Prior to registering for this course, I considered myself to have a decent understanding of feminism and what it actually stands for. At this point I would still say this holds true. My understanding of the word comes from a strong interest in local, national, and global politics. No matter the scale, feminist discussions can almost always be found. Feminism to me is the movement to give women of all backgrounds, religions, and nationalities the equality they deserve. Feminism mostly focuses on issues regarding the oppression of women, as they have been historically oppressed by society, specific groups, and media. While there may be biological differences that must be acknowledged, women should still be treated on an equal platform with men, and vice-versa.
Although I would consider myself to have a good understanding, this class is still fascinating. I never knew just how much weight the term "feminine" carried and what exactly it meant until the reading from TC. The socially applied principals from society dictate what feminine means, but this class has begun to show me that feminism wants to break the societal principals, and let each individual define how they want to live and run their respective lives. After reading through some of my peer's blogs, I also came to the realization that feminism is not just one movement, but a number of movements under one umbrella term. While this can be beneficial in the matter that it offers different perspectives on different ideas and concepts, it can also lead to internal conflict within the movement itself. One example of this was the Tomi Lahren video. While she would likely consider herself an advocate for women, she completely disagrees, and even bashes, women who approached the protests in specific matters. This goes to show that there are multiple levels and types of feminists, and the water is slightly murky when it comes to generalizing the movement.
I have a learning goal of developing an even stronger understanding of what feminism fights for, how it fights, and all the people involved with it. I would also like to see how all these things are represented throughout society via the media and pop-culture. As for lingering questions, I would say I have none. Let me know in the comments how you all feel about this & what were your ideas of feminine coming into the class?
I'm glad that you follow up on our discussion of "feminine" as traits often associated with women, and "feminism," the movement to end sexist oppression (among other things). As we'll learn, these are often portrayed in opposition to each other though that is not necessarily how it is and/or should be.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Tomi Lahren positions herself as anti-feminist while also taking advantages of what feminism has create?