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ABriefIntroductiontoFeministTheory1.pptxA Brief Introduction to Feminist Theory
What is Feminism?
Feminism is defined as “the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.”
However, despite the definition, many people think of feminism as a dirty word, or something that promotes women’s rights over men’s rights. It evokes images of bra burning, a dislike of men, or the slightly ridiculous feminist in Legally Blonde (2001)
Women’s Literature
Women’s Literature was not really studied until the late twentieth century, in the 1980s or so. Until then, the canon—or the widely accepted list of which books were worthy of study—focused primarily on white men.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a resurgence of scholars writing about women writers. However, these women were still primarily white.
Today, the canon includes more women writers, and more women of color are spending time in the spotlight than ever before. However, there is still a long way to go when it comes to diversifying the canon.
Feminism Through the Ages
Feminist Waves
You may have heard about “third-wave feminism” before, but what does that mean?
Like with most social movements, things come in “waves”—their popularity ebbs and flows, and a new generation takes up the cause.
First Wave Feminism
The first wave of feminism began back in the 1800s. The goal of first wave feminism was simple: To recognize that women are not property—that they are, in fact, human beings—and to allow them the vote.
There were numerous problems with first-wave feminism. The major issue, which we are still dealing with today, was that first-wave feminism was largely focused on white women. White American women got the right to vote in 1919. However, Native Americans were not considered citizens until 1924, and many Native and Black citizens were prevented from voting until the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Exclusion is still a major problem for feminism, with many advocating for more intersectionality.
Second Wave Feminism
Second wave feminism took place in the mid-twentieth century, about 1960-1980. This was the period when most of the classic feminist theory was published, such as Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex and Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (1963). Second wave feminism wanted to give women more opportunities in the workplace (as well as equal pay), and is also famous for its focus on contraception.
Third Wave Feminism
Third wave feminism began in the 1990s, although it’s difficult to tell when (or if) it has ended. If the second wave of feminism pushed to get women outside of the house and into the workforce, then third wave feminism had realized that although men and women were not being paid equally, women were still subject to sexual harassment at work. The Anita Hill case in 1991, in which Hill testified that a Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas, had sexually harassed her. (Thomas was still appointed to the court, not unlike the more recent Brett Kavanaugh case.)
This is also the period in which punk girl rock groups, like riot grrl, became more popular.
Fourth Wave Feminism (?)
Part of the theory of feminist “waves” is that each generation will again take up the torch and advance women’s causes in new ways. For many, that means that Gen Z is primed and ready to begin the fourth wave.
Fourth wave feminism is usually defined as happening online. Theorists point to the #MeToo movement, and to Women’s Marches that are largely organized and planned online. Although these events are still rooted in the anti-sexual assault premise of third-wave feminism, a new generation is committed to tackling these problems in a new and innovative way.
Terms and Concepts
Patriarchy
A patriarchy is a civilization in which men take precedence through “traditional” gender roles.
Many cultures are patriarchal, including our own.
Traditional Gender Roles
In most patriarchal societies, traditional gender roles are strongly enforced through social expectation. Men are expected to be physically and emotionally strong (“men don’t cry”), intelligent, assertive, and to work outside of the home making money. Women, on the other hand, are construed as highly emotional (and therefore irrational), physically weak, submissive, and childlike.
In many ways, these roles are changing (many, if not most, women now work outside of the home), but some aspects of gender roles have been harder to change.
While there is nothing wrong with wanting to be a stay-at-home mother, or being a “strong silent type” of man, the issue is when women who want to work outside of the home, or men who want to freely express their emotions, face opposition or criticism for doing so.
Society often derides “feminine” behavior in men as well as in women (“he throws like a girl”; “she’s such a tomboy”).
When taken to extremes, gender roles can become toxic and dangerous.
“Tradition,” from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, shows us two traditional aspects of gender:
Who day and night Must scramble for a living Feed the wife and children Say his daily prayers And who has the right As master of the house To have the final word at home? The papa!
Who must know the way to make a proper home? A quiet home, a kosher home Who must raise a family and run the home So papa's free to read the holy book? The mama!
The first set of lyrics, sung by the village fathers, illustrates men’s roles in the village—working outside of the home, directly engaging with religion (only men can become rabbis, and, in a Christian context, depending on which religious denomination you belong to, only men can become priests and pastors), and having the “final say” at home
The second set, sung by the village mothers, focuses on women’s responsibilities inside of the house
Both responsibilities are clearly defined, and as the song tells us, these gender roles help to make sure that everyone in the village knows exactly who they are
This scene from Fiddler on the Roof shows how changing gender roles upsets the community, with the progressive city boy Perchik offering to teach Tevye’s daughters (something that was unusual at the time), which makes the more traditional rabbi’s son call him a “radical.”
Patriarchal Man/Woman
A patriarchal man/woman is someone who has accepted and internalized the expectations of the patriarchy.
Tevye, although he often struggles with how quickly things are changing, is not a patriarchal man, as the picture in the previous slide shows. He is open to educating his daughters, and to learning about new ways to act and be (even if he often struggles with change).
Toxic Masculinity
“Toxic masculinity” is a term that is everywhere, but is often misconstrued.
It does not mean that traditionally masculine traits are toxic, or that all men are bad. It means that by teaching men to repress their emotions and be tough when they do not want to be, or shouldn’t be, the results can often be toxic—for the men themselves, and for the women in their lives.
Masking emotions, or refusing to ask for help when needed to avoid seeming “weak,” can result in higher cases of suicide, or in violence directed at other people, often in the forms of domestic or sexual assault.
Sexism
Sexism is the belief that one sex is inherently superior to the other.
A belief that men are better than women is called misogyny.
The belief that women are better than men is called misandry.
Language like “throw like a girl” and “man up” can be viewed as sexist, given the implied value statements in the phrases (girls throw poorly; men are rational problem-solvers and not emotional).
Gender vs Sex
More than ever before, there is a distinction between the terms “gender” and “sex,” which did not exist before.
“Gender” refers to the socially constructed traits surrounding biological sex
“Sex” refers to biology, and to one’s sexual organs and chromosomes
A man is not born “masculine” just as a woman is not born “feminine.” These traits are taught.
Double Standard
A double standard arises when a specific trait is praised in one sex but not in the other.
For example, male bosses are “leaders” and “assertive,” whereas female leaders are “bossy” and “shrill”
Men who date a lot are “studs” and “players,” whereas women are “whores”, “sluts”, and “easy.”
Objectification
Objectification is the process by which a person becomes nothing more than an object.
This occurs when women exist only to satisfy the desires of men.
It is incredibly dehumanizing, but visible in many videogames, movies, and advertisements.
Male Gaze
Many films and television shows are shot, and many books are written, from the perspective of men.
As a result, women are usually portrayed without agency.
“The Sexy Lamp Test,” inspired by A Christmas Story, seeks to determine if women actually play any role in a piece of media. If a woman can easily be replaced with a lamp, then they lack any relevance to the plot.
In effect, the (male) gazer has a position of power over the person being gazed upon (usually a female).
Objectification and Sexualization are Often Linked
Female Gaze
Although the male gaze is more prevalent in media, the female gaze also exists.
The female gaze attempts to subvert male perspectives. It is usually focused on emotional connections between characters, and is not overtly sexual.
One of the best examples of the female gaze is the hand-flexing scene from Pride and Prejudice (2001):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIP_8UGQFx0
The female gaze should not be confused as the reverse of the male gaze. Magic Mike (2012), although it depicts men very sexually, is not an example of the female gaze.
Bechdel-Wallace Test
Also called “The Bechdel Test,” since writer Alison Bechdel introduced the concept in her comic series Dykes to Watch Out For (1985)
The test was inspired by Bechdel’s friend Liz Wallace, and the writings of Virginia Woolf
The test is used to measure whether or not a piece of media (usually a film) can be considered feminist.
To pass the test, the work must feature two named women who talk to each other about something other than a man
Although this seems incredibly easy, most movies do not pass this test.
Bechdel’s comic, which first introduced the “Bechdel-Wallace Test”
Intersectionality
Refers to the way various social categories can interact to oppress individuals on multiple levels
These include categories such as race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity, socioeconomic class, education level, and ability
For example, a middle-class Latina woman will have a different experience of living under the patriarchy than a lower-class white woman
There has been a continuing push for a more inclusive feminist movement that more fully recognizes intersectionality
Sisterhood
Refers to bonds of understanding and acceptance among women, despite differences
A key form of resistance to the patriarchy
Pay attention to the relationships and interactions between women in our texts and whether they show bonds of sisterhood or separation
These have been some of the basic terms used to discuss women’s literature.
You’re now ready to begin applying these terms to the books we’ll read over the next few weeks, and to use in your everyday life!
