Is feminism relevant today?

Question

Do women still need people to stand up for them? Can't they now speak up for themselves, after all this new awareness about women's rights-to inheritance, to equal pay, to education, etc.? Until a certain section of society they do need, agreed, but is this needed for the comparatively more privileged sections too?

Answer 1

Feminism is a branch of humanism = "the broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities—particularly rationality." (wiki)

If you personally are well, no one needs to stand up for you. Great! People forget however that there are women, young and old, who need that help. Feminism is a global movement; feminism is about helping the sisters (and the brothers) who don't have a voice. As a feminist - man or woman, when you are in a position to help people, you do, and you break the cycle of prejudice against women (or any minority for that matter). Feminism is about using woman's power in a good way, to restore balance, like yin and yang. Feminism comes with life long responsibility for those who truly understand it.

Like any universal movement, feminism doesn't stop because SOME women are well. Feminism started in France with Simone De Beauvoir. Her book, the Second Sex, was the result of her studies of Freud's theories, which, without her we may still believe to this day, as well as the philosphy of Sartre, De Beauvoir's life long partner, and the father of existentialism.

Feminism is an awareness of the world you live in. Feminism is not limited to one country, one race or one religion. If it is, it's just a fake. Asking if we need feminism is like asking if we need Plato anymore. Whether we need him or not, he is there. He is an integral part of Western philosophy - which assumed that man can chose right from wrong. This very philosophy, as well as moral ethics, were later redefined by Sartre. In the same way feminism is an integral part of humanism. One cannot be a feminist without being a humanist first.

In Dante's Divine Comedy Aristotle, Plato and the rest were in Limbo, the only light seen in Inferno. That light was the light of reason. Aristotle and the rest of the Greek philosophers missed Paradiso due to a technicality of the Catholic religion, they were not baptized - because Jesus wasn't around when they were. Ironically, Socrates was the first to die for believing in one god, the god of reason, while Aristotle was the first to prove the existence of god - "the unmoved mover". Even though Dante's writing is religious, he could not place these people in hell because "ei non peccaro" = they did not sin. (Inferno) Later, Sartre (1905-1980), said "man is the sum of his actions", which means, you are as good as your deeds. Sartre holds you responsible for what you do. From this philosophy and the Freudian theories stemmed feminism.

To understand feminism means to understand the last 2000 years of philosophy and ethics. Only then can one make a wise decision on its relevance.

Edit - thumbs down ppl - "GROW FROM LOVE!" ;-)))

Answer 2

Feminism is about women speaking up for themselves. Feminism is not a new issue in society and it should not be just focused on the underpriviliged and poor. Think about high powered female executives at major corporations they are far outnumbered by male executives. It takes a woman 16 mths to equal a 12 mth salary of a man with the same qualifications, skills, etc. The difference in male and female salaries effects all levels of the work force from the blue collar factory worker to white collar execs (privileged).

Answer 3

Women do not "need people" to stand up for them; they need WOMEN to stand up for each other. It's standing together, working together to achieve parity. If women didn't feel they needed to be represented, they wouldn't still be involved in feminist works. Not all women have a voice: there is strength in numbers, and leadership is a requirement in order to effectively organize the group. So people do stand up for women, and they are (mostly) other women who are simultaneously standing up for themseves.

Of course women can speak for themselves, and they do speak for themselves. What do you think feminism is? Other people standing around representing the interests of women? And in terms of what you list as "new" awareness about women's rights, there's nothing new about it. It's taking decades for equity to be achieved in the North American workplace; there are human rights violations all over the world, many of them specific to females, and there are women disappearing everywhere. So is feminism needed? The ideology--maybe not; the philosophy, yes. You need to believe that women around the world are as important as those in North America--doesn't matter what you call yourself.

And as far as this sounding exclusive, I say women specifically, and women's issues on purpose because that is what feminists do. They work for women's causes because a) they automatically have a bond, b) sensitive issues are more easily disclosed to a woman, c) women are obviously interested in women because they understand them better than they understand men. A feminist would work more easily with female rape victims, just as a masculinist would work more easily with male rape victims.

When you say "comparatively more privileged" you do recognize that there's a reason there is a privileged and a disadvantaged, and that one could not exist without the other, right? And if one has more rights than the other, all the more reason for the more fortunate group to work toward parity.

Answer 4

When women can go to a bar and not be raped because they wore a low cut top, or when women get the equal pay as men doing the EXACT same job as they are, is the day feminism does not need to exist. So yes, it is.

Answer 5

feminism still matters because a lot of young people think that women's rights has already been accomplished. We've got Title IX; we've got laws against gender discrimination. But they don't realize there are still so many forces against women's rights, like reproductive rights and pay equity. We still have 73 cents on the dollar a man earns. People make all sorts of excuses for the earning gap.

Answer 6

Politically and legally, it's much less relevant than it was. I believe the focus of feminism today should be how women can get their needs met in romantic relationships through fair communication and self-knowledge.

Answer 7

Women have learned to stand up for themselves ("I'm not a feminist but") and be taken seriously, but it's all about humanism and civil and legal rights for individuals regardless of age, race, gender, spirituality, ability, etc.

ETA: Push - don't start with me, I'm not in the mood.

Answer 8

As long as woman bears and delivers our off-springs it is relevant ! There may be a few exceptions. NO offence meant to the fair sex ! We always revere our women folk !

Answer 9

Yes, feminism is still relevant today, though not as much when it comes to education and finances. We still have to deal with rape, securing reproductive rights, and increasing our political and military participation.

Answer 10

Of course it is relevant, as it is relevant that there are activists working for Amnesty International controlling abuses towards men, women and children, as it is important to have an organization that protects animals.

Feminism makes positive actions for women all around the globe, not just some developed countries. There are still many societies where women have no rights, where they get killed for minor offences, where they get raped and then killed and there is no law that protects them. That is why feminism is still relevant, as UNICEF is relevant, as finishing torture is relevant.