Has the feminist movement gone too far?
Has the feminist movement gone too far?
Or are we stuck between two extremely harsh extremes?
There are two extremes facing the feminist movement, the extremes being
at both ends of the scale, has it gone too far or not far enough?
Feminism is advocating social, political and all other rights of women
to be equal to those of men. History fought for women to be able to
obtain equal job opportunities and pay as men. But it has ended in
everyone being confused about society's gender roles?
If a woman is doing the same job equal to a man they should be getting
paid the same amount, which in some cases has been fulfilled. However on
average a woman earns approximately two thirds less than a male. Women
are also being overlooked for top positions due to them being female.
One department where it is fair is the Education Department, as
approximately 70% of the employees are female, teachers have the
strength to enforce that there is equal pay for all in the occupation.
One example of feminism not going far enough is the fact that many
social clubs may not be playing it fairly. For example many golf-clubs
have both women and men paying members but only the men have the right
to vote for decisions made within the club. Is it because men believe
women's opinions don't count? Or is it to deter women from joining or
still being the dominating sex? All members of any club should have the
same voting right, regardless of race, age sex or religious persuasion.
Where are the rules defined? Is there a hidden guideline we all should
be following? Can feminism go too far? Apparently so. If a group of
business women decide to hold a luncheon it can be titled "Women's
Lunch" but if a group of business men decided to hold the same, they
cannot call it a "Men's Lunch".
Health clubs and gyms also show discrimination on the same level, there
are many "Women Only" gyms popping up all over the place, but there
isn't "Men Only" gyms, mostly because they are not allowed, and if one
were to open they would be scrutinised. Many clubs have to accept both
sexes, but increasingly more health clubs are developing and they are
female only! At mixed gyms women are allowed to use both the men's gym
and the woman's but men can only use the men's gym.
Shouldn't men have the same rights as women? In rebuttal it seems that
woman have their own personal gyms as they are intimidated by men, and
feel uncomfortable exercising in a man's environment. Don't men feel
like this? Seems to me that there are double standards, in the sense
that the treatment of one race is different to another in terms of
health clubs and what they can and can't title as men or women's only.
Has this become hypocritical, only females can have single gender clubs.
We don't want men to have their men's groups, but we can have a girls
one!
Women in politics have been tough and harshly scrutinised, far more
severely than men. America Hillary Clinton took a rather large step for
females when she decided to run for President of the United States of
America. Equality is not shown with the recent uproar over what *Therese
Rein, Kevin Rudd's wife wears! What has that got to do with anything?
The scrutiny should be directed at Rudd only and I'm sure what colour
and type of suit his wife wears doesn't affect how he runs our country.
*
Many men now refer to their mother or wife as the "boss", a massive
change to when the eldest man was the "boss" of the household,
regardless of whether he was younger than his mother. It seems that the
woman, as mothers, now make the majority of the decisions in the
households. As females we know what we want, but what about men? Where
do they fit now? Many of us don't know, how will our daughters know?
Many men don't know where they stand. They are too scared to exclude
females in their activities, and most think they have to ask their wife
or girlfriend first before participating. Is the power equal now or have
the scales tipped too far in many areas?
It is confusing! I'm sure that as a woman if I am women confused, men
are overly confused. What are they to think? Is this an issue of sexism?
How can a woman's only lunch be called "Women's Lunch" but a men's
can't? Is this sexism towards the male race?
As tradition and to show respect it was seen that men were to open the
door for women, now that has gone out the window, it is the tradition
not the respect. Most woman feel honored if a door is opened for them,
but some feel completely the opposite. The feminist movement has
produced some dispute where women called 'feminists' have said they
don't wish for doors to be opened for them anymore. Men said that they
have been verbally abused when they held the door for a woman. This
makes it hard for men to know when to offer help and when not to.
Another tradition which we have overcome is that once men only shook
hands with other men, now it is acceptable for women to shake hands with
both sexes. Why can some traditions become okay for both men and woman
but it is a struggle to define others.
If there is a normal behaviour for both sexes needs to be defined. The
world of unknown is confusing all. It doesn't seem as if we are equal
especially when boys and girls are always compared, whether it is at
school, work or in sporting events. Positive action needs to be set up
to overcome the history and behaviour or discrimination will continue to
be necessary until that is, of course, equality has been achieved, and
we are quite a long way from that. Women have definitely been handed
greater opportunities; which has been taken too far or not far enough.
When will equal be achieved?