Feminism Essay- Feminism As A Constructive Movement

Outlines 

1.      What is Feminism ?
2.      All genders have equal rights
3.      Origin of Feminism
4.      Men and women are equal .
5.      Feminism _an ism or  theory
6.      Different branches of Feminism
7.      Liberal Feminism
8.      Radical Feminism
9.      Marxist Feminism
10.      Psychoanalytic Feminism
11.      Post Modern Feminism
12.      Problems faced by Women.
13.      Situations in Pakistan
14.      Misconceptions about feminism .
15.      Anti Feminist, Pro-Feminist
16.      How it is different from other movements?
17.      Psychological aspects of this movement .
18.      Hijacking of feminism to reach women, New wine in the old bottle.
19.      Aurat March.
20.      Conclusion

Feminism is a movement for gender equality.The definition of feminism is that ,it is a movement ,that includes the advocating ,speaking ,writing ,acting on behalf of women’s issues and rights and recognizing injustice and discrimination to females in the status quo.

         

Feminism is a consistency of movements and ideologies, based on a common goal to fight for equal political, economical, cultural, personal, social and educational rights for women. It demands equal rights for women in all spheres of life and eradication of discrimination and injustice to women on gender basis . A feminist is one who believes that women should have equal opportunities and freedom with men.

When we proceed to define Feminism on behalf of its core ideologies or concepts, we find ourselves in a blind alley. To understand the definition of feminism one has to define Feminism with the references of it’s historical origins and developments . Although the movement of feminism is relatively modern, the word “feminist “, was first used in 1871, in a French medical text to describe a cessation in growth of sexual organs and characteristics in male patients, who were facing  “feminization “ in their bodies.

The term was then used by a French antifeminist writer Alexander Dumas, who used it in a pamphlet published in 1872, which title was “ homme_femme “, on the subject of adultery, to describe women behaving in a masculine way. So it is interesting that feminist was not , at first ,used by women as an adjective . The first use of feminist was by a man and as a negative term.

In1840s ,the women 's rights movement had started to emerge in the United States with the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, resulted in Declaration of Sentiments ,which claimed the principles of liberty and equality for women fermented in the American Declaration of Independence . Later on ,it was followed by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan Anthony 's  establishment of the National Woman Suffrage Association.

In 1792 ,Mary Wollstonecraft had published “A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women “ ,and at the same time in France Olympe de Gouges and Theroigne Mericourt started fighting for extension the rights promised by French Revolution to women . In Britain in the 1890s and in the United States in 1910.

Men and Women both are equal . They both have got one life to live and enjoy . Then why this topic is so trilling and debating, and feminism seems to be an unnecessarily overshadowed, or lacks importance being a topic, is debatable in all forums.

Men and women both are physically different. Women are comparatively weak and have been created, to do more creative and  delicate works . But the concept they should be discriminated on behalf of their physical weakness ,and can be regarded as mentally weak also has been challenged

When women are not allowed to vast their exposure and experience through performing tasks what the man can do ,how women can develop their skills and experience in the relevant fields. Asking for equal rights doesn’t mean claiming of getting dominance over man. These points were raised in three or four waves of feminism.

Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical or philosophical discussion .It is based on an understanding of the nature of gender inequality. 

Liberal Feminism is an individualistic form of feminist theory ,which deals with the women's ability to maintain their equality through their own actions and choices . It argues that society has a myth that women are by nature, less capable, physically or intellectually, that’s why it seems to discriminate against women in different places. Liberal feminists are contrasted with radical Feminism.

Unlike the liberal feminists ,who claim within the system for change ,the radical feminists want a new system completely.

Radical Feminism challenges patriarchy existing in our society and it’s institutions like family ,through purely political process . Radical feminists claimed that the “personal is political “, and that all women are sisters.

For radical Feminism women oppression is the hardest form of oppression to eradicate and cannot be removed by social changes.

On the other hand Marxist Feminism is a branch of feminism focused on the investigation and explanation of the ways in which women are oppressed through the system of capitalism and private property.

While psychoanalytic and gender feminism claims that women 's way of acting is rooted deep in her psyche. It is a theory of oppression that emphasis that men have an inherent psychological need to subjugate women. The root of men 's domination and women's subjugation is deep-rooted in the human psyche.

While the Postmodern feminism is a mixture of poststructuralism, postmodernism and French Revolutionary feminism .The ultimate goal of postmodern feminism is to eradicate and destabilize the Patriarchal norms ,male dominance penetrated in the society ,are the roots of inequality between genders . It means that the eradication of patriarchy and male dominance can reduce or demolish gender equality.

Gender inequality is one of the basic problems, women are facing for decades, till now. Equality and justice seems to be like sunlight, it can’t affect and reach every place but open enough to make it reachable. One has to open doors and windows to welcome it . It’s not a myth that the problems of some women are still unsolved. The problems faced by developed and developing countries can vary in nature but still exist. In developed countries also ,women are facing problems of lacking political  participation ,unequal wages ,subordinated jobs ,unequal and unpaid household chores ,abductions ,rapes , domestic violence ,sexual harassment and lack of opportunities.

In Asian countries ,including Pakistan ,India ,Bangladesh ,Nepal and others ,woman are still facing the problems of lack of autonomy ,child and forced marriages ,feudalism against women ,women 's dependence on men ,acid throwing cases on refusal to marry ,blackmailing,honour killing  ,harassment ,unequal wages ,lack of opportunities in all sectors, the weight of taboos, and on the pattern of Love’s labor is the lost labor of unpaid domestic  chores , and massive gender discrimination.

Like Western women, Pakistani women were also victims of sexual harassment at workplace, degradation and marginalization and discrimination on gender basis. Pakistani women were rewarded for the plights faced by them in 1947, with the provision of reserved seats in Parliament existing in the history of Pakistan from 1956 onwards. Being a woman of a newly born country, women had to do much in order to establish her worth in society.

Government of Pakistan worked and still working on women 's development profiles to lessen gap between society defined rules ,rights and responsibilities of women and men, along with promoting gender equality through the involvement of women in all spheres of life

             

In all spheres of life ,women 's involvement has been assured . In spite of many initiatives taken by Governments , NGOs there are some wrong perceptions, related to feminism in the minds of some groups and individuals. Every movement has many aspects and schools of thought, and only a moderate school of thought can reduce the miseries of victims for whom they claim to raise voice. The outcome of a radical movement cannot be beneficial for the majority ,but a specific group.

Feminism has a great importance in the history as a movement struggled for the legitimate rights of women and prepared the women to stand side by side with men in all spheres of life .So , Feminism can be regarded as the widely discussed and widely avoided topic at the same time because of some radical elements included in this movement.

Then, there emerged a group of men, even some women, who opposed women 's equality. Anti Feminism is the opposition to all kinds of feminism . In the late 19^th century and early 20^th century, it resisted women 's suffrage while anti-feminists in the late 20^th century in the United States opposed the Equal Rights Amendment.

According to the men and women are not equal, and the difference between men and women, gender inequality is natural and divinely determined. They are on the same debate till today. On the other hand Pro Feminists, claim equality of men and women, and demand the same political, social, personal, cultural, educational, behavioral, economical, civil, and psychological rights, men have, in all spheres of life. Pro Feminists argued on their demand for claiming equality not dominance over men, while anti-feminists argued that claiming equality is a kind of demand of dominance over men.

Feminism is a worldwide movement, claimed, struggled and persuaded Governments to acquire all equal rights equally, the men had. It is a movement different from others in such an extent that this movement was based on gender. The majority of women-led this movement with the help of feminist men also. Initially it was mocked later on accepted as a movement .

The gender-based movement was a worldwide movement, unlike other movements. Its focus was to globalize the feminist movement and awareness and help every woman across the globe, irrespective of race, color, class, and ethnicity. It aimed at the demand of physical ,mental ,social ,cultural ,economical ,personal and psychological equality.

Psychologically, men think himself superior to women because of his authority over women, physical strength, and his wide experience of life outside the home . The idea that women are less intelligent than him nourishes in his mind when he finds women, lacking expertise in the matters where physical, emotional strength is required. Our society, irrespective of east or west, is a patriarchal society. And it supports men's views of dominance over women . But sometimes this creed bothers him ,when he finds himself unable to deal with the matters women can deal easily ,and when he finds himself ,unable to deal with the outcomes ,he has to face because of women lacking in particular domain. 

Thus feminism created a positive impact on the psyche of both, men and women .Man feels free of unnecessary dependence of women on him and it makes his mind flexible enough to solve problems multidimensionally. On the other hand, women have become the most useful part of the construction of a society. It makes her vulnerable, multi-tasker, positive and strong-minded. Less dependency on men ,or independence ,made her more witty and experienced.

In spite of some plus points of feminism ,that  it tried to minimize the problems of women ,when we are going to describe the problems of women,in the world and in developing countries like Pakistan ,we happen to know ,that  there are two groups of women  in Pakistan ,one smaller and second  bigger group .One smaller group claims to be a liberal feminist and in the name of getting liberty wants to have the right of abortions and claims for the rights, and Islamic Republic can’t allow nor afford. 

Frailty ,thy name is woman ,was proved to be right when some groups tried to hijack the feminist movement ,and added such demands in the slogans of feminism .With the slogans of Merajism Meri marzi ,some radical feminists lighted a candle ,willing to burn it’s own culture ,morality ,dignity and honour. While the second bigger group of women is still facing marginalization, and discrimination, and radicalization and frustration of radical feminists is forcing them not to speak for their legitimate rights.

Moderation is the key to make a movement long-lasting. History is witness ,whenever radical  and extremist movements tried to challenge social institutions and cultural and cultural  norms ,it has to end in smoke . Every radical movement has self suicidal theories that ultimately bring about its downfall. Being the Muslims we are honoured to have a religion, claimed equality of women, for the very first time . It is obligatory for all men and women to seek knowledge . And all human beings regardless of gender are  equal ,but on the base of Taqwa. Feminism and humanism both should be promoted at the national and international levels but within social, moral and ethical limits.