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Feminism is Misunderstood -- It Benefits Everyone.

  • Writer: Gary Wilson
    Gary Wilson
  • 24 hours ago
  • 9 min read

She was sixteen years old. She had studied and prepared to give her speech to the class. She knew her topic well. Her speech covered the Suffragette Movement, the Women’s Liberation Movement and women’s equal rights, namely the Equal Rights Amendment. To her surprise, however, a female student whined, “But I like it when men open doors for me.”  This was a rude awakening to the fact that the Feminist Movement and the definition of Feminism, in general, were clouded by misconceptions, misrepresentations and misunderstandings. Whether this reality was the result of religious doctrine, political male domination, social norms or fear, society had embedded structures that adversely affected women’s equal rights. This young, confident, wide-eyed and optimistic teenage speaker would become my wife, partner and best friend for forty years. Full disclosure: I did not see it coming. It was a gradual education. In my forty years with her, I have learned what Feminism is and what it is not. The feminists’ fight for equal rights has been an uphill battle against those who don’t understand the essence of their ultimate goal, to have equal footing in decisions. What the Feminist Movement has done is impact social views, economics, education, and political representation. Its true values have made me an evolving husband, partner, and person, and if you research Feminism with an open heart and mind, I believe you, too, will see that Feminism benefits everyone.


Feminism is not just about gender equality and changing traditional societal views. It is about equality for all people – the ability to express themselves freely and without prejudice. For decades, the Feminist Movement has fought for gender equality and challenged social norms and religious doctrine that seek to keep women subservient to men. Those efforts are noble, in my opinion. Traditional social views may have been influenced by religious views. The Biblical story of Adam and Eve states that God created Eve from Adam’s rib. That suggests that Adam, the male, is the head of the household and Eve, the female, is subservient to Adam. I was raised in a devout Christian family that believed these stories and followed that doctrine. As I grew older, I began to question the validity of those stories and gender-based concepts. Social views on marriage and having children also influenced social structures. During my research, I came across a marriage contract that I take issue with. As noted in the Love and Marriage article, an old-school marriage contract states, “by marriage, the husband and wife are one person in law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least is incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband ... her condition during marriage is called her coverture … the husband also (by the old law) might give his wife moderate correction … the law thought it reasonable to trust him with this power of refraining her, by domestic chastisement, in the same moderation a man is allowed to correct his apprentices or children." Thankfully, this type of marriage contract is no longer accepted.


Another social view, or misunderstanding, stems from negative comments or assumptions about feminism, such as “all feminists hate men”. As stated in the 5 Common Misconceptions about Feminism, “While some radical feminists possess a strong feeling of resentment toward the opposite sex, most feminists would argue they are missing the entire point of the movement.” It further states, “Feminism actually isn't about hating men at all, but instead recognizing the unequal power structures that exist in our society. If I hear a feminist say they hate the patriarchy, they still aren't referring to men — but instead talking about the existing social institution of gender inequality.” Gina Messina, author of Feminism vs. Humanism, clarified: “According to [Susan] Sarandon, 'I think of myself as a humanist because I think it’s less alienating to people who think of feminism as being a load of strident bitches.’ She went on to explain that “feminist” is an ‘old-fashioned word’ and is actually used to minimize women and girls ... Sarandon’s comments left many questioning what the difference is between humanism and feminism, particularly when a definition of feminism calls for the honoring of the full humanity of all women and all men... Why not move to a humanist identification and leave behind the baggage of feminism? … my feminist identity is crucial to my worldview and to who I am as a person. Feminism gives me the tools to continue in the struggle against all that encourages oppression based on gender or any differentiating factor. To those who feel burdened by my feminism, I must ask, is not the lack of justice for women around the world more burdensome?”


It’s unfortunate that social norms and social media amplify negative images, but they can also be used to amplify positive ones. For this reason, I encourage social media, advertising, other platforms and society, in general, to include positive representations of women and the feminist movement.


Feminism is not about equal pay for women only. It’s about everyone having decent jobs with decent pay, decent healthcare, and childcare, with infrastructure to support them. The Feminist Movement and the country’s desperate need for help led to a major shift in women's economic opportunities. Traditional roles that kept women mostly at home began to be challenged, opening new doors for women to join the workforce in jobs once seen as male-only. During both World War I and World War II, many men went off to fight, creating a major labor shortage that women helped fill. Women were encouraged to take on jobs in factories, shipyards, and other areas critical to the war effort. As noted in the Women in WWI article, “The women worked as ammunition testers, switchboard operators, stock takers. They went into every kind of factory devoted to the production of war materials, from the most dangerous posts in munition plants to the delicate sewing in airplane factories.” During that era, the general public began to accept that women could and should work if they chose to.


The growth of women in the workforce has continued to contribute significantly to our economy. As a pre-teenager, I saw more women entering the workforce. My father was a union worker who sometimes didn’t have work because of a struggling economy. To help offset financial difficulties, my mother landed a job where she became very skilled. Over time, that decision not only helped our family financially but also increased my mother’s sense of worth, purpose, and empowerment. We were a happy, financially stable family, and I had the opportunity to go to college.


We need to support and encourage our elected officials to enact systems that benefit all of us – specifically, equal job placement, pay structures that honor good work, healthcare benefits, and daycare benefits – regardless of gender.


Feminism is not about taking a man’s place in college. It’s about opening education to diverse perspectives. It’s about promoting gender equality in academia. Historically, women’s education differed significantly from men’s and was often limited in scope. The limited scope was primarily designed to prepare them for traditional gender roles, such as teaching young children or becoming mothers. As mentioned in the Feminism and the Education of Women article, “In its first phase, feminists interested in the education of women claimed only that women needed higher education in order to teach young children, either as paid teachers (until they married) or as mothers.” When I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, most women in the workforce were either teachers, receptionists, or secretaries.


That was the first wave or phase of women’s education. The women’s studies movement, which was part of the Feminist Movement, continued advocacy for the expansion of the academic curriculum for women. The goal was to make the curriculum more inclusive and to redefine the scope of academic study and careers for women, including opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We now have approximately 12 million women working in STEM jobs in the United States, as confirmed by the Participation of Demographic Groups in STEM article, which states that in 2020, “The representation of women in STEM varies across occupational groups and educational attainment. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau, women constituted 34% of the STEM workforce (12 million workers) but about 52% of the non-STEM workforce (62 million workers)”


I am impressed and encouraged by the enormous impact the Feminist Movement has had on education. We need to continue encouraging and recruiting young people, especially girls, to pursue higher education. We also need to encourage all young people to pursue careers in politics to help guide and shape our country's future.


Feminism is not about electing a token woman to political office. It’s about drawing on the knowledge, skills, and experiences of women to represent our neighborhoods. We wouldn’t be discussing women in politics without the Feminist Movement’s focus on suffrage. Women couldn’t even vote until 1920, when the suffrage movement secured ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, granting women the right to vote. For quite some time, I have been discouraged by our government's inability to function. I am tired of male domination, especially old white men, leading our legislative branch. Society has come a long way from merely granting women the right to vote. Over the last decade, there has been a surge of women stepping forward to run for office. Organizations such as Emerge, EMILY’s List, Vote Mama, She Should Run, Vote Run Lead, Ignite, and Running Start are supporting women running for office by providing training, mentorship, and support networks. Record numbers of women ran for Congress in 2018 and 2020. Women are also advocating for polices like using campaign funds for childcare to help mothers with young children run for office. Women are challenging the system and paving the way for more inclusive and representative governance. We now have 150 women in Congress, 12 women serving as state governors, 107 women serving as top legislative leaders, and 8 women serving in the current presidential cabinet.


Women see things differently. Since the inclusion of women in legislative positions, there have been strides in health care, education and the labor markets. We have also had a female vice president and female presidential candidates. I remember well the surge in women running for office. I was encouraged by it, as it gave me new hope for the future. A few years ago, I read about Finland’s all-female coalition government, mentioned in the Council on Foreign Relations article, “This week, Finland’s newest Prime Minister took office, leading a coalition government in which all five party leaders are women. At 34, Sanna Marin is the world’s youngest head of state, and three of her other coalition leaders are also younger than 35. Twelve of the nineteen new Finnish cabinet members are women, meaning Finland’s government has the second-highest percentage of female ministers in the world, after Spain. Prime Minister Marin represents the Social Democrat Party, and previously served as Transportation Minister after being elected to parliament in 2015.” I realize that Finland and the United States are quite different. They both have unique social structures. I, however, believe our social structures are broken.


A more comprehensive partnership with the Feminist Movement will help. We need to encourage and support more women running for office at every level of government.


Feminism has empowered women over the years. It has also benefited our economy, education, politics, and social structures, making them more inclusive and expanding.

Whether we choose to accept it or not, it is a reality -- a reality that I have experienced and enjoyed for forty years. The relationship I have with my wife is one of partnership rather than any form of gender-based domination. My parents, grandparents, and their parents lived in male-dominated societies and households. I have witnessed the gradual but positive changes brought about by the various feminist movements. In my career, I have worked with many confident, competent, and empowered women, who have helped me understand and embrace the true goal of feminism. This has broadened my horizons. It has inspired and empowered me to be better, not in competition, but in partnership. That is something I did not comprehend prior to the Feminist Movement. Until society seeks to understand true feminism, it will remain misunderstood. I have become a strong believer in the benefits of feminism. It benefits everyone.


 


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