Day 2 Station 4: Does Feminism Build Society
Definition of Feminism
Google defines feminism as: the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.
Merriam-Webster defines feminism as: belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
I. Feminism History
First Wave
- Timeframe: 19th-20th Century
- Cause: Absolute rights in regard to voting ("suffrage")
- Non-Feminism Agenda: None
- Conflict within Cause: None
Second Wave
- Timeframe: 1960s-1980s
- Cause: Cultural equality issues (discrimination/exploitation/prostitution/sexual harassment/rape)
- Non-Feminism Agenda: Lesbianism was eventually welcomed as a movement into the mainstream women's movement
- Conflict within Cause: The cause was intended to address discrimination as well as to address female exploitation for sexual reasons, both great causes. However, introduction to lesbianism within the movement displayed an agenda that was far different from the first wave political cause and most of the second wave cause regarding the safety and non-discrimination of the woman.
Third Wave
- Timeframe: 1990s-2000s
- Cause: Respond to "failures" of the second wave (overemphasis on the experience of white, upper-class women). Sexual freedom and sexual equality. Right to contraception, birth control, and abortion.
- Non-Feminism Agenda: There became an intersection between race and gender. In addition, it also looked for social acceptance of female sexual freedom. they sought the right to contraception and birth control which were almost universally restricted until the 1960s. Feminists hoped to use the first birth control pill to free women to decide the terms under which they will bear children. They felt that reproductive self-control was essential for full economic independence from men. Access to abortion was also widely demanded for these reasons.
- Conflict within Cause: Sexual freedoms contradict the cause in the second wave where a woman wanted to be seen as more than a sex object. The cause once again continues to stray from the agenda that sought political equality, non-discrimination, and safety of women. They are no longer seeking to be equal to men, but independent of them.
Fourth Wave
- Timeframe: 2008-Present
- Cause: Access to abortion, post-abortion talk lines, reproductive justice (reproductive rights affected by socioeconomic status, gender, and race).
- Non-Feminism Agenda: The fourth wave has inspired or been associated with: the Doula Project for children's services (who partner with abortion clinics); post-abortion talk lines; pursuit of reproductive justice; plus-size fashion support; support for transgender rights; male feminism; sex work acceptance; and developing media including Feministing, Racialicious, blogs, and Twitter campaigns.
- Conflict within Cause: Once again, the movement lost focus on the original causes for equality and non-discriminations, and safety, and placed the entire focus on promoting sex-related or gender-changing rights.
II. Analyzing the Evolution
Are we seeing a pattern here?
Little by little, the cause no longer became a movement that had any interest in a woman’s right to vote or her right to be treated equal to a man. In fact, the causes have contradicted much of the early feminist movements. How? By creating a woman whose main interest is sexual freedom (given the many ways there are to end pregnancy) and acceptance of transgenderism. Connecting sex with a woman was a label they wanted to remove in earlier waves. Now it is being amplified. It has become a cause no one would ever be able to identify if the term “feminism” were not attached to it.
Is it possible the goal for women's rights has already been achieved, at least in the eyes of a Godly woman?
Unless the Christian woman is lobbying for sexual freedom, abortion, lesbianism, and transgenderism (just to name a few), she is unlikely to support feminism as it is today. She is also satisfied by the equality achieved by the early waves of feminism and by the traditional role of a woman.
Why is the focus no longer a woman's right to vote and her right to be treated equal to a man?
Because oppression based on gender no longer exists.
- No oppression to vote: Women have been able to vote since 1920.
- No oppression to apply to schools
- Since the enactment of Title IX in 1972, federal law has guaranteed the right to education free from sex discrimination, and since then women and girls have made great strides toward achieving equality. In fact, statistics show the college acceptance rate for women is 2.6% higher than men. Some schools aim for balance of gender, which is also in line with achieved equality.
- No oppression to apply for any employment
- Research suggests that 3 out of 4 jobs in which a man and woman both apply, the woman gets the job.
- Pay is very equal
- When calculating the overall pay for men vs. women as of today, women make $0.83 for every $1.00 a man makes. However, when they work the same job and have similar experience and abilities, the gap is between $0.01 to $0.04. Studies show that another reason for the unbalance is men choose careers in which the pay is higher compared to women who typically select jobs in which compensation is not as high. Men’s and women’s annual pay typically stay on pace until around age 30, when most college‐educated women start having children, therefore, working less.
Women can Work in STEM field, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, computer science, etc. But they choose not to. There is no discouragement to go into these fields. However, 4 out of 5 top paying college majors are dominated by men and 4 out of 5 lowest paying college majors are dominated by women. (Elementary education, psychology, social work, theology/religion)
III. Social Media
Feminism is pushed on social media now more than ever. Social Media does a great job of using big, extreme words, unclear analogies, and sarcastic statements to make it seem like aligning with Feminism is “common sense.” How many times have you seen TikToks and Instagram posts like these?
Real understanding of what the feminism agenda is NOT
It is NOT equal rights for men/women. It is an ideology that is pushing the statement that women have no need for men. As mentioned previously, it is also pushing lesbianism, transgenderism, sexual freedom, and abortion. All of these ideologies are negating the existence of the Christian family: a loving and equal marriage between man and woman, cooperation between the two, children, and the family abiding in God’s commandments. However, the movement is perfectly wrapped within a package labeled “feminism” to bring support from those who believe they are backing a real cause.
Example 1: Here, the video completely strips away the ideology of feminism and equates it to sexism.
Example 2: With both these videos using sarcasm and far‐fetched analogies, they make the point that feminism is just the belief that women should have rights.
Example 3: This video also uses sarcasm to drive the agenda that being a woman = low pay (“gender pay gap”)
Satan is very carefully using social media outlets closest to us to slowly introduce these ideas into our heads.
The goal is to slowly desensitize us to these ideologies that are not beneficial to society, or what God created as the structure of a family. The family is a small church: the husband is the head of the family just as Christ is the head of the church.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Ephesians 5: 31‐21)
IV. Is there a positive impact from the movement?
No. There is no positive impact in the public and blatant pushing of an agenda that completely disregards God’s laws and His intent for man and woman. So even if those pushing the agenda win, their victory is an earthly one. Ultimately, they will lose the eternal life for living this life and for pushing it onto others.
V. Is there a negative impact from the movement?
Yes. The negative impact is so far ranging, they are actually oppressing the very gender they are trying to advance: woman. How? Because the woman is no longer free to choose the “traditional” lifestyle (the one God intended for woman). This lifestyle includes marriage, children, caring for the family, and living a righteous life. Why can’t a woman choose this lifestyle without offending feminists? Isn’t freedom for a woman to choose a lifestyle part of the feminist movement? Or does it only apply when a woman chooses to live a promiscuous life? Academic and professional advancement can also be achieved living this lifestyle, so ultimately, there is no deprivation of any kind.
VI. Biblical Perspective
Today’s movement clearly contradicts with God’s plan and creation. Men and women are different: they have different characteristics, strengths, and capabilities.
- “So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them [male and female], 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen 1:27‐28)
- This verse confirms that there are intentional differences in the creation of male and female and they are made to unite and be fruitful and multiply.
- “Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.” (1 Corinthians 11:11‐12)
- Both genders cannot exist without the other.
VII. What is the Biblical Role for Each Gender?
- Above all, the Lord has called women to be the creator of the little church, the family, to give life and upbringing to children, to be concerned with the continuance of the human race. Just as without a woman, the human race cannot continue, in the same way, without her labors, prayers, and love it would not be possible for life to continue in the Christian life.
- Our goals together, as Orthodox men and women, are to make society, as much as possible, an image of the divine.
- Women are the nucleus of the family and church. The role of the nucleus is to help the cell grow and stay together
- The creation of men and women in God’s image with the purpose of ruling together over God’s creation
VIII. Does Feminism Help Build Society?
Feminism, in its present form, does not help build society. It is a means to eliminate the traditional family (marriage, children, values) by glorifying sexual promiscuity, transgenderism, lesbianism, and abortion. It also aims to position women as victims of oppression, despite being very much equal to men in every way. Ironically, the feminist movement is oppressive to women who choose to live the “traditional” lifestyle as they are often condemned for not conforming to the lifestyle of the modern woman. Lastly, it causes division between supporters of the cause and those that are not. Those who do not support the cause are unfortunately called sexist.
Review
- What does Feminism mean?
- What was the initial cause for the feminist movement?
- How does the initial cause compare with the cause(s) today?
- Is there a positive impact from the movement?
- Whom does the movement negatively impact?
- What is the biblical perspective for the role of a woman? Role of a man?
- Is the biblical role for each gender a bad thing?
- How does the biblical perspective affect the feminist movement/agenda?
- Does Feminism help build society?