Final Essays

Essay 1:
Women can never be taken seriously because they are constantly forced to live up to a superficial, non existent look that has been created by the media and society of today. Some men are guilty of only placing value on a woman’s beauty not her brains which further hinders women from gaining headway in politics, society, and the workplace. By sexualizing women, they become mere objects and are not taken seriously.
I felt like the play Eternal Feminine by Catellanos really portrayed this idea of beauty standards women have to maintain. Women during that time period were forced to try and sustain their youth by constantly worrying about their appearance through multiple trips to the salon. Women “are not supposed” to think because thinking causes them to question their place in society. The only way to continue to make sure women do not climb up the latter in society and gain true equality; they are bombarded with the idea that they need to obsess over their beauty. The owner of the store even says that the number of times a week a customer comes depends on her social status, “the sloppy ones, once; the run-of-the-mill, twice. The pampered ones, daily”(Castellanos 1. 275). This is a ridiculous amount of time spent on simply trying to enhance ones appearance, and for what. . .to please men?
Women were supposed to be seen and not heard. A great example of this in the play was when a salesman came into the beauty parlor in the first scene and tried to sell the owner hairdryers that “wards off the danger”. In this specific case, the danger was women thinking. The makers of this hairdryer were not concerned when they thought women were just bored or sleeping; however, as soon as they realized women may be thinking they came to the conclusion that it was bad to allow them the chance to question their assigned gender roles. When the owner asked what the danger of women sitting under a hairdryer for an hour was, the salesman responded, “that women, without realizing it, might think. The proverb says it: think the worst and you’ll be right. Thinking, itself, is bad. It must be avoided”(Castellanos 1. 276).
In chapter six of Feminism is For Everybody by Bell Hooks, she discusses the issue of beauty in our culture. She explains the different generations and how beauty has changed within them to get us to the point we are at now which includes an obsession with the exterior. This obsession has caused women to continue to be seen as unequal in our society because “our nation’s obsession with judging females of all ages on the basis of how we look was never completely eliminated. It continues to grip our cultural imagination”(Hooks 33). Females who are assertive or show powerful are often times referred to as radical.
Hooks said that “until feminist go back to the beauty industry, go back to the fashion, and create an ongoing, sustained revolution, we will not be free. We will not know how to love our bodies again”(Hooks 36).
In chapter four of The F-Word, Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner analyzes the various social issues that plague women at universities in the United States. Self-identity ranked number three on a list of the top ten social issues women are concerned with on college campuses. She examined a study conducted in 2003 by Duke university that came up with the conclusion that even in an academic environment which is suppose to encourage thinking and attaining knowledge, young women are pressured to look good and somewhat dumb themselves down in order to get a man. Women feel that they must conform to this unattainable beauty ideal through intense dieting and dressing fashionably. The 1950’s mentally is still very much present because women think that if they don’t buy into the media and society’s creation of what is means to be beautiful then they will not be successful with men.
As a female college sophomore, I feel these pressures all the time. This section really spoke to me because I understand what girls go through. Yes we are at college to get an education; however, in the back of our minds, there is still a desire to catch a mans gaze. Being smart and educated are not enough in this world and guys don’t just want a girl with personality (or so the media tells us). This pushes girls to develop eating disorders and body image issues because they become plagued with the thought that they aren’t good enough. All even admit that I find myself buying into the makeup commercials ads and various advertisements that claim you will “look” better if you only buy their product.
The author directly links this strive to be perfect with the lack of electoral involvement and announced that she believes body-image issues steer women away from staying involved with social issues and what is going on in politics. She says that “as long as young women are spending time worrying about externally defined standards of beauty, their mental energy, and time, are being taken away from creating political change, and electoral action, and to break the external, mainly unattainable, standards that confine”(Rowe-Finkbeiner 71).
It is evident that the media has a dedication with picking apart female politicians looks. Newspapers and newscasts devote all of their programs the focus on female politicians’ appearances which only furthers the stereotype that women should not be taken seriously. If you look at the last election, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton were picked apart and criticized for what they wore during their campaigns by the media. They were more interested in her appearance tan what she actually has to say. This can be extremely discouraging for women trying to start a political career because they realize they may never be taken seriously.
In her He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut article, Valenti also makes the argument that women have a tough time in the political arena. The double standard number eleven, “He’s a Politician, She’s a Fashion Plate”, Valenti describes the “extra baggage” that women carry because they are relentlessly being judged on their looks. There is no right outfit that women can wear. Suits are too manly; yet, if a woman wears a low cut shirt her cleavage is talked about and she cannot be taken seriously. There is no winning scenario, so what is a woman to do?
Women are also treated unfairly by the media and receive less media attention. Apparently “the newspaper coverage of Elizabeth Dole’s campaign compared with that of George W. Bush, John McCain, and Steven Forbes received less coverage overall, especially on the issues, but when it comes to “personal” coverage—talking about her personality, clothing and looks—she received significantly more coverage. Shocking”(Valenti 54).
Valenti is good about including activism and letting the author know can be done to help the situation. For this specific problem it is important to write letters and speak out against the unfair attention women get.
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf, she furthers the argument that a woman’s fixation with her appearance almost always hinders her ability to gain power within politics and the business world because “there a secret “underlife” poisoning our freedom; infused with the notions of beauty, it is a dark vein of self hatred, physical obsessions, terror of aging, and dread of lost control”(Wolf 10). Images of the “perfect” women deters women from advancing because “women can be better weakened physiologically”(Wolf 16). Since women have gained access to voting and somewhat of a voice in the government through a limited amount of representation, men had to come up with another way to stop the advancement of women; therefore, media and advertisements began to target the flaws of women to make them less powerful. These images of the “perfect” woman were “summoned out of political fear on the part of male-dominated institutions threatened by women’s freedom”(Wolf 16).
I will personally be affected by this judgment that women face when I enter law school. I will have to work harder than men to be taken seriously and learn to manipulate how I dress and my appearance so that I can climb up the ladder. Until society halts this need for physical perfection among women, females will never truly be equal to men because they will be forever consumed with the idea that the only way to get places in life is to look good.

Essay 2:
Feminism has dramatically changed over the last century and has become now, what I believe, a more personal definition than in the past. My definition of a feminist is anyone who thinks that women should be treated with dignity and respect and should have the same opportunities to succeed as men. Feminism seeks to combat stereotypical gender roles and advocate for women around the world to be celebrated and valued!
The first wave of feminism took place in the late nineteenth, early twentieth century and primarily focused on large inequalities that swept across the nation such as women’s suffrage. When most people think about the early waves they are familiar with women fighting for a right to vote. In class, when we watched Iron Jawed Angels, I didn’t realize the things these women went through and the horrible treatment they endured while protesting for women to have a say in the government.
The second wave was about resolving inequalities in the workplace, addressing healthcare issues, and helping women be equal in marriages. It began in the 1960’s and some would say lasted through the 1980’s. Betty Freidan published the Feminine Mystique which helped people at that time realize the troubles that housewives go through and exposed the issues. The second wave led to acts that promoted equal pay in the workplace and Title 9 which created equal sports program funding for girls. Women were finally allowed to join the military and Roe V Wade was implemented.
We are currently in the third wave feminism which “focuses more on female empowerment than male oppression, and it’s a more sexually and radically diverse movement than its predecessors. Its not surprising, then that there is no “party line” feminism for this age group-you can be a corporate executive, a soccer mom, a transgendered person, an ultrafeminine woman, or even a full-time mother-and still be a feminist”(Rowe-Finkbeiner 90). I think this statement is so accurate and really portrayals what a feminist is today. A feminist does not have a clear characterization anymore and have become more of a personal definition. There is no longer the stereotypical type of feminist because a feminist can look like anyone. The is something empowering about a woman who cares about her appearance and wears makeup but stands up for the rights of women. I think that if the movement became more mainstream and people realized you don’t have to be a “lesbian” or “dyke” then more people would call themselves feminism.
Feminism is also very culturally relative and the definition changes across the oceans. One of the articles I found interesting was Arab Feminism because it portrayed a different point of view from another culture about what feminism was to them. Some organizations in Muslim dominated countries include “the Alliance of Arab Women; the Association for the Development and Advancement of Women; Together; Progressive Women’s Union”(Darraj). As westerners we do not think that the Middle East harbors women’s organizations; however, they in fact have many that promote equal treatment for women. Many of these women discussed in the article wear veils by choice but still call themselves feminists.
The culture today values beauty and the exterior, so one of the major struggles feminism seeks to combat is the beauty myth. I admit I wear makeup, fix my hair, and enjoy getting dressed up because I feel confident; however, this class has been wonderful because I have grown to question the real reason for why I do it. The fantastic thing about the third wave though is that I have the freedom to look however I chose; yet, I am aware of the influence the media has on consumers. Wolf talked about the improvements that the first two waves have made in society as far as comfortable style and women having healthy appearances but that now “after just twenty years of the great push forward, during which time women sough to define those things for ourselves, the marketplace, more influential than any solitary artist, has seized the definition of our desire”(Wolfe 277).
I completely disagreed with some of the topics that Bell Hooks discussed in Feminism is For Everybody and found her book to be hypocritical because she defined what feminism is for herself and disregarded anyone who may have a different opinion. As a religious person I feel that you can be a feminist and somewhat pro-life; however, in her book she says flat out that “one cannot be anti-choice and a feminist”(Hooks 6). Why does she get to dictate who is and who is not a feminist? Again I believe the third wave has created friction because people such as Bell Hooks are trying to create a definition that does not include people who may have other valid opinions and she contradicts the title of her own book. To say that somebody cannot be a feminist if they believe something other than her is not fair to do. Her entire book is what she believes the definition of feminism is; therefore creating tension among people because according to her, if you do not agree with everything she says, you are not a feminist. I agreed with most of the topics she discussed and she has good arguments; yet, there were some comments that left a bad taste in my mouth such as when she said that “conservatives seek to undo the changes created by struggles for gender justice”(Hooks 23). That is a blanket statement that can offend many people. She claims multiple times throughout her book that women need to learn about issues from a non-biased perspective; but, her entire book seems to be biased towards liberal views and she continuously jabs religious and conservative ideals.
I am a feminist and I am a Christian. The thought that you cannot be a feminist and have religious morals is absurd and invalid. In fact, if you look at the roots of Christianity and Jesus’s true teachings you will find that he lead the example for feminism and he was the first person to truly advocate for the equal and fair treatment of women. Scriptures depict Jesus as a man who violated traditional Jewish taboos which included initiating conversations with women. He struck down old traditions of treating women unfairly by refusing to condemn adulteresses, he ate with women, and he had compassion for Mary Magdalene and even appeared first to her, a former prostitute. He preached love for everyone no matter the sex. It angers me when people make the assumption that Christianity oppresses women because that could not be farther from the truth.
Women’s studies goes hand in hand with feminism because women’s studies is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on women’s issues. Most of the curriculum revolves around changing social attitudes about how women should be treated. The major promotes activism for women’s rights.
I think that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. I also think that people deserve to be happy; however, I do not think that I am any less of a feminist because I do not advocate gay marriage. Nobody is saying that those types of couples cannot live together and date and they are not allowed to be harassed. I just don’t see it as a feminist issue. Some may think gay marriage is a feminist issue; however, I think the main issues that need to be addressed are ones that oppress women. I believe women shouldn’t have to make the choice to get an abortion because they should have better access to birth control and family planning facilities. More measures need to be taken to educate the youth about safe sex so that women won’t have to sit down and face that tough decision.
In my heart I know that women need to be treated fairly. There is a number that countries hold back their women and place them in an inferior status. Of course there are problems in this country as far as women’s issues go but we are fortunate to live within a government that allows for change and favors people who lobby for change. In fact I plan on devoting my life to women’s issues by becoming a lawyer and working abroad for the United Nations or a nongovernmental organization that fights injustices against women. I am really interested in combating human trafficking cases in Spanish speaking countries. Feminism to me is about focusing on issues that hurt women both physically and emotionally; such as, domestic violence, human trafficking, rape as war crimes, and the lack of education available to women abroad.
I am feminist, by my standards of what a feminist is. Do I conform to the stereotype? No. Do I wear makeup? Yes. Do I believe in gay marriage? No. Am I religious? Yes. Does that mean I cannot be a feminist? Definitely not!


Sources:
Castellanos, Rosario. The Eternal Feminine. 1988. Austin: Volf T Press.
Darraj, Susan Muaddi. Understanding the Other Sister: The Case of Arab Feminism. 2002.
Hooks, Bell. Feminism is for Everbody: Passionate Politics. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2000. Print.
Rowe-Finkbeiner, Kristin. The F-Word. Emeryville, CA: Seal Press, 2004. Print.
Valenti, Jessica. He's a Stud, She's a Slut And 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know. Berkley, CA: Seal Press, 2008. Print.
Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Print.