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Feminism

Nathaniel Barnhurst
Seminar A
Mrs. Paystrup
30 March, 2015

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Introduction
Feminism is an abstract noun. What does that mean? Well, its an idea; in a sense, to
further specify, its a given set of perspectives. There are different perspectives that are
categorized as feminist viewpoints. Before distinguishing them from one another, we have to
determine what feminism means as a whole; whats the main, focal subject of the feminist drive?
Feminism is not merely a sole outlook on a broad subject; rather, as I mentioned, its a set of
perspectives that collectively foster a singular, yet very in-depth message. In this essay, Ill
attempt to determine just what that message means, how it applies to me, and more importantly,
how it applies to society as a whole and in what ways it supports the constitutional values we
cherish in the United States.
As we explore the roots of feminism and the main ideals it advocates, try to recognize the
potential impact it could have on society and the fruits its message might yield if put into action
on a grand scale. It is my personal belief that there is an abundance of positive changes that
could be made by implementing the core principals of feminism into our governmental systems,
business models, and our personal relationships; relationships of all kinds, in fact. Therefore, I
ask once again that you ruminate on the ideas expressed in this paper if you feel even the least bit
inclined to do so.
Before one can figure out the message of a movement driven by a set of perspectives, one
must consider from every angle possible what it is that these perspectives are looking at. My aim
is not only to create the ideal vantage point for analyzing the common subject of these many
kinds of feminism, but also to get inside the subject and figure out what makes it tick. I want to
understand the source of feminist frustration and motivation; I want to get at the meat of the
problem and rip it apart with my carnivorous, literary jaws. As a result, I hope to offer a thorough
comprehension of feminism and weed out any misconceptions from our understanding of the
subject. For example, many people seem to think that feminism defines men as the enemy and

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that it encourages separation and discrimination. In actuality, feminism, when applied, brings
people together. It encourages positive communication and interaction between people. Getting
past obstructive misconceptions likes this and gaining a more in-depth comprehension of the
problem feminism fights is half the battle. We can truly honor equality and respect if we can just
understand feminism and what its fighting for. From there, we just have to put it into action, so
hopefully this essay will inspire an application of the positive values discussed therein.

A History of Feminism and Male Dominance and an Application of Feminism for

Society on all Levels Including an International Degree of Application
A common, simple, and specific definition of feminism might state something along the
lines of, Feminism is the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and
economic equality to men. (1) I believe, however, that feminism goes far beyond political,
social, and economic equality. It seems that in many cases throughout history, females have often
been objectified in a variety of ways. From our evolutionary ancestors treating females as prizes
for the alpha male, to the males of early human tribes stealing wives as sex slaves; time and time
again, women have been treated as objects defined by mans possession of them. (2)
It goes way back to the humble beginnings of mankind; or as one could more
appropriately call it: humankind. Pardon the sidebar, but the term mankind is just another
example of the male-dominated mindset we seem to harbor as a people. Anyway, women have
not only been treated as inferior to men; they have also been objectified. (3) This means that
throughout history, men have consistently viewed them and treated them as their possessions,
rather than viewing them as conscious, sentient beings. Even if men did at times recognize that
women could think for themselves and live independently, they went on treating them as if that
was not the case, and they continued to model their societies, tribes, governments, families you
name it after a patriarchal framework. (4) In fact, this historical abomination of human practice

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has permeated even our complex, free societies of the present day. Statistically speaking, one
in three American women will be sexually abused in their lifetime, and one in four women will
be sexually assaulted before the age of 18. (5) Rape, other kinds of sexual assault, and sexual
harassment are extreme examples of objectification. They are actions which absolutely fail to
acknowledge a persons value as anything but sexual by eliminating the principal of consent;
thus, ignoring the fact that the victim is a conscious being. Statistically, the frequency of sexual
assault on males is far less than that of females. (6) There truly is a misconception in our society
that women are mere objects to be used and abused at mans disposal.
It is because of these misconceptions and these abominable acts that the need for
feminism arose. The earliest forms of feminism were practiced by our more recent, evolutionary
ancestors, the grassland proto-hominids. They eliminated the mindset, whether intentional or not,
that the family is owned and presided over by the eldest male. They were able to do this by
having orgiastic, sexual interactions between entire shrewdnesses or packs in which they
frequently interchanged sexual partners among one another. As a result, the males had no way of
knowing which females they impregnated or which offspring were theirs. (7) Thus, eradicating
the idea of male dominated families; cutting off male dominance at the root of human culture:
the family unit. This left the bond between a mother and her children as the only family unit
present in these proto-hominids. Im not suggesting that everyone immediately start putting
orgiastic, sexual practices into action and eliminate the family unit, but it was an effective
method of obviating a male dominance based mindset for the proto-hominids of the grass lands;
and I would certainly consider it an extremely early form of feminist culture, whether the proto
hominids intended to be a feminist culture or not. It shows how feminism, when applied to any
group in a society, is all about equality. The families werent seen as the fathers property or even
as their achievements; their legacy. The individuals werent being defined by their lineage, they

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werent being oppressed by male privilege, and they were being raised with an understanding of
their individual value based on real things about themselves.
The point is that to some degree, they eliminated the problem, and, in at least some sense
of the term, they achieved gender equality. This is what we could use to do on an international
scale; and many people in our modern, civilized societies have realized that. This realization and
others like it started the actual feminist movement. In 1848 arose some of the first prominent,
feminist voices in the Western world, as well as in Europe. (8) They were seeking the abolition of
privileges based on sex, birth, race, rank, and fortune. This is not, however, the primary goal of
all of the feminists around the world. There are many kinds of feminism. Here is an extensive list
of some reasons and focuses for different kinds of feminism over the years:

Anarcha-feminism: All relations of power must be opposed and challenged, including the

patriarchy.
Athiest feminism: Religion should be identified as a main source of womens oppression.
Black feminism: The liberation of black women would equal the liberation of everyone,

since it would require full erasure of racist, sexist and classist oppression.
Christian feminism: God does not discriminate on race and gender. Women should be

recognized for their equal moral and spiritual abilities within Christianity
Difference feminism: While women should receive equal status, we must recognize the

inherent differences between women and men.

Ecofeminism: Women are inherently connected with nature. Therefore women and nature

must together be liberated from the patriarchy.

Equality feminition: There is no difference between women and men. Not only must full

equality therefore be possible, our worldview must become androgynous.

Islamic feminism: The patriarchal interpretation of the Qu'ran must be questioned. The
deeply rooted teachings of equality in Islam must be highlighted so that full equality for
all Muslims regardless of gender can be achieved.

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Jewish feminism: Jewish women should have equal legal, societal, and religious status as

Jewish men.
Liberal feminism: Women are personally and individually responsible for achieving their
own equality in our society. Customary and legal restraints that block women's equal

access into society must be removed.

Material feminism: Capitalism and the patriarchy are the primary means of maintaining

inequality of the sexes, races and economic classes.

New feminism: Women and men have inherently different strengths and weaknesses,

which serve to complement each other.

Postcolonial feminism: Women in non-Western countries are misrepresented by the
mainstream "global" feminist movement. A closer look should be cast upon the lasting

effects of racism and colonialism in the current positions of these women.

Post-structural feminism: In battling inequality, it is important to recognize that there are
no universal, singular categories that define "men" and "women". (9)
Essentially, this list shows that there are very many different reasons for why people are

feminists, and that there are a lot of important areas in peoples lives that feminism applies to. It
actually sheds light on the fact that some of values that people hold high in their moral systems
such as respect for others, caring for the environment, humility, equality, and others actually
support feminism in one way or another. (10) All of the various kinds of feminism involving these
values have formed since the original feminist revolution in the 1840s and 1850s. While the
patriarchy still remained completely intact during this initial spark of the feminist movement,
these values which the movement was based on were being strongly supported by both feminists
and patriarchal leaders of all kinds. These are the kinds of rock-solid values that even the US
constitution was politically and necessarily sculpted from. (11) While only men signed it, the
constitution tried to ensure a balance of power, showing that our leaders had at least some sense

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of equality. Whether or not these values (equality, respect for others, etc.) were truly being
honored, they were acknowledged and supported.
This is part of what I believe to be one of the biggest motivations for feminist activists
today and throughout history: if people become aware of the asymmetrical, male-dominant
society that exists around them, they may be able to see the connection between their personal,
moral beliefs and the roots of the feminist movement. Another motivation for feminists is the
initial frustration of the objectification of women and the inferior treatment they have received
throughout history.
Today, there are three different degrees of feminism called waves. These waves
developed over time, beginning with the first real feminist movements in modern society. First
wave feminism primarily focuses on women gaining an equal footing with men on grounds of
suffrage and legal rights. It includes change on political levels and emphasizes the womans role
in making major changes in society. Second wave feminism sheds light on sexual inequality,
inequality within the family and the workplace, and unfairness in regards to reproductive rights.
Third wave feminism attempts to deconstruct the gender-binary of men and women; gender
is fluid. Its all about bringing us together as people instead of separating us as genders; or as
anything, for that matter. Third wave feminism strives to dismantle weapons of discrimination
and encourages people to define themselves by themselves and for themselves. (12) All forms of
feminism acknowledge the problem of male dominance, and it seems that they all strive to
counteract it through positive means.
Feminism is about fully recognizing the value and potential of all people, no matter what
gender. In history, societies all around the globe have failed to do this. In different civilizations,
gender roles can vary dramatically. Some cultures have the idea of the housewife where
women are expected to stay home, garden, cook, clean, etc; other societies have women doing
other laborious tasks outside the home. In some parts of the world, women are more assertive

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sexually than men (initiating courtship, making the first move, etc.), whereas in the US, the men
tend to be the ones to court the women. While the roles and activities of a given gender can vary
so significantly between societies, one thing stays consistent throughout history: women are
widely considered to be inferior to men; and perhaps even more widely practiced is not the
inferior consideration of women, but the inferior treatment. Not only are the fruits of a womans
labor generally valued less than that of a mans, the woman is also pushed around. Throughout
history, the man is always the one in charge; not always in charge of the family finances; not
always in charge of the government, but in charge of the woman.
It goes all the way down to a personal level: the family unit. Whatever the father provides
for the family is consistently seen as the primary thing sustaining the family. Thats why we must
avoid a repeat of the history weve seen; its full of skewed perspectives and asymmetrically
structured social and communicatory boundaries. Feminism helps bring balance to the
perspectives of common, social interaction, and it definitely helps people gain a sense of
personal greatness in regards to respecting others and recognizing their worth. Its all about equal
consideration and equal treatment; equal opportunity and equal value.

A Personal Application for Feminism

In being around other teenage boys (as I am a teenage boy myself), Ive heard them say
many disrespectful things about women and act as if a womans perceived sexual value is her
total worth; and this kind of skewed mindset exists all throughout our culture. From mass media
to personal relationships, women are portrayed and treated as inferior and incapable. Some guys
find it awkward to have the door held open for them by a girl; some of them find it quite
awkward to hold the door for another guy. These silly ideas about roles we have to play into
based on our biological sex have been around for ages. They are engrained into our minds when
were growing up, and these given gender-roles become part of our primary perspective on life;

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and the unfortunate truth of the matter is, these gender-roles paint the picture that males are
superior, in value and importance, to women.
Personally, I try to see past the illusion that men are superior to women. I believe that
men and women are of equal value, and that they are not bound by any obligation to be attracted
to certain kinds of people, wear certain kinds of clothes, groom themselves differently, etc.
People should live their life according to who they are as a person, not who they are as a boy or a
girl. I am defined as a person, to some degree, by the values I try to live by. I believe in accepting
others for who they want to be, even if they dont conform to societal norms. I think that
sometimes people let their sex define them too much, and their personality gets molded into a
shape thats more socially feasible for interaction; a shape that doesnt make people
uncomfortable or creep them out. It seems that people expect others to act a certain way based
on their sex, age, or whatever it may be; they stick people into categories based on things about
their lives and use those categorical placements to assume other aspects of their lives. Living
through means of assumption breeds confusion and bad communication. Ive noticed that clarity
and quality of communication can mean everything in a relationship; and, living a life full of
relationships, I have to be true to myself by being true to others and avoiding assumptions based
on trivial factors about who people are, including their sex.
To live entirely inside social guidelines defined by others makes you dependent and
reactionary. To be free to oneself, one must be independent and proactive. This means that in
order to be free, one must dissolve any behavioral boundaries created by outside, social
influences. This doesnt mean people have to break those boundaries; they dont even have to
acknowledge those boundaries. They just need to live their life for themselves, not for the given
characteristics desired in those of their sex.
Feminism helps me to see people for who they are, and it also helps me to be myself. I try
to recognize the worth in everyone without looking through a lens of assumption based on their

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gender. Not only does it help me to be more considerate of others and their feelings, it also helps
me to avoid objectifying people as sources of frustration or annoyance in my life. Everyone gets
agitated with others sometimes, but someone can communicate their frustration more effectively
if they consider how the other people theyre dealing with feel. They can more effectively solve
problems and save time when dealing with others, because they recognize that people are not
merely something to be dealt with, but rather to be understood and considered. The most
pleasant people to interact with are the people who are comprehensive of my feelings; the people
who dont make assumptions about me just because Im a boy. It also seems that these are the
people whose feelings are more comprehendible. The people who strive to understand also seem
to strive to make themselves understood.
My understanding of feminism helps me put forth an effort to be one of the people who
strive to make themselves understood. I want to live a life in which I am true to myself, and I
want to honor the moral standards I believe in, many of which strongly support feminism in one
way or another. I realize that if people were more educated about feminism they might be more
accepting of it, and I hope to help educate people about it by applying a feminist mindset to all of
my relationships. In my opinion, communication is the key. if I dont have solid communication,
I probably wont have solid relationships. Thats why Im a feminist.

Conclusion
One of the main goals that seems to be shared among the many different feminist
ideologies is the goal to eradicate the perspective that men are more capable or more important
than women. The big thing that the many forms of feminism are looking at is the difference; the
inequality between the way women are treated and the actual value they sustain. Its focus is on
the problem, and the problem is a male dominant society; not any one male dominant society, but
every male dominant society. Male dominance has shown in the past to be a consistent

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characteristic among the civilizations of human history; it is unfair and unbalanced. Feminism is
a set of perspectives that offer a clear view of the problems that come with objectifying people
and using race, sex, age, rank, etc. to determine the amount of respect to show them. In a way,
someone who believes in being loving and tolerant to everyone is already a feminist whether
they realize it or not; or someone who believes in showing equal respect to all living things.
There are so many different moral systems that, when it comes down to it, completely support
feminism in one form or another; and if they support even one form of feminism, they support
feminism, in a general sense, whole-heartedly.
Feminism is very fulfilling for me. It helps me to see the value in everyone. I appreciate
the flexibility of perspective its given me to snap out of the social boundaries that I, too, was
raised in which paint a picture of boys behaving one way and girls behaving another. I think
everyone should be liberated from those social misconceptions. So many people feel the need to
act a certain way because thats what men are supposed to do or thats what women are
supposed to do . . . Well, suppose they dont.

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Works Cited
(1) Feminism, Google definition
<https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF8#q=feminism%20definition&es_th=1>
(2) Socks, Violet The Origin of Male Dominance, May 7 2006. Article.
<http://www.reclusiveleftist.com/2006/05/07/the-origin-of-male-dominance>
(3) Kant, Immanuel Feminist Perspectives on Objectification, June 6 2014. Essay.
<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-objectification>
(4) Zimbalist, Michelle Woman, Culture, & Society, pg. 17-25, 1974. Print.
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hl=en&lr=&id=vE85zkFdURQC&oi=fnd&pg=PA17&dq=charactaristics+of+a+male+dominated
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>
(5) Sexual Violence Statistics, 2005. Web page.
<http://www.woar.org/resources/sexual-assault-statistics.php>

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(6) Sexual Assault Statistics. PDF document.

<http://www.ncdsv.org/images/sexualassaultstatistics.pdf>

(7) McKenna, Terence Mushrooms, Evolution, and the Millennium, Masonic Temple,
Van Nuys California, 8 Sept. 1991. Oral presentation.
<http://terencemckenna.wikispaces.com/Mushrooms,+Evolution+and+the+Millenium>
(8) Freedman, Estelle No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and The Future of
Women, pg. 45-47, 2002. Print
<https://books.google.com/books?
id=lDJGSUPCMXcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+history+of+feminism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=u
RTyVKeZFpaeyASgr4CAAQ&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false>
(9) Feminist Theory Masterpost, Feb. 26 2015. Blog post.
<http://teamrocketing.tumblr.com/post/111593637976/feminist-theory-masterpost>
(10)

Kinnier, Richard; Kernes, Jerry; Dautheribes, Therese A Short List of Universal

Moral Values, pg. 6-7, Oct. 2000. Print.

<http://personal.tcu.edu/pwitt/universal%20values.pdf>
(11)

Constitution of The United States, New York City, Sept. 17 1787. Document

<http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html>
(12)

Rampton, Martha The Three Waves of Feminism, October 23rd, 2014. Print.

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< http://www.pacificu.edu/about-us/news-events/three-waves-feminism>