Feminism & Patriarchy

Feminism is an entire world view or gestalt, not just a laundry list of women¡¦s issues. - Charlotte Bunch Feminism is a body of social theory and political movement primarily based on and motivated by the experiences of women. It includes an opposition to male domination, the notion that the sexes are culturally and not biologically formed, and the belief that women were a social group shaped to fit male notions about a defective sex . These arguments have over the years taken different forms, and have held varying degrees of significance in their respective societies. In the late 1960s, the post-war era of civil rights activism and anti-racist movements, feminist criticism was renewed, becoming more defined as the second wave of feminist criticism. Some feminist writers associated with this period are former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Friedan . More recently, some younger feminists have identified themselves as third-wave feminists while some second-wave feminists are still active.
Throughout history, societies have been in awe of manly virtues: The indomitable strength of Hercules, the conquest of Alexander the Great and the salvation of Jesus. It is therefore to an extent understandable that several cultures have consciously or otherwise placed men at the helm of affairs. Somehow, this has also led to the progressive subjugation of women. Societies in which this way of life is the accepted norm are called Patriarchal Societies. The women¡¦s rights movement brought with it new ideas about patriarchy. Feminist thinkers believed that patriarchy signified the cultural and social domination of women by men. Feminist thinkers in the United States questioned why sexual inequality persisted even after women had won the right to vote and had achieved legal equity. They also debated whether or not patriarchy is universal to all societies throughout history .
Even in present-day leadership, women more or less play second fiddle to their male counterparts. For instance, as at September 30th, 2006, there were only 8 women heads of state (excluding monarchs), out of 119 heads of state. This may sound alarming, even more so when compared with the world gender ratio of 101. This means that although there are approximately as many women as there are men, the fairer sex seems to be power shy. These statistics suggest a stifling of the political aspirations of women. But is this really the case? Or is the popular maxim ¡¥women are their own enemies¡¦ true to its words? I believe the answers lie in the upbringing and socialization of individuals.
Little Jack Horner sat in the corner
Eating his Christmas pie,
He put in his thumb and pulled out a plum
And said "What a good boy am I!"
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey,
Along came a spider who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away!ƒU

A casual look at this pair of nursery rhymes might not reveal anything of concern except for its rhythmic appeal to the young at heart. On closer examination however, one might wonder, who is Jack Horner anyway, and why is he made to get away with his piece of mischief and in the process made into a little hero? Miss Muffet, on the other hand, is not only rudely interrupted by a spider, but portrayed as a weakling who is incapable of handling the situation. In such subtle ways, infants are made to accept the notion of the female being the weaker sex. Of course, it would not be fair to assume that the writer deliberately aimed at propagating the ideals of patriarchy. The writer Thomas Muffet, a sixteenth century entomologist , most likely picked up those beliefs in his childhood, growing up in a misogynistic English society. Mr. Muffet is however not alone. Over the centuries, people have grown up having unspoken doubts about the capabilities of women. Even when persuaded to believe otherwise by the efforts of feminists, not all people are convinced.
Feminist critique can often be a one-sided, subjective look at the issues brought to light by their cause. Instead of taking into account the complex and sometimes conflictive issues that are apparent in the texts, some feminist critics choose to engage in questionable selectivity. The pervasive selectivity in feminist criticism of patriarchal literature renders the criticism suspect, and undermines its validity, authenticity, and legitimacy. A case in point is Florence Stratton 's Contemporary African Literature and the Politics of Gender , in which a critique is made of some of the themes in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. The book states several times that Okonkwo is very abrupt and violent with people in general. While Stratton is silent on Okonkwo 's violent behavior towards males, she brings under strict scrutiny his abuse of women. Thus, instead of exposing Okonkwo for what he is, a violent, arrogant, and intolerant man whose aberrant behavior is duly criticized and condemned by his people, she declares a gender war not only against Okonkwo but also against the men of Umuofia and the author of the novel, Chinua Achebe .
Feminists have drifted into simply asserting that ¡§a woman is as good as a man¡¨. It is necessary however, to pause and think about what exactly that means. It is beyond reasonable doubt that not every woman is as strong, clever, industrious or level-headed as any given man. Every woman¡¦s capabilities vary, and so do her wants and aspirations. Not every woman wants to fly a plane, work in a coal pit or enter a predominantly ¡¥male¡¦ industry. It is therefore important, when dealing with gender issues, not to see females as a collective group, but as individuals with differing opinions and sensibilities. Through advocacy for policies such as Affirmative Action for women, feminism threatens to breed a new crop of females who will expect success to be handed to them on a silver platter simply because of their ¡¥gender handicap.¡¦ Some young ladies might not work as hard as they should at the secondary level if they know that they will not have such a hard time entering the universities because of Affirmative Action. Another example would be that in order not to be branded as chauvinist-oriented, the board of a company may choose to pick a female for the position of Chief Executive over a more qualified male colleague. This move may initially gain nods of approval from the public, but the internal stresses arising from substandard leadership would be felt by the company in due time. Even Martin Luther King, who is popularly known as a proponent of equality for all races, said in his ¡¥I Have a Dream Speech¡¦ of August 1963 ¡V ¡¥I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character¡¦ . Similarly, women around the world need not fight for undeserved favour, but fair treatment determined by merit. Feminism over the years has taken firm root as a laudable cause in the development of humanism. Feminists have successfully debated their way against the dictates of patriarchal dominance, and continue to do so. They have caused important amendments in legislation around the world which have made life much easier for many. The human psyche naturally gravitates towards a need for liberty, and it is an ideal we all strive for in different ways on a daily basis. As long as feminists continue to blaze the trail in this direction, feminism will always be a commendable field of intellectual endeavour.

Bibliography

American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. ¡V ¡§I have a Dream Speech¡¨ 23 Nov 2006

Ashton-Jones, Evelyn and Gary A. Olsen eds. The Gender Reader, 2nd Edit. Boston: Allyn & Bacon 2000

Cruickshank, Barbara R. ¡§Patriarchy in Feminist Thought¡¨, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2004

Kolmar, Wendy and Frances Bartowski, eds. The Feminist Theory: A Reader. London and Toronto: Mayfield Publishing Company 2000

Nnaemeka, Obioma. ¡§Feminism, rebellious women, and cultural boundaries: rereading Flora Nwapa and her compatriots¡¨ 26 November 2006

Stratton, Florence. Contemporary African Literature and the Politics of Gender UK: Routledge 1994

Wright, Blanche Fisher. The Real Mother Goose, New York: Cartwheel Books Oct 1994

Bibliography: American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King, Jr. ¡V ¡§I have a Dream Speech¡¨ 23 Nov 2006 Ashton-Jones, Evelyn and Gary A. Olsen eds. The Gender Reader, 2nd Edit. Boston: Allyn & Bacon 2000 Cruickshank, Barbara R. ¡§Patriarchy in Feminist Thought¡¨, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2004 Kolmar, Wendy and Frances Bartowski, eds. The Feminist Theory: A Reader. London and Toronto: Mayfield Publishing Company 2000 Nnaemeka, Obioma. ¡§Feminism, rebellious women, and cultural boundaries: rereading Flora Nwapa and her compatriots¡¨ 26 November 2006 Stratton, Florence. Contemporary African Literature and the Politics of Gender UK: Routledge 1994 Wright, Blanche Fisher. The Real Mother Goose, New York: Cartwheel Books Oct 1994