Feminism

As theory and practice

Patriarchy (95)

System of male dominance

Social construction of woman

Woman as inferior, flawed man. Seductress, temptress, cause of original sin. Only good woman is an obedient woman.

Autonomy and Emancipation

Virginia Woolf, A Room of Ones Own. Women should be able to participate, to be and to become themselves.

Simone de Beauvoir

Argued that women have been defined purely in relation to men and not as autonomous beings. Her goal was the right of women to express themselves as individuals.

Woman as peaceful

One aspect of socialization Reclaiming power

The personal is political (112-113)

--source: http://www.rainn.org/statistics/

In 2002-2003, there were an average of 223,280 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. Only about 40% of rapes sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement in 2003. Since 1993, rape/sexual assault has fallen by over 65%. Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.

Murder

Every day four women die in this country as a result of domestic violence the most conservative estimates indicate two to four million women of all races and classes are battered each year

--source: http://www.now.org/issues/violence/stats.html
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The public/private myth (112-113)

Feminists argue that the separation of public and private perpetuates inequality of women. Housework is one example.

Women in leadership

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Women have the vote but do they have power? Women priests? Women politicians? 16 women in the Senate (33 women senators have been elected) 70 women in the House
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Descriptive representation

Seeing a woman in office will inspire more women to run for office.

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The politics of language (115-116)

Political correct The B!@#$

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Reform or Liberal Feminism (117)

Focus on Rights The equal rights amendment On March 27, 2007 House and Senate Democrats reintroduced the measure under a new name: the Womens Equality Amendment. What are the 15 states that have not ratified the ERA?The 15 states that have not ratified the ERA are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.

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Marxist feminism

Critique based upon the patriarchal familys role in supporting capitalism.

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Socialist Feminism

Similar to other forms of feminism but emphasize the democratic, egalitarian aspects of socialism.

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Integrative Feminism

Focus on equality but not sameness

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Separatist or Radical Feminism

Takes Woolfs argument to the extreme. Women will only be free when they completely escape the patriarchal world. For an interesting novel read Herland.

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Intersectionality-race/class/gender

bell hooks Feminist Theory: from margin to center Unity of oppression Advocating feminism

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Third World Feminism

Poverty vs. Patriarchy

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Reproductive Rights

Transforming society to allow full participation by women. The right to choose is about more than a woman's right to safe, legal abortion. Freedom of choice encompasses preventing unintended pregnancy through sex education and improved access to birth control, defending a woman's right to bear healthy children, defending the independence of our nation's courts, and addressing the inequities in reproductive health care.

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