I- Search Paper ( How The Role Of Women Has Changed History)

Feminism is a commitment to achieving the equality of the sexes. This radical notion is not exclusive to women: men, while benefiting from being the dominant sex, also have a stake in overcoming the restrictive roles that deprive them of full humanity.Though the media has maligned feminism as a drive for selfish fulfillment by female professionals, those who stand to gain the most are actually those who have the least. The demand for full equality for all women is profoundly radicalizing when it addresses the additional layers of discrimination women experience because of class, race, sexuality, disability, and age, and also the heightened impact on women and children of war, poverty and environmental degradation. Multi-issue feminism quickly develops into a critique of the whole social system.The role of women has greatly changed since 1840. One of the most significant changes for women has been with the power to have control over their bodies. In the 1840’s women had the idea that they were only housewives and that was their duty. This idea is significantly different from that of the 20th century.

The ideology of true womanhood was a widespread idea that women and men were complete opposites with almost no common traits that transcended the differences of gender in 1800’s. There were two separate spheres; women were in charge of the private sphere, or the family sphere, while the men controlled the public sphere, which contained all the politics. Women had the responsibility of teaching their young children, especially educating their young sons to be prominent members of society. This mainly was an ideology that was embraced by the middle-class white women. Working class women did not fit into this category. Some women began to work in factories instead of doing domestic housework, such as the mill girls of Lowell. Black slave women were also exempt from this category. Slave women were not allowed to live with their families, be educated, marry, or raise children-all of which are some of the basic needs to fulfill the ideology of true womanhood. Even though the ideology of true womanhood was a widespread idea, it does not include all women.

The feminist movement also encouraged women to exercise control over their bodies. Women liberation groups particularly addressed women’s health and reproduction along with the issues of abuse and violence. A major concern was rape and other sorts of violence towards women and to bring it to the attention of the public. Before women’s liberation groups, rape victims were accused of dressing provocatively and asking for it.” As they women brought this problem forward, it came clear how many sexual assaults went unreported. This campaign by women liberators gave women more control over their bodies and focalized also on women’s quest for sexual self-determination and its relationship to abortion.

As you can see, the idea of control over a woman’s body and its reproductive rights has greatly changed over since the 1840s. Women used to believe that their only responsibility was childbearing, childrearing and “keeping house.” Also, that they were subject to their husbands and had no voice. Reforms that began at the beginning of the century allowed women to have a voice and gain the control they rightly deserved over their own bodies. If these women were not brave enough to make the steps toward individualism, we would not be where we women are today.

Question:

Do you believe that women and men deserve equal rights and equal opportunities? If not, why not, specifically?

Cited: https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/feminism-womens-history

http://www.gender.cawater-info.net/knowledge_base/rubricator/feminism_e.htm