Recently I have become irritably disgusted to the point of having to write a story on just how strongly I feel on the fact that Feminism is still EXTREMELY relevant.
I am aware of the fact that many viewers to this sight may be turned away by my expressiveness on the topic of feminism, but as Rhett Butler once said....Frankly,my dear, I don't give a damn.
I am beyond the notion of accepting the look I receive from others (often followed by rolling eyes), when I say with confidence that I am a Feminist. I find myself looked upon as if I have just said a horrible word during a situation where it is simply unacceptable.
So here I am sharing my opinion on the matter to the world, despite the fact my opinion may be irrelevant.
When someone mentions “woman’s rights” the first visualization which appears in the minds of all becomes that of the brave women involved in movements which fought to give future generations rights which continue to be taken for granted.
Back in the 60’s and 70’s the revolution in America known as the Women's Liberation Movement seemed vivacious and unstoppable-until one day it seemed to stop all together. As if one day our society woke up and came together with the radical idea that feminism seemed to be no longer needed because it lacked relevance to the current generation, and that the basic rights achieved meant women could no longer be considered as oppressed.
Since the positive change of women’s rights, society as a whole tends to overlook the current gender inequalities. But while brief battles have been won in gender equality, the war has never been close to being over.
At a time when women continue to be sexualized and objectified, Feminism develops the empowering of women, eliminating patriarchy and sexism, while gaining freedom and equality for all women by an additional raised consciousness against an oppressive social structure which forces both genders into ideas that center around being false and antagonistic.
So why does the word Feminism continue to be treated as the big bad F word?
I am aware of the fact that many viewers to this sight may be turned away by my expressiveness on the topic of feminism, but as Rhett Butler once said....Frankly,my dear, I don't give a damn.
I am beyond the notion of accepting the look I receive from others (often followed by rolling eyes), when I say with confidence that I am a Feminist. I find myself looked upon as if I have just said a horrible word during a situation where it is simply unacceptable.
So here I am sharing my opinion on the matter to the world, despite the fact my opinion may be irrelevant.
When someone mentions “woman’s rights” the first visualization which appears in the minds of all becomes that of the brave women involved in movements which fought to give future generations rights which continue to be taken for granted.
Back in the 60’s and 70’s the revolution in America known as the Women's Liberation Movement seemed vivacious and unstoppable-until one day it seemed to stop all together. As if one day our society woke up and came together with the radical idea that feminism seemed to be no longer needed because it lacked relevance to the current generation, and that the basic rights achieved meant women could no longer be considered as oppressed.
Since the positive change of women’s rights, society as a whole tends to overlook the current gender inequalities. But while brief battles have been won in gender equality, the war has never been close to being over.
At a time when women continue to be sexualized and objectified, Feminism develops the empowering of women, eliminating patriarchy and sexism, while gaining freedom and equality for all women by an additional raised consciousness against an oppressive social structure which forces both genders into ideas that center around being false and antagonistic.
So why does the word Feminism continue to be treated as the big bad F word?
A direct effect of societies changed views on feminism created the modern day image that all feminist can be categorized as man-hating, ugly, unfeminine, lesbians who are simply “PMSing” fanatics with extremely hostile ideas, with the base of their beliefs being that women feel they are superior to men, and would sooner partaking in act of the burning of bras then that of buying them.
But the honest truth of the matter reinforces that those who posses these opinions are not only arrogant, but as well as ignorant.
The reality: feminism has never been limited to any specific sexual orientation, sex, appearance or specific personality. A feminist can be male or female, of any sexual orientation, while being an ultra feminine or a “tomboy” in appearance; no specific stereotype fits all feminist.
The incorrect received idea of feminism can be explained by the fact that in our society, those who have the will to recognize a specific injustice to the world will always be forced to deal with the fact that their peers will try to belittle them,
"Rather than having to deal with the injustices pointed out, rather than having to deal with the fact that perhaps our institutions are constructed in such a way that some people have an easier time than other people, it's much easier to say 'you're a feminazi' and dismiss that, or 'you're queer I'm going to dismiss that, so you're a freak and I don't have to listen to your critique of society’ "
Sexism has always had more then a subtle voice in today’s media, Robin Thicke’s song “Blurred Lines” certainly can be diagnosed as no exception to this.
In it Robin Thicke sings, “I known you want it”, alongside his pervy pals Pharrell and T.I. seen casually singing in the background, “I’ll give you something big enough to tear you’re a@# in two”, as it shows three fully naked women (unless occasional shoes, and flesh toned thongs count as clothes) dancing around the three fully dressed men.
Those involved in the makings of the video can honestly attest to the fact that the song and video determined it exhibited an empowering performance of a woman’s body. Well if that’s the case then strip me naked and let me prance around to the “catchy” lyrics, because apparently I should feel liberated.
Thicke went on to say in an interview with GQ, “We tried to do everything that was taboo. Bestiality, drug injections, and everything that is completely derogatory towards women. Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, ‘We're the perfect guys to make fun of this’”
Congratulation seems to be in order then by the fact that he became successful in depicting the sexual embodiment of women as a light-hearted and amusing outlook.
I didn’t realize that saying “[He] tried to domesticate you, but you're an animal, baby it's in your nature” is the way to go about the appreciation of women.
It’s not like the objectification of women isn’t linked to anything like sexual and domestic violence. Or that “Blurred Lines” wouldn’t add any miscommunication on the “blurred lines” of consent in our nation which already trivializes the concept of consent.
Robin Thicke continued in his interview stating that, “People say [to me], ‘Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?’ I'm like, "Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I've never gotten to do that before. I've always respected women’"
Alright so now if men respect women, then it is okay to degrade and demean them.
Emily Ratajkowski, one of the models in the video, agrees nothing “blurry” about Thicke’s intentions can be articulated, explaining she and the other models were advised “to have a sort of confidence, a sarcastic attitude about the whole situation….[the] eye contact and that attitude really puts [them] in a power situation" and that she believes, “it's something very important for young women today to have that confidence[of being playful and having a good time with our body]" .
I think it's actually celebrating women and their bodies”. But what’s to happen if the model feels the song and video are not objectifying at all, but other women feel it is?
In more simpler terms, if the model is seen as objectified by the viewers, but does not feel she is objectified, is she still degraded to just a mere object?
If a tree falls in the forest, when no one is around, did it still make a noise?
The answer: yes, despite her opinions, she is still taking part in the objectification of herself, and indirectly of every woman. While Ratajkowski felt legitimatized by her role in the video and could have quite possibly given confidence to a handful of women, it doesn’t go to say the individual profit could be greater than that of the overall sabotage on the views of a woman’s body.
No longer do we have a clear and authentic view of what womanhood looks like, one could even argue to the extent that we have never truly known.
It’s a jarring thing to realize that every idea on femininity has been a complete construct of impossible standards; every image we see has been set up for the benefit on the indulgence of the male’s gaze.
No woman has every had the ability, regardless of generation, of knowing what the natural state of womanhood really exist as, it’s the universes best kept secret, because it has been disfigured and corrupted by a patriarchy society, and we have allowed its decimation.
“We’ve been taught a woman’s body will cause men to sin. We’re told that if a woman shows too much of her body men will do stupid things. Let’s be clear: A woman’s body is not dangerous to [men]. Her body will not cause [men] hard. It will not make [men] do stupid things. If [ a man does] stupid thins, it is because [he] choose to do stupid things”
Rape undeniably has always been a feminist issue, and testifies to the understanding that feminism will always be pertinent. It will always be an aroused point of the feminist movement to increase verbal demand on being free from the increasing fearsome reality of rape.
Women have always been only capable of moving freely only at the expense of their insecurity of danger; yet a man continues to be capable of walking down the street, day by day, living their life with ease, without the fear rushing through their mind of being attacked by a woman.
The continued existence of sexual violation, and the way our patriarchy society has handled the situation, creates an environment in which women routinely become confined in consternation, which resembles the way that lynching by the KKK once kept members of the human race in a submissive position because of their color.
Many countries continue to have the tendency of being incapable of protecting victims of crimes, but even in modern day society some places in the world will go as far as to also punish the victims of a senseless rape crime.
In Al-Awwamiya, Saudia Arabia a teenage girl one day endured being brutally gang raped by seven men. After reporting her attack she was sentenced along with her fellow rapist to ninety lashes. What crime did she commit that was so awful she had to be persecuted along with her rapist?
Well the legal system “evaluated” the situation enough to say she was not a victim, but rather guilty of being alone in a car with a man she was not married to (ABU-NASR). If this wasn’t disturbing enough, in many countries rape survivors around the world continuously will be forced into a marriage with the man that raped them.
The terrible truth women still face is the notion that rape is created by the actions of a woman, and in many places societies continue to preach the idea that a woman who has been touched by another man, regardless of consent, becomes unwanted.
Questions on feminism can not be questions of women rights alone, but as well as questions of human rights.
They should not be considered unconventional issues, but rather being seen at the core of our society’s persona. The extent of the development of a society can only be reflected in the idea that freedoms should increase by each generation.
Its time our patriarchal society realized the issue of feminism has never been irrelevant, and stopped its act of turning a blind eye to the things women face which render as wrongdoing.
The time has come to put away the arrogant idea feminism simply about the overpowering of men.
Feminist Dale Spender once said, “Feminism has fought no wars. It has killed no opponents. It has set up no concentration camps, starved no enemies, and practiced no cruelties. Its battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions, for safety on the streets, for childcare, for social welfare, for rape crisis centers, women's refuges, reforms in the law. If someone says, ‘Oh, I'm not a feminist,’ I ask, ‘Why? What is your problem’”, if this is the case then why does feminism have such a negative connotation?
Its time we all let feminism occupy our minds, because the revolution to a greater society will only begin within the mind.
But the honest truth of the matter reinforces that those who posses these opinions are not only arrogant, but as well as ignorant.
The reality: feminism has never been limited to any specific sexual orientation, sex, appearance or specific personality. A feminist can be male or female, of any sexual orientation, while being an ultra feminine or a “tomboy” in appearance; no specific stereotype fits all feminist.
The incorrect received idea of feminism can be explained by the fact that in our society, those who have the will to recognize a specific injustice to the world will always be forced to deal with the fact that their peers will try to belittle them,
"Rather than having to deal with the injustices pointed out, rather than having to deal with the fact that perhaps our institutions are constructed in such a way that some people have an easier time than other people, it's much easier to say 'you're a feminazi' and dismiss that, or 'you're queer I'm going to dismiss that, so you're a freak and I don't have to listen to your critique of society’ "
Sexism has always had more then a subtle voice in today’s media, Robin Thicke’s song “Blurred Lines” certainly can be diagnosed as no exception to this.
In it Robin Thicke sings, “I known you want it”, alongside his pervy pals Pharrell and T.I. seen casually singing in the background, “I’ll give you something big enough to tear you’re a@# in two”, as it shows three fully naked women (unless occasional shoes, and flesh toned thongs count as clothes) dancing around the three fully dressed men.
Those involved in the makings of the video can honestly attest to the fact that the song and video determined it exhibited an empowering performance of a woman’s body. Well if that’s the case then strip me naked and let me prance around to the “catchy” lyrics, because apparently I should feel liberated.
Thicke went on to say in an interview with GQ, “We tried to do everything that was taboo. Bestiality, drug injections, and everything that is completely derogatory towards women. Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, ‘We're the perfect guys to make fun of this’”
Congratulation seems to be in order then by the fact that he became successful in depicting the sexual embodiment of women as a light-hearted and amusing outlook.
I didn’t realize that saying “[He] tried to domesticate you, but you're an animal, baby it's in your nature” is the way to go about the appreciation of women.
It’s not like the objectification of women isn’t linked to anything like sexual and domestic violence. Or that “Blurred Lines” wouldn’t add any miscommunication on the “blurred lines” of consent in our nation which already trivializes the concept of consent.
Robin Thicke continued in his interview stating that, “People say [to me], ‘Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?’ I'm like, "Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I've never gotten to do that before. I've always respected women’"
Alright so now if men respect women, then it is okay to degrade and demean them.
Emily Ratajkowski, one of the models in the video, agrees nothing “blurry” about Thicke’s intentions can be articulated, explaining she and the other models were advised “to have a sort of confidence, a sarcastic attitude about the whole situation….[the] eye contact and that attitude really puts [them] in a power situation" and that she believes, “it's something very important for young women today to have that confidence[of being playful and having a good time with our body]" .
I think it's actually celebrating women and their bodies”. But what’s to happen if the model feels the song and video are not objectifying at all, but other women feel it is?
In more simpler terms, if the model is seen as objectified by the viewers, but does not feel she is objectified, is she still degraded to just a mere object?
If a tree falls in the forest, when no one is around, did it still make a noise?
The answer: yes, despite her opinions, she is still taking part in the objectification of herself, and indirectly of every woman. While Ratajkowski felt legitimatized by her role in the video and could have quite possibly given confidence to a handful of women, it doesn’t go to say the individual profit could be greater than that of the overall sabotage on the views of a woman’s body.
No longer do we have a clear and authentic view of what womanhood looks like, one could even argue to the extent that we have never truly known.
It’s a jarring thing to realize that every idea on femininity has been a complete construct of impossible standards; every image we see has been set up for the benefit on the indulgence of the male’s gaze.
No woman has every had the ability, regardless of generation, of knowing what the natural state of womanhood really exist as, it’s the universes best kept secret, because it has been disfigured and corrupted by a patriarchy society, and we have allowed its decimation.
“We’ve been taught a woman’s body will cause men to sin. We’re told that if a woman shows too much of her body men will do stupid things. Let’s be clear: A woman’s body is not dangerous to [men]. Her body will not cause [men] hard. It will not make [men] do stupid things. If [ a man does] stupid thins, it is because [he] choose to do stupid things”
Rape undeniably has always been a feminist issue, and testifies to the understanding that feminism will always be pertinent. It will always be an aroused point of the feminist movement to increase verbal demand on being free from the increasing fearsome reality of rape.
Women have always been only capable of moving freely only at the expense of their insecurity of danger; yet a man continues to be capable of walking down the street, day by day, living their life with ease, without the fear rushing through their mind of being attacked by a woman.
The continued existence of sexual violation, and the way our patriarchy society has handled the situation, creates an environment in which women routinely become confined in consternation, which resembles the way that lynching by the KKK once kept members of the human race in a submissive position because of their color.
Many countries continue to have the tendency of being incapable of protecting victims of crimes, but even in modern day society some places in the world will go as far as to also punish the victims of a senseless rape crime.
In Al-Awwamiya, Saudia Arabia a teenage girl one day endured being brutally gang raped by seven men. After reporting her attack she was sentenced along with her fellow rapist to ninety lashes. What crime did she commit that was so awful she had to be persecuted along with her rapist?
Well the legal system “evaluated” the situation enough to say she was not a victim, but rather guilty of being alone in a car with a man she was not married to (ABU-NASR). If this wasn’t disturbing enough, in many countries rape survivors around the world continuously will be forced into a marriage with the man that raped them.
The terrible truth women still face is the notion that rape is created by the actions of a woman, and in many places societies continue to preach the idea that a woman who has been touched by another man, regardless of consent, becomes unwanted.
Questions on feminism can not be questions of women rights alone, but as well as questions of human rights.
They should not be considered unconventional issues, but rather being seen at the core of our society’s persona. The extent of the development of a society can only be reflected in the idea that freedoms should increase by each generation.
Its time our patriarchal society realized the issue of feminism has never been irrelevant, and stopped its act of turning a blind eye to the things women face which render as wrongdoing.
The time has come to put away the arrogant idea feminism simply about the overpowering of men.
Feminist Dale Spender once said, “Feminism has fought no wars. It has killed no opponents. It has set up no concentration camps, starved no enemies, and practiced no cruelties. Its battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions, for safety on the streets, for childcare, for social welfare, for rape crisis centers, women's refuges, reforms in the law. If someone says, ‘Oh, I'm not a feminist,’ I ask, ‘Why? What is your problem’”, if this is the case then why does feminism have such a negative connotation?
Its time we all let feminism occupy our minds, because the revolution to a greater society will only begin within the mind.