Women's Studies. Claiming Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Women's Studies. Claiming Feminism - Essay Example Logical and intellectual study and discussions of gender inequalities allows students to become aware of the injustices in the world towards women and to work and make effort towards changing unhealthy dynamics in any situation. Feminism Feminism is support and encouragement of women right on the basis of political, social and financial equality to men (Heywood, 34). Feminism is a belief that women and men are equal. To support this belief a movement started. In history feminism came into existence due to inequality between the two genders. Nowadays Feminists activist work towards area like domestic violence, gay marriage, equal pay, equal rights, sexual harassment, discrimination and reproductive. When I think of feminism first thing that comes to my mind is a woman with a broom. It is simply because a woman is associated as being a house wife. Her main responsibility is to look after the house and children. In third world countries this idea still prevails. A woman is still not fre e in her decisions about her life. What she wants is either decided by her elders or her husband. There are countries where women are not allowed to drive. They cannot travel without their male partner. History In 1800 women had very little control over their lives. Even the rich women had limited authority in domestic life. They had no property rights, political rights or financial independence. Higher education was not accessible to women. Lower class women worked hard alongside men. Lower class women faced same social and legal restrictions. The awakening started in the 1790 which emphasized emotion experience over a certain belief or view. It allowed women more opportunities outside home. The First Wave of feminism started from early 19th century up till the year 1921. The first wave started in abolitionist movement. Feminism movement was aligned with anti salivary and anti racism movements. As the civil war ended the right to vote or suffrage was granted to former slaves but no t to women. Many women who were part of feminist movement left their coalition with anti-racism movement. In the initial stage the aim was to support a wide range of rights for women. But with time the first wave of feminism movement narrowed its focus on the goal of achieving women's right to vote. The first college that enrolled first 15 women in higher education was  Oberlin College  in Oberlin. In 1948 the feminist movement started at Seneca Falls convention. It was the first women’s rights convention. It was organized by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, with others. It all started in June 1840 at World Anti-Slavery Convention. The Convention was held in London. The ordinary point of view at that time was that women are not capable of speaking in public. The topic that was discussed was not slavery as planned but rather it was whether women are capable of leadership.. The conclusion was that women are not fit for public speaking. Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth C ady Stanton were sent away from convention. Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton went out angrily from the convention. There were many achievements made by First Wave Feminist. In 1954 Florence Nightingale established female nurses with the military. In 1860 Suffragists New York passed the Married Women’s Property Act. The bill allowed women to inherit property, share custody of children and control over their wages and wills. In 1916 Margaret Sanger opened first birth control clinic in the U.S. She was giving reproductive rights to women. The clinic had all-female staff. These actions led to her arrest. In 1918 â€Å"Married Love† was published by Marie Stopes. Book was about women’s sexual desires (Jutte, 165). The book got very famous at that time. The right to vote was