Essay about Legacy and Respect The Usefulness of Feminism

Legacy and Respect: The Usefulness of Feminism In a letter to students who participate in Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges bi-college Feminist and Gender Studies department, Head of the Department Anne Dalke outlined an argument in favor of changing the programs name. She wrote, Our argument for re-naming the FGS program Gender and Sexuality is based on 3 claims: 1. that it will be enticing for prospective and current students and faculty, because it names their personal and intellectual interests and investments (while avoiding the word feminism, which is off-putting to a large range of individuals) 2. that it accurately represents the current state of scholarship in the field 3. that it accurately names--and invites†¦show more content†¦I viewed feminism as a means to an end wherein women would lobby their superiority over men and treat men in the same callous, unrecognizable way in which women have been treated by men for centuries. For me, in order to demand respect, it should first be given. I wanted to embrace a theory that was inclusive of all genders and not alienating any gender, even men. In order to change the tide of oppression and miscommunication, I did not want to contribute to an eye for an eye philosophy that derogated any gender from its opposites perspective, and victimized all woman and vilified all men. This stereotype that I held that feminism only focuses on women is described by Allan Johnson, In one sense, critics are correct that focusing on women as victims is counterproductive, but not because we should ignore victimization altogether. The real reason to avoid an exclusive focus on women as victims is to free us to concentrate on the compelling fact that men are the ones who victimize, and such behavior and the patriarchal system that encourages it are the problem. (Johnson, p. 110). What turns me off about this quote is that it actually doesnt empower women to be in a position of abuser, but rather gives that power only to men. Not that anyone should actually actively abuse anyone else, no matter their gender or sex, but rather the notion that the power that allows abuse is solely attributed and controlled by men and notShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Feminism in Nursing History Essay example2843 Words   |  12 Pageswomens rights. Feminism meanwhile, in its later endeavors, developed a poor perception of nursing due to its ingrained status as a stereotypical female occupation. The relationship of nursing and Feminism being so close while at the same time noticeably antagonistic in many ways has had profound effects on the profession and its modern-day challenges. When nursing first achieved a name for itself it was not common to see anyone, never mind a woman, working as nurse. In this respect, the participationRead MorePolitical Economy : An Influential Textbook By Alfred Marshall Essay2152 Words   |  9 Pagesarticles such as Infrared Spectroscopy in The Annual Review of Physical Chemistry and New Force Theorem in The Journal of Chemistry and Physics, Benston continued as a practicing scientist throughout her life, but also went on to be more involved in feminism and activism. Her 1969 essay, The Political Economy of Women s Liberation, was one of the first Marxist feminist critiques from a Canadian perspective. This article helped establish the framework for much of the feminist debates in the 1970s, asRead MoreWomen Entrepreneurs: a Critical Review of the Literature12149 Words   |  49 Pagespropensity to take risks (Masters and Meier, 1988; Sexton and Bowman-Upton, 1990), leadership dimensions such as levels of experience and educa tion (Bowen and Hisrich, 1986), and networking styles (Aldrich, Reece, and Dubini, 1989). The problem lies in the legacy of this comparative approach: many constructs applied to analyse women’s small business leadership approaches and needs continue to be derived from male orientations. Feminist writers such as Hart (1992) have shown the limitations and incongruenceRead MoreExistentialism vs Essentialism23287 Words   |  94 PagesChristianity and Christian morality is based on his suspicion that these are in fact crutches for weakness, instruments for the weak and mediocre to use against the strong and self-reliant. They are products of what he calls amp;quot;the herd,amp;quot; the legacy of a slave morality that prefers safety and security to personal excellence and honor. 5. But as opposed as Nietzsche may be to Kierkegaard (neither one ever read the other), these two 19th-century existentialists shared one essential line of approach