Marriage started to be viewed as a union of two equal people seeking love, happiness and stability in the 19th century. The women's rights movements of the 19th century were responsible for changing society's attitudes towards women. The change in the role of women in the society came from an acknowledgment of the voice about the condition of women in the society (Helgren & Collen, 2010). The social and political movements in the French and the American Revolution also made women realize how a change from collective points of view could result in radical changes. Women's roles began changing drastically after a greater emphasis was made to change the traditional bound functions of women.
Liberation is seen to be achieved through raising women’s consciousness of subjugation. Feminists believe that women have accepted inferiority to men subconsciously, and thus need to realise this before becoming liberated. Millet argues that women are in a “power-structured relationship…whereby one group of persons is controlled by another”, thus suggesting that feminists believe that in our current society men control women. Although there is controversy between feminists as to the extent of advancing a woman’s role within society, as first-wave feminists demand that women should enjoy the same legal and political rights as men, whilst second-wave feminists have greater focus on the personal side of society and call for complete social revolution. Whilst this presents a clear divide within the doctrine, it
Feminists were bold, outspoken, and more conscious of their female identity. Feminism focused particularly on economic and sexual independence for women. Economically, they believed that women should enter the modern age by seeking employment, in essence leaving their domestic responsibilities to paid employees. Sexually, they strongly advocated the use of birth control. This movement was led by Margaret Sanger.
Modernization throughout the time period is a factor of the advancement of civil rights for women since separate spheres, which was an ideology where men belonged in the public sphere that refers to the world of politics, economy and law. Where as women belonged in the private sphere where it included domestic work, child caring, housekeeping and religious education. Some Women did go against the ideology by working in a men dominated environment e.g. Politics. Activism by women was not the most important factor in advancing civil rights in certain issues and it would disagree with the judgment.
Ergo this reform led to women being a focal point in policy, providing legislation as early as 1919 - a Sex Disqualification act and later the 1970 Equal Pay act. Further to this it allowed women to be added to the political system without radical consequence, leading to the 1928 and 1969 Representation of the People
Module 4 Answering the Opposition ITT Technical “The Latest from the Feminist Front” What was your initial reaction to Limbaugh’s claim that “feminism was established so that unattractive women could have easier access to mainstream of society?” My initial reaction was that Limbaugh was being disrespectful to women in general. Al women have a right to easier access to society whether they are attractive or unattractive. They are still women and women should be respected as much as men are respected. His statement is also very insensitive. What are two of Limbaugh’s main points?
Frances Willard said, a wider freedom is coming to the women of America. Women of this time wanted to make a stand and let it their voices be heard. They wanted the view of women to change. Women wanted to be equal in everything from voting to education and everything in between. Although the women were not allowed to vote they were still able to gain economic independence as well as take a better stand in the public.
She believes that feminists and feminism attacks marriage and women who believe in marriage and simply being a good mother and wife. An example O’Beirne uses to express these attacks is an excerpt from a book call “The Future of Marriage” by Jessie Bernard. In the excerpt Bernard says that marriage simply holds women back: “Being a housewife makes women sick.” “To be happy in a relationship which imposes so many impediments on her, as traditional marriage does, women must be slightly mentally ill.” O’Beirne says that the feminist movement did nothing but confuse gender roles and weaken the family structure that was established. I personally am not quite sure which side to take so I’m sitting on the fence. I believe that feminists and their movement did do a great deal of good for our society as a whole.
She battled for women's rights and made it her personal responsibility to ensure someday women would be treated as equals. Alice should be looked at as not only a feminist, suffragist and political strategist, but as an incredibly important personal role model with great personal accountability. When asked why she dedicated her entire life to women's equal rights she replied, "When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down until you get to the end of the row", which truly embodies the essence of her infallible personal
Wollstonecraft, a European author, also wrote about the oppression of women. Her essay, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, was written in response to the new French Constitution in 1792, following the French Revolution which declared women excluded from all public areas. She asks the question, ‘What achievement suggests one person is more important than the other?’ Virtue is, she writes, the virtues of freedom to make your own decisions about your life and your family (Wollstonecraft, 1792). She also suggested that a woman who is educated and is allowed to practice the virtues of life will become an equal and not a dependent of her husband. What women must have felt at being officially excluded from public areas among other oppressive social behaviors was likely beyond humiliating.