1.) Textbook term: Contradiction - refers to the tensions commonly present in one's communication, identity, relations with others and relations to the larger culture (DeFrancisco and Palczewski, pg 20).
What are some contradictory messages and expectations that males hear from our modern-day society?
I think some of the main stereotypes in today's society are that men are seen as a more dominant partner in a heterosexual relationship or that they are supposed to be the bread winners for their family. They are seen as the stronger and less emotional of the partners. It is more uncommon that you will see a male crying during a movie or singing their child to sleep. I think based on these stereotypes most men have fallen into the "norm" of the stereotypes as much as possible.
Identify whether these occur on individual, interpersonal and/or societal level(s) of communication. Expand on this concept.
On an individual level, I think there is less portrayal of these stereotypes just because each individual is different and has a different personality of their own whether they are male or female. I think that on a societal level men try to fit these stereotypes in hopes of being seen as dominant or maybe more desirable to someone they are trying to attract. I also think men do not want to seem "incapable" to their peers or friends so they try to come off more dominant and less sympathetic to certain issues in their lives.
2. Feminist politics expanded to include the recognition that patriarchy stripped men of certain rights, imposing on them a sexist masculine identity (hooks, pg 68).
Identify what you feel are some of the rights that patriarchy takes away from men.
I think some of the rights that have been taken away from men are the ones that allow them to express themselves fully. I think some men will keep certain feelings inside that might be seen as "sensitive" or "girly". I personally feel that anybody, man or woman, should be able to express themselves without worrying about being judged.
Are there privileges that men receive simply because they are born male?
I do think men receive certain privileges for being born male such as their wife taking their last name. But I also think women receive privileges for being born female as well. For example, in the third grade when we would line up for lunch, our teacher always let the girls line up first, teaching the boys that there was a "ladies first" rule. It was like that every single day for the entire year for lunch, until the very last day he let the boys line up first, just that once.
3.) hooks writes about the "men's liberation movement" and the men who identified themselves as victims of sexism and worked to liberate men (hooks, pg. 69).
What do men need to be liberated from? What would a men's liberation movement look like?
I think men should be liberated from all of the stereotypes put on them by society. I think they would experience less pressure and could feel more free to do the things they wanted and express themselves the way they wanted as well without being held accountable for "acting against the norm".
What changes would we see? Have we already experienced some of these changes in our society?
I think we have already seen some changes in society. For example, women have jobs that men would stereotypically have and they have been given the opportunity to make just as much if not more money than men in the work place.
What might an alternative masculinity look like?
I think we see it today as we see more male nurses or more stay at home fathers. They are more men that have taken on occupations and roles that are typically seen taken on by a female.
1.) I think the biggest contradiction is that males must be the rock for a family as perpetuated in the 1950s during the spread of suburbia. Back then, males were expected to provide for the family and to be the leader of the household. That message is still spread today, but it makes less and less sense due to the growth of non-traditional families. No longer are men expected to make all the money, but women are often large contributors. I think another contradiction is physical expectations. With society's obsession with body perfection, men are almost all expected to be muscular and very athletic and involved in sports.But, not all men play these games and have the body of a model as the media would like us to think.
2.)Some of the rights patriarchy takes away from men is basically freedom to express identity. Men are expected to exude masculine qualities concurrent with today's standards, and anything remotely feminine is instantly criticized. Patriarchy basically disdains males to be subordinate to women in any situation,l and many men could be uncomfortable with this standard.I definitely think there are privileges men receive simply because they are born male. The most common is the forgiveness for promiscuity, as we have discussed many times. Men are not ridiculed for their number of sexual partners like women are, but instead applauded for having more Males also have the privilege of not worrying about rape like women do; they know that there is virtually no chance of them getting raped by a stranger or to be afraid walking home by oneself late at night.
3.) I think men need to be liberated from the assumption that it is not masculine to show feminine qualities.Males have feelings and emotions, thought they are often judged harshly if they articulate them to a certain level as being a "girl" or a "fag". I think if a movement were to start, it would obviously be through mass media. Instead of "jersey Shore" type men, men with vulnerabilities and emotional capacity would be shown and eventually show the public that our perception of masculinity is overrated. I think we have seen some of these changes in society, especially with gradual acceptance of homosexuals. We are slowly evolving understanding to the point where just because a man is gay does not take away from his masculinity.Society is becoming more and more tolerant of this type of man and it could lead to changes of how masculinity is perceived.
1) Contradiction as identified in our textbook presents the notion that there are contradicting messages being sent towards men through the media and also through their daily interactions with men and women. In our modern day society men are expected to be providers, strong, and steady. While they are expected to take on a masculine role of being the face of bravery, they are also at the same time expected to be expressive and disclose their feelings in the same way that women commonly do. They are expected to be forward and assertive, but at the same time appear to be completely independent and self-sufficient.
To better illustrate my point check out this clip from P.S. I love you:
Examples of these contradictions take place at all levels. At the individual level men are faced with the confusion of what is masculine and what is not. At an interpersonal level there are expectations set according to your relationships and the people that you interact with interpersonally whether that be your girlfriend, boyfriend, fiance, mother, father, grandmother, or peer. At a societal level, there are major contradictions of what masculinity is and is not. Media portrayals enhance this contradiction.
2) In the hooks reading, the overall notion that I gathered is that because of patriarchy, men have not been able to form their own identity. It seems that because men are so used to having everything handed to them because they are 'deserving' of it, they have lost their own individual identity to form and develop the person that they could become if patriarchy did not exist. I don't necessarily believe this to be true. I think that in some extreme cases men may define a large part of their identity on what they can dominate or conquer because they are a man. However, not all men are given this privilege, especially in our world today where men and women seem to have similar competency. Are there privileges men receive just by being male born? I can't think of any off the top of my head.
3)The 'men's liberation movement' is an interesting concept for me to grasp. I don't think I can quite picture what this would look like! What exactly is it that men need to be liberated from?
If it is a matter of expectation that is placed upon them, there is always the choice to disagree and not participate. If a man doesn't want to ask someone on a date, then they don't have to. If they don't want to pay, then they don't have to. (to list some examples from class) What might an alternative masculinity look like? That is also a good question. I really don't have any idea. I know plenty of men who are masculine and who know exactly who they are and what their identity is rooted in despite the heavy influence of patriarchy in our society.
- We all know the Leave It To Beaver life, where the the woman's "job" is to take care of the kids and the house while the men are away at work - and even when they come home they still don't really have to interact with the kids in the way that the woman does. Nowadays, in our modern world, men are getting the contradictory message of upholding the old standard of bringing home the bacon, but now they are also being told to come home and be a "good dad". While, from my standpoint, it is not difficult to be asking someone to do the two things, it can be psychologically taxing to be taking in those two different messages.
- I think that this example would hit someone at all 3 levels of communication. On the societal level, the main conflicting messages of being the breadwinner while also being Mr. Mom would be coming from all avenues ranging from the media, to the impact the past still has on us, to society in general. On the interpersonal level, the messages we get from the world around us actually hit home when interacting with those that we are close to. For example, unless talking to another stay-at-home dad, a man talking to one of his friends about what he does every day is likely to get slack about taking care of the tots while the "real men" are out making a living. As mentioned earlier, a psychological toll can be taken on someone when the conflicting ideals they are getting from the outside duke it out on the inside. Everyone can put their two cents into a conversation regarding an internal fight with themselves regarding whatever they are doing that is in stark contrast to what is being preached in society. This individual level of communication viewpoint shows how the messages we are getting from our society could wreak havoc on the messages we are telling ourselves/establishing in our lives as "truths".
2.)
- One of the biggest things I think that the patriarchy takes away from men is the ability to use "feminine" communication skills such as empathy, caring, and listening - at least in public domains. The video example below shows the stereotypical way in which men communicate when around other men.
In the beginning, the person who gets made fun of for saying "I love you" shows how guy-guy communication is different from guy-girl communication. Obviously come sort of caring and loving relationship exists between the couple for them to say that they love each other, but that doesn't fly when around other guys. In our society, it is communicated at a young age to boys that showing emotion is not something that is allowed (DeFrancisco & Palczewski, p. 39-40).
- In regards to communication, men are given the right/privileged to be outspoken and are given the mindset that they are "always right". The below video example shows how not only men are very boisterous, but how, in contrast to women, they are loud and assume themselves to be right.
In the clip, the guy who is guessing is obviously wrong once the woman next to him gives the right answer as to what is being drawn, but he still asserts that he is right until the other guy knocks him down a peg by telling him that his guesses are ridiculous. In the whole scene, if we were to count the number of guesses made by just the "monkey" guy and the woman on the same team, we would find that the guy makes many more guesses. Even though the majority of his guesses are hilariously wrong, there is still the stereotype of a domineering man who is speaking over and against a woman - even though she is right.
3.)
- As talked about earlier, one of the biggest things that men are facing is the assumption that they will all be inherently masculine, regardless of their personal wants because they are men. This is something that men need to be liberated from because not every man is muscularly superior, wanting to be the sole provider for their future family, or interested in being emotionally distant. There are men in our society who go against the ideals of being masculine, but just like those who were part of the feminist movement who were not anti-male, they are not highly visible in the media and are therefore assumed to be nonexistent. - Personally, I think that men's liberation is already in progress. Again, referencing something from earlier, men who are stay-at-home fathers are the ones who have begun to take the first steps. Not only are they seeing life from an angle that used to be "off limits", but they are also able to gain some "feminine traits" that would possibily not have been available in another domain. However, as a whole, this is not enough to be deemed a movement. In comparison to the feminist movement, in which things are being done to change women's lives, the topic of men's liberation is taken as more of a joke and thus swept under the rug. It is assumed by our society that men are already liberated, but it's those same ideas that assign what it means to be a man that are keeping men confined. - I think that an alternative masculinity would look the same as an alternative femininity. In other words, if the lines between the two were to be blurred to the point in which the idea of a little of both in everyone was glorified, that would be my alternative masculinity. Basically, I don't like the idea that there assumed roles for people still - everyone should be able to do everything.
1) I think that males (and all groups of people, for that matter) hear many contradictory messages from our modern day society. Young boys are expected to engage in rough play. Older boys are expected to be athletic and play sports. Men are not supposed to show their feelings and are considered "sissies" if they don't fight back. The idea of how men are expected to act as "gentlemen." Men as breadwinners for the family, and responsible for the finances. The list could go on and on.
I think that these messages occur on the individual, interpersonal, and societal levels simultaneously.Society sets strong, pervasive expectations of what it means "to be a man." These messages are perpetuated through our relationships with other people, where the norms are reinforced through acceptance or punishment by our peers. Finally, our interactions with society and on an interpersonal level lead to our feelings of self worth, where we internalize the judgements from society to judge ourselves. The following is a video about a young man named Kirk Murphy, who in 1970 underwent experimental therapy because he displayed effeminate behaviors. In 2003, Kirk, who was gay, committed suicide:
(SuchIsLifeVideos, 2011)
The second video in this video series confronts George Rekers, the researcher who performed this experiment, and has written several books where he mentions this experiment, proclaiming it a success:
(SuchIsLifeVideos, 2011)
2) I think that there are rights men have taken away from them because of patriarchy, related to the above messages they are receiving. Men are "not allowed" to: cry or show emotion, stay at home and raise children, show interests in more 'feminine' activities without being made fun of, be bad at athletics without being scrutinized, be bad at repairing things, etc. However, at the same time, there are also privileges men receive by being "born male." In many situations men receive the final word, men were allowed to vote before females, men make up a larger proportion of government leadership (we have yet to have a female president), men usually (in the past more than now) controlled the finances, and men received more pay for the same work as women in many jobs.
3) Men need to be liberated from the stereotypes of masculinity that are so prevalent in society. Men, women, and all other identities alike should be able to enjoy the same opportunities and freedoms of choice in jobs, expressions, etc. In order for men (and everyone) to be liberated, we would need to change not only how we think about masculinity, but how it is portrayed in the media and to our children as well. Some changes have already taken place, including more men becoming stay at home dads, and the greater of acceptance of men in jobs (such as nurses) that are seen has having more traditional female roles. An alternative masculinity may look more like a man who is confident in himself and his identity, while not prescribing to or being bound to the stereotypes of an gender or identity in society.
SuchIsLifeVideos. (2011, June 07). AC360 - The 'sissy boy' experiment - Part one. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-irAT0viF0
SuchIsLifeVideos. (2011, June 08). AC360 - The 'sissy boy' experiment - Part two (confronting George
1. I really don't know what kind of contradictory messages or expectations men hear from society. I don't think that society should expect anything from us beyond being productive/contributing members of society. It seems silly that we worry so much about what society wants us to be, I have done plenty of things because they are what "society" deems important, and a some of those things ended up not having a positive influence on my life. These different expectations put on us, are on an individual, interpersonal and societal level. I really think we spend way to much time worrying about what society wants, when we should be worrying about our immediate relationships and what we expect from ourselves.
2. I believe that patriarchy takes away a man's "right", to be feminine or publicly emotional, it also puts us in a position that we may not want but have no choice but to comply because society says its the way things are done. I definitely think that in some instances men do get certain privileges simply for being men. I cannot think of any off the top of my head but it would be silly to say that it never happened.
3. Men need to be liberate from the pressures, put on by society, to be dominant, hide or disregard emotion, and aggressive. I think we would eventually see more women in positions of power because men would not be as pressured to be the boss or the dominant figure. I believe we have seen this slowly happening over the years. An alternative masculinity might be men who can openly discuss feelings and desires to not be aggressive or dominant, and still be considered a "real man".
In order for me to define feminism Bell Hooks says that we need to be able to understand sexism is. sexism is bacisally dicriminating a sex because of their gender. so this leads me to feminism. I believe that feminism is not having an open mind about a gender. Or putting one suborbante group down just because you are not comfortable with who you are.
I really liked how Hooks made it very clear about women were not the only gender that could be feminist. The book talked a lot about this, meaning you could be a different race, gay/straight or etc... these are perfect examples of how believing in who you truely are will define your chararteristcs.
Of course I am feminist!!!!! I am all about this equal gender. Yes we are all humans. So we have different body parts, females have one less chromone, but who cares. All that matters is if we have an open mind about life now days. This will not only benefit our generation, but the generations to come after us.
women taking the males last name... we have yet to have a women president... the military only lets women partake is only some actions and etc... like i said before.... if we start to have a more open mind about our world this would help the males to over come this barrior that men are suppoir to women!!!!!!!!!!!
1.) Textbook term: Contradiction - refers to the tensions commonly present in one's communication, identity, relations with others and relations to the larger culture (DeFrancisco and Palczewski, pg 20).
What are some contradictory messages and expectations that males hear from our modern-day society?
Most forms of media focus on traditional gender roles, which encourage men to be "manly" and "dominant". This dominance has an influence on the character roles men play in television and movies as well. More often than not, men play the super-heros, bread-winners, and big time CEOs. These roles probably influence a lot of the male viewers' opinions on their personal levels of success based on these gendered stereotypes.
Identify whether these occur on individual, interpersonal and/or societal level(s) of communication. Expand on this concept.
I personally think they occur on all levels. Clearly, if the media is portraying these roles, it is happening on a societal level, but a man's interpretation of these roles is done more on an individual and interpersonal level. To say that men (or women for that matter) are not affected by media portrayals of gender roles is pretty naive, so I think all of the levels have an effect on one another.
2.) Feminist politics expanded to include the recognition that patriarchy stripped men of certain rights, imposing on them a sexist masculine identity (hooks, pg 68).
Identify what you feel are some of the rights that patriarchy takes away from men.
I don't know if I agree with the phrase "takes away from men", but I recognize that patriarchy does impose a masculine identity for men. To me, this is a traditional gender role that many men naturally adhere to. I do, on the other hand, recognize that not all men wish to follow this role, which would result in a conflict of their rights.
Are there privileges that men receive simply because they are born male?
Yes, I'd agree with that statement, but I'd also add that females are born with privileges men don't have as well, so I think it's a give and take. But yes, I do agree men are naturally born with privileges based solely on their gender.
3.) hooks writes about the "men's liberation movement" and the men who identified themselves as victims of sexism and worked to liberate men (hooks, pg. 69).
What do men need to be liberated from? What would a men's liberation movement look like?
Masculine gender roles seen in the media and societal expectations. It would probably be removing those biased stereotypes from the media and working to encourage broader thinking on a societal level.
What changes would we see? Have we already experienced some of these changes in our society?
Same as what I talked about above. I think our society and media in general have become more open to more feminine roles for men in movies and television, but there's always room for improvement.
What might an alternative masculinity look like?
A man taking on more stereotypical feminine roles-stay at home dads, being a partner in a marriage where the woman has the dominant job, etc.
Blog Prompt #2: Masculinity Through a Feminist Lens
By Alexandra Rose, Anna Mullen, Seth Krasne and Philipe DaSilva
We start this discussion by jumping from introductory material in the first blog straight to chapter 12 near the end of the book to present to you the concept of feminist masculinity. Why do we make such a decisive leap over chapters about sisterhood and reproductive rights? This is a bold move that continues the invitation to join in a discourse about what feminism means to everyone: men, women and all other categories of persons. By engaging the concept of masculinity into this discourse about feminism we can build a strong foundation and then tackle the other topics that tend to be more feminine-centered.
As a class we have just finished defining feminism and learned that it is about humanity and our right to live in a world without sexism in all forms. Many of us are still getting used to this new definition of feminism: feeling it, tasting it, looking at it from a distance. It is about equals, balance, same opportunities, symmetry. Let's take this new definition of feminism, hold it up to our eyes and look through the lens to discover a lesser known aspect of feminism: masculinity.
hooks offers us a guided history of the masculine movement within the feminist movement. Women at the beginning of the contemporary feminist movement began realizing that men were not the problem. Some women had already realized this and called on men to join in their movement against all forms of sexism. Some men were already part of the contemporary feminist movement, considering it equal to other movements of social justice. Unfortunately, as hooks notes, these smaller factions were not represented in the media. So the contemporary feminist movement became connoted with angry women who were anti-male. It seemed there was no place for men in feminism.
But as we have been learning through our texts, blogs and discussions, there is a place for men in feminism. In fact, there is a place for everyone in feminism (hence the title of the book) regardless of sex, gender or experience with the issues at hand. Our textbook views gender as a system of meaning: dynamic, changing, a process that constantly evolves. With this in mind, look at how the feminist movement shapes and contributes to a male's idea of masculinity and femininity. This can include contradictory messages and limited opportunities for men and boys, paralleling the experience of many women and girls.
We found this video interview with a music artist talking about masculinity. He offers some great points to think about and incorporate into our class discussion (Warning: he drops the f-bomb once):
After all of this discussion about masculinity and femininity, this makes us think about how these are defined and contained in each of us. How do you define these terms in your life? Keep this in mind for our discussion and for now give some thoughtful answers to the blog questions.
Questions
1.) Textbook term: Contradiction - refers to the tensions commonly present in one's communication, identity, relations with others and relations to the larger culture (DeFrancisco and Palczewski, pg 20).
What are some contradictory messages and expectations that males hear from our modern-day society?
Identify whether these occur on individual, interpersonal and/or societal level(s) of communication. Expand on this concept.
2.) Feminist politics expanded to include the recognition that patriarchy stripped men of certain rights, imposing on them a sexist masculine identity (hooks, pg 68).
Identify what you feel are some of the rights that patriarchy takes away from men.
Are there privileges that men receive simply because they are born male?
3.) hooks writes about the "men's liberation movement" and the men who identified themselves as victims of sexism and worked to liberate men (hooks, pg. 69).
What do men need to be liberated from? What would a men's liberation movement look like?
What changes would we see? Have we already experienced some of these changes in our society?
What might an alternative masculinity look like?
Please be honest, articulate and respectful. Thank you for participating!
References
DeFrancisco, V. P., & Palczewski, C. H. (2007). Communicating gender diversity: A critical approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
hooks, b. (2000). Feminism is for everybody: Passionate politics.
I found a better Full House video for you all than the one I previously had, but can't find it by searching Youtube to put it in my previous post... so here it is! For the purpose of this discussion, I would suggest you start watching around 6:50.
The two-culture theory suggests that boys and girls develop opposing conversational styles because of gender/sex segregated language user groups. It also suggests that there are gendered interaction styles, especially when interacting in same-sex groups.
In the studies, girls interacted in smaller groups, placed a greater emphasis on talk, and used negotiation. In their presumed play roles, they 1) used collaborative, cooperative talk; 2) avoid criticizing, outdoing, or putting others down; and 3) pay attention to others and relationships.
Boys, in contract, interact in larger groups and focus more on competition and independence. In their presumed play roles, they 1) use communication to achieve something; 2) attract and maintain audiences; and 3) compete for the "talk stage."
However, not all communication fits into these somewhat stereotypical views. Girls in sports defy these presumed play roles, as does shared play between boys and girls. As children transition into adolescence, there is a greater pressure to create a heterosexual identity. Boys tend to go from playing games to athletics, while girls move from games to sitting and watching boys.
The television show Full House provides a good example of children's gendered play styles, through the interactions of Michelle with her friends.
How does the above video show Michelle's interactions with her friends? How do her interactions both support and break the expectations of the gendered play roles?
AmFilms123. (2010, January 16). Full House moments - The Aaron Bailey Chronicles! (1/3) [Video file].
Retrieved on January 27, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XlgPAyzEUw
DeFrancisco, V. P., & Palczewski, C. H. (2007). Communicating gender diversity: A critical approach. Los
So at this point or really last night by midnight, Discussion Leaders will post a summary of the threads that they moderated. You are working in teams of 3-4 so each of you will respond to about 4-6. You will make comments on those blogs and then individually post a summary of your blogs @ midnight the day before the discussion. Since this is a practice run at the discussion assignments I gave you a little longer on the blog posts and am a little late on the summary. I will comment on your blogs individually as well to provide feedback.
Based on my readings of this thread, I found a few key themes:
1.) Feminism May Indeed Be For Everyone...according to hooks' definition.
It was pretty much unanimous that we all agreed with hooks definition of feminism. Many people commented that based on this definition they would consider themselves to be a feminist or supportive of feminist beliefs. I think this discussion really highlights the importance of bell hooks' theorizing and writing. She makes theory and philosophy accessible! I wish more thinkers (I'm talking to you Judith Butler!) would adapt this style. It's so much easier to identify your own values and beliefs in a piece of writing that is succinct, captivating, and spot on without using all of that scholarly jargon.
2.) Debunking the Feminist Mystique
I admit that in my youth and prior to reading this text, I too fell into the trap of the feminine mystique. What I mean by that is the belief that feminists were radical man haters who were hell bent on ridding the world of men, never shaving, and sitting around braiding their hair in drum circles. I also believe that to truly be a feminist I could not be attracted to men or identify as straight. I look back on this falsehood not with shame, but honestly with a sigh of relief that I have overcome those fears. I was able to work past all of those stereotypes and media mythologizing to be able to understand what this whole feminism thing is about. It's not a person per say, but a movement to make the world a better places for all gender identities and expressions.
Reading your blogs, I think it's fair to say that many of you were coming to terms with these issues as well. When asked if you were a feminist, why or why not, the majority of you responded in the area of maybe, moderately, or the I'm not a feminist, but I support the movement. This left me wondering why it was so hard to use the label feminist. I did not come out as a feminist until last spring. I think I was out in high school, but had put it away in college. I didn't want to be attributed to the negative stereotypes that went along with feminism (it really wouldn't make for great date conversation) so I used the "I'm not a feminist but..." discourse. And honestly I think that's fine because....
3.) Language: The Binary that Binds
The trouble I've had with definitively saying, "yes I'm a feminist" is the very term itself. Feminist implies feminine, which then implies female. It's this faulty logic that Judith Butler's all about with queer theory. We need to break ourselves of binary thinking to be able to adequately express ourselves linguistically. This binary way that we have shaped our language in terms of sex, gender, and sexuality limits our ability to be able to reach out and unite movements across binary categories. Would more people be willing to identify with the movement if it was labeled something else? Or do we have to change the ideology surrounding the label to make a difference? Why do men have a hard time identifying or feeling welcome in the feminist movement?
Personally, I would define feminism as an ideology striving for equal rights for all humanity including sex, race, class, sexual orientation, ability, etc.
In terms of the definitions of feminism, how do you respond to bell hooks?
I agree with the definition bell hooks provides in the text. I like the simplicity, but I also think the simplicity is one of it's weaknesses.
How does this definition compare/contrast to those offered by urbandictionary.com?
This definition compares to the ones offered by urban dictionary in reference to equality between men and women, but lacks to mention all human groups and not just gender.
2.) Based on these definitions, do you consider yourself to be a feminist?
Why or why not?
I have always considered myself to be a feminist, and these definitions help to confirm my considerations.
3.) Revolutionary feminist consciousness-raising emphasizes the role of patriarchy as an institutionalized system of domination perpetuated by men as well as women.
Can you name some examples of patriarchy?
The most obvious example of patriarchy in society is a woman taking a man's last name after marriage, and children taking their father's name. If I didn't hate my maiden name, I would have considered hyphenating my husband and my last names, or having him take mine. Additionally, women are not currently included in the draft and are unable to patcipate in certain military units. Another example is that the U.S. has never had a women president. Also, women are paid less for the same work and are ridiculed more for the same amount of promiscuity. There are several more, but these were the ones that came to my head first.
How are these examples and?
I personally believe that these examples are contiuned so easily simply because the media and society emphasize that it is the "norm."
1. I think of feminism as a baseline goal where all human beings are human beings, starting at the same point with all of the same opportunities. But then I stop and hear how idealistic this sounds. Different people have different opportunities for many reasons: socioeconomic status, country of origin, family history, year of birth, religion, government and gender. So feminism would be the process of crossing gender off that list.
What I like about bell hooks’ definition of feminism is the succinct nature because it demonstrates that something as broad and complex as a social movement spanning a century can be accurately summarized in one sentence. This helps it feel accessible to anyone. I also appreciate the neutral wording that doesn’t say anything about either gender with words like women, men, female, male, etc. This embodies the core of true feminism, which is not just women’s rights as it is so often mistaken, but for humanity’s rights in terms of living in a world without sexism in any form. However, there is one thing that I do not like about bell hooks’ definition of feminism. It is defined as a movement against something, to end something. I prefer movements that work toward goals and create new things and ideas, which indeed the feminist movement does. An example of this difference is a quote I heard by Mother Teresa, “You’ll never see me at an anti-war protest, but I would attend a peace rally.” Same goal, different approach.
I would like to add here that I have been trying to think all day of a new word for feminism. Don’t you agree? Let’s let go of a word that has a multitude of connotations and mistruths and is not as gender-neutral as it could be. Feminism/female/femme, etc. If we really want this word to represent a movement that is for humanity and not just females, let’s name it accordingly.
2. I hesitate to say yes or no that I am a feminist, and this surprises me. I think I get tripped up on not only the connotations of feminism, but also the multitude of situations in which I may or may not have a feminist value or action. Sometimes I have mixed feelings about the same thing, which is actually a term used in our textbook discourse: contradiction. An example is women in the workforce. I support a society in which women earn income through fulfilling careers outside of the household if they so choose. On the other hand I also have concern about the juggling act that ensues for a working mother and how multi-tasking and stress can affect her parenting. I think sometimes feminism is seen as a checklist: reproductive rights, career opportunities, voting rights, etc., and if someone doesn’t check one then they are not a true feminist. Take one topic, reproductive rights, and you have a major issue on your hands that cannot be easily broken down into component parts. It is a complex topic with overlapping areas such as history, religion, biology, ethics and so much more. And on top of that, often the “best” answer when it comes to reproductive rights differs on a case-by-case basis. So I would say that yes I am a feminist – but with my own footnotes.
3. Examples of patriarchy that come to mind:
-children having their father’s last name instead of their mother’s (which is also her father’s)
-most US currency represents historical male figures
-all US presidents so far have been male
-all US Federal Reserve Chairman have been men (person who heads US central banking)
-all popes are male
These and other examples of patriarchy are perpetuated and maintained by tradition, status quo and power.
Within the bell hooks readings feminism is described as a movement towards equality of women. She describes this equality as something to be reached in order that women are able to be recognized as equal citizens with the ability to contribute to this world just as much as the male population. I think that she did a wonderful job of describing many of the misconceptions that the term ‘feminism’ has attached to it. The negative connotations that go along with this term are very much an ideology that feminism is associated with sexism, blindly assuming that all feminists are out to trample men and the rights that they have, to rise up and conquer and dominate.
The definition that bell hooks puts forth about what feminism is compared to the urban dictionary definition is actually quite similar. Looking at some of the first posts it is described how feminism is focused around equality and liberty between the two sexes. I was surprised by my findings on this website. My experience is normally that the definitions on urbandictionary are pretty skewed and irrational banter.
2)
I would consider myself to be a moderate feminist with the understanding that I believe that women are entitled to equality just as much as men are. I believe that as women we have a unique and different approach to the world as compared to men, but that does not make us any less competent than men. Through my upbringing I take a more traditional view on a women’s role in society. I do believe that women are more nurturing.
3)
One of the most prevalent types of patriarchy that I can think of is that of the normative family structure in much of Western Society. In an article by Deborah King the influence of Religion is addressed when understanding the effect of patriarchy on Western Culture.
She states, “The great majority of us in the West carry a shared lineage, since all three of the great Western monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - trace their roots back to the patriarch Abraham/Ibrahim. It doesn't matter if we had a totally secular upbringing and have never stepped foot inside a church, temple, or mosque: that heritage is alive and well in our cellular memory, and that heritage is, for the most part, one where men rule and women obey.”
I think that she makes a really important point in stating that it does not matter if you practice one of these prevalent religions or not, their influence still greatly impact and affect our culture and the way that we live every day. The influence of these religions structure the many different family types to center around a heavily patriarchal influence, often subordinating the women to the rule of men.
hooks, b. (2000). Feminism is for everybody: Passionate politics.
Urbandictionary.com (n.d.). Feminism. Retrieved on January 20, 2012 from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=feminism.
King, Deborah (2009). Patriarchy Is Alive and Well. Psychology Today. Retrieved on January 20, 2012 from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mining-theheadlines/200905/patriarchy-is-alive-and-well
