Why we Still Need Feminism in the 21st Century

During this semester many topics were put on the floor. From Death, Hero, War and feminism to name a few. The subject that penetrated my train of thought and kept me on my toes was feminism. In which I will discuss during the duration of this assignment. Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights based on the equality of the sexes. According to the Webster Dictionary. Today I will inform you why feminism is important in the 21st century, how feminism has changed, and why I agree with the female’s views of feminism.

First and foremost, Feminism is a touchy topic in which a lot of people do not want to discuss. For Instance, back in the late 60s or as one would say the 20th century. From my understanding and teaching of the past women were not allowed to do the job of a man nor even think about it. We have discussed a lot of different subjects on this matter. One author I enjoyed reading about was the 1792 author of Vindication of the Rights of Women. Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary Wollstonecraft was a native of London, England. From the research of this great artist and activist. I learned that her father was an inheritor of a great fortune in which he invested in many farm ventures. Although her father was a great provider, his voguer words were damaging to his spouse, in which he bullied into servitude. Mary was a very smart young lady, she left her parents nest at the age of 19, tasting the real world. According to Encylopedia.com, In the year 1787, Mary and her sister Eliza wanted to give back to the young women of this time, educating them on their lives and skill abilities. She had to grow up earlier than she expected. Mary and her sister received so much push back during their trimester of being on their own. Many disrespected them so bad, causing turmoil in Mary’s first taste of life. Just to hit some of the points I developed in my mind I feel she had no choice. Her father was a brutal and disrespect male that was brainwashed by his fellow peers and community. Feminism is a derogative term in which I do not like to use. Every woman or male have the same skills and abilities. I do believe a man should be the head, in which he provides. However, we should never devour the woman’s skills and talents in which she possesses. Many women have the brains that many males are lacking. Now feminism falls back into the category of equality. Every day we are experiencing this matter. Police brutality, Black lives matter, even bullying abuse in schools all ties into equality. No one bleeds “blue” blood. We should be cautious and treat everyone equal.

Secondly, feminism has changed so much over the course of my twenty-five years of life. I have witnessed females in my own family going out and working two jobs to make ends meet for their immediate family. However, I did grow in a house hold of two parents. My mother and father both were working, and two incomes were needed to provide a roof over the heads of my siblings and me. The test of time now in the 21st century has proven that women staying home cooking and mopping floors just isn’t helping anymore. We all know from our American ancestors that is was normal for a woman to stay home and do the things pertaining to the household. However, times have changed a lot, and I disagree with the world system of analyzation. I read scholarly article written by a middle-aged woman named Lisa Adkins. Lisa stated: feminism and its history have been imagined as following a familial mode of social reproduction. Which is true in my eyes. I’ve heard some people state how they felt that women doing a man’s job would make them less of a man. Well, let’s look deeper into this. Why do gentlemen feel this way? I would say me being a male I know that I am the bread winner for the family. I am to do what the biblical verse states “A man that doesn’t work doesn’t eat.” 2 Thess. 3:10 KJV Holy Bible. I believe that with my whole heart. I will also say in the bible Adam was male walking on the earth by himself until GOD blessed him with a help meet. In which you can read in Genesis chapter one. Their task was to tend to the garden of Eden and dress it every day. The reason I mentioned this is because over 2000 years ago a male and his wife were working together to provide for the family. Why now all a it is of none effect. Ruth Lister wrote an article passage in the book “Government and Opposition”.

This article in the beginning started with a comparison of the author and men in relation to feminism as an identity. Which the story covers from the feelings of women and their emotions and the stamina and ego of men. It then attempts to illuminate the meaning of being feminist’ by addressing several points of agony and self-distress of the male and female roles. Over a third of the article discusses the nature of feminism in its various guises, focusing mainly on feminism in Britain since the late 1960s. The article also, engages with the notions of post-feminism’, and global sisterhood”. Finally, the article analyses critically feminism’s uneasy relationship with identity politics and how their effecting the world today. I can say this article was expressed and written so perfectly. Anyone that agrees that feminism is a subject of interest should read this passage.

Thirdly, I agree with the female’s point of view on this subject because I feel that everyone should have equals rights and equal opportunities. As I mentioned above, my family had many women that were in a stable productive home, but they had to go and get factory jobs to help add to the meat and potatoes. The mind of the worlds citizens today is so self-righteous that we do not look at the full picture of the matter. Another topic we read during this semester was Virginia Woolf’s scholarly piece: A Room of One’s Own. Just to give an overview of the author. Mrs. Woolf was a passionate feminist I believe. Virginia Woolf was an innovative novelist. Not only was she innovative but she was a woman. She was a woman of integrity that not only talked about how she felt but showed value in what she believed. During this time of era, Virginia was raised in or living in a time of racism that was not really determined by skin color. However, it was displayed by gender stances. Men felt that Women shouldn’t have a voice, in which we all know that’s why were discussing this topic. Virginia was a strong-willed woman that was determined to prove the statistics wrong. I felt that she compared so much to Mary Wollstonecraft because of the drive she had to make a change. These were two women that knew a change had to take place. Two strong minded feminists. I believe she wrote “A Room of One’s Own,” because she wanted people to see females from a female’s point of view and for more value and purpose. She blamed men for the way women were seen during their era. Sadly, I must agree with her. As a male myself, we are very stubborn people who feel our manhood cannot be snatched from us. After reading the main points of “A Room of One’s Own,” I felt Virginia was wanting more for women and it compared to Mary Wollstonecraft’s writing. It was many similarities in both of their writings that I believe something had to change in society. A lot was proven in their aspect of thinking. Which can be displayed and remembered in our modern-day perspective. Just like racism needed to be converted, judgement against women need to as well.

In conclusion, I have painted a picture of views from over three sources in which you can see value and purpose of women and their drives. Each woman discussed has been through a trial of pain and suffering that needed to be healed. Mary, Lisa, Virginia and even Eve all knew their values and integrity was worth it. I am hoping now that everyone will see that statistics and judgmental state of minds will not help progression. Logical thinking will. Let’s make a change in our hearts which is the mind.

Works Cited

1) “Wollstonecraft, Mary (1759–1797).” Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Nov. 2018

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