Feminism and its impact on society

Feminism and its bushel on companionshipFeminism is one of the basic move custodyts for human liberty (Schneir, 1996 xi) a feminist role in society is to actively recognize the need for, and work towards creating equality for all women. Feminism is purely a movement which intends to inculcate people with a goal of improving sex activity equality and strengthening womens status in society.Geographers began to study feminism in the late 1970s as a resistance against sexism. Since the late 1970s to 90s, the work of many a(prenominal) feminist geographers have explored the connections between sex and geography, and has challenged gender inequalities in both geographical confabulation and k right awayledge about the world (Blunt, A Wills J 2000. Pg 91). Feminist geography is a to a greater extent advanced approach within human geography, it addresses the various ways in which genders and geographies are mutually constituted (Pratt, 1994 94).Feminist geography questions the patr iarchal and hierarchical assumptions on which geography is based, and highlights the oppression and difficulty women face through gender inequality. The Feminist theory is concerned with analysing and explaining as well as changing gendered power relations. Our society is characterized by differences in power and status of two groups men and women. Men inevitably have more power and status than women this results in their interests being reinforced by patriarchy. We live in a patriarchal society that accepts as essentially unproblematic the routine beating, raping, and murder of women. (Batzell, R 2009)Feminist theories has inspired critical work across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences that seeks to disrupt the gender imbalance of power that exists both within and beyond the academy (Alison, Blunt 2000).Feminists also claim that many cultural beliefs in contemporary society utility men and ultimately disadvantage women. Therefore their fundamental aim is to reve rse this disadvantaged role women play in society. Feminism spans all ideologies, activities, and policies whose goal it is to read discrimination against women and to break down the male domination of society (Lovenduski and Randall, 1993 2) Associations between gender and geography as a discipline will be besides explored, illustrating how production of geographical k instantlyledge has been gendered.Gender represents differences between womens and mens attitudes, behaviour and opportunities that depend upon socially constructed views of femininity and masculinity. The term gender is preferred to that of sex, which is restricted to the anatomical bankers bill between the sexes rather than social differences.(McDowell, 1986 170) Gender is a social relation that positions men and women differently in society. Feminists whitethorn argue that there is a pecking order of power held directly by men who are in a more advantageous position in society, because of their gender. Gender i s a part of an individuals identity it influences what we think about ourselves, people and also our relationship with other people (Blunt, A Wills, J 2000 Pg 92). To be innate(p) male or female does non imply masculinity and femininity rather ideologies about masculinity and femininity are socially constructed. This is further supported by (de Beauvoir, 1949) One is not born but rather becomes a woman. These social constructions are very crucial in shaping the everyday lives of men and women.Socialist feminist geographers (also known as Marxist feminists) look at the way in which the structuring of space creates and continues to maintain traditional gender roles and relationships in society and how spatial variations in gender impact where an industry locates. Employers locate to areas where there is an availability of cheap female labour, and the quantity of this type of labour. However this can vary over regions and nations. Their message also emphasizes that full-strength eq uality cannot be achieved and will be difficult to attain without a major revolution, in particular an economic one, as power and capital are distributed unevenly in the capitalist society we have today.Women are often stereotyped as domestic workers, consumers and care workers and these ideas are mostly associated with femininity. This type of use of goods and services is often seen to be less worthy and deserving of a high pay and less respected than traditional masculine roles. There seems to be a tendency to value and remunerate women less for their work as they enter a profession. It is not fair for women to individually work so that they can stick up to powerful positions in society. It is accept suitable to say that power needs to be redistributed throughout society.In contrast, ideas about full-time employment and citizenship beyond the legal residence are often shaped by ideas of masculinity this is reflected by the notion of men to be suitable to certain spheres of work and participation in unrestricted life rather than women. (Massey 1996, cited in Blunt Wills 1993). Gender inequality can be witnessed everywhere through the masculine spaces of mines and city workers, down to the feminized spaces of garment factories and elementary teaching. However these gender roles and relations are ever changing, and to reiterate they are socially constructed as well as dynamic rather than permanent and noneffervescent from birth.Inequality also lays heavily in the difference in pay between men and women. As a recent study found that scarce being a woman was the most serious impediment to women in the workplace (reportageonline.com), women working full-time earn on average 16.4% less per minute than men working full-time. Other figures show women working part-time earn on average 35.3% less per hour than men working full-time (based on mean hourly pay in 2009 data from EHRC, 2010). The difference in earnings is created through the gender segregation of o ccupations and women being discriminated against. Furthermore the lower paying work is usually carried out by the females as there is a gender stereotype for women to take responsibility of certain jobs. There is also an under-representation of women in vocational work and in large firms. Nevertheless, Gender has come a long way, and in recent years has dynamically changed as now more women are paid fairly in employmentFeminism on a whole has had a positive impact on society it has been a dramatically successful social movement. It has changed womens expectations and perspectives on their lives. In the past, women would have to marry to gain financial security and stability. Women are now working and more fissiparous than ever, by earning their own living, they do not need to rely on a man for stability. Sue Sharpe (1976, 1994) has conducted research into this area and in the first variate of her book Just Like A Girl (1976) she interviewed girls and asked them about their future plans, which were to get married and have children. A career was not seen as significant neither a high priority. She later repeated her research in the 1990s and found that the girls priorities had changed their careers came first and marriage and children were not as important anymore. Women now have far more choice, variety and opportunities compared to the past.Feminism has also transformed what men expect from sharing their lives with women and how they will behave towards women. Children growing up now simply take for granted feminisms messages about sexual equality and justice when only 30 years ago such messages were widely opposed as extremist and threatening to the social order. No other movement has so rapidly revolutionized such deeply held patterns of behaviour (Coward, 1999 194)Finally, in response to wider social shifts, the aspirations of girls may have also increased. Thus girls now may have their sights set on university and a career and this may translate into i ncreased engagement with school. novel reforms have opened opportunities to women most notably the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, which made gender discrimination in employment illegal.women soothe suffer many injustices, discriminations and sometimes even outrages but there is no longer a coherent picture of male advantage and female disadvantage Gender the Great Compromiser a crucial division in society but in a much more fractured and inconsistent way (Coward, 1999 192-3)The key message of feminism in the 21st century society should highlight choice in bringing a personal meaning to feminism is to recognise others right to do the exact same thing. Women all over the world nationally, regionally and globally should be able to embrace this powerful message of feminism and be able to create a positive meaning of their own womanhood and femininity. However, despite feminism being a strong successful movement, inequality and exploitation of women still exist and sadly there are wom en today, who are trapped in a society which doesnt value them and leaves them neither choice nor freedom to express their views and rights.