Equal Opportunities: A Feminist View.?

Question

I have to give a presentation at college about the feminist view of things, and I'm not entirely sure where to start. There a couple of things I'd like to talk about, for example, wages, and expectations of women. Also, I'd like to discuss some important feminists through time, and if they made an impact.

What I'd like, is if anyone here could tell me of sexism they may have experienced, for example, if a male collegue was getting paid more than you for the same job, and what you're views on feminism are.

Along with that, if there's any feminists you can think of, that made an impact somewhere along the line, I'd really like to know about them too.

Thanks x

center of the universe: I got given that title by my tutor. I'm still trying to decide where I'm taking it, hence, posting this question.

Answer 1

I think a lot of modern feminists, like Saphire, have a REALLY outdated notion of what a man is or what men think.

Men DON'T feel that they have the right to be in control. Some might, but the vast majority don't. Men, I think, make up the one demographic which is okay to insult, demean and degrade, and be politically correct while doing so.

Here's some info that will guarantee that you'll get an 'F':

Regarding the wage gap:
When women behave in the workplace as men do, the wage gap between them is small. June O'Neill, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, found that among people ages 27 to 33 who have never had a child, women's earnings approach 98 percent of men's. Women who hold positions and have skills and experience similar to those of men face wage disparities of less than 10 percent, and many are within a couple of points. Claims of unequal pay almost always involve comparing apples and oranges.

Regarding domestic violence:
- According to a Nov. 1998 Department of Justice/Centers for Disease Prevention and Control report on the National Violence Against Women Survey. Every 37.8 seconds, somewhere in America a man is battered. Every 20.9 seconds, somewhere in America a woman is battered.
- National Violence Against Women survey (National Institute of Justice/Centers for Disease Control) shows that assaults by women are dangerous. Assaulted men more likely than women to be knifed, hit with an object.
- Accodring to Statistics Canada, 44% of DV victims are men. In current relationships men as more likely to be victims of domestic violence.

Regarding female violence:
- “Women commit the majority of child homicides in the U.S., a greater share of physical child abuse, an equal rate of sibling violence and assaults on the elderly, about a quarter of child sexual abuse, an overwhelming share of the killing of newborns, and a fair preponderance of spousal assaults. The question is, how do we come to percieve what girls and women do? Violence is still universally considered to be the province of the male." Patricia Pearson.

Some feminists that you might want to look into:
Reena Sommer, PhD
Christina Hoff Sommers
Prof. Judith E. Kleinfeld
Melanie Phillips
Cathy Young

Answer 2

To me feminism is about changing the expected roles that society places on women. The ideas that women are there to cook, clean and look after children. Men feel they are the providers so this gives them the right to control women and they expect women to look after them. They have convinced themselves that women enjoy this role. I know that not all men have these ideas and attitudes are slowly changing but there is still along way to go. The idea of marriage was invented by men to suit there needs but was put across as something women want. Some women want a career in a high powered job but others are happy to look after a home and bring up children. I think what ever a women choses she should be given credit in her own right as her own person. I have never been married but I have a child and bringing up a child is the hardest job I have ever had. I don't think their is an other job that has as much responsibility and accountability attached to it. The hours are 24/7 for 14yrs then you are allowed to take short breaks.
Men and women are different in many ways and that can't be changed. Men are physically stronger, only women can have children. If we can appreciate each others strengths maybe we will all get along alot better.

Answer 3

Go to any temp service in Stark county, Ohio . Preferbly in the massillon, canton area. They say they are an equal oppertunity employer, but only hire one chick for every 74 males. Even though They have alot of jobs chicks can do.

Also heres something you probley havn't heard of. Being denied for a job because your too pretty. Without any further explination!!! Thats not just at those temp services either. The most complete explination I ever got for that one is that they're watching out for my feelings & they don't want me to waste my time on a job that I'm to pretty for. WTF!!!

Also theres compition between chicks in the workplace. If your a waitress, the other chicks turn mean & b*tcy towards you. Expashally when they're making an hourly wage of $2.10 or $2.15, and your hourly is $2.30. And you get about double the tips that they do. Even though all your doing differnt then them is doing your job well & checking on your customers to refil their drink. And some of those chicks I thought were pretty. Males at jobs like that get p*ssed that the chicks make more then they do, so its kinda like a reversed feminism thing.

Also alot of males get upset/jelous/competitive at home or in the workplace if a chick makes more then them. I've heard of cases where a man made the chick quit or the male worked two jobs so that she wouldn't make more then him.

I also don't like the views that some men have of expecting a chick to sit there & look pretty. If you go out, sit there & look pretty. Or you were raised helping to work on cars, but neither you husband or his best friend will let you under one that they're working on unless they need your small hands to get something. And them not paying attention to you saying you know what the problem is until they've done wasted three hours comeing to the same conclusion you told them in the first place!!!It isn't just men either. Everytime I'm job hunting & I tell my gramma about it, she's like you shouldn't do that, let the men do it. Or even at home & I tell her something I did, its why do you do that? Your husband should, thats the mans job.Sometimes I think all people expect of me is to sit there, dressed up, clip cupons, sip tea, & talk about an apple pie I baked!!! THATS NOT ME!!! (I say the dressed up part because as a child, I always had to be dressed up to somepoint. The only time I was allowed to wear jeans was when I was working on a car or helping to do something dirty, any other time I was in a skirt or dress, with a pair of bike shorts underneith. At home I was allowed to wear pant suits when I was playing, but still. I didnt like always wearing a skirt!!!) Did I mention the finger thing I was taught at age 3? take your index finger & middle finger. put them close together,then cross them, then spread them. The saying with that is... good girls sit like this, or this,bad girls sit like this. I can see the point in that as an adult now,but as a child, it was just onther rule so I couldn't be comfortable.

Alot of males also have the view still (even young ones!!!) That a womens supposed to do all the cleaning & cooking & even child raiseing. Although in the time when that was considered an accepted view, most chicks didn't work outside the home. But now chicks are expected to still do all that, basicly on thier own, & work. And also still find time to exercize & relax & keep their man satisfied. And men have the nerve to wonder why some chicks are such highstrung b*tchs!!!

Answer 4

Eva Peron, Lucretia Borgia, Elizabeth Borden, Eva Braun, Hillary Clinton, Salome, Jezebel, Lot's wife, Ba-ba Streisand, Lillith, Linda Lovelace, Georgina Spelvin.... the list goes on

Answer 5

As a female, surprisingly, I have a lot of issues w/ feminism. As in, why do we still expect the man to pay for a date if we're the ones who ask them out? Also, hitting is wrong anyway, but why, if we hit a man, is it not accepted for him to defend himself or hit back? We fought for = rights so that should be in every aspect of life, from wages to domestic violence. Personally, I think feminism and feminists are crap. Hopefully you don't find this too offensive. I was just offering a little insight to a different point of view from a female's perspective.

Answer 6

There are several successful women in all fields - political, economic, social and cultural - who have made valuable contributions to the advancement of human civilization!
If you do some research - maybe internet search - you will end up getting a huge amount of useful information you can use in your presentation!

Answer 7

Well I have been singled out for my gender before, in Nottingham UK where I live guys who are in their 30s shout sexual abuse a girls who are going out into town. You dont even have to be dressed provocatively, I got shouted at in full daylight by two drunk guys asking me for oral sex. I shouted back on that one time........but its hardly worth it. Guys arent singled out like that in a derogatrory way and made to feel uncomfortable, I cant believe it when guys say they should be excused just becuase they are guys, sorry but it dosent hurt to shut your mouth. I am glad now I have moved away and am at uni becuase at least where I am now the guys dont behave like that.

Answer 8

women still get 75c on the dollar. for the most poor still have to have babies to get in shelter sustainable amount of social services..get the help that works...
see orange county info link guide .
disabled women who got abused couldn't find accessible domestic violence shelter in 2000.
many poor disabled women in the road.
see the mostly stupid answers to my question... an look up the info on the UCI study.below

using the term feminazi and more... conservatives discredited the means and the idea of women's rights. and other important issues. they know how to create fear and distaste to get what they want. liberals have not learned how to fight back.
despite a few key placements of minorities and women for looks there is still a glass ceiling for women.
HUD fheo reports housing discrimination of all sorts is way up.
MY ? is :female advocacy gone?
why don't disabled homeless or other poor women have advocacy? what happened to NOW.
http://webfiles.uci.edu/copc/www/media/b...
look up shelter for the homeless must have the babies. poor responsible to don't make the babies but disabled = no help.
I'm dismissed at medical and psyche and social because i am female and disabled and homeless.. Ive had to research on my own most diagnoses of my medical conditions and present what needed to be tested for and fight convenient diagnose because of it..
i can't find anyone with legal skills willing to do individual advocacy. even legal aide is political now.
we've gone backwards.
i for one have paid a huge price in loss of all i did work hard for things cant be replaced and health and psyche. i doubt i can even get back to where i was in 1999. and that wasn't so swell.
i came out of child abuse and then foster care.too.
so no supports ever.
so despite abetingthe odds for years and was even working on a masters degree ,eventually they beat me as adisabled woman
with no supports disablity sealed it all.
email if you need more details.

Answer 9

your question does not sound like it's at a college level
first narrow your question as to what you are looking for
key figures in feminism?
current or historical issues in feminism?
current examples of sexism?

Answer 10

I think both Gloria Steinem and Anne Sexton are feminists who have made positive impacts.