Have the goals of Feminism been achieved?

[Natasha]

I've been involved in Feminist activism for quite some time now, and something we discuss is whether we have already achieved our aims. I know that a gap still exists in the workplace, women are still paid less than the men in some cases and there are a lot less women in executive positions. There is also a lot of discrimination when it comes to maternity leave. My question is this: has Feminism achieved its goal or is there still work to be done?

I'd appreciate any opinions and ideas, thanks.

[Gura]

I think you answered your own question. If women are paid less than men and discriminated against the the workplace (as well as subjected to unfair stereotyping, etc), then they are not equal. Women may be equal under the law (i.e., women can vote, hold public office), but the goals of feminism have not been achieved if women still comprise an underclass of sorts.

[Luís Henrique]

My question is this: has Feminism achieved its goal or is there still work to be done?

When we finish washing the dishes, have we achieved our goal... or do we know that tomorrow we will have more dishes to wash?

Capitalism reinforces discrimination each day, so we need to fight against discrimination dayly.

Luís Henrique

[rioters bloc]

definitely not

there is so much more to be done it seems overwhelming at times. but i believe that the feminist movement needs to go hand in hand with all forms of class struggle. i submitted an article on it a coupla months back, here's the link if you're interested :)

http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=41975

peace out. and great to have another feminist on board!

RB

[Simotix]

Where I work there is four assistant managers, they are all girls. The store manager is a girl, most of the department managers are girls. Most of my teachers are women also. I would say women have it good in my area as far as jobs are (small town).

[Clarksist]

Feminism has not acheived its goals... that is obvious. While over 40% of the workforce (at least in the US) is female, only 3% of executive positions are held by females. Not only that, but just look at the language: "he" is the term used when sex is undecided or the person is hypothetical, person is male, female holde the term "male" in it, woman and women both have male terms in them. That might seem sort of stupid to point out, but the psychology even in something as basic as language... is obviously male dominated.

To "press the issue" further, neo-feminism is even further from acheiving its goals. Neo-feminism encompasses all gender issues (its goal is to take away gender all together) and in that way, has doomed itself in a capitalist atmosphere.

The problem is, people think "equal rights" for womyn equals equality. But the truth is, there is a large and multiple generation gap between equal rights and equality. Just ask African Americans. They were emancipated and given equal rights right after the US Civil War, and yet they only achieved equality sometime later... in fact it hasn't happened yet.

For feminism to actually succeed, it would either have to cut its terms down considerably, or permanently marry with leftism, something which looks quite possible and is already happening. A big problem that still stands in its way, however, are the big three that stand in the way of leftism: authority, religion, and consciousness of the people trying to be liberated. Not to say most women don't want liberation from the current ties they have, its just that they don't know the facts about their own situation.

The question arises, as with all movements of feminism's nature, is it our duty to pull the wool out of their eyes? Or is it their duty to do it themselves? I am a man, and therefore is it right for me to tell womyn they should liberate themselves?

[RedAnarchist]

Feminism will only acheive it's goals when the contents of one's pants is irrelevant.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Femminism has not achived it's goals and if we can learn from history, when a movement is not progressing, it is regressing and I think this is what we see today.

A few times a year I see a cover of a national magazine which has an article about career women abandoning their jobs to become house wives. In the 50s women were supposed to give up everything in order to "live for their husbands" and now they have changed this formulation to women should give up everything and "live for their children".

A new women's movement is desperately needed and we should look at the mistakes of the past feminist movement. A new movement should focus on class as well as gender and fight for abortion as a healthcare right as well as child-care so that working-class women are no longer "guilted" for having to work and raise kids.

[RedAnarchist]

I hate the social oppression of women. I even get angry if they do it on a television programme (you know when a man and a woman are talking and very often the woman is doing something stereotypical like cooking or cleaning whilst the man does nothing but sit or stand).

I have a penis, but it does not give me a right to oppress my sisters.

[KC]

As long as they're selling Barbies to girls and GI Joe's to boys, no.

[Morpheus]

Originally posted by [email protected] 5 2005, 01:43 AM
Where I work there is four assistant managers, they are all girls. The store manager is a girl, most of the department managers are girls. Most of my teachers are women also. I would say women have it good in my area as far as jobs are (small town).
That only benefits female bosses. Female workers are another story entirely.

[rebelworker]

every day 3 women are killed by the man in there lives(husband, boyfriend)in th US.

About one in 4 women is sexually assaulted.

Even in the left most groups are still male dominated...

There is much left to be done.