The equality of men and
women.
Evtushenko
M. 11
"A”
CONFESSIONS OF A MALE
FEMINIST
Male feminist? What the devil
is that?
Isn't that a contradiction in terms? Or even an oxymoron? No! It is
not.
Feminism is the idea, and the
organized movement that supports it, that advocates political,
economic, and
social equality for both men and women - the key word being equality.
A feminist is a person who
believes in
and supports this idea. So, a male feminist is a man who believes in
equal
rights for both men and women.
To answer often thought but
unasked
questions in some men's minds, no, this does not mean that women want
to be
the same as men; they simply want equal rights, and no, a male
feminist is not
a man who wants to be a woman; he, too, is a person who simply wants
equal
rights for both sexes.
Why are women making such a
fuss about
equal rights? They can vote, own property, and work just like men; and
there
are lots of state and federal laws about equal rights. So, in reality,
don't
they already have equal rights? Yes and no. They do and they don't.
The main
problem is that many men still have patronizing feelings about "We got
to
protect the little woman" and "Women just aren't temperamentally
suited to
think logically (like men) or to be administrators." Until these men
learn
that logical thinking and administrative ability are not based on
gender but
are the result of training, education, experience, and drive or
desire, women
will not truly have equal rights.
"The world of humanity is
possessed
of two wings: the male and the female"
The emancipation of women,
the
achievement of full equality between the sexes is essential to human
progress
and the transformation of society. Inequality retards not only the
advancement
of women but the progress of civilization itself. The persistent
denial of
equality to one-half of the world's population is an affront to human
dignity.
It promotes destructive attitudes and habits in men and women that
pass from
the family to the work place, to political life, and ultimately to
international relations. On no grounds, moral, biological, or
traditional can
inequality is justified. The moral and psychological climate necessary
to
enable our nation to establish social justice and to contribute to
global
peace will be created only when women attain full partnership with men
in all
fields of endeavor.
The systematic oppression of
women is
a conspicuous and tragic fact of history. Restricted to narrow spheres
of
activity in the life of society, denied educational opportunities and
basic
human rights, subjected to violence, and frequently treated as less
than
human, women have been prevented from realizing their true potential.
Age-old
patterns of subordination, reflected in popular culture, literature
and art,
law, and even religious scriptures, continue to pervade every aspect
of life.
Despite the advancement of political and civil rights for women in
America and
the widespread acceptance of equality in principle, full equality has
not been
achieved.
The damaging effects of
gender
prejudice are a fault line beneath the foundation of our national
life. The
gains for women rest uneasily on unchanged, often unexamined,
inherited
assumptions. Much remains to be done. The achievement of full equality
requires a new understanding of who we are, what is our purpose in
life, and
how we relate to one another an understanding that will compel us to
reshape
our lives and thereby our society.
At no time since the founding
of the
women's rights movement in America has the need to focus on this issue
been
greater. We stand at the threshold of a new century and a new
millennium.
Their challenges are already upon us, influencing our families, our
lifestyles, our nation, our world. In the process of human evolution,
the ages
of infancy and childhood are past. The turbulence of adolescence is
slowly and
painfully preparing us for the age of maturity, when prejudice and
exploitation will be abolished and unity established. The elements
necessary
to unify peoples and nations are precisely those needed to bring about
equality of the sexes and to improve the relationships between women
and men.
The effort to overcome the history of inequality requires the full
participation of every man, woman, youth, and child.
The world of humanity is
possessed of
two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not
equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly. Until womankind reaches
the
same degree as man, until she enjoys the same arena of activity,
extraordinary
attainment for humanity will not be realized; humanity cannot wing its
way to
heights of real attainment. When the two wings ... become equivalent
in
strength, enjoying the same prerogatives, the flight of man will be
exceedingly lofty and extraordinary.
Men have an inescapable duty
to
promote the equality of women. The presumption of superiority by men
thwarts
the ambition of women and inhibits the creation of an environment in
which
equality may reign. The destructive effects of inequality prevent men
from
maturing and developing the qualities necessary to meet the challenges
of the
new millennium.
Equal access and full
enjoyment of
social rights are among the pillars of democratic societies. Yet, many
women
do not have equal access to social rights either because some of these
rights
are based on an outdated male breadwinner model or they do not take
into
account that women predominantly carry the burden of having to
reconcile
family and professional life. This is evident in many social
protection
systems, which in turn is one of the explanations of the feminization.
Feminism
Selivanova
Galina
10 "A”
Many women would argue that
there is a
different half of nation, which gets less than its share of power,
freedom and
wealth: the female sex. In spite of considerable change in social
attitudes
since 1945, and particularly since the feminists revolution which
began in the
1960s, women are still significantly disadvantaged.
Feminism is persuasion that
women have
rights for equal rights with men. According to doctrine of feminism
women in
modern society are at the unfavorable standing. Feminists have
different
points of view about base and reasons of patriarchy, right methods of
struggle, the character and depth of changes but all of them agree
that gender
doesn't justify supremacy or submission.
Feminism is a social and
cultural,
political and public movement. It was formed in XIX century and became
mass in
XX century.
Problems discussed by
feminists in XIX
century differ very much: problem of influence of family on woman's
personality; political rights of women; women's economical
independence from
their husbands and others. In XX century feminism developed from
social
movement for equal voter rights to movement for equal gender rights on
work
and at home.
Just from the time of born
girl is
oriented that she is "the second gender". For example, if you ask
Chinese how
many children he has he will count only number of his sons. At schools
boys
get more attention than girls. This doesn't depend from the country
and its
economical development.
Feminists don't like
divisions of
men's and women's roles in society invented by men and formed to laws
and
customs. Changing this divisions feminist movement includes people of
both
genders. Today for European people not to be a feminist is equal to be
a
racial or a anti-Semitism.
It seems that nobody calls in
question
of value of civil rights. But only under the influence of feminists in
the
list of infringements of rights and liberty were included oppression,
violence, leading to degradation of women. One countries blame others
for
rights infringement of group of population on national, ideological,
social or
professional sign. But no countries are blamed for women
discrimination. So
damage inflicted to women in sphere of liberty, honor, dignity,
accomplished
because of connivance of world community.
After 1960s under influence
of
feminist struggle independence of women increased in Western
countries;
discrimination became more difficult and rare appeared. Also changed
private
life because change of dispositions in society. Women had entered the
employment in increasing numbers and took part in public life. Raises
per cent
of men draw in household and raising of children. Nowadays nobody
obstacle
women in getting high education.
Feminist forces pay attention
to the
fact that women have no proper influence in all parts of social life.
There is
insignificant per cent of women in parliament and government. Today in
spite
of old ideas is known that men and women are differ only in
physiological
sphere. So women like men could play different roles in society, they
are able
to self-development and need in it. Feminist movement supports women's
political rushes. They are interested in women's participation in
structure of
authority (not only a formal equality).
Discrimination ranges well
beyond
government. No woman has ever been appointed as a police Chief
Constable.
Fewer than 3% of university professors are women. It is difficult to
think of
many successful women in business or industry.
Undoubtedly all society will
derive
profit. Women's talents and abilities will be put into practice in
social
life.
Men will be obligated to lose
part of
power. Bat they just gain if they share power. Women in authority
structures
will bring a lot of good, useful ideas and decisions. Such qualities
as
ability to take care, inclination to collaboration got their
development in
women. Today comes time that such qualities are needed in public,
international, global sphere to save humanity from catastrophe.