Genre+Two

The ultimate question concerning the feminism topic would seem to be, have womens roles changed for the better? Equal rights and change for the lives of all women was the goal of the feminist movement. Many different publications sit on shelves in countless libraries supporting both sides of this question. Here we will explore them.

Inquirey: Have womens roles changed for the better?

Viewpoint 1: Women are still oppressed.

Many individuals argue that women still face much sexual inequality and therefore must take steps to point out the sexism that affects their everyday lives. That even today the oppression is so great that most women accept the sexual biases. It is suggested that sexism is especially prevelant in the workplace, where woman and young girl are treated as liabilities.

Some first blame family structure for continuing the oppression. Simply the idea of the nuclear family has aided to have women forever percieved as the mother and caregiver. Even so, it is clear that the idealized nuclear family structure of male bread winner, housewife, and 2 children has very much broken down. However, women do still bear most of the home responsibilities. Women continue to do most unpaid labor that sustains the working class; cooking, cleaning, caring for Billy and Jane. This unpaid labor would amount to some 40 percent of GPD, "...imagine if work in the home were somehow paid the same as wage labor!" The essential point is that the family unit is the source of female stereotypes that exist strongly to this day. Settling down and having children is still percieved as every womans goal. This can cleary have a negative effect, the hinting joke of some biological clock isnt a comforting thought to any woman. "As if your worth is measured in your ability to have children."

The wages of woman who work full time jobs are still about 80 percent lower than that of males. Womans opression has been described as being in the "...interest of capitalism and the state." Bosses can create a fabulously cheap work force by employing woman with low wages. This can divide the working class, and keep all wages low, as cheap woman workers can be used to effectively threaten male workers. This can cause resentment between men and woman workers and therefore keep them from organizing against the bosses. Some can believe that paying women lower wages is fair, considering in most households men are the main providers. Because women are paid lower wages, and sometimes pushed out of the workforce, they find themselves dependant on men. This can be dangerous in an abusive relationship.

Viewpoint 2: Women are not oppressed.

Others argue that the goals of womens liberation have been largely achieved. Womens opportunities in education and the workplace have increased dramatically since the 1980's. Assertions are made that feminists need to celebrate this success and focus on other problmes that effect woman such as caring for children and aging parents.

One point of view is that despite whatever problems there might be in womans rights, women should be more concerned with pressing problems that seem to wrack their lives, such as tensions between work and family life, aging parents and fears of their growing childrens lives. " The National Organization for Women spends its time sueing Hooters." Women, being the loving nuterers they are, are twisted up in more private personal affairs with their sons and husbands. This opinion pushes the fact that girls really do just wanna have fun!? They have fun dressing up, making their faces as cute as possible and flirting. "....too many feminists mock women who dream of silky underwear from Victorias Secret." While feminists fight for larger cause, most average women are already tired and burdoned from responsibility, that even the thought of devouting energy to any other cause would be rediculous.

American women may have rejected the feminist movement not because it has become lesser of a pressing issue, but that it doesnt seem to like or respect women. The movement "...holds women to impossibly high and absurdly narrow standards." In an age of fear, women want to celebrate how far they have come. Even though some women may have rejected the movement, they are still for the fundamental ideals of womens liberation. Equal pay for equal work, equal education, pride, respect, etc. These things that were once dreams, and are now assumptions, not to mention law. When women deny the characterization of feminists, they reject the terminology, not the activity. Signs of victory seem to be everywhere, from the gender of people in powerful positions to countless women-owned businesses. "American women arent talking about feminism, theyre just doing it."