feminism speech essay

Essay on Feminism

500 words essay on feminism.

Feminism is a social and political movement that advocates for the rights of women on the grounds of equality of sexes. It does not deny the biological differences between the sexes but demands equality in opportunities. It covers everything from social and political to economic arenas. In fact, feminist campaigns have been a crucial part of history in women empowerment. The feminist campaigns of the twentieth century made the right to vote, public property, work and education possible. Thus, an essay on feminism will discuss its importance and impact.

Importance of Feminism

Feminism is not just important for women but for every sex, gender, caste, creed and more. It empowers the people and society as a whole. A very common misconception is that only women can be feminists.

It is absolutely wrong but feminism does not just benefit women. It strives for equality of the sexes, not the superiority of women. Feminism takes the gender roles which have been around for many years and tries to deconstruct them.

This allows people to live freely and empower lives without getting tied down by traditional restrictions. In other words, it benefits women as well as men. For instance, while it advocates that women must be free to earn it also advocates that why should men be the sole breadwinner of the family? It tries to give freedom to all.

Most importantly, it is essential for young people to get involved in the feminist movement. This way, we can achieve faster results. It is no less than a dream to live in a world full of equality.

Thus, we must all look at our own cultures and communities for making this dream a reality. We have not yet reached the result but we are on the journey, so we must continue on this mission to achieve successful results.

Impact of Feminism

Feminism has had a life-changing impact on everyone, especially women. If we look at history, we see that it is what gave women the right to vote. It was no small feat but was achieved successfully by women.

Further, if we look at modern feminism, we see how feminism involves in life-altering campaigns. For instance, campaigns that support the abortion of unwanted pregnancy and reproductive rights allow women to have freedom of choice.

Moreover, feminism constantly questions patriarchy and strives to renounce gender roles. It allows men to be whoever they wish to be without getting judged. It is not taboo for men to cry anymore because they must be allowed to express themselves freely.

Similarly, it also helps the LGBTQ community greatly as it advocates for their right too. Feminism gives a place for everyone and it is best to practice intersectional feminism to understand everyone’s struggle.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Feminism

The key message of feminism must be to highlight the choice in bringing personal meaning to feminism. It is to recognize other’s right for doing the same thing. The sad part is that despite feminism being a strong movement, there are still parts of the world where inequality and exploitation of women take places. Thus, we must all try to practice intersectional feminism.

FAQ of Essay on Feminism

Question 1: What are feminist beliefs?

Answer 1: Feminist beliefs are the desire for equality between the sexes. It is the belief that men and women must have equal rights and opportunities. Thus, it covers everything from social and political to economic equality.

Question 2: What started feminism?

Answer 2: The first wave of feminism occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It emerged out of an environment of urban industrialism and liberal, socialist politics. This wave aimed to open up new doors for women with a focus on suffrage.

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Feminist persuasive speech topics

108 feminist persuasive speech topics

- the top current women's rights & feminist issues.

By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 07-20-2022

There are 108 persuasive speech topics here covering many current feminist issues. For example:

that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap,
that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports body image insecurities to serve its own ends,
that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society...

They're provocative and challenging topics raising issues that I like to think should be of concern to us all!

Use the quick links to find a topic you want to explore

25 feminist persuasive speech topics about beauty and fashion
16 the media and feminism topics
8 the role of language and feminism speech ideas

8 feminist speech ideas about culture and arts

9 topics on education and gendered expectations, 27 feminist topics about society & social inequality, 8 business & work related feminist speech topics.

Resources for preparing persuasive speeches
References for feminism

What is 'feminism'?

Feminism is defined as belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes, expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests.

(See: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism )

Return to Top

25 feminist speech topics about beauty & fashion

that from puberty onward a woman is targeted by cosmetic companies
that the shape of woman’s body is valued over its health
that physical beauty in a woman is conferred by popular beliefs
that striving for what is regarded as the epitome of female physical perfection destroys women
that physical perfection is a myth
that compassion and collaboration is needed between women (and men) rather than competition and comparison
that beauty, fashion and feminism can co-exist
that clothing reflects social position or class
that the fashionable clothing of any era reflects its dominate cultural beliefs
that a modern feminist does not need to ban either the bra or the razor
that prescriptive beauty norms (PBNs) reinforce sexism, racism, colorism, classism, ableism, ageism, and gender norms
that western feminine beauty standards dominate globally
that there is no legitimate historical or biological justification for the ‘white’ beauty myth
that modern beauty standards were used as “political weapons" against women’s advancement (see Naomi Wolfe - The Beauty Myth )
that the beauty industry cynically and callously exploits women through “self-empowerment” campaigns – eg L'Oreal's “Because you're worth it”
that beauty shaming of any sort is shameful
that health and beauty need to work together for the empowerment of women
that beauty and fashion role models need to be independent of major brands
that fashion and cosmetic industries have a moral responsibility to use the immense power they have in shaping people’s lives for their betterment
that the unfair balance of power between the consumers of fashionable clothing and those who make it is a feminist issue
that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap
that genuinely sustainable fashion is only responsible way forward
that clothing/fashion can make a feminist statement. For example: the 1850s “freedom” or “bloomer” dress named after women’s rights and temperance advocate Amelia Bloomer , the wearing of trousers, shorts, or mini skirts by women, or skirts and dresses by men
that boss dressing for women is unnecessary and toxic
that establishing superiority through wearing elitist fashion is an age old ploy

16 the media and feminism speech topics

that feminism in mainstream media is often misrepresented through lack of understanding
that some media deliberately encourages a narrow polarizing definition of feminism to whip up interest and drama for its own sake
that mainstream media plays a significant role in keeping women marginalized
that social media has created an independent level playing field for feminists globally
that the #metoo movement reaffirmed the need for community and solidarity amongst feminists
that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports ongoing body image insecurities to serve its own ends
that the advertising industry decides and deifies what physical perfection looks like
that the ideal cover girl body/face is a myth
that eating disorders and negative body image problems are increased by the unrealistic beauty standards set by mainstream media
that women get media coverage for doing newsworthy things and being beautiful. Men get media coverage for doing newsworthy things.
that social media gives traditionally private issues a platform for discussion and change: abortion, domestic abuse, pay equity
that print media (broadsheets, magazines, newspapers...) have played and continue to play a vital role in feminist education
that ‘the women’s hour’ and similar radio programs or podcasts have been and are an important part in highlighting feminist issues
that ‘feminist wokeness’ has been hijacked by popular media
that social media reinforces prejudices rather than challenges them because the smart use of analytics means we mainly see posts aligned with our viewpoints
that social media has enabled and ‘normalized’ the spread of pornography: the use of bodies as a commodity to be traded

8 the role language and feminism speech ideas

that frequently repeated platitudes (eg. girls will be girls and boys will be boys) are stereotypical straitjackets stifling change
that the derogatory words for females and female genitalia frequently used to vent anger or frustration demonstrate the worth and value placed on women
that feminism is neither male nor female
that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society
that sexist language needs to be called out and changed
that gendered language limits women’s opportunities
that gendered languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi...) need to become more inclusive
that the real enemy of feminism is language
that limitations in any arena (work, sports, arts) placed on woman because they are women need challenging
that male bias in the organizations awarding major awards and grants needs to change
that the ideal woman in art is a figment of a male imagination
that historically art has objectified women
that heroic figures should be celebrated and honored for their deeds – not for what they look like or their gender
that strong feisty female characters in literature can inspire change eg. Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte’s novel of the same name, and Offred from Margaret Atwood’s The Hand Maiden’s Tale.
that the role of feminist art in any field: literature, film, theatre, dance, sculpture..., is to transform and challenge stereotypes. Examples of feminist artists: Judy Chicago, Miriam Shapiro, Barbara Kruger (More: feminist art )
that feminist musicians have used their influence as agents of change, and to inspire: Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Pussy Riot, Lorde, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Nina Simone
that there no subjects more suitable for boys than girls, or subjects more suitable for girls than boys
that toys, clothing, and colors should be gender neutral
that student achievement and behavioral expectations should be gender free
that feminism should be actively modelled in the classroom
that eligibility for educational institutions should be merit based
that boys should not ‘punished’ or blamed for our patriarchal history
that gendered performance is actively supported and encouraged by some educational philosophies and schools in order to maintain the status quo
that the belief that ‘male’ and ‘female’ intelligence are different and that male intelligence is superior is false
that education is vital for the advancement of black feminism
that rigidly adhered to gendered workplace and domestic roles sustain and support inequalities
that domestic violence is typically a male gendered crime
that patriarchal attitudes toward women make sexual harassment and rape inevitable
that a safe legal abortion is a fundamental right for every person who wants one
that humiliation and control either by fear and threat of rape, or rape itself, is an act toxic entitlement
that a person is never ever ‘asking for it’: to be sexually harassed, or to be raped
that safe methods of birth control should be freely available to whomever wants them
that full sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people is an essential precondition to achieving gender equality
that men should not have control over woman's sexual and reproductive decision-making
that the increase in sperm donation is a feminist victory
that a person can be a domestic goddess and a feminist
that there is a positive difference between assertive and aggressive feminism
that the shock tactics of feminist anarchists is justified
that powerful feminist role models open the way for others to follow
that intersectional feminism is essential to fully understand the deep ingrained inequalities of those experiencing overlapping forms of oppression
that a feminist’s belief and practices are shaped by the country they live in, its dominant religious and cultural practices
that female circumcision is an example of women’s oppression disguised as a cultural tradition
that honor crimes are never justifiable
that period poverty and stigma is a global feminist issue
that we need to accept that some women want to remain protected by patriarchal practices and beliefs
that environmental issues are feminist issues
that everybody benefits from feminism
that feminism works towards equality, not female superiority
that anti-feminist myths (that feminists are angry women who blame men for their problems, that feminists are anti marriage, that feminists have no sense of humor, that feminists are not ‘natural’ mothers, that feminists are anti religion, that feminists are actually all lesbians ...) are desperate attempts to maintain the patriarchal status quo
that toxic femininity is a by-product of fear and insecurity eg. The need to ridicule another woman in order to impress a man, shaming a man for not being ‘manly’, raging against a women for being seen to be powerful, competent and successful in a leadership position ...
that blaming the patriarchy is far too simple
that one can hold religious beliefs and be feminist
that gendered jobs and job titles belong in the past
that pay scales should be based on merit, not gender
that adequate maternity and child care plus parental leave provisions should be mandatory
that flexible working hours benefits both the business and its employees
that token feminism is not enough
that corporate feminism is for wealthy white women
that feminism and capitalism are in conflict
that women in power owe it to other women to work for their empowerment

Useful resources

The first three resources below provide an excellent starting point to get a broad overview of feminism: its history, development and current issues.

I've included the fourth link because I'm a New Zealander, and proud of what its women's suffrage movement achieved: the vote for women in 1893.

What’s the definition of feminism? 12 TED talks that explain it to you
An overview of feminist philosophy – Stanford University, USA
Britannica: an excellent over of the history and development of feminism
The symbolism of a white camellia and the Suffrage Movement in New Zealand

How to choose a good persuasive speech topic and preparing a great speech

For a more in-depth discussion about choosing a good persuasive topic, and crafting a persuasive speech please see:

persuasive speech ideas and read all the notes under the heading “What make a speech topic good?"
writing a persuasive speech . You’ll find notes covering:
setting a speech goal,
audience analysis,
evidence and empathy (the need for proof or evidence to back what you’re saying as well as showing you understand, or empathize with, the positions of those for and against your proposal),
balance and obstacles (to address points against your proposal, the obstacles, in a fair and balanced way),
varying structural patterns (ways to organize you material) and more. And click this link for hundreds more persuasive speech topic suggestions . ☺

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✍️Essay on Feminism for Students: Samples 150, 250 Words

Updated on
Nov 2, 2023

In a society, men and women should be considered equal in every aspect. This thought is advocated by a social and political movement i.e. feminism . The word feminism was coined by the French Philosopher Charles Fourier in 1837. He was known for his strong belief in equal rights for women as men in every sector, be it the right to vote, right to work, right to decide, right to participate in public life, right to own property, etc. Feminism advocates the rights of women with respect to the equality of gender . There are different types of feminism i.e. liberal, radical, Marxist, cultural, and eco-feminism. Stay tuned and have a look at the following sample essay on feminism!

Also Read: Popular Struggles and Movements

Essay on Feminism 150 Words

India is a land of diversity of which 52.2% are women as per an estimate for the year 2023. This doesn’t mean that every woman is getting basic fundamental rights in society. We should not neglect the rights of women and treat them as a weaker sex. Women are equally strong and capable as men. To advocate this thought a movement called Feminism came into existence in 1837. Feminism is a movement that advocates the equality of women in social, political, and economic areas.

India is up eight notches in #WorldEconomicForum ’s annual gender ranking. And Iceland is #1 for women, again, for the 14th year in a row. @namitabhandare ’s newsletter, #HTMindtheGap looks at why. Plus the week’s other gender stories https://t.co/9Fen6TaEnb Subscribe here… pic.twitter.com/r6XfFMINO0 — Hindustan Times (@htTweets) June 25, 2023

Traditionally, women were believed to stay at home and there were severe restrictions imposed on them. They were not allowed to go out, study, work, vote, own property, etc. However, with the passage of time, people are becoming aware of the objective of feminism. Any person who supports feminism and is a proponent of equal human rights for women is considered a feminist.

Feminism is a challenge to the patriarchal systems existing in society. Despite this strong movement burning in high flames to burn the orthodox and dominant culture, there are still some parts of the world that are facing gender inequality. So, it is our duty to make a world free of any discrimination.

Essay on Feminism 250 Words

Talking about feminism in a broader sense, then, it is not restricted only to women. It refers to the equality of every sex or gender. Some people feel offended by the concept of feminism as they take it in the wrong way. There is a misconception that only women are feminists. But this is not the case. Feminists can be anyone who supports the noble cause of supporting the concept of providing equal rights to women.

Feminism is not restricted to single-sex i.e. women, but it advocates for every person irrespective of caste, creed, colour, sex, or gender. As an individual, it is our duty to help every person achieve equal status in society and eradicate any kind of gender discrimination .

Equality helps people to live freely without any traditional restrictions. At present, the Government of India is also contributing to providing equal rights to the female sector through various Government schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra, One Stop Center, and many more.

Apart from these Government policies, campaigns like reproductive rights or abortion of unwanted pregnancy also give women the right to choose and lead their life without any external authority of a male.

Feminism has also supported the LGBTIQA+ community so that people belonging to this community could come out and reveal their identity without any shame. The concept of feminism also helped them to ask for equal rights as men and women. Thus, it could be concluded that feminism is for all genders and a true feminist will support every person to achieve equal rights and hold a respectable position in society.

Check Out: Women Equality Day

Kajal Thareja

Hi, I am Kajal, a pharmacy graduate, currently pursuing management and is an experienced content writer. I have 2-years of writing experience in Ed-tech (digital marketing) company. I am passionate towards writing blogs and am on the path of discovering true potential professionally in the field of content marketing. I am engaged in writing creative content for students which is simple yet creative and engaging and leaves an impact on the reader's mind.

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10 Famous Speeches To Ignite The Feminist Fire Within You

Be inspired by the words of these powerful women

preview for Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Received A Handwritten letter From Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri

Throughout history, so many of the people to make us stop and take note with their famous speeches have been women. From the women's suffrage movement in the 1800s and feminism's second wave in the 1970s to the global Women's March in 2017, the words and actions of famous figures such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Virginia Woolf, Maya Angelou and Gloria Steinhem (to name just a few) have transformed society.

It might explain then why the theme of International Women's Day 2021 was #ChooseToChallenge. We can learn so much from the powerful actions and inspiring words of the women who came before us – but, also, there's still so much work we have to do. It's our duty to carry on their work, challenging and changing and speaking up for equality .

And so here, we've rounded up the most famous speeches from a new era of women, who are continuing the task of transforming opinions, breaking boundaries and inspiring us all to keep choosing to challenge. Listen, learn and take note.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Will Not Accept Your Apology

After Florida Representative Ted Yoho reportedly called Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 'a f*cking b*tch' on the steps of the Capitol in July 2020, he tried to excuse his behaviour by saying he has a wife and daughters. In response, AOC (as she's commonly referred to) took to the House floor with what has since been hailed 'the most important feminist speech of a generation' – fluently and passionately detailing why his 'apology' was, simply, not good enough.

Quotes of note:

'I am someone's daughter too. My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television, and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.

'What I believe is that having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man, and when a decent man messes up, as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologise.'

Natalie Portman On Dismantling The Patriarchy

From her smart quip of 'here are all the male nominees' at the 2018 Golden Globes , calling out the women directors snubbed for the category, to her rousing 'f*ck up and thrive, sisters' speech at the ELLE Women In Hollywood event in 2019, Portman consistently calls out inequality in the film industry. And the actor's address at Variety's Women of Power event in 2019 was no different. In what is now referred to as 'Natalie Portman's Step-by-Step Guide to Toppling the Patriarchy', she made a strong case for all the ways in which we, as individuals, can make a difference.

'Be embarrassed if everyone in your workplace looks like you. Pay attention to physical ability, age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and make sure you've got all kinds of experiences represented.

'Stop the rhetoric that a woman is crazy or difficult. If a man says a woman is crazy or difficult, ask him: What bad thing did you do to her? It's code that he is trying to discredit her reputation. Make efforts to hire people who've had their reputations smeared in retaliation.'

Michelle Obama On The Inequality Of Failure

Let's be honest: there are so many Michelle Obama speeches to choose from – the former FLOTUS is renowned for her passion for equality and her ability to uplift others with her words. But in a poignant keynote conversation with Tracee Ellis Ross at the United State of Women Summit in 2018, Obama spoke openly about the often-overlooked inequality of failure, and the disparities in repercussions for men and women.

Quote of note:

'I wish that girls could fail as bad as men do and be OK. Because let me tell you, watching men fail up, it is frustrating. It's frustrating to see a lot of men blow it and win. And we hold ourselves to these crazy, crazy standards.

'Start with what you can control. You start there. Because thinking about changing your workplace and changing the way the world thinks – that's big; that's daunting. And then you shrink from that. So start with what you can control. And that's you, first. And those questions start within. First, we must ask ourselves, "Are we using our voices? And when are we not? When are we playing it safe?" And at least be cognisant of that and understand, "These are the times that I shrunk away from doing more than I could, and let me think about why that was."'

Gina Martin On Misogyny, The Power Of Anger And How She Changed The Law

As she tells us in this refreshing TEDx talk from 2020, Gina Martin is not the kind of woman you'd expect to change the law. And yet, she did. The activist discusses the moment in 2017 when a stranger took a picture of her crotch at a festival without her consent – and how, after years of relentless campaigning, she succeeded in making upskirting a criminal offence. Martin makes it clear that anyone can make a change, no matter who they are or where they're from. And that's a lesson we all need to hear.

'Anger is a very normal response to having your human rights compromised. That's important to say. We have to stop using it to delegitimise people, with "angry feminist" or "angry Black woman" – all of these stereotypes. People are allowed to be angry about this stuff. And we have to hold space for them there. We have to realise it's not about us.

'Think about where you hold privilege – it might be in your job, as a parent, as a teacher, or just in the colour of your skin – and start this work now. Stop laughing at the jokes, buy the book, go to the event, diversify your social feeds, ask the questions. Sympathy is soothing, but it doesn't go far enough. Action does. And listen, you'll get things wrong. We all do, I've had some clangers. But it's not about perfection, it's about progress, it's about doing it because it's the right thing to do. We are so done with waiting for society to "change things" for us. We literally are society.'

Lady Gaga On Reclaiming Your Power

When Lady Gaga accepted her ELLE Women In Hollywood award in 2018, her career appeared to be at an all-time high, with Oscar buzz for her role in A Star Is Born , and her song 'Shallow' at number one in the US. But, as she explained, what people perceive a woman, especially in Hollywood, isn't always the reality.

Gaga may have made this moving speech several years ago, but it feels particularly poignant to revisit it during a period in which violence towards women is a more devastating and pressing topic than ever. In it, Gaga recounts how being sexually assaulted caused her to 'shut down' and 'hide'. She explores the debilitating effect of shame on her mental health and also the power of kindness and support in overcoming it.

Importantly, Gaga explains that she eventually found her power within herself – and how, once she took it back, she was able to use it to move beyond the prescribed expectations society puts upon women.

'What does it really mean to be a woman in Hollywood? We are not just objects to entertain the world. We are not simply images to bring smiles or grimaces to people's faces. We are not members of a giant beauty pageant meant to be pit against one another for the pleasure of the public. We women in Hollywood, we are voices. We have deep thoughts and ideas and beliefs and values about the world and we have the power to speak and be heard and fight back when we are silenced.'

'I decided today I wanted to take the power back. Today I wear the pants... I had a revelation that I had to be empowered to be myself today more than ever. To resist the standards of Hollywood, whatever that means. To resist the standards of dressing to impress. To use what really matters: my voice.'

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie On Redefining Feminism

You may not have knowingly heard to author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's speech before, but there's a good chance you will have listened to her words without realising – Beyoncé actually weaved a key part of Adichie's feminist manifesto into her track '***Flawless'. In her speech, Adichie reflects on the gender disparities still evident our society, with a focus on those in her native Africa, and dissects the meaning of 'feminist' – both the connotations and myths it carries – and how she came to define the term for herself.

'We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller, we say to girls, "You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful, otherwise you would threaten the man." ...But what if we question the premise itself? Why should a woman's success be a threat to a man?

'I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be. Gender is not an easy conversation to have. For both men and women, to bring up gender is sometimes to encounter almost immediate resistance... Some of the men here might be thinking, "OK, all of this is interesting, but I don't think like that." And that is part of the problem – that many men do not actively think about gender or notice gender is part of the problem.'

Kamala Harris On Setting A New Standard For The Next Generation

On November 7 2020, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivered her first national address after Joe Biden 's position as President was secured. As the first woman to hold the position and the first person of colour to do so, Harris' presence alone was enough to break boundaries. But then came her words. In the speech, she reflected on triumph of democracy and credited the work of the women who came before us, plus that of 'a new generation of women in... who cast their ballots and continued the fight for their fundamental right to vote and be heard'.

'While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they've never seen it before, but know that we will applaud you every step of the way.'

Amanda Gorman On Finding Your Voice

If you didn't know Amanda Gorman before this year, you'll definitely know her now, thanks to her reading at US President Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony. The United States' first-ever youth poet laureate's powerful, rhythmic poem 'The Hill We Climb' made the world stop and listen, highlighting the many inequalities in our society and reminding us that we need to work together to overcome them.

While 2021 was the year that catapulted Gorman into the spotlight, it wasn't the first time she'd spoken out about the world around her. In her 2018 TED Talk, she discusses the power of speech, learning to find her voice and how 'poetry is actually at the centre of our most political questions about what it means to be a democracy'.

'I had a moment of realisation, where I thought, "If I choose not to speak out of fear, then there's no one that my silence is standing for."'

'When someone asks me to write a poem that's not political, what they're really asking me is to not ask charged and challenging questions in my poetic work. And that does not work, because poetry is always at the pulse of the most dangerous and most daring questions that a nation or a world might face.'

'If I choose, not out of fear, but out of courage, to speak, then there's something unique that my words can become... It might feel like every story has been told before, but the truth is, no one's ever told my story in the way I would tell it.'

Frances McDormand Demands Inclusion In Hollywood

It's one thing to make a great acceptance speech at the Oscars. But to share that honour with your fellow nominees and use it as a platform to highlight where your industry needs to do better? That's a whole other story, and one told by McDormand in a speech that got everybody on their feet as she accepted the Oscar for Best Actress at the 2018 Academy Awards.

'I want to get some perspective. If I may be so honoured to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, the actors... the filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographers, the composers, the songwriters, the designers... We all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days, or you can come to ours, whatever suits you best, and we'll tell you all about them. I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: "inclusion rider".'

Meghan Markle On Realising The Magnitude Of Individual Action

Long before she made headlines as the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle had already made the world take notice. At the UN Women Conference back in 2015, she spoke about 'accidentally' becoming a female advocate when at just 11 years old, when she convinced a dish soap company to change their sexist tagline from 'Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans' to 'People all over America…' instead. Here, she discusses the power of individual action, and why we need to remind women that 'their involvement matters'.

'It is just imperative: women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this is not available, well then, you know what, they need to create their own table. We need a global understanding that we cannot implement change effectively without women's political participation.

'It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such vision – because it isn't enough to simply talk about equality. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to simply believe in it. One must work at it. Let us work at it. Together. Starting now.

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“Why We Should All Be Feminists”: Rhetorical Analysis of Adichie's Speech

Rhetorical analysis of "why we should all be feminists".

Adichie, C. N. (2013). We should all be feminists. Vintage Books.
Anokye, R., & Koomson, I. (2019). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's “We Should All Be Feminists”: A Critical Discourse Analysis. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 9(4), 288-303.
Arndt, S., & Sommer, N. (2016). Why We Should All Be Feminists. Journal of Feminist Scholarship, 10, 69-73.
Bannerjee, R. (2016). Intersectionality and Transnational Feminism: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. South Asian Review, 37(3), 183-198.
Charles, C. E. (2015). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's We Should All Be Feminists: A Feminist Critique. Women's Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 44(6), 830-848.
Dangarembga, T. (2015). Feminism and gender politics in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun. Tydskrif vir Letterkunde, 52(2), 8-20.
Faircloth, C. A., & Wodtke, G. T. (2016). Intersectionality, queer theory, and gender studies: A review and critique. Sociological Compass, 10(8), 735-747.
Fawole, O. I. (2019). The role of education in shaping feminist consciousness in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's We Should All Be Feminists. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 9(2), 117-124.
Hawley, J. A. (2015). Women's studies and feminist pedagogy: Opportunities and challenges in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus. Women's Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 44(6), 849-867.
McMillan, M. (2016). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and the Politics of Representation. Journal of Postcolonial Writing, 52(2), 203-214.

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We Should All Be Feminists

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Analysis: “We Should All Be Feminists”

This essay was first delivered as a speech, and it has an anecdotal, conversational tone . Throughout the essay, Adichie weaves personal stories in with broader observations about gender and culture . In addition, she frequently uses humor to make her point. Her tone is informal, blunt, and direct. Early in the essay, for example, she declares herself to be “a Happy African Feminist Who Does Not Hate Men and Who Likes to Wear Lip Gloss and High Heels for Herself and Not For Men” (10). Rhetorically, this self-definition performs a few different functions. Its unwieldiness points to the amount of baggage that the word “feminist” often carries, even among feminists themselves, and it points to the elaborate, apologetic postures that women often assume to compensate for being assertive. It’s also funny because it’s capitalized—and therefore contradicts the stereotype that feminists have no sense of humor.

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Essay on Feminism

Students are often asked to write an essay on Feminism in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Feminism

Understanding feminism.

Feminism is a social movement and ideology that fights for equal rights for women. It began in the late 19th century when women demanded their right to vote.

The Importance of Feminism

Feminism is important because it seeks to achieve equality between men and women. It fights against gender stereotypes and discrimination.

Feminism Today

Today, feminism continues to fight for equality. It also focuses on issues like sexual harassment, body shaming, and equal pay. Everyone can support feminism by respecting and promoting gender equality.

Also check:

Paragraph on Feminism
Speech on Feminism

250 Words Essay on Feminism

Introduction.

Feminism, a socio-political movement, has been essential in shaping modern societies. It advocates for gender equality, challenging patriarchal norms that have been embedded in societies for centuries.

The Evolution of Feminism

Feminism has evolved through different waves, each tackling unique issues. The first wave, in the late 19th and early 20th century, focused on legal rights, particularly suffrage. The second wave, in the 1960s and 1970s, broadened the debate to cultural inequalities and gender norms. The third wave, in the 1990s and 2000s, sought to challenge the definitions of femininity itself.

Intersectionality in Feminism

Third-wave feminism introduced the concept of intersectionality, acknowledging that women’s experiences are not universal but are influenced by factors such as race, class, and sexuality. This perspective broadened the feminist lens, allowing for a more inclusive approach to gender equality.

Today, feminism continues to fight for equality in various spheres, including domestic, professional, and political arenas. It challenges stereotypes, advocates for body autonomy, and pushes for equal representation in leadership roles.

Feminism, in essence, is about dismantling systemic gender biases to create a balanced society. It is not about superiority but equality. As society evolves, so does feminism, adjusting its focus to address emerging issues, making it a dynamic and vital movement in the 21st century.

500 Words Essay on Feminism

Feminism, a term that has sparked debates and movements across the globe, is a multifaceted ideology that seeks to define, establish, and achieve gender equality. It advocates for women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

The Origin and Evolution of Feminism

The roots of feminism can be traced back to the 19th century when women started to challenge their assigned roles in society. The first wave of feminism focused primarily on legal inequalities, primarily addressing issues like women’s suffrage. This wave was successful in securing women’s right to vote in many parts of the world.

The second wave, emerging in the 1960s, broadened the debate to include cultural inequalities and the role of women in society. This wave brought issues like reproductive rights, domestic violence, and marital rape to the forefront.

The third wave of feminism, starting in the mid-1990s, sought to challenge and expand common definitions of gender and sexuality. This wave, still ongoing, embraces diversity and change, focusing on intersectionality – the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender.

Contemporary Feminism

Today, feminism continues to evolve to meet the needs of women globally. It has expanded to include the rights of all women, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation. Feminists are working to ensure that women have equal opportunities in the workforce, in education, and in politics. They are also fighting against gender stereotypes and societal norms that limit women’s choices and potential.

Feminism and Intersectionality

Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, is a critical aspect of modern feminism. It acknowledges that women’s experiences are shaped not only by their gender but also by other factors such as race, socioeconomic status, and disability. Intersectional feminism emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing these overlapping identities to achieve true equality.

Critiques and Misconceptions about Feminism

Despite its progressive aims, feminism often faces criticism and misunderstanding. Some people argue that feminism promotes hatred against men, while others believe it is no longer necessary in today’s society. However, these misconceptions stem from a misunderstanding of feminism’s true aim: equality. Feminism does not seek to elevate women above men but strives for equality for all, regardless of gender.

Feminism is not about creating a matriarchal society; it is about creating a society where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities and rights. It is about acknowledging and respecting the diversity of women’s experiences and identities. As we move forward, it is crucial to continue the conversation about feminism, dispel the misconceptions, and work towards a more equal and inclusive society.

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Feminist Frictions: Speaking of Women: Feminism and Free Speech

Speaking of women: feminism and free speech mary anne franks.

This essay is in the series Feminist Frictions: Key Concepts and Controversies , which is part of the Feminist Public Intellectuals Project . It is accompanied by a digital archive.

“R epresentation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth,” wrote Simone de Beauvoir in The Second Sex . [1] Journalist Caroline Criado Perez cites Beauvoir in her 2019 book Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men , which catalogues how the male subject has been treated as the default subject in everything from crash test dummies to medical treatment. [2] Men’s interests are presumed to stand in for “everyone’s” interests; if women’s interests are thought of at all, it is only belatedly and as a kind of special consideration. This presumption, writes Criado Perez, is “the product of a way of thinking that has been around for millennia and is therefore a kind of not thinking. A double not thinking, even: men go without saying, and women don’t get said at all.” [3]

“Women don’t get said at all.” Thirty years before Criado Perez’s book, legal scholar Lucinda Finley described “how legal language—ranging from the limited definition of discrimination to the broad definition of speech—and legal reasoning—which insists that proposed legal changes be measured against existing definitions that may not have taken women into consideration at all, and which privileges abstract analogic reasoning over experiential understandings—construct our conceptions of harm and acceptable behavior.” [4] Where the law’s universalization of the male subject has been very obvious, it has often been the target of feminist critique and reform: the doctrines of coverture and separate spheres; disenfranchisement, denial of employment and educational opportunities, and other legal disabilities imposed upon women; the patriarchal foundations of the law of domestic violence and sexual assault. But where androcentric bias is more subtle and more seductive, as it is in the law of free speech, it has received far less scrutiny.

The theory and practice of free speech is suffused with pretensions to universality that obscure the gendered nature of power and the particularities of women’s lived experience. Click To Tweet

It is no less important to ask of First Amendment law what Finley asks about law generally: “If the law has been defined largely by men, and if its definitions, which are presumed to be objective and neutral, shape societal judgments as to whether a problem exists or whether a harm has occurred, then can the law comprehend and adequately redress women’s experiences of harm?” [5] The answer, of course, is that it cannot. The theory and practice of free speech is suffused with pretensions to universality that obscure the gendered nature of power and the particularities of women’s lived experience. The protections and exceptions of the First Amendment that are presented as neutral and abstract are almost inevitably determined by men’s interests. When First Amendment law fundamentally ignores or misunderstands women’s speech, “free speech for all” can only ever mean “free speech for men.”

Talk Like a Man

Any woman who has ever struggled to be understood by voice-recognition software may be unsurprised to learn that speech-recognition software is far more likely—in some cases 70 percent more likely—to recognize men’s voices than women’s voices. Perhaps more surprising is the reason for the disparity: the databases of voice recordings on which speech-recognition technology is trained (the “corpora”) “are dominated by recordings of male voices.” [6] As Criado Perez details in her book, male bias in voice recognition technology is all the more notable for the fact that, all else being equal, women’s voices should generally be easier to recognize than men’s: “studies have found that women have ‘significantly higher speech intelligibility,’ while … men have ‘higher rates of disfluency, produce words with slightly shorter durations, and use more alternate (‘sloppy’) pronunciations.’” [7] That is, there is no “natural” reason that voice recognition software should have a harder time understanding women than men. It is, rather, a predictable result of treating men—and male speech—as the default subject.

The negative consequences of gender bias in voice-recognition products and services are not limited to inferior performance, frustration, and wasted time for female users. Voice-recognition software is now used in everything from physician notes to driving assistance, meaning that the bias in favor of men’s speech has the potential to cause injury and death. [8] Misunderstanding a female physician’s words can result in an array of errors in patient care, from prescription mistakes to misdiagnosis. The inability of voice command systems in cars to recognize or understand women’s voices for navigation or other tasks means that women either cannot rely on these services or will find themselves in potentially dangerous situations if they do. These kinds of poor outcomes burden women disproportionately, but they are suboptimal for everyone: unreliable physician notes pose risks to all patients, and distracted driving is a threat to everyone on the road.

What should be done about such a serious problem? One might think the first step would be to acknowledge and address the gender data gap that is biasing the system: eliminate the overrepresentation of male voices and focus on women’s voices until the system can hear and understand them properly. A very different approach was offered by a representative of a major provider of automobile navigation services, who suggested that “many issues with women’s voices could be fixed if female drivers were willing to sit through lengthy training … [to] be taught to speak louder, and direct their voices towards the microphone.” [9]

There are feminist lessons here that apply beyond the world of voice recognition. First, androcentric bias will never result in neutral or equal outcomes. Systems designed by and for men will fail women in significant ways, and will also negatively impact the general welfare. Second, women should be wary of any version of equality that requires them to “see themselves” in men or model themselves after men. Information about and from women, not filtered by or subordinated to men’s interests, must be central to any system that purports to be beneficial or just.

Women should be wary of any version of equality that requires them to “see themselves” in men or model themselves after men. Click To Tweet

These lessons are particularly important for the construction and enforcement of free speech law and norms. While free speech is often promoted as a neutral and objective good that everyone can access equally, it has been shaped by long-standing, structural bias in favor of male subjects in its development and application. When women struggle to be heard or understood by the law and policy of free speech—when First Amendment orthodoxy silences rather than frees women—then it is the system that must change, not women.

“Free Speech for the White Man”

The view that the First Amendment is a quasi-sacred right that must be interpreted as broadly as possible, no matter the consequences, is sometimes referred to as First Amendment absolutism. But this is a misleading term, given that even the staunchest self-styled defenders of the First Amendment acknowledge that the First Amendment does not and should not protect all forms of expression. Free speech “absolutists” always turn out to be selective in their absolutism: maximalists when it comes to speech that conforms with their world-view and minimalist towards speech that does not. [10] A far more fitting term for this attitude is First Amendment fundamentalism, a term that emphasizes how the fervor for reading the First Amendment in selective and self-serving ways resembles religious extremism. [11]

A central assumption of First Amendment fundamentalism is that freedom of speech exists in fact. Accordingly, free speech theory and practice are defensively oriented, guarding against attempts to encroach upon free speech rights. Hence the antiregulatory thrust of contemporary free speech ideology—any intervention in the speech status quo, especially by the government, is regarded with suspicion.

Feminist analysis of the First Amendment ... reveals that freedom of speech is a reality only for certain people—in particular, white men. Click To Tweet

Feminist analysis of the First Amendment, on the other hand, reveals that freedom of speech is a reality only for certain people—in particular, white men. [12] Women’s free speech rights, while eventually formally acknowledged in theory, do not yet fully exist in practice. For more than a century in this country, women were barred from exercising one of the most basic forms of political expression, the vote. For even longer, they were legally prohibited from accessing political, employment, and educational opportunities available to men, which meant that their voices were literally excluded from public spaces, workplaces, and schools. For even longer than that, and continuing to the present day, women have been silenced by domestic violence, sexual assault, workplace discrimination, street harassment, stalking, rape threats, and other forms of abuse disproportionately targeted at them. The threat of male violence anywhere chills women’s speech everywhere—in public, in private, at work, at home, in the street, online.

The threat of male violence anywhere chills women’s speech everywhere—in public, in private, at work, at home, in the street, online. Click To Tweet

And yet one would have to look very hard for First Amendment cases that even acknowledge the existence of a free speech gender gap, to say nothing of addressing the systematic denial of women’s free speech rights. What one frequently finds instead is Orwellian inversion: silencing is free speech, and the resistance to silencing is censorship. Much contemporary free speech advocacy focuses on affirmatively providing outlets for violent expression against women and other vulnerable groups, as well as blocking attempts to mitigate the harms of myriad forms of abuse, including cyberstalking, harassment, misogynist propaganda, and nonconsensual pornography. [13]

Far from being a universal, objective doctrine, First Amendment law has a gender, and a race, and a class. All of the drafters of the First Amendment were men: white, landowning, Protestant men, to be exact. For more than a century, nearly every lawmaker with the power to define the boundaries of free speech doctrine was a white man. All but a tiny, recent fraction of the people who have ever presided on the highest court of the land have been white men. [14] Nearly 90 percent of all First Amendment freedom-of-expression cases the Supreme Court has heard in its history have been brought by men, [15] and 93 percent of those cases have been litigated by men. [16]

While the First Amendment cases of the early-to-mid twentieth century were often brought on behalf of marginalized speakers, including antiwar activists, Communists, civil rights activists, religious minorities, and union workers, over the last few decades the doctrine has increasingly shifted from defending vulnerable voices to championing powerful ones: corporations, pornographers, antiabortion activists, and white supremacists seeking constitutional protection for speech that harasses, exploits, or otherwise harms vulnerable groups. [17]

One of the most famous modern-era free speech battles, the 1976 case Collin v. Smith , involved a proposed Nazi march in Skokie, Illinois. Members of the National Socialist Party of America (NSPA) announced their intention to march in the Chicago suburb of Skokie, half of whose population at the time was Jewish and included hundreds of Holocaust survivors. The neo-Nazis distributed flyers and made unsolicited phone calls promoting the march to Skokie residents with Jewish-sounding names; the town of Skokie passed a series of ordinances to prevent the march from happening. The NSPA, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, challenged the ordinances on First Amendment grounds and were given permission to march.

The triumphant NSPA members planned to wear Nazi-style uniforms, display banners adorned with swastikas, and hold placards that proclaimed, fittingly, “Free Speech for the White Man.” And free speech for the white man – especially for rich white men – has continued to flourish since then. Lincoln Caplan observed in 2015 that free speech advocates today “are not standing up for mistrusted outliers or for the dispossessed and powerless” but advocate on behalf of “the super-rich and the ultra-powerful, the airline, drug, petroleum, and tobacco industries, all the winners in America’s winner-take-all society.” [18] According to John Coates, “corporations have increasingly displaced individuals as direct beneficiaries of First Amendment rights,” as almost “half of First Amendment legal challenges now benefit business corporations and trade groups, rather than other kinds of organizations or individuals.” [19] As Mary Becker noted in 1993,

Today, free speech claims are increasingly likely to be brought by rich, powerful, commercial entities (including tobacco companies and pornographers), by racist speakers, or to challenge progressive campaign reform legislation.… Formal guarantees, of the kind the First Amendment has turned into, “generally favor those groups in society that are already the most powerful.” If speech continues to come to mean protection equally of the speech of the powerful and powerless, it is likely to be increasingly conservative, so that the net effect on racial minorities and other unpopular speakers is negative. [20]

First Amendment fundamentalism, promoted not only by courts and legislatures but powerful organizations like the ACLU, ensures that white men dominate free speech theory and practice. Forty years after they won the right for neo-Nazis to demonstrate in Skokie, the ACLU successfully represented the organizers of a white male supremacy demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Unlike the march through Skokie, which ultimately never took place, the “Unite the Right” demonstration terrorized the town of Charlottesville and led to multiple injuries and deaths, including the murder of a peaceful protester named Heather Heyer by a white supremacist. The city of Charlottesville had attempted to move the demonstration to a different location out of concern for public safety, but the ACLU argued that holding the demonstration in Emancipation Park was “critical to the message” of the white supremacists and moving it “would dilute and alter” that message. [21] The overwhelmingly male demonstrators showed up with swastikas, Confederate flags, and weapons, making clear that the only defense of “free speech” they were interested in was for themselves. As is clear to any non-fundamentalist proponent of the First Amendment, the threat of violence has a profound chilling effect and is incompatible with a principled commitment to free expression.

First Amendment fundamentalism, promoted not only by courts and legislatures but powerful organizations like the ACLU, ensures that white men dominate free speech theory and practice. Click To Tweet

Heroes of the Slippery Slope

Long before the events in Charlottesville, the ACLU faced criticism for its aggressive defense of Nazis, racists, misogynists, and others committed to the dehumanization and subordination of historically marginalized groups. Its consistent response has been to assert, in effect, that defending the former protects the latter. According to Aryeh Neier, the ACLU’s executive director at the time the ACLU supported the NSPA’s proposed march in Skokie because, “Once the freedom of one group is abridged, that infringement will be cited to deny the rights of others.” [22] The organization echoes this sentiment on its website:

We do not defend them because we agree with them; rather, we defend their right to free expression and free assembly. Historically, the people whose opinions are the most controversial or extreme are the people whose rights are most often threatened. Once the government has the power to violate one person’s rights, it can use that power against everyone. . . . We subscribe to the principle that if the rights of society’s most vulnerable members are denied, everybody’s rights are imperiled. [23]

This is a familiar and effective civil libertarian refrain because it accomplishes two things simultaneously: it allows the civil libertarian to distance himself from the bad speech he defends today and to characterize this defense as the only thing keeping good speech from being silenced tomorrow. We must protect the “thought we hate’” [24] in order to protect the speech we love: any measure restricting racist speech could be used to restrict antiracist speech, any regulation of sexist speech would inevitably open the door to regulation of feminist speech, and so on.

The claim has great intuitive appeal, so much so that it may be hard to recognize what it is: a slippery slope argument, one of the most common logical fallacies. [25] As Frederick Schauer writes, “slippery slope claims deserve to be viewed skeptically, and the proponent of such a claim must be expected to provide the necessary empirical support.” [26] Where is the evidence that restricting a neo-Nazi’s right to don an SS costume and wave a swastika in the face of a Holocaust survivor would inevitably lead to censoring criticism of anti-Semitism? Where is the evidence to show that limiting the Ku Klux Klan’s ability to burn crosses in Black neighborhoods would lead to silencing racial justice advocates?

Where is the evidence to show that limiting the Ku Klux Klan’s ability to burn crosses in Black neighborhoods would lead to silencing racial justice advocates? Click To Tweet

For the free speech slippery slope argument to make sense, one must believe that the law is simply incapable of drawing lines between, for example, the advocacy of violent white male supremacy and the promotion of racial and gender equality. But it is the business of law to draw lines, and to “to adjudicate not just in the abstract but in context. It is certainly not always obvious in the abstract how, for example, spirited criticism can be distinguished from defamation, or heated insults from fighting words, or art from obscenity, but First Amendment law can and does make such distinctions.

But perhaps what civil libertarians really doubt is not law’s ability to draw meaningful distinctions between forms of controversial speech but whether such meaningful distinctions actually exist. Neier writes that “it is the extremes that have the greatest interest in protecting the rights of their enemies. The people who most need the A.C.L.U. to defend the rights of the Klan are the blacks. The people who most need the A.C.L.U. to defend the rights of Nazis are the Jews.”’ [27] Neier, who is Jewish and who moved to the United States from Nazi Germany when he was two years old, here is drawing a startling equivalence between the KKK and Nazis on the one hand— groups that advocate violence and discrimination against those different from them— with Black and Jewish people—who simply happen to belong to the racial or ethnic groups singled out for attack. The fact that Neier views these groups as representing different “extremes” reveals a great deal about the civil libertarian position.

ACLU leaders Mary Ellen Gale and Nadine Strossen have drawn similar equivalences between misogynists and the women they attack. In a 1989 essay responding to Andrea Dworkin, an antipornography author and activist who criticized the organization’s support for the pornography industry, Gale and Strossen argue that Dworkin and like-minded feminists fail to grasp how the ACLU’s defense of misogynist speakers actually protects the women attacked by those speakers: “Ensuring the free speech rights of anyone, including a racist or misogynist, secures the same rights for everyone else, including an intended victim.” [28] In other words, while it might look like the ACLU is simply representing white men’s speech interests in courts and legislatures, women can be confident that their interests are included in this effort. One is reminded of the gallant assurances offered to suffragists in the nineteenth century: women do not need to worry about the right to vote because their husbands and fathers would represent their interests for them.

But what exactly are “the same rights” that are protected through the defense of misogynist speech? Dworkin and other antipornography feminists used their free speech rights to write and speak about their views that pornography causes harm to women. The misogynists they criticized used their free speech rights to publish graphic depictions of brutal sexual violence and torture, anti-Semitic caricatures, and nonconsensual pornography. Some of them, like Hustler publisher Larry Flynt, portrayed feminists like Dworkin in sexually degrading, pornographic “features,” including the following:

The February Feature is a cartoon, which, as described in the plaintiffs’ complaint, “depicts two women engaged in a lesbian act of oral sex with the caption, ‘You remind me so much of Andrea Dworkin, Edna. It’s a dog-eat-dog world.’” The March Feature is a ten page pictorial consisting of photographs of women engaged in, among other things, acts of lesbianism or masturbation. Some of the photographs depict obviously staged scenes that include posed violence and phony blood. One photograph, supposedly of a Jewish male, has a caption stating: “While I’m teaching this little shiksa the joys of Yiddish, the Andrea Dworkin Fan Club begins some really serious suck-‘n’-squat. Ready to give up the holy wafers for matzoh, yet, guys?” The December Feature was included in the “Porn from the Past” section of the magazine. It shows a man performing oral sex on an obese woman while he masturbates. A portion of the caption states: “We don’t believe it for a minute, but one of our editors swears that this woman in the throes of ecstacy [ sic ] is the mother of radical feminist Andrea Dworkin.” [29]

It is one thing to maintain that both feminist writing and the production of mainstream pornography are protected by the First Amendment, but to claim that they are “the same rights” is an unsupported and incoherent equivalence. Even less intelligible is the claim that protecting a pornographer’s ability to attack and humiliate feminist activists to sell magazines serves the interests of any women, least of all the women targeted. This assertion directly contradicts the accounts of women themselves, who maintain that such pornographic attacks actually undermine their ability to speak. As Marianne Wesson writes, “Anti-pornography feminists call attention to the silencing or censoring effect that the widespread dissemination of pornography has on women when they seek to speak and be heard on issues of sexuality and sexual ethics. … The absence of any governmental role in discouraging the pornographer may have the effect of actually promoting the drowning, discrediting, and ultimately the censoring of women’s voices on these subjects.” [30]

But ignoring women’s accounts of harm in favor of strained symmetry is a common strategy in defending androcentric systems. Recall the industry executive’s advice to women whose speech was not being recognized by voice recognition software: the system benefits men and women equally, so long as women sound like men. You can hear the same patronizing sentiment in the Wyoming district court dismissal of Dworkin’s case:

The First Amendment works both ways. While feminists cannot sue pornographers because they find the materials offensive and harmful to women, neither can other members of society who find feminist literature offensive and potentially harmful to their way of life, sue feminists for publishing their views. In a society with such diverse opinions and life-styles as flourish in these United States, the protection of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment is perhaps the most important component of the free society envisioned by our founders as set forth in the United States Constitution. [31]

Not only does the court treat men’s rights to sexually demean and harass women for profit as equivalent to women’s rights to criticize them for doing so, it also claims, like the ACLU, that protecting the former is necessary for the protection of the latter. But the right to engage in pornographic attacks against one’s critics isn’t just unnecessary for women’s right to criticize pornography, it—if one believes the women who have experienced such attacks—directly undermines it.

Ignoring women’s accounts of harm in favor of strained symmetry is a common strategy in defending androcentric systems. Click To Tweet

Echoing Neier’s assertion that Black people and Jews “need” the ACLU to protect the KKK and Nazis, Gale and Strossen conclude their essay by suggesting that Dworkin should be grateful “that for almost seventy years the real ACLU has been working to make the world safe for her to write.” [32] But the world isn’t safe for feminists, or for any woman who steps in the minefield of men’s anger, when men’s speech can be weaponized against women with impunity. Sexual harassment, stalking, rape threats, so-called revenge porn (nonconsensual distribution of private, sexually explicit images without the consent of the person depicted); doxing (the publication of personal identifying information, often with malevolent intent); and deep fakes (audiovisual material that has been digitally altered to create a highly realistic, false impression of a person’s appearance, actions, or words, often used to create pornographic depictions of women without their consent) don’t just inflict severe psychological, economic, and reputational harm on individual victims—they also silence women as a group, deterring them from reporting abuse, engaging in intimate expression, pursuing educational and professional opportunities, and participating in civic life.

If protecting radical, dissenting, provocative, unpopular speech truly were at the heart of the First Amendment, then it would be women’s speech, especially women’s speech that displeases or defies men, that would preoccupy free speech doctrine and practice. Throughout history, women’s speech challenging the power and authority of men has been prohibited, regulated, and punished, from a four-thousand-year-old Sumerian law declaring that “a woman who speaks out of turn to a man will have her teeth smashed by a burnt brick” to the burning of women at the stake for “spells” and blasphemy to the vicious backlash against women who speak out against sexual abuse. [33] In 2017, Desiree Fairooz, a member of the women’s activist group Code Pink, was arrested and convicted for disorderly conduct for laughing during the confirmation hearing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions; [34] in 2020, art teacher Sheila Buck was arrested and physically dragged away from a public street by Tulsa police for wearing a t-shirt that read “I Can’t Breathe” before a Trump rally; [35] multiple women who have made or publicized high-profile #MeToo allegations have been sued for defamation. [36]

But these are not the kinds of free speech cases that garner the attention and support of prominent, well-funded civil liberties organizations. What organizations like the ACLU, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Media Coalition are very concerned about are cases involving the free speech rights of stalkers, harassers, and producers of nonconsensual pornography. Both the ACLU and the EFF objected to a 2006 amendment to the Violence Against Women Act that included liability for cyber stalking intended to cause substantial emotional address. The EFF claimed that this provision “strayed the statute from what is permissible under the First Amendment,” making the law “dangerously vague as it hinged on a person’s subjective state of mind rather than an objective threat to do harm.” [37] The ACLU similarly criticized the provision for allowing “prosecution when the defendant acts with the intent to ‘harass’ and/or ‘intimidate,” terms that it claimed were “unconstitutionally overbroad.” [38]

A few years later, the ACLU turned its attention to attacking the burgeoning movement to criminalize the unauthorized distribution of private, sexually explicit images, also known as “revenge porn.” This is a movement in which I have played a direct role [39] : I drafted the first model nonconsensual pornography law in 2013, which has since been used by Congress and many states as a template for their legislative efforts, and served as the Reporter for the Uniform Law Commission committee dedicated to the issue. The ACLU’s efforts to characterize nonconsensual pornography as free speech and laws prohibiting it as censorship have been joined by the EFF, the Media Coalition, and the Motion Picture Association of America, the American Booksellers Association, and many other powerful organizations. While these efforts did not defeat the wave of legislative reform on the issue that began in 2013 (when only three states had nonconsensual pornography laws) to the present (when 48 do), they have succeeded in watering down the majority of these laws so that they are largely ineffective for the majority of victims.

These groups have argued that nonconsensual pornography laws violate the First Amendment, and, where that argument has not succeeded, have demanded that the laws be limited to perpetrators who intend to harm their victims. Having condemned the VAWA cyber stalking provision for including a subjective intent provision uses “unconstitutionally broad” terms such as harass and intimidate, the ACLU argues that the lack of such a provision renders nonconsensual pornography laws unconstitutional. [40] As signaled by its own unintelligible stance on the issue, this claim is not supported by First Amendment doctrine and does not serve First Amendment interests. What it does do is allow perpetrators who are motivated by anything other than personal vengeance—including profit, entertainment, voyeurism, or reputational enhancement—to act with impunity. Researched conducted by the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative reveals that nearly 80 percent of all perpetrators fall into this category. [41]

Where states have resisted the lobbying efforts of the ACLU and other special interest groups, these groups have aggressively attacked their efforts. In 2014, the ACLU sued the state of Arizona over its nonconsensual pornography law on First Amendment grounds; while no ruling on the merits was ever made, the state withdrew the statute and replaced it with a weaker version largely duplicative of existing harassment law. [42] Other states have held firm, even as their laws were challenged all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. Illinois provides a particularly illuminating and inspiring example. The Illinois state law is the one that most closely resembles my model statute, and I was personally involved in drafting and defending it. The law focuses on the victim’s lack of consent to the distribution of the image rather than on the particular intent of the perpetrator in distributing the image. The ACLU of Illinois attacked the law as an infringement of free speech. “Is non-consensual sharing of naked pictures protected by the First Amendment? …The answer is yes,” an ACLU representative was quoted as saying. [43] After a circuit court declared the law facially unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds, the law was reviewed by the Illinois Supreme Court, which rejected the defendant’s First Amendment arguments reversed the lower court’s ruling.

In People v. Austin (2019), the Illinois Supreme Court, citing arguments made in my scholarship and in the amicus brief I wrote on behalf of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, recognized that nonconsensual pornography causes profound harm, particularly to women: “this crime can engender domestic violence. Perpetrators threaten disclosure to prevent victims from ending relationships, reporting abuse, or obtaining custody of children. Sex traffickers and pimps threaten disclosure to trap unwilling individuals in the sex trade. Rapists record their sexual assaults to humiliate victims and deter them from reporting the attacks.” [44] The Court rejected the claim that the lack of a malicious motive requirement rendered the statute unconstitutional, noting the absence of “any legal authority for the proposition” and further observing that “the unauthorized dissemination of a private sexual image, which by definition must depict a person while nude, seminude, or engaged in sexually explicit activity, is presumptively harmful.” [45] Most significantly, the Court rejected the contention that the law infringes upon the free speech of would-be distributors and pointed to the impact of the abuse on “the victim’s [46] first amendment right to engage in a personal and private communication that includes a private sexual image.”

When the defendant petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review, several prominent civil liberties organizations filed briefs in support, including the First Amendment Lawyers Association, the Cato Institute, the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, and the American Booksellers Association, all proclaiming that the law infringed upon free speech. In October 2020, the Supreme Court denied the petition, leaving the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision standing. [47]

Given the hostility of civil liberties groups to a law that prohibited the disclosure of private intimate images without consent, it was all the more remarkable when the ACLU, supported by the EFF and other civil liberties organizations, filed suit in 2020 against the facial recognition company Clearview AI for disclosing facial biometric data extracted from photographs without the consent of the depicted individuals. The lawsuit alleges that Clearview’s practices violate Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which requires entities that capture biometric information of individuals to obtain written consent from those individuals before disclosing that information. [48] In response, Clearview, represented by First Amendment titan Floyd Abrams, echoed the civil libertarian position with regard to nonconsensual pornography: it’s protected free speech.

But here, the civil libertarians vociferously rejected the free speech argument: not only did the ACLU insist that Clearview AI’s actions were not protected by the First Amendment, it argued that selling “faceprint” data without consent chilled the free speech of vulnerable groups. The First Amendment does not prohibit states from enacting laws to protect privacy, the ACLU maintained. In an intriguing twist, the ACLU cited People v. Austin on this point: “A ruling in Clearview’s favor on this point would make it virtually impossible for the state to enact privacy and information security laws. Proper application of the First Amendment does not produce this result. Indeed, the Illinois Supreme Court recently rejected a First Amendment challenge to another law in part because accepting it “would cast doubt on the constitutionality of . . . statutes that protect the privacy rights of Illinois residents[,]” specifically including BIPA. People v. Austin, 2019 IL 123910, ¶ 50. [49]

The tale of two Illinois privacy laws demonstrates, first, civil libertarian hypocrisy about free speech. A sexualized harm disproportionately committed by men against women is free speech that must be protected; a non-sexualized harm that impacts men as well as women endangers free speech and must be prohibited. This story also demonstrates, however, that it is acknowledging and protecting harms to women’s speech and privacy interests that makes the world safer for men’s speech and privacy interests—not the other way around. When the First Amendment listens to women, everyone benefits.

It is acknowledging and protecting harms to women’s speech and privacy interests that makes the world safer for men’s speech and privacy interests—not the other way around. When the First Amendment listens to women, everyone benefits. Click To Tweet

One of the most effective strategies of fundamentalism is “victim-claiming,” or re-casting the powerful as the powerless. [50] The ACLU refers to the KKK, Nazis, and pornographers not only as “controversial” and “extreme,” but also as “vulnerable.” It’s an important sleight of hand: the link between controversy and vulnerability is far from obvious. Having controversial opinions might make a person unpopular, but it is neither necessary nor sufficient to make a person vulnerable. The claim to vulnerability is even more specious when it is applied to corporate entities representing multi-billion-dollar industries. As Catharine MacKinnon wrote apropos of the porn industry, it is odd to take “the position that the pornographers are the rebels, the disenfranchised, and the hated, rather than the bearers and defenders of a ruling ideology of misogyny and racism and sexualized bigotry” when they are “hated to the tune of eight billion dollars a year.” [51]

In a remarkable passage, Gale and Strossen acknowledge the possibility that the ACLU’s entire free speech ideology may be a house of cards, wondering if

the Klan, the Nazis, and the pornographers, at some deeper level of our national psyche, are not really despised fringe groups at all, but centrists in extremists’ clothing, purveyors of the denied truth that we as a nation are still hostages to our history of racial and sexual xenophobia and oppression. By allowing them to speak freely, while overtly and sanctimoniously denouncing their message, we covertly accept it. Because the political and social context in which they speak is not and never has been neutral, we cannot comfortably contend that they alone are the enemy of equal rights and freedoms. The enemy is still us. [52]

Once they have raised the possibility, however, Gale and Strossen simply drop it, quickly reverting back to the civil libertarian orthodoxy of a neutral and inclusive First Amendment. But the First Amendment can only be thought of as neutral if one ignores the reality of power. [53] Finley writes:

A “neutral” doctrine protecting all speech actually protects only speech that is defined by the prevailing discourse as worthy of protection. And the speech of the more powerful, when given free rein under the apparently neutral doctrine protecting all speech, further entrenches prevailing views of reality and standards for judging the world. This in turn has the effect of further silencing or devalidating the dissenting voices. [54]

The unacknowledged androcentrism at the heart of the First Amendment, like the unacknowledged androcentrism in product design, medicine, and urban planning, not only disadvantages women but undermines general welfare. Free speech androcentrism injures women and other vulnerable groups by ignoring, chilling, and drowning out their speech, producing a dysfunctional and impoverished free speech system for everyone. There is no free speech where women are not heard.

There is no free speech where women are not heard. Click To Tweet

[1] Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex (1949), 143.

[2] Caroline Criado Perez, Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men (New York: Abrams, 2019)., xii

[4] Lucinda M. Finley, The Nature of Domination and the Nature of Women: Reflections on Feminism Unmodified, 82 Nw. U. L. Rev. 352, 386 (1988).

[5] Lucinda M. Finley, Breaking Women’s Silence in Law: The Dilemma of the Gendered Nature of Legal Reasoning , 64 Notre Dame L. Rev. 886, 886–87 (1989)

[6] Criado Perez, 164.

[7] Criado Perez, 163-64.

[8] Id. “‘The fact that men enjoy better performance than women with these technologies means that it’s harder for women to do their jobs. Even if it only takes a second to correct an error, those seconds add up over the days and weeks to a major time sink, time your male colleagues aren’t wasting messing with technology.’”

[9] Sharon Silke Carty, Many Cars Tone Deaf To Women’s Voices, Autoblog , https://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/women-voice-command-systems/ , May 31, 2011.

[10] See, for example, “Justice Hugo Black’s sputtering dissent in Tinker , in which the self-styled First Amendment “absolutist” ridiculed the idea that the First Amendment should protect the “groups of students all over the land … already running loose, conducting break-ins, sit-ins, lie-ins, and smash-ins.” Mary Anne Franks, The Miseducation of Free Speech , 105 Va. L. Rev. Online 218, 233 (2019)

[11] See Mary Anne Franks, The Cult of the Constitution: Our Deadly Devotion to Guns and Free Speech (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019), 105-57.

[12] See Mary Anne Franks, Beyond ‘Free Speech for the White Man’: Feminism and the First Amendment , in Research Handbook on Feminist Jurisprudence , ed. Robin West and Cynthia Grant Bowman (Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2019).

[14] Jessica Campisi & Brandon Griggs, “Of the 113 Supreme Court justices in US history, all but 6 have been white men”

CNN , Sept 5, 2018. https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/09/politics/supreme-court-justice-minorities-trnd/index.html .

[15] Mary Anne Franks, Fearless Speech , 17 First Amend. L. Rev. 294, 304–05 (2018).

[16] See Ronald K.L. Collins, 38 Women Who Argued First Amendment Free Expression Cases in the Supreme Court: 1880 -2018, Concurring Opinions, FAN 199, https://concurringopinions.com/archives/2018/08/fan-199-first-amendment-news-special-issue-38-women-who-argued-first-amendment-free-expression-cases-in-the-supreme-court-1880-2018.html , Aug. 7, 2018.

[17] See, e.g., J.M. Balkin, Some Realism About Pluralism: Legal Realist Approaches to the First Amendment , 1990 Duke L.J. 375, 384 (1990); Wayne Batchis, The Right’s First Amendment ix-x (2016) .

[18] Lincoln Caplan, The Embattled First Amendment , American Scholar, Mar. 4, 2015, https://theamericanscholar.org/the-embattled-first-amendment/#.V7toqI5eyVp

[19] John C. Coates IV, Corporate Speech & the First Amendment: History, Data, and Implications , 30 Const. Comment. 223, 223–24 (2015).

[20] Mary E. Becker, Conservative Free Speech and the Uneasy Case for Judicial Review , 64 U. Colo. L. Rev. 975, 1020 (1993)

[21] Kessler v. Charlottesville, 441 F. Supp. 3d 277 (W.D. Va. 2020), https://acluva.org/en/cases/kessler-v-charlottesville.

[22] Mary Ellen Gale & Nadine Strossen, The Real Aclu , 2 Yale J.L. & Feminism 161, 180 (1989)

[23] ACLU website, https://www.aclu.org/about-aclu

[24] U.S. v. Schwimmer, 279 U.S. 644, 646–47 (1929).

[25] See Susan Brison, Free Speech Skepticism, Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal , Volume 31, Number 2, June 2021, pp. 101-32 (“Slippery slope arguments are generally suspect…By means of them we can ‘prove’ that there is no difference between an infant and an adult or an acorn and an oak tree, since there is no non-arbitrary way of determining when one turns into the other.”), 118.

[26] Frederick Schauer, Slippery Slopes , 99 Harv. L. Rev. 361, 382 (1985)

[27] Gale & Strossen, 180.

[28] Gale & Strossen, 180.

[29] Dworkin v. Hustler Magazine Inc., 867 F.2d 1188, 1191 (9th Cir. 1989)

[30] Marianne Wesson, Sex, Lies and Videotape: The Pornographer As Censor , 66 Wash. L. Rev. 913, 921–23 (1991)

[31] Dworkin v. Hustler Magazine, Inc ., 634 F. Supp. 727, 731 (D. Wyo. 1986)

[32] Gale & Strossen, 187

[33] Mary Anne Franks, Witch Hunts: Free Speech, #MeToo, and the Fear of Women’s Words, University of Chicago Legal Forum (2019).

[34] The Department of Justice later dismissed the case. Maya Salam, Case Is Dropped Against Activist Who Laughed at Jeff Sessions’s Hearing, N. Y. Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/07/us/jeff-sessions-laughter-protester.html , Nov. 7, 2017

[35] Samantha Vincent, Tulsan sues city, Trump campaign over her arrest before president’s rally at BOK Center, Tulsa World, July 10, 2021, https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/tulsan-sues-city-trump-campaign-over-her-arrest-before-presidents-rally-at-bok-center/article_12463ef2-c32a-11eb-8442-dbbf487f87f8.html

[36] Madison Pauly, She Said, He Sued , Mother Jones (March/April 2020), https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2020/02/metoo-me-too-defamation-libel-accuser-sexual-assault/

[37] Hanni Fakhoury, With VAWA, A Major Step Forward in Combating Violence, But Constitutional Concerns Remain (March 14, 2013), Electronic Frontier Foundation, https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/vawa-well-intentioned-still-unconstitutional

[38] Gabe Rottman, New Expansion of Stalking Law Poses First Amendment Concerns, ACLU (March 12, 2013), https://www.aclu.org/blog/new-expansion-stalking-law-poses-first-amendment-concerns?redirect=blog/free-speech/new-expansion-stalking-law-poses-first-amendment-concerns

[39] Mary Anne Franks, Revenge Porn Reform: A View from the Front Lines, 69 Fla. L. Rev 1251 (2018).

[40] Franks, Revenge Porn Reform, 1327.

[41] Asia Eaton, Holly Jacobs, and Yanet Ruvalcaba, 2017 Nationwide Online Study of Nonconsensual Porn Victimization and Perpetration Report. https://www.cybercivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/CCRI-2017-Research-Report.pdf , 19.

[42] Franks, Revenge Porn Reform, 1328-9.

[43] Brian Mackey, Illinois Legislation Targets ‘Revenge Porn’, NPR Illinois , Feb. 20, 2014, https://www.nprillinois.org/statehouse/2014-02-20/illinois-legislation-targets-revenge-porn

[44] People v. Austin , 2019 IL 123910, ¶ 30, 155 N.E.3d 439, 454

[46] Id.; emphasis mine

[47] Austin v. Illinois, SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/austin-v-illinois/

[48] ACLU sues Clearview AI, ACLU website, May 28, 2020, https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-sues-clearview-ai

[49] PLAINTIFFS’ RESPONSE TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS , ACLU, 14, https://www.aclu.org/plaintiffs-response-defendants-motion-dismiss

[50] FRANKS, Cult, xiii.

[51] MacKinnon, Feminism Unmodified, at 204-5.

[52] Gale and Strossen, 180-81

[53] See Mary Anne Franks & Ari Waldman, Sex, Lies, and Videotape: Deep Fakes and Free Speech Delusions, Maryland L. Rev. (forthcoming 2019).

[54] Finley, The Nature of Domination , 369.

334 Feminism Essay Topics & Examples

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Read available feminism essay examples to understand the dos and don’ts that will help you write your own paper. Plagiarism and inspiration are different concepts, and you can get great ideas from others’ work, so long as you do not copy them!

After you have done your research, drafted an outline, and read some sample works, you are ready to begin writing. When doing so, you should not avoid opposing opinions on topics regarding feminism, and use them to your advantage by refuting them.

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Find more points and essays at IvyPanda!

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Feminism in Advertisements of the 1950s and Today In the paper, the author discussed how the whole process of advertising and feminism is depicted in print advertisements. The common characteristic is the advertisements’ illustration of feminism in the media.
Feminism in the 20th Century: a Literature Perspective. Research Summaries For years, the sphere of political, social and economical life of people all over the world was dominated by men, while women’ were restricted to the household domain; more to the point, women were not […]
Feminism in “Heart of Darkness” and “Apocalypse Now” However, one realizes that she is voiceless in the novel, which highlights the insignificance of role of women in Heart of Darkness.
Feminism in The Yellow Wallpaper In an attempt to free her, she rips apart the wallpaper and locks herself in the bedroom. The husband locks her wife in a room because of his beliefs that she needed a rest break.
Feminist View of Red Riding Hood Adaptations The Brothers Grimm modified the ending of the story, in their version the girl and her grandmother were saved by a hunter who came to the house when he heard the wolf snoring.
Feminist Research Methods The study of methods and methodology shows that the unique differences are found in the motives of the research, the knowledge that the research seeks to expound, and the concerns of the researchers and the […]
Yves Klein’s Works From a Feminist Perspective The images were painted in the 20th century in the backdrop of the rising pressure in many parts of the globe for the government to embrace gender equality.
Gender Issues: Education and Feminism These experiences in many times strongly affects the individual’s understanding, reasoning, action about the particular issue in contention In this work two issues of great influence and relevance to our societies are discussed.
The Fraternal Social Contract on Feminism and Community Formation The contract was signed by men to bring to an end the conditions of the state of nature. Life was anarchic and short lived which forced men to sign a social contract that could bring […]
Mary Rowlandson’s Feminism and View on Women’s Role The sort of power developed by Rowlandson was such that it set her apart from the traditional roles of the Puritan women in her time and within her culture.
Shifting the Centre: Race, Class, and Feminist Theorizing About Motherhood The author is very categorical in that it is necessary to put the role of the woman of color in the same position as that of the white one since this ensures that cultural identity […]
Feminist Critique of Jean Racine’s “Phedre” Racine view Phedre as in a trap by the anger of gods and her destiny due to the unlawful and jealous passion that resulted into the deaths of Hippolytus and Oenone.
Maya Angelou and Audre Lorde: The Black Feminist Poets The themes of double discrimination are developed in the poems “Woman Work” and “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou and poems “A Meeting of Minds” and “To the Poet Who Happens to Be Black and […]
A Feminist Life Lesson in “Sula” by Toni Morrison This essay is going to review gender and love and sexuality as the key themes that intertwined with Nel and Sula’s friendship, while also explaining how these influenced each of the two main characters. On […]
Feminism in the “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath This piece of writing reveals the concept of gender in general and “the role of female protagonists in a largely patriarchal world” in particular. In Plath’s novel, the bell jar is a metaphor used to […]
Feminist Theory and Postmodern Approaches It seems to me that such technique can be quite helpful because it helps to get to the root of the problem.
Feminist Theory in “A Family Thing” Movie Discrimination and disregard of someones basic rights are one of the central causes for the emergence of significant psychological problems and the gradual deterioration of the quality of life.
Hello Kitty as a Kitsch and Anti-Feminist Phenomenon In this scenario, Hello Kitty is linked to the notion of kitsch because it connects adult men and women that are attached to the cute image to constant consumerism.
Feminism Builds up in Romanticism, Realism, Modernism Exploring the significance of the theme as well as the motifs of this piece, it becomes essential to understand that the era of modernism injected individualism in the literary works.
Importance of Feminism in Interpersonal Communication in “Erin Brockovich” In this presentation, the theme of feminism in interpersonal communication will be discussed to prove that it is a good example of how a woman can fight for her rights.
Feminism in the Past and Nowadays The definition of liberal feminism is the following: “a particular approach to achieving equality between men and women that emphasizes the power of an individual person to alter discriminatory practices against women”.
Willa Cather and Feminism Ability to work and/or supervise oneself as a woman is also quietly depicted through the girl who is able to work in the absence of her father. Cather depicts most of the women in her […]
“Frida Kahlo: A Contemporary Feminist Reading” by Liza Bakewell The purpose of this action was to bring her closer to the revolution and identify her with it. Kahlo’s rise to iconic status was due to her experiences and occurrences of the time.
The Picture of Arabic Feminist Najir’s father’s taking of her sexually excludes her from chances at a marriage of her own, because she is deprived of her virginity, and exposes the young woman to the risk of a pregnancy which […]
Charlotte Gilman’s feminism theory Because of the many issues that women face, feminism movements’ seeks equality between men and women in the society. Throughout, the paper will discuss Gilman’s feminism theory and relate it to the issues of women […]
Third World Feminism and Its Challenges As a conclusion, Sa’ar states that “it is rooted in the code of familial commitment, which is primarily masculine and includes women only secondarily,” which makes it difficult for women to commit to the family, […]
Feminism and Nationalism: The Western World In this case, we find that feminism has been a different that all the time and therefore, it is impossible to predict the trend of feminism in future.
Feminist Analysis of Gender in American Television The analysis is guided by the hypothesis that the media plays a role in the propagation of antagonistic sexual and gender-based stereotypes.
Feminism in ‘Trifles’ by Susan Glaspell The Feminist Movement, also called the Women’s Movement and the Women’s Liberation Movement, includes a series of efforts by women in the world to fight for the restoration of gender equality.
“Feminism and Religion: The Introduction” by R. Gross Gross critically in order to see the essence of the book and the competence of the author in the current issue.
Feminist Approach: Virginia Woolf In “A room of ones own” Virginia Woolf speaks about the problems of women, gender roles, and the low social position of women writers in society.
Feminist Theory of Family Therapy The purpose of this paper is to review and evaluate the feminist theory based on its model, views on mental health, goals, and the role of the counselor in the process.
Feminism and Respect for Culture A crucial gender aspect that continues to trouble the unity of the people across the world is gender bias, which seems to encourage the formation of the feminist campaigns.
“Othello” Through the Lens of Feminist Theory It depicts female characters in a state of submission and obedience and shows the disbalance in the distribution of power between men and women.
A Feminist Reading of “Wild Nights” and “Death Be Not Proud” From the feminist perspective, the key feature of the speaker’s stance in “Death Be Not Proud” that sets it apart from “Wild Nights” is the speaker’s persona, which is openly and unequivocally male.
Historical Development of Feminism and Patriarchy Women in the United States have always encountered challenges that interfere with their individual fulfillment in society.
Black Feminism: A Revolutionary Practice The Black Feminist Movement was organized in an endeavor to meet the requirements of black women who were racially browbeaten in the Women’s Movement and sexually exploited during the Black Liberation Movement.
Popular Culture From the Fifties to Heroin Chic: Feminism The women have become aware of their legal rights and disabilities as a consequence of the inclusion of educated women in movements to repair the legal disabilities.
Empowerment and Feminist Theory Therefore, it can be concluded that the song “Unstoppable,” which is performed by Sia, transfers the main ideas of empowerment and feminist theory.
Ecological Feminism and Environmental Ethics Because of the effects that the process of globalization has had on the environment, including the increase in the speed of global warming and the scope of its outcomes, environmental ethics has gained significance.
Feminist Perspective: “The Gender Pay Gap Explained” Another issue that needs to be discussed is that it is suggested that the elimination of the wage gap would help to enhance the economy and living conditions of many families.
Feminism: “The Second Sex” by Simone de Beauvoir According to post-structural feminism structures in society still hold the woman back.de Beauvoir states that this is because structures still exist in the minds of people as to the place of women in society.
Feminism and Roles in “A Raisin in the Sun” Play These are such questions as: “What does Beneatha’s conduct reveal about her intentions?”, “How does the character treat female’s role in society?”, “How does Beneatha regard poor people?”, “How does the heroine explain her choice […]
“First Wave” Feminist Movement The reading explicitly details the pathways used by women and men in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries to advocate for the realization of equality of rights across a wide spectrum of […]
Women’s Health and Feminism Theory For a woman to be in charge of her reproductive health, she has to know some of the stages and conditions in her life.
The Adoption of Structuralism and Post-Structuralism Basics in Feminist Cultural Theory On the contrary, post structuralism is opposite to such an assumption and uses the concept of deconstruction in order to explain the relations and the position of women in the society.
Comparing Views on the Feminism of Wollstonecraft and Martin Luther King This means that if women are given and encouraged to have the same level of education as the men than the society would be a much better place as both the female and male genders […]
The Feminist and Gender Theory Influence on Nursing That is, gender and feminist theories are still relevant in the modern world. This is explained by the fact that women are struggling to demonstrate their professionalism in order to receive the same recognition and […]
The Feminist Theory in Nursing Since nursing has traditionally been a women’s profession, it is important to understand the oppression of women to gain insight into some of the most pressing issues in nursing.
The Feminist Theory, Prostitution, and Universal Access to Justice In the essay, it is concluded that the theory is a key component of the reforms needed in the criminal justice system with respect to prostitution. In this essay, the subject of prostitution is discussed […]
Feminist Theory in Psychotherapy This theory puts women at the first place, and this place is reflected in three aspects: the first is its main object of study – the situation and difficulties faced by women in society, and […]
The Concept of Feminist Epistemology The analysis starts with an overview of the evolutions process of standpoint epistemology; then, the philosophical movement is defined and the major ideas and arguments embedded into the theory are discussed.
A Feminist Analysis on Abu Ghraib Moreover, these tortures were intended to become public with the help of demonstrations at Abu Ghraib and taking photographs that accentuated the loss of prisoners’ masculine power.[4] According to Foucault’s views, public torture is an […]
Feminist Perspective in “Ruined” Play by Nottage This is a story about the issues of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the civil war. The comments of ‘Anonymous’ published as a response to the review of Jill Dolan, demonstrate the […]
Feminist Political Theory, Approaches and Challenge However, regardless of studying the perception of women and their role in society, there is no unified approach in feminist political theory that leads to the existence of the so-called feminist challenge.
“Feminism and Modern Friendship” by Marilyn Friedman Individualism denies that the identity and nature of human beings as individuals is a product of the roles of communities as well as social relationships.
Feminism in the Story “Lord of the Rings” The movie, in its turn, instead of focusing on the evolution of the female leads, seemed to be concerned with the relationships between the male characters as well as the growth of the latter.
Feminist Pro-Porn During Sex Wars In particular, this group was determined to fight for the rights of the lesbians as they realised that the arguments of the anti-porn feminists were against their freedom.
Feminist Criticism in “The Story of an Hour” and “The Yellow Wallpaper” This is because she is the only one who knew the suffering she was undergoing in that marriage and that she did not always love her husband.
Comparing Mainardi and Kollantai on Housework and Women’s Oppression Mainardi and Kollantai argue that women should be liberated from chores for the sake of the future. Nonetheless, the two feminists have different views on the way liberation can be achieved.
Bell Hooks’ Article Analysis With Regard to Women and Minorities Feminism is meant to stop sexist oppression. The major aim of these movements has not yet been achieved. Bell Hooks promotes the knowledge of feminist theory as essential portion of the development of self-actualization.
Equal Society: Antebellum Feminism, Temperance, and Abolition It is characterized by the emergence of a women’s rights movement that was spearheaded by activists who sought to secure the rights of women to vote, own property, and participate in education and the public […]
Feminism in the “Lorraine Hansberry” Film Her activism aligns with the fundamental tenets of women of color feminism, which emphasizes the intersecting nature of oppression and the importance of centering the experiences of marginalized groups in social justice movements.
Gloria Steinem: Political Activist and Feminist Leader Thesis: Gloria Steinem’s direct, bold, argumentative, and explicit style of conveying her ideas and values is the result of her political activism, feminist leadership, and her grandmother, Pauline Perlmutter Steinem.
The Myntra Logo from a Feminist Perspective The first feature of the Myntra logo that comes under the scrutiny of transnational feminism is the commercialization of female sexuality.
Feminist Geography and Women Suppression Tim Cresswell’s feminist geography explores how the patriarchal structures of our society have silenced women’s voices and experiences in the field of geography for centuries and how recent changes in the field have allowed for […]
Feminism from a Historical Perspective Accordingly, the discontent facilitated the development of reform-minded activist organizations across Europe and the United States and the subsequent rise of the Modern or New Women’s Movement.
The Feminist Theory in Modern Realities The theory and culture of feminism in modern philosophy and the development of society play a significant role in cultural and social development.
Feminist Accountability Approach Therefore, the feminist accountability approach involves the collective responsibility to fight social injustices regardless of gender and race. Therefore, integrating the global approach to social injustice promotes the aspect of universality and unity in promoting […]
Alice Walker’s Statement “Womanist Is to Feminist…” In her short tale “Perspectives Past and Present,” author and poet Alice Walker famously uses the statement “Womanist Is to Feminist as Purple Is to Lavender,” meaning that womanist is a larger ideological framework within […]
Feminist Perspective on Family Counselling The author of the article considers the study and the data obtained as a result of it as information reporting not only about the specifics of homosexual relationships but also about their perception in American […]
Modern Feminism and Its Major Directions Radical feminism views patriarchy as the reason men have more rights than women and attempts to fight against it. Liberal, intersectional, and radical feminism differ in many ways as they have various perspectives on women’s […]
Feminist Theory and Its Application Alice Walker advocated for the rights of women of color at the end of the 20th century, creating a feminist branch named womanism. The feminist theory is one of the most known and popular theories […]
Discussion of Feminist Movements The feminist movements have been behind a sequence of political and social movements that champion the equal rights of women in all aspects of life.
Feminists on the Women’s Role in the Bible The author of the article uses the term intertextuality, which plays a significant role in the text analysis, including from the feminist aspect.
The Incorporation of Feminism in Literature By focusing on the character, the book portrays the demand for feminism in society to allow females to have the ability and potential to undertake some responsibilities persevered by their male counterparts. The belief in […]
Feminist Contribution to International Relations Moreover, it will be shown that the concept of gender is important as it helps to shed light on the power dynamics in the sphere of international relations and explain female exclusion from politics.
Emotional Revival in Feminist Writers’ Short Stories This paper aims to discuss the emotional revival of heroines in the short stories of Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.”The Story of an Hour” is a very short story that describes a woman’s experience […]
Emotion and Freedom in 20th-Century Feminist Literature The author notes that the second layer of the story can be found in the antagonism between the “narrator, author, and the unreliable protagonist”.
The Cyborg Term in the Context of Feminist Studies In other words, during the transition of identity from the individual to the collective level, people, especially women, may encounter inequalities manifested in the collective space.
Feminism: A Road Map to Overcoming COVID-19 and Climate Change By exposing how individuals relate to one another as humans, institutions, and organizations, feminism aids in the identification of these frequent dimensions of suffering.
White Privilege in Conflict and Feminist Theories They see how the privilege of whiteness and denial of non-whiteness are connected to the social and political meaning of race and ethnicity.
Women’s Role in Society From Feminist Perspective Also, in Hartsock’s opinion, that the whole society would benefit if women were allowed to have a role equal with men in a community.
The Feminist Theory and IR Practice Focusing on how international relations theorists explained some concepts, such as security, state, and superiority that led to gender bias, feminists felt the need to develop and transform the international relations practice and theory.
Intersectionality and Feminist Activism Therefore, I hope to study the academic literature to discuss the existing tendencies and difficulties to contribute to the understanding of the identified topic in terms of gender and female studies.
Feminism: Reflection of Cultural Feminism If they found that the gases were harmful and may lead to complications in their body, they would approve the employer’s right to prohibit women from working in the company.
Feminist Theoretical Perspectives on Rape There is a number of theoretical perspectives aimed at explaining what stands behind rape, that is, how rape is reinforced by, why it is more widespread in specific concepts, and what a rapist’s motivations for […]
Body: Social Constructionist & Feminist Approaches The idea of the gendered body was based on the focus on the concept of gender, which sees masculinity and femininity as social roles and the need for the representatives of genders to maintain within […]
Feminist Film Theory Overview The presence of women on the screen is commonly accomplished by the sexualization and objectivization of female characters. Along with that, sadism and fetishism toward the physical beauty of the object and the representation of […]
“Daddy-long-Legs”: Why Jerusha Is a Feminist Heroine Jerusha is a feminist because she uses the letters to communicate the inequalities she feels in her relationship with Daddy-long-legs and her limits.
Homosexuality and Feminism in the TV Series The depiction of these complex topics in the TV series of the humoristic genre implies both regressive and progressive impulses for the audience.
Popular Feminism in Video Post of Emma Watson According to Emma Watson, now feminism is increasingly associated with hatred of men, although in reality it only implies the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.
Contingent Foundations: Feminism and Postmodernism Feminism offers women theoretical bases on which to interrogate the issues of womanhood while Postmodernism takes this away by arguing for the “death of subjects”.abolition of the foundations of the ideals of reality.
Art, Pornography and Feminism and Internet Influence The purpose of pornography is not the desire to admire the human body and respect physical intimacy. Indeed, society can say that women themselves agree to such rules, but the choice of a minority forms […]
The Contemporary Image of Feminism Following the initial surge of the movement, governments finally came to acknowledge the magnitude of the situation and satisfied the demands of the female population.
Gould’s and Sterling’s Feminist Articles Critique The focal point of this paper is to prepare a critical reflection on the articles by Stephen Jay Gould named “Women’s Brains” in The Panda’s Thumb and by Anne Fausto-Sterling named “The biological Connections,” from […]
Core Aspects of Black Feminist and Womanist Thoughts Compared to Jones, who believes in “unparalleled advocates of universal suffrage in its true sense,” Lindsey does not support the relegation of the “voices and experiences of women of color to the background”.
Barbara and Beverly Smith: Black Feminist Statement Sexism was an explicit element of the African American Civil Rights Movement. Fight against segregation was rather single-sided.
Feminist Contributions to Understanding Women’s Lives This gave women a clear picture of the daily realities in their lives. The success of feminism is evident at all levels of human interaction since there is a better understanding of women and their […]
As We Are Feminist Campaign’s Strategic Goals The present paper is devoted to the analysis of the goals of a feminist campaign As We Are that is aimed at challenging gender stereotypes that are being promoted by the media and society in […]
Feminist Ethics in Nursing: Personal Thoughts The concept of feminist ethics emphasizes the belief that ethical theorizing at the present is done from a distinctly male point of view and, as such, lacks the moral experience of women.
Feminism: Kneel to the Rest of Life, or Fight for the Fairness It seems that the law is not perfect, and the public opinion of sexual harassment might influence a woman’s life negatively.
Feminist Perspective Influence on Canadian Laws and Lawmakers The change in the statistics is attributed to social changes, which include increase of women in the labor force, conflict in female-male relations, increase in alcohol consumption and increase in the rate of divorce. Feminists […]
Blog Post: Arab Feminism in Contemporary World Women of the Arab world have struggled to overcome inequality, oppression, and rights deprivation by state authorities, which takes the discussion of the Islamic feminist movement to the political domain. According to Sharia, the unity […]
Feminist Movement and Recommendations on Women’s Liberation According to Nawal El-Saadawi In Egypt, the feminist movement was started by Nawal El-Saadawi, and her article “The Arab Women’s Solidarity Association: The Coming Challenge” has historical importance as it addresses the plight of women in the community.
Technological Progress, Globalization, Feminism Roots However, the work becomes more complicated when the time distance of the events and processes is shorter, and the stories are unfinished.
Race at the Intersections: Sociology, 3rd Wave Feminism, and Critical Race Theory In this reading, the author examines the phenomenon of racism not merely as an issue but a systematic, institutionalized, and cultural phenomenon that is hard to eliminate.
The Feminist Performers: Yoko Ono, Marina Abramovic, Gina Pane The feminist artists ccontributed to the women’s image, its role in society, and exposed the passiveness and submissiveness the women are obliged to endure.
Feminism and Multiculturalism for Women The foundation of liberalism is having an interest in all the minority cultures that are put together to form the larger special group.
“The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald: Betrayal, Romance, Social Politics and Feminism This work seeks to outline the role of women in the development of the plot of the book and in relation to the social issues affecting women in contemporary society.
Pornography’s Harm as a Feminist Fallacy In this scenario, scientific research has proven the argument not to be true. It is weakened by the fact that people are not forced to watch the video.
Feminism in Mourning Dove’s “Cogewea, the Half-Blood” The patriarchal practices embraced by the Indian community and the subsequent system of governance humiliated the writer; hence, the use of Cogewea in the passage was aimed to imply the abilities that were bestowed upon […]
Feminist Film Strategy: The Watermelon Women These techniques have the capabilities of shifting meaning away from the narrative as the source of meaning to the audience’s background knowledge in making meaning.
The Emerging Feminism in India and Their Views on God as a Feminist However, among the explanation of the cause of the phenomenon for this lack of agreement is the tendency for people to define religion too narrowly, and in most cases from the perspective of their own […]
Feminist Psychology in Canada The introduction of the article gives the purposes of the research that include the historical and present condition of the psychology of women field of interest.
American Art Since 1945 Till Feminism The entire movement represented the combination of emotional strength and the self-expression of the European abstract schools: Futurism, the Bauhaus and Synthetic Cubism.
Modernist Art: A Feminist Perspective Clarke limited the definition of modernism even further by his restriction of it to the facets of the Paris of Manet and the Impressionists, a place of leisure, pleasure, and excesses, and it seems that […]
Enlightenment, Feminism and Social Movements As a result of Enlightenment, the creative entrepreneurs as well as thinkers enjoyed the high freedom benefits that were brought in by the Enlightenment thinkers, enabling them to apply the newly acquired liberty to invent […]
“Our Journey to Repowered Feminism” by Sonja K. Foss Foss tried to work out a new conception of repowered feminism in the article “Our Journey to Repowered Feminism: Expanding the Feminist Toolbox”.
Feminism in ‘Telephone Video’ To demonstrate how feminist theory in communication is relevant to music, the paper will analyze the depiction of females, the vocal arrangements, representation of female roles and their visual appearance in Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” music […]
Feminist Position on Prostitution and Pornography The only requirement is that it should not violate the norms of the law. On the other hand, one of the suggestions for feminists is to envisage individual cases of enslaving women as prostitutes.
The Politics of Feminism in Islam by Anouar Majid Considering the work The Politics of Feminism in Islam by Anouar Majid written in 1998, it should be noticed that the main point of this article is the Muslim feminism and the relation of West […]
The Feminist Art Movement in the 1970s and Today The feminist art movement emerged in the 1960s and from that time the women had taken much interest in what causes them to be different from the male gender and particularly, what causes the art […]
Feminist Theory. Modes of Feminist Theorizing The second point of conflict is the acknowledgment that most of the feminist ideas are part and parcel of our culture yet these ideas might be presented in a way that is hard for us […]
Australian Feminism Movements The fact that feminism movements do not have a great following in Australia is because they are not generally seen to address issues that women and the society are facing.
Feminism in Canadian Literature First of all, the female author of the article considered by Cosh is evidently a supporter of the equality of rights for men and women, and her account on the women liberation movement in the […]
Understanding of Feminism: Philosophical and Social Concepts The vision that emerges, in the narrative as in the world it represents, is of a whole composed of separate, yet interdependent and interrelating, parts.
Geoffrey Chaucer: A Founder of English Literature as a Feminist Despite the distorted interpretation of gender in the patriarchal society, Chaucer’s vision of women contradicts the orthodox view of the biological distinction of males and females as the justification for gender inequality.
Feminist Activism for Safer Social Space by Whitzman The scientist pays special attention to the municipal parks, mainly High Park in Toronto, from the point of view of feminists trying to make women involved into the discourse concerning different aspects of the park.
Western Feminism as Fighters Against Oppression For postmodern feminists and post-colonial feminists, the second component of the new women’s ideology is the idea of the responsibility of the state to rule and administer both genders on the basis of their interpretation […]
Perils and Possibilities of Doing Transnational Feminist Activism These have promoted awareness of human rights among women and other masses, ensured and led to the adoption of the rules and regulations recognizing women rights and that supports ending of women violations and participated […]
The Feminist Gendering Into International Relations These are early female contributions to IR academic and the In terms of conferences, the theme of gender and politics was being explored in conferences.
Western Feminists and Their Impact on the Consciousness and Self-Identity of Muslim Women One of the main objectives of the Western feminism is to give to the citizen of the new nation a feeling of dignity and importance resulting from that citizenship and from his ethnic origin, and […]
Feminism – Women and Work in the Middle East The history of feminism consists of different movements and theories for the rights of women. The first wave of this phenomenon began in the 19th century and saw the end only in the early 20th […]
Harriet Martineau, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Marianne Weber: Feminist Sociologists Through her writings she always advocated for the equal rights of women with men and remarked the importance of financial self-sufficiency among women in the society. She observed the role of women in society and […]
English Language in the Feminist Movement In addition to that, it is of the crucial importance to explore the underlying causes of this phenomenon. Now that we have enumerated the research methods, that can be employed, it is of the utmost […]
Feminist Ideas in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” One of these issues and the subject of this paper is the theme of feminism in Shelley’s novel. It is time to separate unchangeable morals from local manners”.- Mary Wollstonecraft in A Vindication of the […]
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Works and Feminism The woman’s role is depicted ever so poignantly in the works of Divakaruni and this also reflects the importance of reclaiming the understanding of the role of women in society.
Positive Changes That Feminism Brought to America And when, in 1919, the American Constitution was amended such that the women in all the States were given the right to vote, it was then that the first period of feminism officially ended, their […]
Are Feminist Criticisms of Militarism Essentialist?
Western Feminist Critics and Cultural Imperialism
Social Justice and Feminism in America
American Women in History: Feminism and Suffrage
Wendy McElroy: A Feminist Defense of Men’s Rights
Modern Feminism as the Part of Intellectual Life
Feminist Movements in Contemporary Times
Feminist Critiques of Medicine
Shakespeare: A Feminist Writer
Kate Chopin’s Feminist Short Stories and Novels
Liberal Feminism Movement Analysis
Feminism and Support of Gender Equality
Feminism: Liberal, Black, Radical, and Lesbian
Women and Law. Feminist Majority Foundation
“The Historical Evolution of Black Feminist Theory and Praxis” by Taylor
Is Power Feminism a Feminist Movement?
Postcolonial Feminism Among Epistemological Views
Feminist Theory: Performing and Altering Bodies
Feminist Theories by Bordo, Shaw & Lee, Shildrick & Price
Feminist Examination of Science
Race, Sex and Knowledge From Feminist Perspective
Colonialism and Knowledge in Feminist Discourse
Feminism and the Relational Approach to Autonomy
Feminism and Sexuality in the “Lila Says” Film
Second Wave of Feminist Movement
Feminist Approach in Literary Criticism
Education and Feminism in the Arabian Peninsula
Black Women in Feminism and the Media
Spiritual and Educational Feminist Comparison
Feminist Theoretical Schools in Various Cultures
The Application of Psychoanalysis in Feminist Theories
Feminism: Exposing Women to the Public Sphere
Feminist Psychoanalysis From McRobbie’s Perspective
Feminist Films: “Stella Dallas” and “Dance Girl, Dance”
Ageism and Feminism in Career and Family Expectations
“Feminist Geopolitics and September 11” by Jenifer Hyndman
The History of Feminism in the 1960
Feminism in Tunisia and Jordan in Comparison
Feminism and Gender Studies in Science
Feminism in the United Arab Emirates
Conceptualization of Difference in Feminism
Feminism in Latin America
Planet B-Girl: Community Building and Feminism in Hip-Hop
Methods of Feminism Education and Its Modern Theories
Feminism in Lorrie Moore’s “You’re Ugly, Too”
Anti-Feminism and Heteropatriarchal Normativity
Feminist Archaeologists’ Interpretations of the Past
The Theory of Feminism Through the Prism of Time
Development of Feminism in Chile
Elena Poniatowska and Her Feminism
Feminism in Laura Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate”
Concept of “Western Feminism”
Marxism vs. Feminism: Human Nature, Power, Conflict
Feminism in Lorber’s, Thompson’s, Hooks’s Views
Prison and Social Movement in Black Feminist View
Great Awakening, American Civil War, and Feminism
Feminist Miss America Pageant Protest of 1968
Black Feminist Perspectives in Toni Morrison’s Works
Feminist Movement as an Attempt to Obtain Equal Rights
Axel Honneth Views on Feminism
Activist and Feminist Rose Schneiderman
Feminist Deceit in Short Stories
Post-Feminism in the Wonder Bra Commercial
Feminist Movement Influence on the Arab Film Industry
Feminism: the Contraception Movement in Canada
Beyonce and Assata Shakur Feminism Ideas Comparison
Feminism in “‘Now We Can Begin” by Crystal Eastman
Gender Studies of Feminism: Radical and Liberal Branches
Feminism and Film Theory
The Realization of Third-wave Feminism Ideals
Sexuality as a Social and Historical Construct
Modern Feminist Movements
Feminist Theories in Relation to Family Functions
Rebecca Solnit’s Views on Feminism
Judith Butler’s Feminist Theory
“Old and New Feminists in Latin America: The Case of Peru and Chile” by Chaney E.M.
Chinese Feminism in the Early 20th Century
Feminism and Modern Friendship
Historical Development of Feminism and Patriarchy
Women and Their Acceptance of Feminism
Women, Religion, and Feminism
The History of the Pill and Feminism
Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics
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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Gender Equality — Feminism and Its Effect on Society

Feminism and Its Effect on Society

Categories: Gender Equality Women's Rights

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2 Minute Speech On Feminism In English

Good morning everyone present here, today I am going to give a speech on feminism. Women’s rights are supported by the social and political movement known as feminism. Although it calls for equality in opportunities, it does not discount the biological disparities between the sexes. Feminist campaigns have actually played a significant role in the history of women’s emancipation. The twentieth-century feminist movements made it feasible to exercise rights like voting, owning property, working, and going to school.

Every sex, gender, caste, creed, and other groups should value feminism in addition to women. It takes long-established gender roles and makes an effort to dismantle them. For example, it argues that men shouldn’t be the only source of income for the family even while it supports women’s right to earn a living.

Everyone’s life has been changed by feminism, but especially that of women. Women’s freedom of choice, for instance, is supported by campaigns that advocate for reproductive rights and the termination of undesired pregnancies. It gives guys the freedom to be whoever they want to be without fear of criticism. Men are now permitted to cry openly because they must be given the freedom to do so.

The choice to give feminism personal significance must be the main message of feminism. It is to acknowledge that others have a right to do the same thing. The terrible thing is that, despite feminism being a powerful movement, there are still regions of the world where women are still subjected to oppression and exploitation. As a result, we must all make an effort to practice intersectional feminism. Thank you.

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Men Fear Me, Society Shames Me, and I Love My Life

A photo illustration of a woman on a beach facing a sunset. The sun’s reflected light is seen through her silhouette.

By Glynnis MacNicol

Ms. MacNicol is a writer, a podcast host and the author of the forthcoming memoir “I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself.”

I was once told that the challenge of making successful feminist porn is that the thing women desire most is freedom.

If that’s the case, one might consider my life over the past few years to be extremely pornographic — even without all the actual sex that occurred. It definitely has the makings of a fantasy, if we allowed for fantasies starring single, childless women on the brink of turning 50.

It’s not just in enjoying my age that I’m defying expectations. It’s that I’ve exempted myself from the central things we’re told give a woman’s life meaning — partnership and parenting. I’ve discovered that despite all the warnings, I regret none of those choices.

Indeed, I am enjoying them immensely. Instead of my prospects diminishing, as nearly every message that gets sent my way promises they will — fewer relationships, less excitement, less sex, less visibility — I find them widening. The world is more available to me than it’s ever been.

Saying so should not be radical in 2024, and yet, somehow it feels that way. We live in a world whose power structures continue to benefit from women staying in place. In fact, we’re currently experiencing the latest backlash against the meager feminist gains of the past half-century. My story — and those of the other women in similar shoes — shows that there are other, fulfilling ways to live.

It is disconcerting to enjoy oneself so much when there is so much to assure you to expect the opposite, just as it is strange to feel so good against a backdrop of so much terribleness in the world. But with age (hopefully) comes clarity.

Fifty is a milestone. And the fact my 50th birthday lands on or around some other significant 50ths has brought some things into focus. Last year was the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This year is the 50th of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which may be less well known but remains significant: It allowed women for the first time to have bank accounts and credit cards in their own name, not needing a male signature.

That my birth date landed between the passing of these two landmark laws makes it easier for me to see that the life I’m living is a result of women having authority over both their bodies and their finances. I represent a cohort of women who lead lives that do not require us to ask permission or seek approval. I have availed myself of all the choices available to me, and while the results come with their own set of risks, they have been enormously satisfying.

The timing of my birthday also helps me see the violent rollback of women’s rights happening right now as a response to the independence these legal rights afforded women. Forget about the horror of being alone and middle-aged — there is nothing more terrifying to a patriarchal society than a woman who is free. That she might be having a better time without permission or supervision is downright insufferable.

My entry into middle age certainly had the makings of an unpleasant story.

Like many, I spent the early months of the pandemic by myself. It was the type of solitary confinement that popular science, and certain men with platforms, enjoy reminding us will be the terrible future that awaits a woman who remains single for too long. I went untouched by anyone. Unsmelled, too, which you might think is a strange thing to note, but it’s an even stranger thing to experience. Unseen except by the building exterminator and the remaining doormen of the Upper West Side who gave distant friendly greetings on my evening walks around Covid-empty New York.

Alone, unmarried, childless, past my so-called prime. A caricature, culture would have it, a fringe identity; a tragedy or a punchline, depending on your preference. At the very least a cautionary tale.

By August 2021, I was desperate — not for partnership but for connection. I bought a ticket to Paris, a place where I’d spent much of my free time before the pandemic and where I had a group of friends.

Paris, I reminded myself, prioritizes pleasure. I dived in. Cheese, wine, friendships, sex — and repeat.

At first it was shocking. I was ill prepared to get what I wanted, what it seemed I had summoned. There were moments when I wondered whether I should be ashamed. I had also never felt so free and so fully myself. I felt no shame or guilt, only the thrill that came with the knowledge I was exercising my freedom.

These days, generally speaking, there is little in cinema or literature, let alone the online world, to suggest that when you are a woman alone (forget about a middle-aged woman), things will go your way, as I have often experienced.

There have been better times. In the 1980s, sitcoms were stacked with starring women for whom men were a minor-character concern — “Designing Women,” “Murphy Brown,” “The Golden Girls” — all of which, if they premiered today (and that’s a big if), would feel radical. Later there was “Girlfriends.” Even “Sex and the City,” with its often regressive marriage plotting, remains surprisingly modern in its depictions of adult friendship and sexual mores. In each case, just as it looked as if these narratives might begin to fully take root in the real world, the women largely went back inside (or into body bags, in the case of many “Law & Order” plotlines). By the early aughts we were housewives again, real and imagined.

I suspect that a lot of this backlash is connected to the terror that men experienced at discovering that they are less necessary to women’s fulfillment than centuries of laws and stories have allowed them to believe. That terror is abundantly apparent today: From Harrison Butker’s commencement speech suggesting that women may find more fulfillment in marriage and children than in having a career, to the Supreme Court once again debating access to abortion to the push to roll back no-fault divorce laws: All are efforts to return women to a place where others can manage their access to … well, just about everything.

It’s in this light that my enjoyment begins to feel radical. Come fly with me. There’s no fear here.

Glynnis MacNicol is a writer, a podcast host and the author of the forthcoming memoir “I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself.”

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Martin Luther King Jr.: Pioneering Achievements in Civil Rights and Social Justice

This essay about Martin Luther King Jr. highlights his role as a leader in the civil rights movement, emphasizing his advocacy for nonviolent resistance and social justice. Born into segregation, King rose to prominence through his leadership in events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. His work extended beyond racial equality, addressing poverty and militarism. Although he was assassinated in 1968, King’s legacy endures, inspiring global movements for equality and justice, and reminding us of the ongoing struggle for a truly equitable society.

How it works

In the chronicles of American history, few figures stand out as prominently as Martin Luther King Jr., a symbol of hope, courage, and unwavering determination in the quest for civil rights and social justice. Born into a deeply segregated society, King emerged as a leader who championed nonviolent resistance to injustice, inspiring countless individuals worldwide with his compelling speeches, strategic activism, and steadfast dedication to equality. His groundbreaking efforts not only reshaped the American social landscape but also left a lasting impact on the global struggle for human rights.

From an early age, King’s life was marked by a profound sense of purpose. Born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, he was raised in a nation where segregation and discrimination were rampant. Despite the pervasive systemic obstacles, King thrived academically, graduating from Morehouse College at the age of 19. He continued his academic journey, earning a doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University. It was during his time in Boston that King encountered the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, whose philosophy of nonviolent resistance significantly influenced his own approach to activism.

King’s rise as a civil rights leader began in the mid-1950s when he became involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a crucial event in the fight against segregation. The boycott, initiated by Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to surrender her seat to a white passenger, lasted over a year and resulted in the desegregation of Montgomery’s public transportation. King’s leadership in orchestrating the boycott propelled him into the national spotlight and established the foundation for his role in the civil rights movement.

Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, King led numerous nonviolent protests and demonstrations aimed at dismantling racial segregation and discrimination. His philosophy of nonviolent resistance, rooted in the principles of love, truth, and justice, became the bedrock of the civil rights movement. In 1963, King delivered his renowned “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, captivating the nation with his vision of a future where individuals would be judged by their character rather than the color of their skin.

King’s advocacy extended beyond racial equality to include broader issues of social and economic justice. He spoke out against poverty and militarism, viewing the interrelated threats of racism, poverty, and militarism as dangers to society’s moral integrity. In 1967, King delivered a poignant speech condemning the Vietnam War, drawing connections between the domestic struggle for civil rights and the global fight for liberation.

Tragically, King’s life was abruptly ended on April 4, 1968, when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 39. His assassination shocked the nation and the world, causing widespread outrage and grief among millions who were moved by his message of hope and unity. Despite his untimely death, King’s legacy persisted as a powerful call for justice and equality.

In the years following his death, King’s impact on American society has only deepened. His birthday is now observed as a national holiday, and his speeches and writings continue to inspire new generations of activists and advocates for social change. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, landmark legislations that ended segregation and guaranteed voting rights for African Americans, stand as enduring testaments to King’s vision and leadership.

King’s influence extends far beyond the United States, inspiring liberation and equality movements worldwide. From South Africa to India, Latin America to the Middle East, King’s doctrine of nonviolent resistance has resonated with people fighting for their rights and dignity.

However, despite the significant strides made, King’s dream of a genuinely just and equitable society remains unfulfilled. The ongoing presence of racial inequality, economic injustice, and systemic discrimination highlights the persistent challenges we face. In confronting these issues, King’s legacy urges us to recommit to the quest for justice and equality for all.

Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr.’s pioneering contributions to civil rights and social justice, we are reminded of the profound impact that ordinary individuals can have in driving extraordinary change. King’s life exemplifies the transformative power of love, courage, and solidarity in overcoming adversity. His legacy continues to serve as a beacon for those striving to create a more just and compassionate world, reminding us that while the moral universe’s arc may be long, it ultimately bends towards justice.

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Martin Luther King Jr.: Pioneering Achievements in Civil Rights and Social Justice. (2024, May 28). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/martin-luther-king-jr-pioneering-achievements-in-civil-rights-and-social-justice/

"Martin Luther King Jr.: Pioneering Achievements in Civil Rights and Social Justice." PapersOwl.com , 28 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/martin-luther-king-jr-pioneering-achievements-in-civil-rights-and-social-justice/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Martin Luther King Jr.: Pioneering Achievements in Civil Rights and Social Justice . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/martin-luther-king-jr-pioneering-achievements-in-civil-rights-and-social-justice/ [Accessed: 29 May. 2024]

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"Martin Luther King Jr.: Pioneering Achievements in Civil Rights and Social Justice," PapersOwl.com , 28-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/martin-luther-king-jr-pioneering-achievements-in-civil-rights-and-social-justice/. [Accessed: 29-May-2024]

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Pulse of Pride

21 Explosive Moments of Backlash Against Feminism in America

Posted: May 28, 2024 | Last updated: May 28, 2024

<p><strong>The feminist movement in the United States continues to navigate a complex and often contentious landscape, marked by significant moments of backlash and debate. From recent legislative battles over abortion to ongoing public feuds involving key figures, these incidents reflect the evolving challenges and conflicts within feminist discourse.</strong></p>

The feminist movement in the United States continues to navigate a complex and often contentious landscape, marked by significant moments of backlash and debate. From recent legislative battles over abortion to ongoing public feuds involving key figures, these incidents reflect the evolving challenges and conflicts within feminist discourse.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / zimmytws <p><span>Texas was ready and waiting when the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022.</span></p>

1. The Overturning of Roe v. Wade

The 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which effectively overturned Roe v. Wade, reignited a national debate on abortion rights and sparked widespread protests and backlash from feminist groups.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Oscar M Sanchez <p><span>The rise of gender critical feminism has led to heated debates within the feminist community, particularly around the rights and inclusion of transgender individuals, causing rifts and intense discussions on gender identity and women’s spaces.</span></p>

2. Gender Critical Feminists vs. Transgender Rights

The rise of gender critical feminism has led to heated debates within the feminist community, particularly around the rights and inclusion of transgender individuals, causing rifts and intense discussions on gender identity and women’s spaces.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / lev radin <p><span>Despite efforts to silence her, AOC uses her platform to advocate for change, becoming a symbol of progressive politics and activism.</span></p>

3. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Response to Misogyny in Politics

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s powerful 2020 speech on the House floor, addressing sexism and verbal abuse by a fellow congressman, highlighted ongoing challenges women face in political spheres and became a rallying point for many feminists.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Jo Bouroch <p><span>Conservative author and commentator Candace Owens is known for her criticism of the Democratic Party and her support for Donald Trump. Her views on race and politics make her a controversial and polarizing figure.</span></p>

4. Candace Owens’s Critiques of Modern Feminism

Conservative commentator Candace Owens has been a vocal critic of modern feminism, arguing that it promotes a victim mentality and undermines traditional family values, stirring significant controversy and debate.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Mihai Surdu <p><span>The #MeToo movement emerged as a social media campaign to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault. It sparked a global reckoning with powerful individuals and institutions, igniting conversations about consent, accountability, and systemic misogyny.</span></p>

5. The #MeToo Movement and Backlash

The #MeToo movement, while a pivotal moment for feminist activism against sexual harassment and assault, faced backlash from those who viewed it as an overreach or a threat to due process, particularly in high-profile cases involving celebrities and politicians.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / John Gomez <p><span>The debate over the Equality Act, which seeks to provide broader protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, has exposed divisions among feminists over concerns that it might undermine sex-based rights and protections for women.</span></p>

6. The Equality Act and Feminist Divisions

The debate over the Equality Act, which seeks to provide broader protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, has exposed divisions among feminists over concerns that it might undermine sex-based rights and protections for women.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / DCStockPhotography <p><span>Debates over transgender athletes’ participation in sports have highlighted ongoing discussions about inclusion, fairness, and identity in the sporting world.</span></p>

7. Trans Athletes in Women’s Sports

The inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports has become a contentious issue, with some feminists supporting trans rights and others arguing it could undermine the integrity and fairness of women’s athletics.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Ekateryna Zubal <p><span>While feminism does focus on women’s rights, it’s a movement for everyone. The goal is to create a society where every person, regardless of gender, can live free of the confines of traditional gender roles and stereotypes.</span></p>

8. Backlash Against Gender Theory in Education

Conservative backlash against critical gender theory in schools and universities has sparked broader critiques of feminist academic influence, with opponents arguing that it represents indoctrination rather than education.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / s_bukley <p><span>J.K. Rowling’s deeply personal and inspiring speech explores the value of failure, resilience, and imagination, encouraging graduates to embrace the challenges they face and pursue their dreams with courage and determination.</span></p>

9. J.K. Rowling and the Gender Identity Debate

Author J.K. Rowling’s comments on gender identity and her support for gender critical views have led to significant backlash and division within the feminist community and beyond, sparking debates over free speech and inclusion.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Jacob Lund <p><span>Many of the students who left their classes then rallied together to hold a short protest on school grounds that day. They carried placards in support of the student, who has been identified by the initials DN, with slogans saying “Let Her Play” and “Free Cecil.”</span></p>

10. Women’s March Leadership Controversies

The Women’s March, initially a symbol of resistance against sexism and inequality, faced internal controversies and criticism over leadership issues and the inclusion of diverse voices, reflecting broader challenges within the feminist movement.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Wild 2 Free <p><span>Encouraging women to share their abortion experiences without shame, this movement seeks to destigmatize abortion and influence public opinion and policy.</span></p>

11. The Texas Heartbeat Act and Abortion Access

The 2021 Texas Heartbeat Act, which effectively banned most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, became a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over reproductive rights, prompting national protests and legal challenges.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / IxMaster <p><span>Media portrayals have often perpetuated stereotypes or neglected the depth and diversity of Black experiences and contributions.</span></p>

12. Hollywood and Feminist Backlash

The entertainment industry’s response to feminist critiques, particularly in the wake of #MeToo, has led to a backlash against what some see as political correctness and censorship, highlighting tensions over representation and equity.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / mark reinstein <p><span>Conservative women like Ivanka Trump have attempted to reframe feminism in terms of economic empowerment and choice, leading to debates over the definition and future direction of feminist advocacy.</span></p>

13. The Rebranding of Feminism by Conservative Women

Conservative women like Ivanka Trump have attempted to reframe feminism in terms of economic empowerment and choice, leading to debates over the definition and future direction of feminist advocacy.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / ideadesign <p><span>The rise of social media has transformed feminist discourse, with platforms like Twitter becoming battlegrounds for debates over feminism, leading to both empowerment and significant backlash against feminist voices.</span></p>

14. Social Media and Feminist Discourse

The rise of social media has transformed feminist discourse, with platforms like Twitter becoming battlegrounds for debates over feminism, leading to both empowerment and significant backlash against feminist voices.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Beauty Stock <p><span>These milestones not only celebrate the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ people but also underscore the ongoing fight for equality and justice. Their legacy inspires continued advocacy and solidarity across movements and generations.</span></p> <p><span>The post <a href="https://pulseofpride.com/lgbtq-milestones-in-black-history/">15 LGBTQ+ Milestones in Black History</a> first appeared on </span><a href="https://pulseofpride.com/"><span>Pulse of Pride</span></a><span>.</span></p> <p><span>Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Ground Picture.</span></p> <p><span>For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.</span></p>

15. The Rise of Intersectional Feminism and Critiques

The emphasis on intersectionality within modern feminism has led to critiques from both within and outside the movement, with some arguing it dilutes the focus on women’s issues, while others see it as essential for inclusivity.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Stephanie Kenner <p><span>Feminist responses to the treatment of migrant women at U.S. borders, including issues of detention and family separation, have sparked debates over the role of feminism in advocating for broader human rights issues.</span></p>

16. Feminist Responses to Migrant Women’s Rights

Feminist responses to the treatment of migrant women at U.S. borders, including issues of detention and family separation, have sparked debates over the role of feminism in advocating for broader human rights issues.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Andrey_Popov <p><span>The commercialization of feminism, with corporations adopting feminist branding for profit, has led to critiques of “corporate feminism” and debates over authenticity and effectiveness.</span></p>

17. Corporate Feminism and Consumer Backlash

The commercialization of feminism, with corporations adopting feminist branding for profit, has led to critiques of “corporate feminism” and debates over authenticity and effectiveness.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Ron Adar <p><span>Despite President Joe Biden’s pro-women policies, some feminists have critiqued the administration for not going far enough in addressing issues like gender wage gaps and reproductive rights, reflecting ongoing tensions in political feminism.</span></p>

18. Feminist Critiques of the Biden Administration

Despite President Joe Biden’s pro-women policies, some feminists have critiqued the administration for not going far enough in addressing issues like gender wage gaps and reproductive rights, reflecting ongoing tensions in political feminism.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Boyloso <p><span>The complexity and significance of the AIDS crisis and its impact on LGBTQ communities are often reduced to mere footnotes in history.</span></p>

19. Feminism and the Global Pandemic Response

The global COVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities in labor, healthcare, and domestic responsibilities, reigniting feminist debates over systemic inequalities and the need for gender-sensitive policy responses.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / haireena <p><span>Ah, the great bathroom debate—where signs on doors spark national controversy. Feminists focus on safety and privacy, while transgender advocates fight for the right to pee in peace. Architects everywhere are scratching their heads.</span></p>

20. The Debate Over Women-Only Spaces

The ongoing debate over women-only spaces, including shelters and prisons, has become a flashpoint in discussions about safety, privacy, and rights, reflecting complex intersections of feminist and transgender rights issues.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Borri_Studio <p><span>How climate change is taught in schools is contentious, with some parents and boards preventing it, claiming it’s a political issue rather than scientific reality.</span></p>

21. Feminist Activism and Climate Change

The involvement of feminists in climate change activism, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of environmental crises on women, especially in developing countries, has expanded the scope of feminist advocacy.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Rawpixel.com <p><span>Regardless of where you stand on voter ID laws, participating in discussions and voting when possible is crucial to shaping the laws that govern electoral processes.</span></p>

Navigating the Feminist Fault Lines

These moments underscore the volatile, ever-changing landscape of feminism in the United States. As the movement continues to evolve, it faces ongoing challenges from those who question its methods, goals, and relevance in today’s society.

The post 21 Explosive Moments of Backlash Against Feminism in America first appeared on Pulse of Pride .

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Norb_KM.

For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.

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Book Review

By Francine Prose Harper: 272 pages, $27.99 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org , whose fees support independent bookstores.

The paradigm-changing era from the 1960s through the tumult of the early 1970s is the backdrop of novelist Francine Prose’s first memoir, “1974.” Her title’s namesake year included the aftermath of President Nixon’s resignation , Patty Hearst’s kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army and the New York Times’ revelations of illegal domestic spying by the CIA.

The book’s protagonist is not an individual, but a generation, embodied by the author. Its starting point and through line is Prose’s bizarre, quasi-romantic relationship with “anti-Vietnam war whistleblower and free speech hero” Anthony Russo , who helped Daniel Ellsberg “liberate” the top-secret Pentagon Papers in 1971, exposing the U.S. government’s lethal lies about the Vietnam War, thereby intensifying the movement to end it.

Prose’s path collided with Russo’s two years after he and Ellsberg were indicted on espionage charges . Prose was a young writer and activist, having newly escaped her Cambridge, Mass., marriage for “the kind of nomadic life you could live back then” in the funky garrets and twisted alleyways of Boho San Francisco. “I wanted to feel like an outlaw,” she writes. “So did everyone I knew. Bonnie and Clyde were our Romeo and Juliet.”

On the night she met him, “Tony looked at me a beat too long,” she writes. “By 1974, most of the men I knew had learned better than to look at a woman that way. ... Tony congratulated me on my book, [saying] the kind of thing that men had recently learned to say if they wanted to get laid.”

Throughout “1974, ” Prose skillfully interweaves the political and the personal elements of this watershed time. Many lesser writers have tried this and failed. It has proved tempting for so-called 1960s experts to bait readers with sensational tales of whirling, free-loving naked hippies, and for history buffs to reduce to facts and figures the impassioned insurgency that brought the nation, and the Western world, to revolution’s brink. Of the many books I’ve read (and written) on the topic — I lived in parallel to Prose’s 1960s-1970s life — none has matched Prose’s use of the personal to deepen the political and vice versa. She widens her lens on each intimate anecdote, narrows it on information-enriched passages that might otherwise feel dryly didactic. You’d have to read many, many books to deduce what Prose serves up here in just a few sentences: a revolution rendered as roux.

“If the late ’60s were about believing in the possibility of fundamental change,” she reflects, “the 1970s were about the dawning realization that the changes we’d wanted weren’t going to happen. ... The ideals of the ’60s were sorted and reconfigured for profit. The surge of power we got from our victories — the end of the Vietnam War, the 1973 ruling of Roe vs. Wade — were replaced by the more reliable dopamine hits of spending and acquisition.”

Brilliantly, Prose situates her strange, disappointing personal relationship with Russo within the broader context of her generation’s crushing political disappointments, first with the America their parents raised them to revere, thanks in large part to exposés such as the Pentagon Papers. “The America that was in Vietnam,” Prose quotes Russo, “was the opposite of the America I’d learned about in school.” Then came our generation’s sinking sense of failure, realizing, “We were dreaming a whole new future, as glorious and improbable as Oz.”

In “1974, ” Russo’s character stands in for both sides of the youth revolution of that era. He’s as crazy and as corrupt as America, and he’s as earnest and as ungrounded as America’s children who were trying to overthrow it. Painfully, it takes 20-something, pre-feminist Prose longer than it takes the reader to realize that Russo is too troubled to be relationship material. Satisfyingly, in 2024, Prose the seasoned writer uses this dissonance to the book’s advantage, turning her youthful, reflexive longing for Russo into a ticking timepiece of the bad old days when a woman wanted a man to want her, regardless of the cost, especially a notorious man who had saved incalculable Vietnamese and American lives.

“Tony needed to reschedule. Could we meet the following night? I was way too disappointed. That should have been a warning,” she writes as the book, and the relationship, turn toward their endings. Instead, she visits a friend for a tarot reading. “Lots of swords turned up. ... Moira said, ‘You can see as well as I can that something is going to end badly.’ I wanted her to assure me that the tarot’s warning wasn’t about him, but I was afraid to ask. I knew as well as she did.”

After many years of estrangement from Prose, and a mental breakdown from which she finally realized she couldn’t rescue him, Russo died of heart disease in 2008. “We lost track of each other, and we let ourselves forget,” Prose writes. As she deserves to do, as we all deserve to do, in the end she forgives her younger, dream-driven self. “I think about Tony when I hear people talking about the crises we face now, saying that there’s nothing that can be done. ... Tony believed that you had to do something. That’s what we believed at that time. Even if … the chances were that most of what you did would eventually be undone, you still had to try.”

In this, her first memoir, Prose succeeds where many before her have failed, enlivening — without demonizing or idealizing — the valiant, creative, idealistic movement that almost brought capitalism down. The era Prose profiles under the title “1974” produced crucial social advances, and did collateral damage to those, such as Russo, who were driven mad by the effort required. Fortunately for us, that period also yielded the best book yet by the wildly prolific, astonishingly talented Francine Prose.

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Book Review . 1974. By Francine Prose Harper: 272 pages, $27.99 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

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