womens Lib. are women truly liberated by it?

Question

I have the above question as an essay question and i am not sure what direction to take it. Looking for people opinions to get my brain working

Answer 1

You could research the differences between being a US woman vs a woman in another country-in some countries today, girls aren't educated, women don't have "careers", women perform back-breaking work to support their families, and women often don't receive life-saving medical care, and die at an early age.

Otherwise, you could compare the choices you have today, compared to US women of your mother's or grandmother's generation. What choices for types of classes you could take, sports you could participate in, higher education opportunities were available, and career choices did your mother and grandmother have, compared to what you have today?

For example, my school had two girls sports to choose from (track and softball), girls were told to be a teacher or a nurse (in case their husband died), and was told to get married and have kids. I didn't know for certain what birth control, abortion, gay or straight sex was until I was 15, and found a book on Our Bodies, Ourselves. Hopefully, you've had a few more choices...

Good luck!

Answer 2

Yes. Before women had a choice of whether to marry and become a housewife or seek a career, they did NOT have a choice. When my grandmother was a little girl women did not even enjoy suffrage (the right to vote). Women could not own property, but instead were treated as property. Chattel.

We have come a long way since then. The important thing is that liberation means freedom of choice. If you WANT to play ball with the big boys, the ONLY thing stopping you should be physical aptitude--not sexual discrimination. I mean, just because you are a woman does not mean I should be free to deny you employment at any job you are qualified to do, or to pay you less for doing the same (or better) work than a male counterpart.

We have eliminated lots of inequities in educational opportunities, sports (Title IX), and in employment. More women hold political office now than ever have before. Yet inequalities remain. Some of these are social--women who choose to compete with men are often viewed as tomboys or worse--and eschewed by society. There is nothing wrong with wanting an 8 to 5 job in heavy industry--regardless of your plumbing. Similarly, men who wish to stay home as "househusbands" are also viewed as enuchs or worse. Not every couple can afford to have one spouse serve as an unemployed babysitter half his or her life. I find I'm scraping to get by on two incomes.

Answer 3

What Alexandra said. Although I do not fully agree with her. It would have been a "womens liberation" if at least in a family the man OR the woman works. With both working wages raise slower than the costs of living, if they raise at all. Supply and demand. So yeah if you dont plan on getting married with children you are pretty much liberated since you can get by on one income. If you plan on having a family in some countries you do not really have a choice. You need to work, unless your husband has an high paying job.

Answer 4

It totally depends on the woman. We are free to have families, a career, or both. Way back when a womans choices were pretty dismal and restricting. There are still issues, such as fair and equal pay. On the whole, yes we do benefit. The word has been demonized into frightening images of man-like females who want to devour men, but that is simply not how it is.

Answer 5

Women are 'liberated' when they're living their lives as they please and have no restrictions {bar ones placed on criminal activities} in their way.

If you enjoy being a homemaker, I think that's all good and well. Unfortunately, there was a time when women were more or less forced to be homemakers, despite a girl wishing to grow up and write novels or perhaps pursue psychology.

So, yes. The feminist movement has definitely increased women's options; whether they want to avail themselves is a matter of personal choice.

Answer 6

Alexandra: congratu-f*cking-lations that you like to stay home with your rugrats. That's your choice. But don't assume that all women are exactly like you, because we're not. Please read a book other than the bible and respect that we all have different choices, paths and goals in life.

Also, what about women who are married and whose husbands don't make enough money to support a household? And yes, women like that did exist, even in the 1950's. Should she work for half of what her husband makes? Does that make her "liberated" instead of "enslaved" by evil feminism?

Answer 7

Women (and men) are as liberated as they choose to be. Different countries have different laws oppressing sex or race, but anyone who wants to truly be free can strive to do so. You can evaluate how the womens liberation has affected women in society as a whole, but keep in mind that the individual makes a choice to be restrained by society.

-Best wishes, and I hope this has added something useful for your essay

Answer 8

Without it, we all would have been stuck at home, cooking and cleaning for hours on end and slowly going insane in the process. What have we become now? Enslaved by our own freedom? Puh-leeze.

Answer 9

Ask your grandma what options she had in her education and career choices when she was your age.

Mine couldn't vote or own their own property. Career choices? My grandmas would look you in the eyes and bitterly laugh.

Answer 10

It has raised people's awareness of inequities