Why
today’s Feminism works and what else it can do
If
second wave feminists saw what girls did today they would likely have quite a
mixed reaction. Women today have found that they can pursue their dreams and
match or succeed their male counterpart, largely because of the movements made
in the 1960s and 70s. They have many more opportunities available to them and
are able to choose to lead the life they dream of, not what’s expected of them.
But today, women also commonly lead a different lifestyle than that of what
second-wave feminists dreamed for them. Today, some women fight for what they
believe is true equality, being able to be a feminist and still express
themselves in ways that make them happy and empowered. After reading “Feminism
and Femininity” by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, I have a better
understanding of the differences and similarities of second wave feminism and today's feminists, and the reasons why the movement has changed so much over
time. Today’s feminists don’t seek to topple and destroy patriarchy, but rather
to seek the individuality and express it in the way they choose. They feel
comfortable following some of the social structure that second wave feminists
fought so hard to abolish from society. Women feel that having a boyfriend,
using makeup, dressing anyway they want, etc. is no longer what is expected of
them, but it is their choice and they have to power to do what makes them
happy, not to please men(Baumgardner,60). Baumgardner and Richards say that women want more
than just to be “strong, smart, and bold” but fight for the right to be a
feminist and still be able to enjoy “girlie” things. After second wave feminism
women gained the ability to do masculine things, third wave feminism is the
acceptance of one as an individual and allowing themselves to follow stereotypes
of “girlie” things.
The
women of today have a broader range of feminists that practice feminism in
different ways. They fight against issues like labeling in different forms than
a second wave feminist would. The fight against labeling, like slut shaming,
had taken off in the last decade with organized Slut Walks, where groups of
women and men stage a protest often given themselves the labels that women have
tried to abolish for decades. These protests are also designed to end victim blaming
in cases of rape, showing that you cannot claim that a girl was asking to be
raped for dressing a certain way(Stampler). Feminists today aim to show that these kinds
of labeling and oppression will no longer be tolerated.
The SlutWalk aims to reappropriate
the word “slut” as well as create a supportive and powerful environment for
women where slut shaming and rape are highlighted issues that won’t be
permitted (Stampler). The SlutWalk is spreading across the globe and now occur
year-round in many cities. Bringing attention to women’s rights, and the
problems that victim shaming and labeling bring to society.
One of the most
inspirational leaders of the SlutWalk is Amber Rose, a Hollywood celebrity and
former stripper that experienced a lot of slut shaming after dating rappers
Kayne West and Wiz Khalifa. She set out to raise awarness of the problems and bring people to her feminist cause.
Rose organized her own SlutWalk in downtown Los Angelos
on October 3rd of last year. At this SlutWalk she came in black
lingerie and carried a sign that said “strippers have feelings too” and started
chants about the freedom of choice and owning their own bodies. This third wave
feminist wanted to show that regardless of what a woman does she still has to
be respected and deserves equality. She encourages women to do what makes them
happy and empowered and being a stripper does not make a women less feminist or
anti-feminist. Amber Rose calls herself a feminist and recruits others to join
her cause, and show women the new feminism and why it’s not something to be
afraid of. Rose is generating a lot of awareness about rape culture and
labeling, and she hopes to bring men and women together and teach them how to
end this rape epidemic. You can find her mission statement and general
information about her SlutWalks here: http://amberroseslutwalk.com/general-information/
I think this third-wave feminism is exactly what we
need in today’s society. Women in my generation have benefited greatly from
second wave feminist movements, and from my experiences, grew up knowing they
have similar opportunities and expectations of men. But women have always faced
another side of oppression and fight through what I think is a double standard.
Women are seen and brave and powerful when they stand up to men and fight for what
they believe in, but then they are also called a bitch or crazy for fighting.
Or they are given access to birth-control and other sexual freedoms, but are
called a slut or treated like they are no good when news of their sex life
comes out. I think third wave feminism and SlutWalks like Amber’s will help
give women the motivation to choose their own identity and not be afraid to be
judged or labeled for it. I also think these types of movements, as long as
they don’t become too radical, will help men gain a deeper understanding of
what issues women face today, and why their actions are no longer being
tolerated by feminists.
Third wave feminism is important and productive in today’s
society and will create social change that benefits the freedoms of women.
Their fight against social injustice also helps other groups’ fights against
discrimination and opens a dialogue about equality for everyone in our nation. I
believe these movements towards social equality should work together to fight all
forms of social injustice, because they are really fighting for the same thing.
Racial equality faces many of the same issues that feminists fight against every
day, here are some links to help you understand why these two movements need to
collaborate:
“I have found, however, that many of my allies are reluctant to
take up the fight to end racism with as much passion as they have for marching
to end patriarchy.” (Rios)
“Black
women were being marginalized and openly discriminated against in both
movements, and they were finding it difficult or impossible to build solidarity
with those who were also acting as their oppressors. All too often,
"black" was equated with black men and "woman" was equated
with white women; and the end result of this was that black women were an
invisible group whose existence and needs were (and many would rightfully argue
continues) to be ignored.” (Charswell)
This link provides a visual to help understand why women
face similar issues to people of color, sometimes without realizing it. And encourages
the end of “white feminism”
Works cited
Baumgardner, Jennifer. Richards, Amy. Feminism and Femininity: Or How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Thong. (2000)
Kirkham, Alli. "When White Feminists Respond to Anti-Racism Like Men Respond to Feminism" Every Day Feminism. Sep. 2015. Web. Aug 26 2016.
Rios, Cameron. "If We Divide, We Don’t Conquer: 3 Reasons Why Feminists Need to Talk About Race" Every Day Feminism. Feb. 1 2015. Web. Aug 25 2016.
Stampler, Laura. "SlutWalks Sweep The Nation" The Huffigton Post. June 20 2011. Web Aug 24 2016.
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