Feminsm

Fri. Feb. 26 2010

Feminist ideas have been around for many years, the word ''feminism,, was first used in 1895.The definition is women and girls should have human rights, equal to those enjoyed by men and boy and equal roles and responsibilities in society. A "feminist,, is a person , a women or man who supports feminism.


Feminism can refer both to ideas about women's roles , status , history and to actions such as campaigns for women's rights. Feminist ideas have been developed by in individuals and small groups. Feminism has altered predominant perspectives in a wide range of areas within Western society, ranging from culture to law.

Feminist activists have campaigned for women's legal rights (rights of contract, property rights, voting rights); for women's right to bodily integrity and autonomy, for abortion rights, and for reproductive rights (including access to contraception and quality prenatal care); for protection of women and girls from domestic violence, sexual harassment and rape.

Feminism is both an intellectual commitment and a political movement that seeks justice for women and the end of sexism in all forms. However, there are many different kinds of feminism. Feminists disagree about what sexism consists in, and what exactly ought to be done about it; they disagree about what it means to be a woman or a man and what social and political implications gender has or should have. Nonetheless, motivated by the quest for social justice, feminist inquiry provides a wide range of perspectives on social, cultural, and political phenomena. Important topics for feminist theory and politics include: the body, class and work, disability, the family, globalization, human rights, popular culture, race and racism, reproduction, science, the self, sex work, and sexuality. Extended discussion of these topics is included in the sub-entries to feminism in this encyclopedia.

Citaition: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-topics/
Copyright c 2004 by
Sally Haslanger shaslang@mit.edu
Nancy Tuana ntuana@psu.edu
First published Fri. Feb. 07 2003
substantive revision Mon. Mar. 15 2004
http://www.wikipedia.com/
Stearman, k. (2004) Feminism.
Chicagao: Raintree