Feminism in the 21st Century
Feminism is both a theory and a practice. It is defined by Webster's Dictionary as "the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities" as well as any "organized activity in support or women's rights and interests."[1] The word was first included in the Oxford Dictionary in 1852.[2] It is commonly thought of as divided into chronological waves, with 21st Century feminism being included in the third wave.
Intersectionality in Feminism
Intersectionality is the study of intersections between forms or systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination.[3] There are many examples of this, one being black feminism, a school of thought which emerged in the 1960s and argues that gender and sex interplay with race and class. Intersectionality forces connections between groups that are often discriminated against or oppressed, as there are many members of society that cannot relate to one sole group. The Intersectionality Theory was introduced in 1989 by Kimberlé Crenshaw. Crenshaw and other feminist scholars stated that feminism was a part of "intersecting opressions."[4] Intersectionality works to stop the divides between feminists, that so often begin when a new barrier affects some, but not all. Crenshaw highlights how easy it is for a group of oppressed people to work together towards a common goal, as long as they are facing all of the same barriers.[5] Intersectionality pushes for an expansion of that, and for an increased understanding among feminists. Intersectionality goes beyond merely including women of colour, disability, and women facing other oppressions in the plight of the white, middle-class feminist. Critically, as radical profeminist Andrea Smith notes, a re-centering of the entire history of feminism is necessary for true intersectionality to exist. [6]
The Three-Wave Theory
A very common view of feminism is that it has emerged in three chronological waves over the past century or so. The first wave begun around the late 19th and early 20th Century. [7] There was a major focus on women's suffrage and basic rights and freedoms. In this period, Alberta's Famous 5 fought the Persons' Case, which originally declared that women were not persons who could hold public office. [8] [9]
The second wave emerged post-World War II, and seemed a bit more radical. It focused largely on reproductive rights and sexuality. A major constitutional debate was that of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would guarantee social equality regardless of gender. [10] It was at this time that sex and gender were differentiated, and women's roles were heavily debated. [11] During the second wave women-only organizations and groups began to emerge.
The third wave of feminism spans from the mid-1990's until today, an ambiguous and complex phase. It is very much post-colonial and post-modern, as feminists of the 21st Century struggle to find their place among today's technologies and methods of communication. [12] Women-only spaces persist in this wave. It is also within this wave that the history of feminism has begun to be re-thought, the wave theory itself coming under harsh criticism.
Criticisms of the Three-Wave Theory
There is very little consensus regarding the organization of the history of feminism. [13] Criticisms of the three-wave theory are gaining popularity quickly, something that is especially possible with the level of communication that the 21st Century provides. A major issue that is seen in the simplistic three-wave view, is it's clearly white, middle-class American viewpoint. It fails to include the feminist struggles and triumphs in other nations, or among other ethnic groups in North America. These types of criticisms have very much led an increased reliance on intersectionality, which succeeds in combining struggles of various groups, while acknowledging that there are multiple factors that can lead to oppression.
Feminist Concerns
Sexual Violence
Rape and sexual violence is a strong and clear example of the oppression of women. Women are physiologically vulnerable to rape, and men have a structural capacity to rape [14] In the 20th Century we began to see a change in the way that sexual violence was viewed, where the victim was more responsible for the attack then was previously seen. In rape lawsuits, for example, laws began to be put in place that required more proof of penetration and more thorough testimonies. [15] This in turn put the victim "on trial," and led to a sharp decrease in arrests and jail sentences after a reported rape. This is seen clearly in 1973 statistics from Chicago. Over 3000 reports of rape were made, yet only 8 men were found guilty and sentenced. [16] The physical abuse that men continue to force upon women is a clear sign that equality has not yet been reached. It is estimated that 1 in 4 North American women will be sexually abused in their lifetime, and of every 100 incidents of sexual assault, 6 are reported to the police. [17] This feminist concern has not fled in the 21st Century, with abuse rates remaining high.
Perception of the Victim
The 20th Century did bring great empowerment for women, but it also brought about sexualization of women, and the legitimization of female sexual desire. [18] This produced the now overheard argument of women "asking for" their emotional, physical, and most commonly, sexual abuse. The tables turned, putting victims on trial to prove that they were truly raped, as opposed to the rapist attempting to prove themselves innocent. This perception is seen most commonly in advice given to women in order to "avoid rape." This is more than word-of-mouth, for example, the University of Colorado (among many others) has set guidelines for its female students on how to avoid being raped. [19] From a feminist perspective, this is pure victim blaming. It puts rape in the hands of the woman to prevent. This perpetuates the age-old adage "boys will be boys," putting the responsibility in the hands of the woman. Ultimately, this is a mislead idea. Should women's actions lead to their ultimate rape, rape would be more commonly committed by strangers to the victim. However, an estimated 80% of sexual assaults occur due to someone the victim was familiar with. [20] Victim blaming is ultimately a harmful practice, and one that sustains rape culture.
Rape Culture
Rape culture focuses on the normalization of rape in a society due to attitudes regarding gender and sexuality. Perception of rape culture is commonly seen in the media's coverage of sexual attacks and rape. Rape culture encompasses victim blaming, the trivialization of rape and consent, as well as the objectification of the female body, and the prevalence of rape in the media. In other words, rape culture is a system of beliefs which encourages male sexual aggression and condones violence against women by normalizing and eroticizing male violence against women and blames victims for their abuse. For example, the 2012 trial in Steubenville, Ohio came under the spotlight when CNN coverage of the trial focused on how the "crime will haunt [the rapists]" and how "[the rapists'] lives are destroyed." [21] The trial was held for two teenagers who had repeatedly raped a 16 year old girl and filmed it. [22] Further, the normalization of rape in society can be seen through a study done in 2000, wherein 58% of males at an American college admitted that they would force a woman to have sex, if they were sure they could get away with it. [23] Canadian law states that any sexual contact that occurs without consent is sexual assault and therefore punishable by law. However, many people are not aware of this and therefore most cases of sexual assault go unreported. [24]
Reproductive Rights
The conversation regarding women's reproductive rights, including accessible contraception and abortions, began in the second wave of feminism, and is still today highly controversial. The foundation of this strain for reproductive rights is found in the notion that it is women's bodies that are most vulnerable, and through them that they are most oppressed. This is proven through the previous sections on rape culture and victim blaming. Thus, it would follow that a decrease in oppression would stem from an increase in control over women's own bodies. [25] As Lakshmi Puri said on behalf of the UN Women, "the lack of control that women and girls have over their own bodies and sexualities is an egregious violation of their rights." [26] A balance in physical power leads to a balance in society. In addition to power, the mainstream fight for female reproductive rights also centres around health and education. With an increase in family planning comes the ability for women to join public life, through full-time work and career advances. [27] Sexual education also plays a role, as with more further reproductive rights and education comes fewer sexually transmitted diseases, healthier children, and more successful families as a whole.
Gender Technologies
Technology growth has undoubtedly taken off in the 21st Century. However, new technologies have often begun as tools built for the common man. Although so many technologies hold the power to build a more democratic society, with an increased spread of information, they have a history of being accessible to men before women.[28] The internet is a perfect example of this. Even while available to women, as it generally is as of late, the internet can be seen as a 'horror story' for women. It is argued to be a way to spread very anti-feminist messages, not to mention cases of online predators and false identities.[29]
Gendered Toys
It can be argued that the best place to start to form equality between the sexes is at birth. Many disputes have begun over the production and labelling of children's toys, often distinguishing between 'girl toys' and 'boy toys.' This has become a popular topic of debate, with much backlash over the past few years.[30][31] An organization in the United Kingdom, Let Toys be Toys, is just one voice fighting against gendered toys. Countless stories have been told and shared on the outrage regarding gendered toys.
Feminism and Pop Culture
Feminist Criticisms in Pop Culture
In the Music Industry
Women's rights and feminism is highly debated in the music industry. A continuously controversial topic is the content of popular music videos. Men are argued by feminists to be generally displayed as powerful, confident, and dominant, as the bodies of vulnerable women presented in many videos are continually commoditized. This pattern can be seen throughout the music of both women and men. A recent and popular example would be Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," which is argued to both objectify women, and as Ann Powers of NPR suggests, condone rape.[32] The video itself portrays nude women dancing around fully clothed men, paired with lyrics such as "I know you want it" and the of course it's title, "blurred lines." It's suggestive and demeaning nature has caused much controversy over the song and it's accompanying video.
Further, many women feel discriminated against within the music industry. Female musicians have reported their mistreatment and dismissal in the industry, as "just another girl group," for example.[33] Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES, a band originating in Scotland, wrote of her disgust at the "openly sexually aggressive" comments she receives, that the males of the band do not. She notes on the sexism experienced by all women every day.[34]
On Television
Many feminists protest the way in which women are presented on television. Reality television is a common example of this. Although many films and television series exist that portray women as working members of society, equal to their male counterparts, reality TV does not always abide by the same standards.[35] Reality TV programs have low production costs and build fan bases quickly and almost effortlessly. They produce large amounts of money, but this is frequently argued to be at the expense of oppressed populations, namely women. The Bachelor, along with Pussycat Dolls: The Search for the Next Doll are obvious examples of the entertainment value found amongst the commoditization of women's bodies. This stretches to the common "make-over" show, such as What Not to Wear.[36] These types of shows often place heavy emphasis on the female body, while offering no similar, alternative programming featuring males instead of females.
In Film
Women are often underrepresented in the media, highlighting a major feminist issue through a direct clash with the equality between the sexes noted within the definition of feminism. Women's Media Center collects data on female's representation within the media, and notes the "crisis of representation in the media" in the 21st Century.[37] According the WMC, among the top 100 grossing films of 2013, only 30% of major or minor characters were female. Just 13% of films included both male and female characters (at an equal level, or less males than females).[38]
Support for Feminism in Pop Culture
Popular culture has offered a lot of support for the feminist movement, especially in recent years. With well-known celebrities openly adopting the label of feminist (namely singer Beyonce and actress/writer/director Lena Dunham)and large organizations pining for change in big and new ways (namely the United Nations speaking out to youth and males), the word feminist has made a comeback.[39][40][41]
HeforShe
The United Nations campaign, HeforShe, introduced by Emma Watson, is a "solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all."[42] Merging the United Nations and Emma Watson was a successful tactic in bringing this campaign to the public's eye, as it was wildly spread over social media. HeforShe is unique in that it reaches out to men to support feminism (although it avoids the label feminist). In the campaigns introductory speech, Watson pleads with men to think of their own gender stereotypes, and to support this mantle both for their daughter's freedoms and so that their sons can have "permission to be vulnerable and human too."[43] However, it has been argued that this campaign is not for the betterment of men as well as women, and Watson's speech on the campaign holds women to a much higher regard. [44] It is said to be a campaign based on stereotypes, and as one Time columnist argues, the campaign should move from "he for she" to "she and he for us" for it to be truly uplifting for both genders. [45]
Language Reappropriation in Music by Female Artists
Language reclamation is the reappropiation of derogatory words or terms used in a pejorative way to describe women. Some feminists like Joreen Freeman (1968) see it as an empowering way to reverse the value of derogatory words while others like Helen Redmond (2013) [46] claim that it only perpetuates sexism. In her “BITCH Manifesto”, Freeman rightfully compares feminist reclamation to African American linguisitic reclamation. She writes: “like the term “nigger”, “bitch” serves the social function of isolating and discrediting a class of people who do not conform to the socially accepted patterns of behavior”[47]. Female artists now use more frequently than ever derogatory words in their songs to fulfill their right to self-identification and inspire their female fans. This phenomenon is common to many musical styles: country, pop, rock, rhythm & blues (R&B), alternative music and rap. In her song “Slut like you” from the album The Truth about Love (2012), pop-rock singer Pink accepts the term “slut” only if it is used to describe the man she is having a sexual intercourse with too. This is a powerful message about equality: she denounces the difference in treatment between genders. In an interview for GLAMOUR Magazine (2013), she called her a “reformed slut”. She asserted the song was all about female empowerment by stating: “It’s my very unsophisticated way of taking the power back. I’ve always had an issue with [the idea that]: 'OK, we’ve both decided to do this. Why am I a slut and you’re the player? You didn’t get anything from me that I didn’t get from you'”. This use of music for political ends is also dominant in the rap industry. In her verse on Kanye West's song "Monster (2011), Trinidadian-born American rapper Nicki Minaj asserts that she owns her body. Her female features are seen by people as monstrous but she is proud of it and reclaim the “monster” terminology. She raps “Pink wig, thick ass, give them whiplash/I think big, get cash, make 'em blink fast/Now look at what you just saw, this is what you live for/(Screams) I'm a muthaf****** monster”. This echoes feminist writer Robin Morgan's use of this word in her poem "Monster" (1972).[48] She shows how our patriarchal society in the public and private sphere tend to portray her – and women in general – as monsters. This label has been used to colonize the female body. After denouncing it, Morgan owns it at the end of the poem: “I am a monster/I am a monster/And I am proud”. Another illustration of reverse discouse is found in the lyrics of Christina Aguilera's song “Can't Hold us Down” from her second album Stripped (2002). She sings “Should I keep quiet just 'cause I'm a woman/Call me a bitch 'cause I speak what's on my mind/Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled”. The derogatory word is used to express her self-confidence and independence. She rejects the oppression from men. The country band Dixie Chicks decided to use the term “chick” to play with people's perception of the word. They are bold feminists who were rejected by the country industry for their empowering statements and the way they spoke their mind in the media.
Criticisms of Feminism
Antifeminism
Antifeminism still strongly exists in the 21st Century. In recent news, 2014 brought a social media trend entitled Women Against Feminism (often seen as #womenagainstfeminism on sites such as Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and Facebook).[49][50] The trend opposes 21st Century feminism, and highlights the privilege women appear to have, especially in the Western World. Antifeminism today often is due to the belief that feminism is simply no longer necessary. It is also very commonly supported by religious and moral values, sometimes combined with quotes from the Bible and other religious material.[51]
Men's Rights Movement
Also seen this century are men's rights activists, denouncing feminism.[52] It is argued by such groups that "men suffer systematic oppression comparable to the social inequalities that give rise to feminism."[53] The Men's Rights Movement argues that some feminist campaigns stigmatize the male population, for example, an anti-rape campaign might demonstrate how all men are potential rapists. Further arguments are made that the opposition for these men's rights groups is in itself sexist, as the denial of men's capability to be oppressed is unfair.[54]