Do you think that the Women's Movement has really helped women or not?

Question

Sometimes I wonder if we've made any progress at all.After working full-time,chauffering kids,organizing and preparing meals etc. I wonder if we've done ourselves any favours.Of course the right to choose one's course is a biggie.What do you all think?

Answer 1

absolutely. How could it not be a good thing for women that they can obtain contraceptives without embarrassment, get abortions, be admitted to professional schools, take out loans, own their own property, have the police take you seriously when you report that your husband is beating you, keep your own name when you marry, not have high school teachers question you when you enroll in physics and advanced math, not be tormented by a double standard when pursuing a normal adult sex life, realize that sexual pleasure is just as important for women as for men.

Now it's true that many women have used some of these freedoms and privileges in a way that is harmful to themselves, their children, and society at large. But I think these same women would have had lousy lives even if they lived under the old system.

Also, I think many people think it is the women's movement that has caused women to have to have demanding outside jobs when they have small children. Actually, if women and their families were willing to live the more modest lives of previous generations, including not eating out, not going great distances on vacations, not having cell phones, have their children double and triple up in bedrooms, wearing the same winter coat for 10+ years, etc. etc. they could live on one income. A lot of our current problems are caused by by our high standard of living, not the women's movement.

Answer 2

Just check on how women had to live before the movement. We could not vote, we could not own property if we were married, because if we did, the husband would own our property because we were the husband's property. Actually, we were not allowed to own anything if we were married. Everything that we owned before going into a marriage became his after marriage. If you didn't marry you were considered an old maid.
Birth control was taboo at one time and women were dying in childbirth because of too many pregnancies.
Women were not allowed to drive, or even wear comfortable clothing. Women were not supposed to enjoy sex, just lay back and take it. We were not supposed to have a mind and were considered fragile. The word hysterectomy came from the word hysterical because women were considered mentally fragile as well as physically fragile. The power of the white male was so oppressive to so many. Thank God for the Women's Movement. We are just not finished moving, that's all. Let's go forward, not back.
When you think of women's liberation, think of the word liberating. That's what it really means. It is not a negative and it is not a sign of lesbianism. It simply means that women want to become a part of the decision making processes in the good old USA and to be able to live better lives, for ourselves, and also for our daughters. Good husbands will at least attempt to understand.

Answer 3

I feel really pressured by the women's movement to have a really successful career. Feminists aren't going to like this but I think that the most important job in the world is being a mother. I feel like sometimes people look down their noses at me because I choose to put family life before work. I'm expecting my first baby at Xmas and I can't wait to nurture her and become a mother. I don't want to be one of these people that are still sitting in their office at 10pm wondering when my baby daughter will say her first word and will I miss it? I want to be there for all of that stuff and I feel that sometimes these career women look at me like I'm inferior to them because of it. They look at you like you have no drive or ambition, which is totally wrong. Don't get me wrong I'm grateful for things like the right to vote and things like that and it's made a huge impact on the divorce laws and the rights of women in general. I'm 30 years old now and I've travelled and seen the world and I've also had a reasonably successful working life - I've always worked hard at whatever job I've done. Whilst I have nothing against career women - if that's the life they've chosen for themselves then good on them, it's just not what I choose or myself. Don't feel bad for being a mother, it's a very important job - as I'm about to find out in a couple of months time!!

Answer 4

I want my daughters to have as many opportunities as any man/ boy.
But, I do not think that the current situation where it is the norm for both husband and wife to go to work, is best for society.
We are seeing problems within our society because a partner is not at home to look after the children. Another negative effect of both sexes/partners working is the devaluing of the Labour force. If there weren't as many people available for work, wages would be higher for the remaining workforce, as was proved in the UK when traditionally women kept house and men worked, wages tended to be higher for most men. I am not saying that the woman should stay at home, I am saying that ideally, the partner with the lower earning potential should stay at home, reducing pollution (from driving to work), being able to care for children, and to do the housework.


reply to chazzdoppler - Yes, at the moment it is a womens world, they have all the cards now. But, if they used their smaller brains, that God gave them to better effect, it could have been even better for them. They wouldn't have needed to work at all.

Answer 5

What, did you think that rights don't come with responsibilities? As it is women are getting off easier than a man. For one, they don't have to go into combat or be drafted.

Women talk about equality but what they really want is more rights and privileges without the responsibilities, plus they don't want to give up what they already had. They still want the man to fight for them, shower them with gifts, etc., but don't think they themselves should have to do the same for the man. That isn't equality.

Edit: Any additional responsibilities they have today that they didn't have before are only those which they each individually have chosen to shoulder, not ones that were placed there that came with any rights or privileges.

Answer 6

I would rather work my butt off and have a choice than to work my butt off and have no choice. I believe in women's lib, I can work and be paid because of womens lib, I can divorce if I ever needed to because of womens lib. I can VOTE because of womens lib! If you don't like women's lib then go and live under a man's thumb as a lower being but I would rather look my husband in the eye as an equal because I am his equal than with eyes downcast!

Answer 7

the womens movement no but the trade union movement has done a lot for women with the introduction of maternity rights and parental rights and dependants leave

Answer 8

I am old enough to remember the pre women movement. When women were nurses, teachers, or secretaries. I think women have come a long way from that!

Still, there is no harder worker than a woman!

Answer 9

It has ruined women's lives and hurt children by convincing women that being a parent is not the most important thing in the world

Answer 10

Yes and no.
It's great to have more freedom - but with this we've taken on more responsibility - like having to juggle career, kids, social lives etc.
i think men should have a movement to balance it out a little - so they can have more responsibilities!!