Feminism in the Western World - 1342 Words

Feminism has had a profound effect on the lives of women across the western world. First wave feminism enabled women equal political rights, second wave fought for reproductive rights and women’s ability to enter the workplace and third wave fought for a more inclusive movement, addressing sexuality, class and race. Feminism is such an expansive subject that it has many different strands and often contradictory viewpoints. Today ‘empowered’ is the word of choice by many young women and celebrities. By definition empowerment, is confidence and  ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬control over one’s life and rights. (Oxford Dictionary). Choice feminists believe that freedom lies within the choice, whether that choice is in how one chooses to physically present themselves or whether they choose to be a homemaker as opposed to entering the workforce. The belief is that women are empowered to make their own decisions and they should not be judged critically for doing so, something that many believe second wave feminists failed to recognize. The literature reviewed in this paper attempts to answer whether modern women really are in control of their own body image or if this idea of female empowerment is actually an illusion. BODY In order to discover the position of the current power balance regarding female body image it is necessary to review it within a historical context. Within the history of art the gender power imbalance is most startling especially in reference to the nude. Berger(1972) describes theShow MoreRelatedFeminist Theory1248 Words   |  5 PagesFeminism refers to political, cultural, and economic movements aimed at establishing greater rights, legal protection for women, and or womens liberation. It includes some of the sociological theories and philosophies concerned with issues of gender difference. Nancy Cott defines feminism as the belief in the importance of gender equality, invalidating the idea of gender hierarchy as a socially constructed concept. Feminism has earned itself a bad reputation, but it never undermined gender differencesRead MoreUnder Western Eyes : Feminist Scholarship And Colonial Discourses And The Rise Of Ecofeminism As A Development Fable936 Words   |  4 PagesThis critique reflects on Mohanty’s â€Å"Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses† and Moore’s â€Å"The Rise and Rise of Ecofeminism as a Development Fable: A Response to Melissa Leach’s ‘Earth Mothers and Other Ecofeminist Fables: How a Strategic Notion Rose and Fell.† Both articles raise questions of essentialism as a necessary element in feminism itself, and of naivety, validity and value of essentialized feminist works. This firstly challenges the biological and social definitionRead MoreThe Core Themes Of Postcolonial Theory963 Words   |  4 Pagesthemes.   Postcolonial feminism was born in part as a reaction to western imperialism and colonialism. It set out to address the shortcomings of western models of feminist thought, and questioned concepts such as, ‘sisterhood. Authors such as Collins challenge the universal applicability of western forms of feminism, and suggest that western approaches and their, â€Å"single focus lenses on social inequality, left little space to address the complex social problems that they (third world women) face.†(CollinsRead MoreUnder Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses1669 Words   |  7 PagesIn her essay, â€Å"Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses,† Chandra Talpade Mohanty explores the simplified construction of the â€Å"third-world woman† in hegemonic feminist discourses. In contrast, in her essay â€Å"US Third-World Feminism: The Theory and Method of Oppositional Consciousness in the Postmodern World,† Chela Sand oval specifically analyzes â€Å"US third-world feminism† and how it is the model for not only oppositional political activity, but also consciousness in the UnitedRead MoreWhy Stories Matter Convincingly Questions The Belief That Securing More Accurate Narratives Of The Past Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagesinadvertently shaping it). Therefore, the social, cultural, economic, and geopolitical forces that do not fall under the category of feminist theory, such as structural and institutional relationships and forces that make possible the production of academic feminism, cannot be included as part of its history. Why should the scope of feminist history be limited to only what feminist scholars have published? Important factors in feminist history may be found elsewhere thus Hemmings’s citation tactics ought toRead MoreFeminism, The Advocacy Of Women s Rights On The Ground Of The Equality1654 Words   |  7 PagesFeminism is a series of chronological movements and ideo logies aimed at altering the patriarchal system to be equalitarian, so women can uphold the same opportunities and rights as men. Feminism, by definition, is ‘the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes’ (Oxforddictionaries.com, 2015). Therefore, feminism is still relevant within Western society because there is still significant evidence that shows women are still not yet equal with men. Thus, this essay will focusRead MorePositive Changes in the Quality of Life for Woman in Morocco1709 Words   |  7 Pagesparallel those in the western world and create several notable achievements on behalf of human and women’s rights. At the political and social level, there are signs that conditions for women are changing. Social organizations, which encourage women’s rights, are becoming more popular and influential. During the last part of the 19th century continuing through the 20th century women in well off classes had access to feminist ideas and developed the first period of feminism in Morocco. After theRead MoreAnalysis Of Marilyn Frye s Universal Definition Of Oppression1225 Words   |  5 Pagesopinion. As the tension builds, there are two main camps formed: The Western feminist and the Non-Western feminist. (While I personally object to this terminology because of its Eurocentrism, I have yet to find alternatives that encompass the same meaning so it will have to stay standing as imperialist as it is.) Both sets of activists have different roles within these current predicaments facing the unjust treatment of women. Western feminists find themselves in a stalemate of passing critical judgementRead MoreTheory Is A Liberatory Practice1431 Words   |  6 Pagesquestions soon became a part of my everyday life, when I moved to New York. My sophomore year of my college was an eye-opening y ear for me. I declared women’s studies as my minor and I felt this weird comfort inside me after getting introduced to feminism. I was happy to know that I was not the only one who was being treated as â€Å"other† in the society. There were people who were, are and is still struggling and fighting for their rights. As an American Muslim woman, I felt more comfortable around theseRead MoreFeminism : A Feminist Discourse1454 Words   |  6 Pages Although Western feminism started in the 1900s, yet, it didn’t reach the Islamic world until most recently, a couple of hundred years later than the West. Despite the fact that both of the feminism movements come from totally different back grounds, and they are affected by different history and culture, still, both of them aimed for women’s best interests. Muslim women were profoundly feeling aggrieved by the discrimination they have against them. They stereotypical reputation about them in the