Preview

Feminist Definition Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
575 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Feminist Definition Essay
All of my life I’ve been told “you throw like a girl!” or when I’m upset, I’m asked “Is it ‘that’ time of month?” From a young age, being a girl was to be the lesser sex, and now there’s a group of people who fight against these roles. “Feminism- The advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, and economic and social, equality to men” (cite); This is the definition for feminism, which is the radical notion that women, are people too. This includes that being a female, isn’t an insult. Feminism to most people, goes with a feminist, or a person who believes women should be allowed to have the same rights as men. However, feminism should have a second definition because to be a feminist is more than believing women are equal to men. To be a feminist is to fight for change in the social, political …show more content…
To be a feminist is to be a strong, and independent person. In order to define feminism one should understand the definition of a feminist. “The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities” (Merriam Webster). This definition is only 1/4 of what it takes to be a feminist. I think that feminists are strong-willed, and accepting. I have found that being a feminist isn’t simply agreeing that woman should be paid the same as men, and being a girl shouldn’t be an insult. But that being a feminist is stating that a person believes in something and they have the guts to defend it. For instance feminism is very prominent in culture and media. To quote Caitlin Moran's book How to be a Woman, “Here is a quick way of working out if you’re a feminist, put your hand in your pants; A) Do you have a vaginia? B) Do you want to be in charge of it? If you said ‘yes’ to both of those questions, congratulations. You’re a feminist” (Moran). Though I agree with a portion of this I find that some men advocate to enhance women's rights as well. This quote is a powerful example of how simply one can define a portion of

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    What is the correct meaning of the powerful word “feminist?” Today, feminism is usually referred to as a woman who supports her rights. Hawthorne represents feminism through his character Hester, in “The Scarlet Letter” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Although people view women as weak, Hester was a strong female character that stood up for herself by raising her daughter alone, protecting her secret lover, and even experiencing the pain of wearing the shameful letter “A.” Usually, men view women as weak by saying that they are not able to do certain things that men can, which is irrelevant. Hester raised her daughter Pearl all on her own without any help. even though raising a child on your own is very challenging at times. While constantly…

    • 146 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Feminism In Penny Weiss

    • 116 Words
    • 1 Page

    Feminism has been born through decades of ignorance and misguidance, a perception of a weaker sex, and a belief that equality is not truly meant for all. Because of this deprivation of equality and privileges that exist exclusively for men, decades of work have been put forth from the feminist movement to ensure that no woman will any longer be held back or have opportunities revoked simply for having the status of a “weaker” gender. Before taking this class, I was hesitant to ever label myself in such a manner and questioned those who had, but after reading Penny Weiss’ revealing piece “I am not a feminist, but …” I no longer have that same reluctance.…

    • 116 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I guess many people around the world doesn’t know what feminism really means. Feminism by definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Equal opportunities in every aspect of life, from politics to…

    • 897 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    According to the dictionary, feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. This means that what a feminist wants is not a matriarchal society where men are oppressed by domineering women, but equality for women. This doctrine has existed for many years, and it first became prominent during the late eighteenth century. However, if we are to explore how feminism affects society today, we must focus on its more recent history. Specifically, the “second wave” of feminism which arose during the 1950s and 1960s. This new feminist movement arose a few years after the publication of The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. This book struck a nerve with the American housewife, and caused many to question if all a woman was capable of doing was merely cooking, cleaning, and pleasing her husband. In 1966 Friedan and others formed an activist group named the National Organization for Women, or NOW. This group demanded equal pay for equal work and enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination in employment due to race and/or gender. As the feminist movement progressed, more and more women began to stand up for their rights, until in 1980, when women comprised the majority of undergraduates. But enough with history, how does feminism exist in our society today? First we must take a look at how feminism is perceived. According to…

    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    ANT 206 Final Paper

    • 1275 Words
    • 4 Pages

    What is Feminism? According to the Webster Online Dictionary, feminism is the “belief in social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.” Feminist movements are formed to give these rights to women who have been deprived of their privileges and rights denied by society. In this essay, I will discuss feminism in America as a movement which aims to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression. According to bell hooks “the feminist movement is not about being anti-male, the movement is to clearly address the problem of sexism in society today” (hooks 2000: viii-ix). What Hooks meant by this statement is that the feminist movement is not a male-bashing movement, but a movement for us as Americans and worldwide to end unfair treatment of people because of their sex.…

    • 1275 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Webster's New Explorer Dictionary defines feminism as an organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests (“Feminism”). Over the past 200 years, women have fought for these rights in an effort to receive equal pay, voting rights, and marriage equality; however, these are only some of the things that feminists have fought for. In addition, average women are not the only ones fighting for their rights. Along with them are celebrities, human activists, political, and historical figures that also strive to see a day where a woman's rights are equal to the typical white man's rights. As Susan B. Anthony, a woman’s rights activist once said, “The day may be approaching when the whole world will recognize woman as the equal of man”.…

    • 1078 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Men and women in America can be treated as equals and are able to get equal opportunities. Actions are being taken by women who see themselves as feminists. A feminist is a person who supports social, political, legal and economic rights for women equal to those of men.…

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bad Feminist Analysis

    • 1125 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Feminist: A person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes. “Feminism” is a complex noun that is perceived in hundreds of ways, some positive and some negative. Roxane Gay’s novel, Bad Feminist, expresses that feminism is a movement that needs to be guided and lead by confidence in one’s values and beliefs, teamwork and support, and recognition that equality should be universal.…

    • 1125 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the 1860s the fight for women's rights had started, since then we've made many accomplishments one of the biggest being the 19th amendment women's right to vote. Feminism is the belief in social, political, and economic equality of the genders. Feminism can also be described as a movement, and it's the feminist movement that's been trying to give equal rights to all women who have been denied of their equality and rights.…

    • 73 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Study

    • 325 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Feminism is the ideaology aimed at achieiving equality in political, economic, social rights and equal opportunities as the opposite sex. It opposes domestic violence and sexual assult.…

    • 325 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the 1800s, women did not have the same rights that they do now. Because of this, feminists fought for women’s rights. Feminism is defined as the ideology and movements that have the goal of creating equality between men and women. Feminist movements in the United States have given women many more rights than they previously had. Some of these rights include the right to vote and reproductive rights (Feminism, 2017).…

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The definition of feminism according to the Webster’s dictionary is, “the belief that men and women…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Room of One's Own Essay

    • 3993 Words
    • 16 Pages

    In a word, feminism moves toward FEMININE standards, a concern for what is good or appropriate for women as women.…

    • 3993 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Defining Feminism

    • 1137 Words
    • 4 Pages

    What comes to mind when you hear the word “feminism” or “feminist”? Let’s start with the basics. Sex, politics, women, oppression, equality, media and etc. only make up a portion of what feminism stands for in our society today. With so many varied opinions, feminism can be very difficult to define yet alone understand. However, by conducting research online and studying the works of both Hooks and Valenti, I was able to articulate my own perspective on what feminism personally means to me.…

    • 1137 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Feminism

    • 1029 Words
    • 5 Pages

    You may find that you believe in the theory of feminism, but do not see yourself…

    • 1029 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays