Feminism and the rights of women throughout the world

This is a tricky question I'm presenting to both men and women of ATS. Since the dawn of the Feminist movement. Both sexes have supported the rights of women through out the world. We have see many accomplishments by women, the feminist movement and what not. I would love to see a real woman run for President. Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Sarah Palin do not count. Being from California I have participated in events where I supported the rights of all people epically women rights. I have many other friends men and women who support the feminist movement. I can tell you we're not whipped! Jokingly I wouldn't mind having Danusia whip me. :p Any how I would like to see your views on this subject.

The Feminist reading list

I also wanted to share this reading list for both men and women interested in feminist reading material. From reading about the history of feminist movements in the U.S. I can say my mother is like many women who cam before her and who will come after her; asking them selves "Is this all?"

Top 10 greatest women in history

Top 10 most powerful women in hstory

10 women who rocked the house

7 terrible abuses suffered by women around the world

I'm unclear what question you are posing.

But as long as we're talking about Women I'm going to go out on a limb and say I personally believe that if Women were more respected and more Women were in power, we'd be living in a better world.

reply to post by Xavialune


I agree! Look at the links I posted. Many women have had a chance to be in power and look what they did while they were in power!

I also agree Hilary and Sarah palin dont count. they are subjects to the mechanisms of a male dominated society and in order to function in such a society they have to be just like them.

In a similar vein, please check out www.thevenusproject.com...

It could be a great advancement for humanity..

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


Feminism is nothing more than a sad joke and women's lib is simply social engineering. Why do you feel the need to post things such as the "10 greatest women in history"? Do you have an inferiority complex? Why do you have a problem with patriarchy? Why is being a caring, nurturing mother and wife not a good enough contribution to society? Why are Hilary, Sarah, and Nancy not "real women"? What would they have to change in order to be considered "real women"?

reply to post by HarmonicNights


slow down! You're heading for a huge wreck! I don't see my self inferior to women or anyone else. In fact I'm influenced by Ayn Rand and her works on individualism and selfishness. The links I posted is to give a sense of women in various fields who did amazing things in their lives. I don't like the idea of patriarchy. I do see men and women as equal and both sexes can do everything they put their mind to. I do support the traditional family sense. still I would like to give my spouse more freedom then have her stay in the house all the time. I don't see Hilary, Sarah and Nancy as real women because I see them as crooked, and there is no one single define purpose on what a woman is and what a real woman must do. I see women as people who should be respected and can achieve many things in the world.

well I hope youre not insinuating that wife and mother are the only things women should be applauded for. Why arent they good enough? So we should just accept our gender roles and be happy with it huh?

Social engineering huh? No matter how you try to spin it, feminism IS about equal rights..it isn't suggesting that women aren't different from men in many ways. This is true, we are different from one another. What its about is treating the sexes equally, not one inherently better (as a whole) than the other or more deserving of any one thing.

But is not a known fact that men inherently take more risks and compete with one another? This, in my opinion, is the root cause of many of the problems we face in the world today. If women were at least given equal opportunity to run things, a checks and balances of sorts even, I think we'd be living in a very different world.

Besides, patriarchy isnt working anymore. It's time we tried something new.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


My bad. I assumed you were female. Why exactly do you have a problem with patriarchy? And why do you think housewife= no freedom? My mother has always been a housewife and she goes out far more to recreational activities and such with her family than all the working women I know. That's because she has more time to do activities that she chooses. She has no deadlines and stress from working full-time. Most working mothers I know would give anything to be able to stay at home with their children. But these days, it takes two incomes to make ends meet. I can't believe some women put their careers and own selfish desires before their children.

And those women aren't "real women" because they're "crooked"? So you're saying it's impossible for women to be crooked? Only men have that characteristic?

reply to post by Xavialune


You're delusional if you think the world would be any better if women ruled it. You think all the world's problems are caused simply by the fact that patriarchy is in place? If you want change, why not quit voting for the same two parties and give a third party a chance?

You talk as if being a mother and wife are unimportant. Children are the FUTURE. It can't be stressed enough how important the raising of children is. Children are the greatest legacy one can leave behind. Traditional gender roles are simply work specialization- domestic duties (nurturer) and work for a paycheck (provider). Why do you act as if the traditional male role is superior? Why do you envy it so much?

Not saying you cant be happy as a housewife.

Some women dont have a choice mate..if you need 2 incomes to make ends meet, thats not putting selfish interests above your kids. If you need 2 incomes, you cant be a housewife even if you wanted to be one. I don't think its a negative thing to be a housewife, if thats what makes you happy. The problem is, I think increasingly as time goes on its not something women are happy doing.

I feel feminism's goal is to create equality between the sexes on all levels.. remove social stigmas against women who choose to work for a living (yes, the stigmas do still exist) and give them opportunity to make a career (women are still paid less than men for the same job and are still discriminated against in the workplace among other places). Thats just the tip of the iceberg though.

How is that negative in ANY way?

reply to post by Xavialune


Another thing, feminists like to complain about things like women not having the right to vote, yet completely ignore the fact that only men were required to risk their lives at war. Why do you act as if only women were "victims" of gender roles? Did you ever think that a man would like to stay home and not work?

Originally posted by HarmonicNights
reply to post by Xavialune

 

You're delusional if you think the world would be any better if women ruled it. You think all the world's problems are caused simply by the fact that patriarchy is in place? If you want change, why not quit voting for the same two parties and give a third party a chance?

You talk as if being a mother and wife are unimportant. Children are the FUTURE. It can't be stressed enough how important the raising of children is. Children are the greatest legacy one can leave behind. Traditional gender roles are simply work specialization- domestic duties (nurturer) and work for a paycheck (provider). Why do you act as if the traditional male role is superior? Why do you envy it so much?

edit on 3-12-2010 by HarmonicNights because: (no reason given)

Thats the thing, we have to destroy these traditional gender roles. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but women should be free to choose either one and if they choose to make a career and be a provider, they should get treated equally in the workplace.

What about being a father? Why not just let the father stay home and be a house-husband and the woman provide..what is wrong with that? I am not saying being a mother is unimportant, but I will say yet again, a woman should be able to choose without having to consider her gender as a hinderance should she choose to work instead of have kids and be a housewife. I did not say ALL the worlds problems are caused by patriarchy, but I certainly think it doesnt help. Clearly though, a patriarchy (which is sexist in its definition) is not working as a social model. We need something DIFFERENT...how about say, neither patriarchy or matriarchy? Something in the middle?

Originally posted by HarmonicNights
reply to post by Xavialune

 

Another thing, feminists like to complain about things like women not having the right to vote, yet completely ignore the fact that only men were required to risk their lives at war. Why do you act as if only women were "victims" of gender roles? Did you ever think that a man would like to stay home and not work?

I believe in countries like germany, he can. Men get leave from work to take care of children when the child is born just like women do.

I wont deny gender roles went both ways, but in the end it was certainly in favour of the male. I didnt see any men standing up and say hey, let the women fight too! In fact, it was the OPPOSITE. They felt (and a lot still do) that a woman had no place on the battlefield. Theyre the ones who didnt want women to go to war, who are you to say there werent some women who felt they should be allowed?

reply to post by Xavialune


Of all the females I know, a housewife and mother is something many of them aspire to be. It certainly doesn't make them unhappy. Now it's nearly impossible to make the choice of being a housewife. I wasn't saying women were selfish who have no choice but to work. I was reffering to feminists who deliberately try to be away from their children when choosing to work.

The wage gap is a myth and has been debunked many times. Women's lib was only an agenda to break up the family and start taxing women.

There are plenty of good examples of a women being in charge, and totally abusing it.

Some of the Queens of England.

Especially Queen Mary AKA Bloody Mary.

Look up what she did, she was sick in the head.

I am all for women and their rights, but I need to stick up for my own rights, because obviously in the political world, any rights, benefits, and privileges I have are being destroyed (check the news its all over). Thanks to women and men of congress & senate.

So I would be more worried as human beings rights as a whole, and not separate the issues to better just one portion of life for a group of humans.

Just my thoughts.

Originally posted by HarmonicNights
reply to post by Xavialune

 

Of all the females I know, a housewife and mother is something many of them aspire to be. It certainly doesn't make them unhappy. Now it's nearly impossible to make the choice of being a housewife. I wasn't saying women were selfish who have no choice but to work. I was reffering to feminists who deliberately try to be away from their children when choosing to work.

The wage gap is a myth and has been debunked many times. Women's lib was only an agenda to break up the family and start taxing women.

Neither do I deny the original intent of 'womens lib'. But the fact remains modern women dont want to adhere to gender roles. There should not BE gender roles..they are inherently sexist. I dont agree with women who intentionally try to spend time away from their kids when choosing to work...I've honestly never heard of that and I dont know any women who do it..

I'm not against being a housewife. If a woman aspires to be that, so be it. That raises another issue though. Motherhood IS NOT as respected as it should be. For example, millions of men have given their lives in the name of war. They are glorified. However, just as many if not MORE women have given their lives in childbirth. Are they as revered?

The answer is a resounding NO. Whats wrong with this picture?

Originally posted by Xavialune
Originally posted by HarmonicNights
reply to post by Xavialune

But the fact remains modern women dont want to adhere to gender roles.

Lol. This is far from the truth. The only women who have this feminist attitude are the one's with a chip on their shoulder due to "daddy issues" and such.

Motherhood IS NOT as respected as it should be. For example, millions of men have given their lives in the name of war. They are glorified. However, just as many if not MORE women have given their lives in childbirth. Are they as revered?

Women should be applauded for simply reproducing like every species does? Giving birth doesn't make you a good mother or mean you should be honored on mother's day. Laughable comparison. And FATHERHOOD is what's undermined the most. The family courts largely favor women