenty and would depend on which wave interests you, but you could also look up Betty Friedan, Germaine Greer, Angela Davis, Taslima Nasreen.

Jane Austen is certainly considered one of the early writers. In her words, “Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story…Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands.”

Answer 2

If you want to know about feminism rather than just getting preconceived notions rehashed, then check out this link http://www.freewebs.com/feminism-evaluat...

Answer 3

Today feminism, for me, is about helping women who are still living under a misogynistic rule.. i.e. many places in Africa, India, the Middle East...

American women, British women... well, countries ruled secularly and living in generally civilized, up-to-date places... are doing fine. However, women in the third world continue to suffer.

Answer 4

Hating and criticizing men.  Any talk about equality is just to make it sound politically correct.

Answer 5

feminism view women as equal or more and always considered all women as capable as men, if not so much more better

that is why they are so jealous of us

Answer 6

Feminism: Privilege without responsibility.

Answer 7

I'd give you the dictionary definition, but its self defeating.

Feminism striving for equal rights is like me founding a movement to fight to get doughnuts available for the average consumer.

Kinda already got there.....

Answer 8

feminism means you have been abused in your life as a woman, so you become desperate to put men in their place, and you hide yourself behind the term 'equality' and claim you want men and women to be equal when in reality they are not.

Darwin wrote in chapter 19 of The Descent of Man, “Man is more courageous, pugnacious and energetic than woman, and has a more inventive genius.” Later on in the same chapter Darwin states,

The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the two sexes is shewn by man’s attaining to a higher eminence, in whatever he takes up, than can woman- whether requiring deep thought, reason, or imagination, or merely the use of the senses and hands. If two lists were made of the most eminent men and women in poetry, painting, sculpture, music (inclusive both of composition and performance), history, science, and philosophy, with half-a-dozen names under each subject, the two lists would not bear comparison. We may also infer, from the law of the deviation from averages, so well illustrated by Mr.Galton, in his work on Hereditary Genius, that if men are capable of a decided pre-eminence over women in many subjects, the average of mental power in man must be above that of woman.

Answer 9

Fight for more special perks for women and push for special laws and acts that favor women but discriminated against men.

Answer 10

You should believe women are superior to men.  And that all men are untermensch (subhumans.)  That you need Lebensraum (living space) and must conquer other countries/cultures and teach them how to live.  

You believe in a Leibensborn program (women do not need men to have children, just their sperm) and that you are creating superior race.  Finally you must create the Final Solution against men (laws like VAWA) and enforce it with a sexist Iron fist.  

AND no matter how much a man cries to see his children, or asks for fairness, do not budge from your superior attitude of hatred!  Be mean, now go out there and kick a pair!

Answer 11

I really like this quotation with regards to feminism.  I think that it sums up the theology rather succinctly.  If you do not like being treated like a doormat you are a feminist.  If you want your daughters to have equal opportunities to your sons you are a feminist.  Best of luck to you.

"Feminism has fought no wars.  It has killed no opponents.  It has set up no concentration camps, starved no enemies, practiced no cruelties.  Its

battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions.. for safety on the streets... for child care, for social welfare...for rape crisis  

centers, women's refuges, reforms in the law." (If someone says) 'Oh, I'm not a feminist,' (I ask) 'Why? What's your problem?'"  

- Dale Spender, author of

For the Record: The Making & Meaning of Feminist Knowledge, 1985

Answer 12

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy should keep you busy for a VERY long time:

http://plato.stanford.edu/

Enjoy.

Answer 13

Even though this is an old definition of feminism, I still like this quote by Rebecca West:

"I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is:  I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a door mat or a prostitute."  ~Rebecca West, "Mr Chesterton in Hysterics: A Study in Prejudice," The Clarion, 14 Nov 1913, reprinted in The Young Rebecca, 1982

To counter the negative sentiments about feminism, I like this quote: "You don't have to be anti-man to be pro-woman."  ~Jane Galvin Lewis

I still see a need for feminism in the Western world as well as in the rest of the world-when basic rights to choice and birth control are being fought over and over in the US and are being denied world-wide -equality has not been achieved. .  

Answer 14

feminists believe they should receive equal pay for equal work, and that they should have equal opportunity to get higher paying jobs.

that's it. ALL. everything.

All those other long explanations are from people who think women should not have equality in the workplace.