What is feminism, and more importantly will it bite me?

What is feminism?  (And, more importantly, will it bite me???)

fem·i·nism   (f m -n z m)
n. Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.

Feminism is a touchy subject with most people; it usually brings to mind a group of power hungry, heartless, emotionless drones in ladies’ business suits.  But, in reality, what is a feminist?  Are they sneaky business women with the private agenda of ridding the world of men?  Or, could it be possible that they are everyday people (yes, people…men can be feminists too!) who just have certain beliefs?

            The Women’s Rights movement had begun in America in the late 1800s’ to early 1900s’. Throughout history, women have generally had fewer liberties and opportunities as compared to men.  Mostly, women were to maintain the house hold and look after children.  Some people thought women were mentally incapable of doing much else other than child-bearing, while others thought they were evil.  Although in some early eastern countries women were given more freedoms, the general consensus that women were meant to stay at home and give birth.  Women in the early 20th century began banding together to fight for their natural born rights, beginning the concept currently known as Feminism. 

Feminism is a movement for the rights of women, but by no means is its membership limited to women.  A common myth believed by most people is that men can’t be feminist.  The true sense of the word feminism has long since forgotten; it is a belief of equality of the sexes, however it is not the belief that men are inferior to or incapable of backing women.  Chauvinistic women are just as bad as chauvinistic men; there is no reason a man is unfit to empower women and believe in pro-woman ideals. 

            There are many issues that feminists are concerned with.  Although many ideas are core ideas of the feminist movement, many of them get lost in the tidal wave of the “right to choose.”  Abortion is clambered about by nearly all of the suit-jacket feminists, and although the abortion issue is indeed an issue that should be dealt with, it is not the only issue.   Wages, civil rights, GLBT rights, child-care, and peace movements are also important issues to be dealt with; these so-called “women’s issues” are not just issues for women; they are everyone’s issues.  Unfortunately, most people hear o the word feminism and no longer think of any right accept the right to “choose”.  Perhaps someone should choose to debate something else, because while the suit-jacket feminists are preaching about choosing, many other political matters are passing by unsolved.  Many female politicians work only on child care reform, speaking nothing on other issues for fear that it is the only thing that they can get done.  It is a popular view in today’s society that women get involved in government to reform child care.  Although child care does need all the attention it can get, other big ticket issues need to be put on the table, and progress is being limited by the “modern feminist”. 

            In general, the Feminist movement was begun in hopes that the quality of life would be improved, and women would feel empowered. It was started to give women the choice of staying at home or working, of voting or not voting, and many other decisions that were being made for them.  It gave women a chance to step back, take a breath, and realize that they too were people, and although some see this movement as the downfall of the institution of family, it could also be viewed as the foundation of a strong womanhood, despite the scary, business suit feminists.  Feminism is not a mean, power hungry machine; it is a hope for women everywhere that equality is an applicable theory, and not just some notion to keep them quiet, and thus far, it has done wonders.  Although the movement has made much progress over the years, the situation is nowhere near ended.  Women are still paid around thirty cents less than men per dollar, America has not yet had a female president, and every time a woman who believes in equal rights shares her opinion, someone somewhere is smirking and hypothetically patting her on the head.  Feminism is something everyone can belong to, and add their ideas to.  And, yes, on occasion, feminism is for men too!

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