Simon1

LaShawnnaSimon
Harr
English4
March6,2015
MissCommunicationandMissEducation
EssentialQuestion:
Howisperceptionoffeminisminmediadetrimentaltotheequality
ofthesexes?
ThesisStatement:
Theportrayalfeminismandfeministsinmainstreammedialeadsto
misconceptionsaboutamovementmeanttobetteracivilization.Thesemisconceptionsare
causingaretrogradeintheprogressoftheequalityofmenandwomen.

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Introduction
Thesignificanceofsocial,political,andeconomicequalityiskeyforasociety
continuouslyadvancinginmodernculture.Theadvancementofknowledgethroughmediais
alsoextremelyinfluentialtotheconsciousnessofsociety.Althoughitisalmostindisputablethat
manypeopleagreewithgenderequality,lesspeopleagreewithfeminism.Whatmakesfeminism
controversialarecommonignorantmisconceptionsthatfollowtheterm.
Femaleinequalitywasincrediblypresentthroughouthistory.Oneofthelargest
movementsregardingwomeninU.S.historyistheWomanSuffrageMovement.TheWomens
SuffrageMovementbeganinthe1800sbeforetheCivilWar.Duringthistime,womenhadno
politicalidentity,meaningtheyhadnosayinanyactionoccurringinAmericaandwerenot
allowedtovote.Expectedtoremainpassivehousewivesandmothers,whatstartedoutagroupof
womeneventuallybecameanassemblyofactivistsfightingforjustice.Approximatelyone
hundredyearslater,The19thamendmentwasratified,grantingwomentherighttovote.A
numberofprotestingwomenwerewrongfullypunished,whichwassystematicwayof
eliminatingprotestsforwomen'srights.Thesewomenwereportrayedtobechaoticorfoolishby
thepresswhichinfluencedthenationsoutlookontheentireissueofgender
equality.([History.com])
Contemporarywomensrightsisalsowidelyaffectedbythemedia.Pressliketelevision,
socialmediaandradiohasalsomadeapotentanimpressiononsocietysviewsonfeminism.
Blogsontheinternetareranbyselfproclaimedantifeministwomen,whobelieveingender
equalitybutdonotagreewithfeminism.Therearealsocelebritiesthatsupportthefeminist
movementwhocausesomeviewsonfeminismtobebiased.Thisaspectoffeminismisthemost

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influentialonmoderneffortstowardgenderequality.Themajorityofsocietyisonlypartially
educatedaboutfeminismbecausehistorically,women'srightsisinsignificantcomparedtoother
nationalissues,accordingtowomensrightsactivists.Howisperceptionoffeminisminmedia
detrimentaltotheequalityofthesexes?
Asaconstantlyevolvingcivilization,societymustlearntooverlooktheirbiasesand
educatethemselvesonthepoliticaladvancesofwomen.Feminismshouldbecomea
universalterm,atermthatmorepeopleknow.Byinformingmorepeopleonwhatfeminismis,
lesspeoplewillfeelthreatenedbyfeministandbewillingtojointhemovement.Thefutureof
equalityofthesexesliesinthehandsofhumanity.Bypracticingacknowledgement,education
andsupport,noobstaclewillbeinsurmountable.Theportrayalfeminismandfeministsin
mainstreammedialeadstomisconceptionsaboutamovementmeanttobetteracivilization.
Thesemisconceptionsarecausingaretrogradeintheprogressoftheequalityofmenand
women.
History
ThewomensrightsmovementbegantomakeitsimpactonAmericainthe19thcentury
withitsfirstgatheringinSenecaFalls,NewYork.InJuly,1848,morethanonehundredpeople
mettoprotestagainstWomen'ssuffrage.Duringthistime,Womenweredeniedtheirrights,most
prominent,therighttovote.ReformistsElizabethCadyStantonandLucretiaMottinvited
abolitionistactivists,menandwomen,toprotestthereformofthe19thamendment,which
deniedthemtherighttovote.Itwasuptothesewomentodissociatethemselvesfromtheirrole
ofhousewivesandearntheirpoliticalvoiceascitizens.Theyalsobroadenedtheirconcernsto
theeducationalandeconomicalopportunitiesofwomen.ThroughouttheCivilWar,the

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movementgrewwithanadditionofAfricanAmericansandmen,gainingthetitleoftheNational
WomanSuffrageAssociationin1869.AsNAWSAspreadoutwardofNewYork,thewomen's
suffragewasdividedintotwosects.LucyStone,aformerantislaveryadvocatefrom
MassachusettsformedAWSA(AmericanWomanSuffrageAssociation)whichclaimedto
differentiateitselffromNAWSAsraciallydivisiveagenda.Duringthelate1880sanuproarof
volunteerismamongmiddleclasswomanacceleratedthewomanssuffragemovement.
([History.house.gov])
Tocounteractthisuproar,biologicaldeterministviewsemergedfromauthorsof
The
EvolutionofSex
PatrickGeddesandJ.ArthurThompsonin1889.(Mikkola)Theyarguedthat
Womensupposedlyconserveenergy(beinganabolic)andthismakesthempassive,
conservative,sluggish,stableanduninterestedinpolitics,duetoametabolicstatethat
affectedtheirsocial,psychologicalandbehavioraltraits,.(Mikkola)GeddesandThompson
alsoarguesthatmenexpandtheirsurplusenergy(beingkatabolic)whichmadethemeager,
energetic,passionateand,thereby,interestedinpoliticalandsocialmatters,.(Mikkola)These
ideasweresuppressivetowomeninadditiontothefightfeministsweremakingforwomens
rights.Throughscienceandpsychology,biologicaldeterminismbecameafurtherattemptto
excusethemistreatmentofwomen.StanfordUniversityscholarMikkolaexplainsthatthese
argumentswerenotonlyusedtoexplainbehavioraldifferencesbetweenwomenandmen,but
toargueforwithholdingfromwomenpoliticalrightsaccordedtomen,.(Mikkola)
Impatientwiththeprogressofthemovement,AlicePaul,aQuakeractivistformedthe
NationalWomanspartyin1913.Herpartywasmostaggressiveinitsattempttoendwomens
suffrageconsistingoflargemarches,picketing,hungerstrikesandrelentlessattackingofthe

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Democraticadministrationofthepresident.Hertacticsledtoalotofnegativeattentionresulting
inarrestsandpolicebrutality.Finally,the19thamendmentwasratifiedAugust26,1920.
([History.com])Despitethisglorioustriumph,womenwillcontinuetofightfreedomwhetherit
bepolitical,economical,culturalorsocial.
ModernFeminism
Althoughmarchesandprotestsareveryeffective,starpowerandpopculturearethemost
prominentmeansofcommunicatingmodernfeminismlikecontemporaryissuesinvolving
womenshealthandequalpayandfemaleobjectification.Accordingtowriterof
Celebrities
BringRebrandedFeminismtoPopCulture
in
TheOberlinReview
MaggieMenditto,Feminism
hasbeenbroughttotheairwavesbycelebritiesandopenedthedoorto
conversation.(Menditto)CelebritiessuchasBeyonceandTaylorSwifthavebecomeadvocates
offeminismandhavetailoredtheirbrandtoendorseequalrightstothemasses.Forexample,
R&BartistBeyonce,validatedherstanceonsexualequalityatthe2014VideoMusicAwardsas
thewordFEMINISTilluminatedduringaperformanceofhersong
***Flawless,
asongwith
obviousfeministthemes.Althoughherfollowingoffansenjoyedtheperformance,Beyonce
receivedharshbacklashforherperformanceconcerninghersuggestiveensemble,dancemoves,
lyricsandhowithasappropriatedfeministculture.ThereareinstanceslikethesethatMenditto
saywhymanyfemaleentertainersinthepasthavechosennottoassociatewith[feminism].
(Menditto)Anotherexampleofcommunicationoffeministnotionsthroughthemediais
manipulationthroughsocialmedia.Oneofthemostsignificantadvantagesof21stcentury
livingistheimmediateaccessworldatonesfingertipsthroughtheinternet.Althoughthisisan
efficientwaytoshareinformation,manypeopleutilizethewebasaplatformtosharetheir

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opiniononissuessuchasfeminism.Writerof
WomenAgainstFeminism:Somewomenwant
equalitywithoutanger,
CathyYoungsharesherfirsthandexperienceofthismediamanipulation,
[JessicaValenti]recentlytweetedapictureofherselfinatshirtdeclaringIbathein
maletears.OtherexamplesincludethemottoesBanMenandKillAllMenandInternet
jokesthatturnbooktitlesintocastrationoneliners.(Young)
Valenti,leadingfeministpundit,(Young)isaprimeexampleofcommunicatingmodern
feminisminawaythatcouldbewidelyperceivedashostileortroublesome.Theviraluseof
audacioustermssuchasIbatheinmaletearscanbecomeverycontroversial.Controversywill
arisebetweenfeministsandpeoplewhoareignoranttofeminismandtakeoffensetosaidterms
orjokes.PeoplelikeYoungwouldagreethatmodernfeministsarehostiletomenand
demeaningtowomen.(Young)Thecomplicationwithsuchinstancesisthattheyaretoo
commonandresultinlackoffeministsupport,whichiswhysocietyfailstoproperlyaddress
sexualinequality.
Thoughspreadingthewordoffeminismtothepublicthroughmediamayseemlikean
impeccablemethod,itcounteractstheveryeffort.Accompanyingthistacticofmergingpop
culturewithfeminismisatragicpitfall.
ResultsofFeministRepresentationinMedia

Mainstreammediaisundoubtedlyfilledwithindustriesthatarebasedonthephysical
aspectoftherich,famous,powerfulandpopular.Forcelebrityfeministleaders,jugglingacareer
consciousimageandapoliticallyrelevantvoicecancauseariftintheircause.Philosopherand
authorof
FeministPerspectiveonObjectification
EvangeliaPapadakiquotesfellowscholar
SusanBordowithIthasbeenpointedoutbysomefeministthinkersthatwomeninoursociety

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aremoreidentifiedandassociatedwiththeirbodiesthanaremen,and,toagreaterextentthan
mentheyarevaluedforhowtheylook,.(qtd.Bordo,1993)Womenareunderrelentlesspressure
toimprovetheirappearanceinordertogainsocialacceptability,(Papadaki).Inasociety
wheremajorityoflifestyleinfluencesarevisuallystressed,bothwomenandmenbelievethat
theymustappealvisuallymorethanintellectually.Thisleadstoaculturethatsubconsciously
encouragesobjectificationforpleasureinplaceofsubstance.Papadakicitesauthorof
FemininityandDomination,
SandraBartky,
Bartkybelievesthatwomeninpatriarchalsocietiesalsoundergoakindoffragmentation
bybeingtoocloselyidentifiedwith[theirbody]...[their]entirebeingidentifiedwiththebody,a
thingwhich...hasbeenregardedaslessinherentlyhumanthanthemindorpersonality,(qtd.
Bartky1990,130).
Thisiswhatcausescontroversyinfeministculture.Therearepreconceivednotionsandbiased
standardsofwhatafeministshouldbewithinthefeministcommunitythatcausesadividein
supportersoffeminism.Writerof
FeminismandthePoliticsofAppearance
AmyWintersides
withopposingfeministsthatbelieve...emphasisonawomansrighttobodyautonomyand
sexualselfdeterminationhasbeenwidelymisinterpretedtomeananychoiceawomansmakes
aboutsexualbehaviorandappearanceisautomaticallyfeminist,(Winter,2004).Some
supportersoffeminismbelievethatusingappearanceasatoolforfeministpromotionisactually
sexualexploitationandishurtingthemovement.FeministslikeWinterbeleivethatthistool
[demands]celebrationofmisogynistinstitutionsandendeavorsandisfalselyendorsedas
feminism.(Winter)Thesetwoopposingattitudestowardfemininityandfeminismisa

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paradoxicalconflictthatleadstoconfusedignoranceamongthepublic.Italsoleadssocietyto
associatenegativityandconflictwithfeminismwhichlimitsitssupportalltogether.
EducationforEquality
Thegeneralpublicsfalsificationoffeminismcallsforchangeinthewayfeminismis
presentedinthemedia.Educatingthemassesonwhatfeminismisandwomensrightswillat
leastprovidethemwithessentialknowledgeenoughtomakeanunbiaseddecision.Thiswill
preventtheswayindecisionoffansofcelebrityfeministsorwomensrightsactivistsaccording
tohowtheyappearontelevision,newspapers,online,orontheradio.
Inordertoreversethecommonmisconceptionsofnegativityandfeminism,media
shouldcovermorestoriesinvolvingwomensrights.Thesestoriesshouldreplacelabeling
celebritieswithfeminist[awakenings]anddeliberaterebranding,inhopeofcontroversy
becausetheypromotetheequalityofwomen.(Menditto)Next,theimprovementoffeminist
storieswillpromotesocietytolearnaboutfeminism.Inthisstep,peoplewilllearnthatthereare
variousapproachestobeingafeminist.MariMikkolacitesNancyChodorowwith,
Feminineandmasculinepersonalitiesplayacrucialroleinwomensoppressionsince
theymakefemalesoverlyattentivetotheneedsofothersandmalesemotionallydeficient.In
ordertocorrectthesituation,bothmaleandfemaleparentsshouldbeequallyinvolvedin
parenting.(qtd.Chodorow,1995,24)
Itwouldbemostbeneficialtoreachouttotheyouthandensuretheyunderstandthat
societysgenderimplicationsshouldnotinterferewiththetreatmentoftheoppositesex.
Instillingthesegenderconsciousmoralswillsaveupcominggenerationsthefightofsexual
inequalityinthefuture.Mikkolasaysthatthisinstructionwill[help]toeradicatecommon

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genderstereotypicalbehaviors,.Alongwiththeseteachingsshouldinvolveclarificationofall
typesoffeminism.(Mikkola)
ThereisLiberalFeminism,thatoperateswithinthestructureofmainstreamtointegrate
womenintothatstructure.Liberalfeminismiswhatiscommonlyconsumedthroughmedia,
feminismendorsedbycelebrities,televisionprogramsandpropaganda.RadicalFeminismis
seenbymanyasundesirableduetoitsaggressiveapproachtowomensrights.([Uah.edu])
Radicalfeministsviewtheoppressionofwomenmoreoppressivethananyothertypeof
oppressionbecauseitcutsacrossboundariesofraces,culture,andeconomicsclass.Thereis
alsoSocialor,MarxistFeminismwhichattributestheoppressionofwomentothecapitalist
system.([Uah.edu])Culturalfeminismworkstobuildafeministculturewhileradicalfeminism
workstoaltersociety.
Oncesocietyisabletomakedistinctionsbetweenthemanyformsoffeminism,theywill
bemorelikelytobenegativelyinfluencedbytheportrayaloffeminisminthemedia.Amy
Winterquotestoleration.orginherarticle
Tolerationisapersonaldecisionthatcomesfromabeliefthateverypersonisatreasure.
IbelievetheAmericasdiversityisitsstrength.Ialsorecognizethatignorance,insensitivityand
bigotrycanturnthatdiversityintoasourceofprejudiceanddiscrimination.(qtd
[Toleration.org])
Inthissense,the
DeclarationofTolerance
(Winter)callsforallcitizenswithinsocietyto
accepttheirabsenceofknowledgeonfeminism.Otherwise,theirignorancewillresultina
greaterdisparitybetweenmenandwomen.

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Itwillbewidelyacceptedthattherearemanyformsoffeminismandthedelusionthat
thereisanidealfeministorapproachtosexualequalitywilleventuallyeradicate.Theeradication
oftheseideaswillemboldeneducatedcitizenstosupporttheequalityofthesexes.Morecitizens
willbeinformedonthetopicandwillspurtheobligationtoinvolvethemselves,whichwill
resultintomorefeministandanadvanceinamoresexuallyequitablecivilization.
Conclusion
Needlesstosay,theoperationofsocietyistightlycorrelatedtothe
representationspresentedbymainstreammedia.Theplightofwomenisnotexcludedbythese
representationsthatvaryinaccuracyorequity,instead,thereareabandonedinplaceof
scandalousheadlinesorinterviews.Theportrayalfeminismandfeministsinmainstreammedia
leadstomisconceptionsaboutamovementmeantobetteracivilization.Thesemisconceptions
arecausingaretrogradeintheprogressoftheequalityofmenandwomen.

Inoppositiontogeneratingcontroversy,mainstreammedianeedstoreconstructits

methodtofeminismbyreplacingsolelypopculturethemedfeminismwithcontentrepresenting
morethatoneaspectoffeminism.Also,societyshouldnecessitatetheeducationforwomens
rightsinordertobeinformedabouttheissuesofwomen.Itismorethananappropriatetimeto
liberatewomenandtreatthemsocially,politically,andeconomicallyasmen.Astheworld
advanceswithsamesexmarriages,newtechnology,andpoliticalandenvironmentalresolutions,
theearliestofdisunitiesmustberesolved,equalityofthesexes.Sincetheintakeofmediaisat
analltimehighandwillonlyexceedinaltitude,itisuptomediatoimprovetheproduct
occupyingtheairwaves.

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Bydoingso,societywillcorrectanymisconceptionsaboutthefeministmovementandbe,more
likelywillingtosupportthesocial,economicalandpoliticalequalityofwomen.The
responsibilityofpropellingcivilizationtowardafuturethatisbeneficialtoallhumanbeings,
societymustbecorrected.Thefutureofmanandwomankindfallintothehandsofsocieties
greatestapparatus,mainstreammedia.

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