Free «Stereotypes and Feminist Movements» Essay Paper

The history of civilization has realized the emergence of feminists’ movements that were formed to address the challenges affecting women. Feminists were stereotyped as lesbian, man-hating, bra-burning, unshaven, and sexist “fembots”. These old-fashioned assumptions are tainting the authentic meaning embedded in feminism and the main values upheld by many men and women who are true feminists. Despite their existence, many people are frustrating them by following feminist stereotypes (Bernard 47). As a result, they have continued to oppress women. Their perception of women in the society is still tainted with negative stereotypes causing harm to the feminists’ movements. This essay seeks to highlight the way in which stereotypes hurt feminist movements.

Feminism ideally challenges the issue of equality between men and women in all areas of life either politically, socially, sexually, and economically. Many people are still struggling to see the relevance of feminism even today. They assume that women have already attained their feminism goals since they can, for example, vote in the United States and many other countries of the world. Some factors that people consider women to have attained in their feminist movement are that they sometimes can abort, acquire education, and divorce (Queen 12). However, these perceptions can be changed if people realize the difference in wages earned by women and men.

Despite their relevance, men have been reluctant to date feminists. The belief surrounding such decisions is the idea that feminists are tough and dominant. These ways trivialize the feminists’ movement in their endeavors of putting the norms to challenge. The perception that a feminist has a one-track mind aimed at extermination of men is completely imprudent. Women are making huge progress in feminism concurrently with caring about the family, engaged in the permanent jobs, and sometimes studying in addition (Robertson 41). A number of feminists are married. This fact proves that not all feminists disregard men. These feminism stereotypes depict women as at times when they did not have any importance in the society. The media have encouraged unrealistic expectations of the manner in which a woman should appear and other sexist roles of gender.

Human beings are socialized with the roles of gender. They are limited to petty ‘female occupations’. Women claiming to be feminists are linked to dominance, power, and the failure to submit. Individuals entranced in the gender role stereotypes are the only people offended by the women that are powerful. As a result, the feminist people have been misunderstood due to this inaccurate perception (Bernard 55). Feminism does not mean women who intend to take a revenge on former boyfriends or trying to prove a non-existent point. It entirely concerns equality, right to speak and push to ensure that there is a choice for women to make decisions for themselves on the work they do, people they marry, and how they deal with their bodies.

There has been a great progress in feminist movements although not every objective has been attained till now. There is wage discrimination for women in the workplace and unequal opportunity for raises and promotions. Some positions in the society, such as studying law and medicine, have been opened to women. However, there are still many requirements to address the issues affecting women in the society. Initially, feminism, despite its presence, did not become an issue of discussion. It was literally ignored. In addition, it was regarded as an extreme movement that was geared against the society’s status quo (Robertson 42). The aforementioned standpoints have changed, and women in colleges believe in equal rights for females instead of the ‘tarnished’ feminist ideology.

Feminist movements are concerned with the suffrage of women and later basically dealt with sexual revolution. Nowadays there is another feminism wave. A particular goal for what women need in achieving equality in gender may not be defined. There is much anticipation in the rights for women, although the media and the society have continued to permeate the extreme roles of gender and other stereotypes deterring the feminist movement progress. The negative connotations on feminism have been involved, because many people are resisting changes (Queen 23). For the reason that people live in a society that is hegemonic, feminism is seen to change the male dominant order. As this change is being pushed, the people facing the challenge will make every effort to taint the image of the challenger, and that is the fact what has hurt feminist movements.

The society needs feminism since gender parity is very important which means more than the rights of women. Feminism is highly needed since women should be judged through their character and integrity instead of ideals based on the gender. Feminism is needed to obliterate sentiments such as forcing women to fulfill their only duties, namely cooking. Feminism is believed to benefit each gender. There are huge strides that have been made in feminism, but the stereotypes can cause people to refuse from their goals. Misinformation concerning sex, work, and stereotypes in general are problematic in both contemporary feminism and women’s studies (Bernard 63). The absolute assumptions concerning sexuality and the desire are present in the stereotypes of sexist concerning women and men. While there could be truth in certain populations concerning these stereotypes, it is not a prudent effort to dehumanize and devalue all members of that group by considering them homogenous.

The matters of prostitution have been alleged to increase the cases of human trafficking. However, this is a proposition that has been considered juvenile and naive. While powerful people continue to dehumanize and treat other people as property founded on arbitrary categories of gender, class and race, any form of human trafficking will be present in the current society. Prostitution acts are not inherently evil. They are only an instrument that could be utilized to exploit and rule the people, mainly women. However, several other factors permit and support such exploitation, mainly poverty. Unfortunately, there has been an assumption that every sex worker is oppressed (Queen 15). Therefore, the rights of the women have been infringed. The gender stereotypes in the current society have largely affected women, especially the feminist movements that have been in the leading position for the rights of women.

The opinion of many men is that women are lesser beings and cannot match the worth possessed by the men. This has been a troubling issue to feminists generally. The efforts that have been purported by the feminists have been denied by male chauvinists who have no respect to women. This has been passed from one generation to another. There are some cultures that are still male dominated, and women have been under hard pressure. This has made the mission of feminist movements futile as they prepare themselves to reach the women in such societies and cultures. Owing to these scenarios, feminist movements from historic times and the current ones which exist in the contemporary society have faced many challenges while implementing their strategies improving the role of women. There is a need of communication that is required to remove the stereotypes posed on women and support the good course undertaken by feminist movements.