The Mystique of Feminism: Decoding Feminism and its Presence in U.S. History By: Kelly Martinez

The Mystique of Feminism: Decoding Feminism and its Presence in U.S. History

By: Kelly Martinez

 “Oh…. you’re a feminist? So… what exactly do they believe?” This is the most common reaction I receive when I reveal to people that I am a feminist. I use the word reveal in place of tell because as soon as that fact is out there, it’s like a machine gun round of questions flying out. I was actually declared the “floor feminist” when I lived in the dorms last year and whenever people had a feminist-based question they would knock on my door and ask. Another thing accompanying the reveal that I am a feminist is that I need to brace myself for the make-me-a-sandwich jokes that are sure to follow.

Lesson number one of feminism—even if you don’t know a lot about feminism, you should know that quite a few feminists will be very vocal about where you should place that sandwich, and it won’t be in the kitchen… People don’t really have any idea of what feminism is, because few identify themselves as part of the feminist movement. This topic alone could be a separate article itself, but the overlying reasons of why people don’t identify themselves with feminism are because there are few people who understand feminism, have made the effort to understand it, or don’t have a negative connotation of the label “feminist”. This article is meant to help break down what feminism is and shatter the mystery and stereotypes surrounding it.

Feminism is the belief in equality of genders- that there is a need for women to be treated as equals to men in political, economic, and social aspects of life. At long last, the simple definition we have all been waiting for! Now hold on- why would people NOT want to get involved in a movement that pushes for equality on behalf of everybody? Isn’t equality supposed to be something beneficial Allow me sum up the stereotypes of feminism with this quote from conservative activist and lawyer Phyllis Schlafly -“When will American men learn how to stand up to the nagging by the intolerant, uncivil feminists whose sport is to humiliate men”? Is it really a wonder that women refuse to associate themselves as feminists given this perception? Honestly, who would want to identify themselves with a group of savages who revel in the humiliation of others? Furthermore, why even bother to research and look into what they believe, the reputation says it all! This quote sums up one of the biggest reason people refuse to identify themselves as feminists; it is because other people associate feminists as women who have developed an intense loathing towards men, and possibly penis-envy if you want to be all Freudian about this.

All of these perceptions about feminism are completely false; they are just stereotypes from the anti-feminist movements that have persevered. People who believe in feminism strive to end discrimination, abuse, and oppression based on gender in society and to promote the advancement and gender equality in political, economic, and social aspects of society. I would like to point out the use of the word “people”- that implies all genders. Another stereotype of feminism is that men cannot be feminist. That is completely false. If there is one word to associate feminism with, it would be “equality”. Equality is a goal that ALL genders can push towards. If one group of people, women, can fight and make changes that altered the course of American history, imagine what more could happen when people of all genders unite under the banner of equality.

There have been two waves of feminism. The first wave of feminism was the movement for women suffrage in the 1800s, where Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and other woman suffragists and supporters of women suffrage such as Frederick Douglas traveled to the Seneca Falls Convention to address the political, religious, and social grievances of women. They all then drafted the Declaration of Sentiments outlining their grievances according to the “Seneca Falls Convention” article published on History.net. Furthermore, it wasn’t until 1920 that the 19^th the US constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote, was ratified. The first feminist wave was a success in getting women the basic political right they needed, but the second wave of feminism took reform for women beyond the political realm.

The second wave of feminism began in the 1960’s with the publication of Freelance writer and Psychologist Betty Friedan’s Book “The Feminine Mystique” in 1963. The book focuses on the “the problem that has no name” which Friedan dubbed “The Feminine Mystique”; she described it as the widespread depression that housewives felt because they had no identity outside the home- they were confined to their societal roles as housewives and mothers. Friedan even experienced it herself, writing “I never could explain, hardly knew myself, why I gave up this career. I lived in the present, working on newspapers with no particular plan. I married, had children, and lived according to the feminine mystique as a housewife. But still the question haunted me. I could sense no purpose in my life (page 70)”.Betty Friedan and other women then rallied together to create the National Organization for Women (NOW).

With NOW, women continued their journey for equality. One of the most important contributions of NOW, as detailed by The Obituary written for Friedan by Margaret Henderson is campaigning for Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This prohibited job discrimination based on gender, and is still in effect today. NOW also campaigned for issues such as childcare, equal pay, and legalizing abortion. Additionally, the feminist movement campaigned for women’s shelters and rape crisis centers. This resulted in the Rape Treatment Center Act of 1974, creating rape treatment centers in city hospitals according to the article “Feminist Movements” on the Encyclopedia of Chicago website. Feminism is all about aiming for equality and ending discrimination and abuse faced by women due to gender discrimination. People throughout history have continued the fight and have gained momentous ground on those fronts, but it is still not enough. Despite all the advances we have made, and how women enjoy greater liberties now, there is still much progress that has yet to be made.

Think back to the recent social media tag #YesAllWomen, a reaction to the Isla Vista shootings by Elliott Rogers. He posted in a YouTube video that the reason he was killing women was because they rejected him, proving that there is still violence and discrimination towards women even in today’s modernizing society. Women then stormed twitter with the now famous hashtag. It became a place where women could talk about the violence/abuse they have faced but felt had been ignored, according to the article published on the LA Times website “#YesAllWomen: Isla Vista attack puts a spotlight on gender violence”.

There is still inequality among genders in society, and feminists hope to end it. Needless to say, if a guy asks ME to make him a sandwich, I’m telling him women no longer belong in the kitchen, we belong creating and leading a world of equality. Oh and of course, I have to tell him to where shove that sandwich.