The Difficulty with Defining Feminism Essay - 788 Words

The Difficulty with Defining Feminism In Feminist Theory: from margin to center, bell hook states on the first page what she believes to be the problem with feminism. In her opinion the biggest problem with feminism is that there is no real definition of what feminism is. The definition many people have formulated for feminism is having the goal of making woman socially equal to men. hook’s problem with this is the fact that all men are not socially equal. If women are to be the social equals to men then another question would be which men women will be socially equal to. While many white middle and upper class women accept this definition, the lower socioeconomic classes can not because it does not take race and its disadvantages†¦show more content†¦This statement interested me because it made me begin to think about how she would want to organize feminists around the world. If she believes that society will not accept an organization that is trying to start a transformation, then how will she go about taking action? It seems to me that a transformation is the eventual goal that hook would want to reach. My question to her would be, â€Å"what ideas do you have about how to go about reaching a goal through feminism that society is not willing to accept?† Throughout the reading I thoroughly agreed with what she was saying but this issue was the only one that seemed to be left open. This issue was one of the most important because it is the course feminism needs to take to reach the long term goal of social equality. While I am left with this question after the reading I believe her real goal in writing this piece was to make women aware of the current problems with feminism, leaving alone the goals for the future. She seems to be trying to take the first step in the right direction rather than throw everything out on the table right away. This brings up the question, â€Å"What is the most effective way to reach the audience? My personal preference in readings is to have everything out there for me to look at. On the other hand, hook seems to have found a productive way of making people more aware first. I would be interested to read later writings by hook to see the way she moves into otherShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book Herland By Charlotte Perkins Gilman911 Words   |  4 Pagesmagazines and articles. The full story didn’t get released and become popular until the early 1970’s. This was almost thirty-five years after Gilman had passed away. The feminist movement helped to share this story and make it as popular as it is today. Feminism didn’t start to get big until the 1960’s or 1970’s when people started the feminist movement. With this movement women were seeking equality everywhere. Men thought that they were the â€Å"dominant† gender and women were inferior in everything they didRead MoreFeminist Making A Great Change For The Family936 Words   |  4 Pageschange for the family, the author emphasizes family affected by feminist are the most and it makes female’s status and thinking style has dramatic change compare to different eras. Author s objective is let people understand that pros and cons of feminism families in the study, and also use horizontal and vertical analysis the survey data to treat feminist trend critically. The author particularly considers about several aspects that are accomplish feminist change family style in different erasRead MoreEssay on War Against Boys in Society1566 Words   |  7 PagesWar Against Boys in Society It is a bad time to be a boy in America. As the new millennium began, the defining event for American girls was the triumph of the U.S. women’s soccer team. For boys, the major event was the mass killing at Columbine High School. It would seem that boys in our society face great difficulties and risks as they grow up. Yet the best-known studies and the academic experts are telling us that it is girls who are suffering from a decline in self-esteem. The expertsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Revolt Of Mother By Michael Grimwood1679 Words   |  7 Pagesemasculation and if this could be an outcome of feminism. Mary Wilkins’ â€Å"The Revolt of Mother† has become a prime example used for this very case according to Michael Grimwood. Grimwood’s journal article delves deep into masculinity and femininity, gender roles and architecture. The author explains how many have used Wilkins’ work as a case for modern feminism; however, he reputes this by using h er autobiography as a source demonstrating that it isn’t feminism that drives â€Å"Mother† to revolt but â€Å"lost patriarchy†Read MoreThe Master-Servant Dialectic of Hegel734 Words   |  3 Pagesinherent, fixed identity. 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This method of approach highlighted the need to examine characteristics of ‘criminals’ and ‘non-criminals’Read MoreBlack Female And Social Work1574 Words   |  7 Pagesthat anxious children are cared for properly and have their essentials met, so they can grow to become joyful and well attuned grownups. Feminism is to define and establish the same civil rights and liberties in political, personal, social and economical rights for women that involve equal opportunities for females in education and employment. Black feminism is a believe that claims that gender identity and racism are inseparably destined together. Black women in America moved forward because theyRead MoreThe Second Sex!1578 Words   |  7 PagesThe Feminist Movement (also known as The Women’s Liberation movement) is a social movement organized around the belief that both men and women are equal in every way. The role of feminism in the 20th century changed the lives of many women, opening new doors to greater opportunities such has: jobs, education, and empowerment. Many achievements and organizations were a success in bringing a new role into society for women all over. However, the battle that seems to keep reappearing over time is theRead MoreFeminism Essay1633 Words   |  7 Pagesof gender difference, a s well as nature/culture dichotomies, inform meaning and the production of geographical knowledge. Geographers use poststructuralist and feminist ideas in order to study human environment, society and geogrpahical space. Feminism and poststructuralism encourage us to question the set of assumptions and socially constructed meanings that give rise to knowledge claims. Poststructuralism is a popular critique that challenges our representation between relationship and realityRead MoreThe Power of Self Definition in Feminism of the African Diaspora1853 Words   |  8 PagesIt is generally believed that feminism originated in the West, for over time, it has assumed the role of ‘science’ (Mangena, 2003). As a science, western feminism insists that it should be adopted by women all over the globe and used to deal with their specific and foundational problems. However, women of the African diaspora have come to deny such universality and define their own struggle. Uprooted from their motherland and sent to lands in Latin America and the United States, Black women experience