DISCUSSION ESSAY BY SI PIM PIM

DISCUSSION ESSAY

Prima Hidayoza (1305361)

PROS AND CONS OF FEMINIST MOVEMENT IN SOCIETY

      Feminist movement can be defined as the belief women and men are treated differently by our society, and women have frequently and systematically been unable to participate fully in social and institution. It is also a desire to change that situation where women and men are same.
Feminism began in the western world in the late 19th century and has gone through three waves. Up to now, feminism still exists in all countries to address the financial, social and cultural inequalities, especially focus on women’s rights. Women need their independences and rights to be same as men. On the other hand, feminist movement seems only a desire of women itself.

      If we analyze in positive sides many ideas why women declare their self to pro with feminist movement. In the first place, we believe that human right is the biggest factor why feminism appears in the world. The phenomenon happens around us is that women cannot express their feeling in society. In Indonesia’s laws, for example, the representative of women in parliament is that at least 30% (UU No. 8 Parliament Election). It shows us, there are no balances between women and men. We do not think that men are cleverer that women, but we believe that we need same rights between women and men. When we talk about human rights it also relate with law, where we, as member of society, have law and duty in doing our human right. There are 3 dimensions why we, especially women, need the same position with men. The first one is that liberty that related with civil and political. Second is that equality which is related with social, culture, and economic. Third is that fraternity which is connected with collective. The law that has been declared sometimes give distinguish and limitation between women and men. In civil right, we believe whether women could freely choose of refuse marriage partner, but sometimes in societies some women are forced to marry soon by her family.

      Secondly, the development in this era gives contribution to feminist movement.  By the time pass by, the technology and knowledge develop fast. It also change the way of thinking in society. We do believe that we could not live and adopt the ancestor ideology, because we live in different eras. We need the evolution and innovation to be a better person in order we can maintain our position in this era. This modern era gives big contribution toward women perspective that they need the equality between men and women. Nowadays, women’s thinking has completely changed. For instance, the career women, as the tangible evidence, indicate women need movement and innovation. Career women prove us that women also can do it as men so. It still debate, however. A wife in a family cannot expect the salary from men, because the needs in this period are higher. The secularism increases day by day, because of people provide and serve the new ones. This 21th century shows us that women and men need the same balances in order to get welfare. Welfare is needed in order we can pretend and face this era. Women need to mixed-up with it, because it is impossible to give all portions to men.

      Then, gender equality is also one of the factors of feminist movement. People believe that women are weak. Yes it is. However, we need to think logically. It is not because women cannot do what men do so. When we compare to the single parent, being only a mom, they still keep and alive as same as other people in our environments. It reminds us that women also can do everything to fulfill their need. In addition, there still exists gender discrimination. In United Kingdom feminist shows that violence against women and girls on average two women a week are killed by a violent partner or ex-partner in the UK, up to 3 million women and girls across the UK experience rape, domestic violence, stalking, or other violence each year, an estimated 66,000 women in England and Wales in 2001 had been subject to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and at least 24,000 girls were at risk of FGM in 2007, and so on. It shows that discrimination for women still exists. (Statistic of gender inequality UK Feminista). Another fact that we can see in media that black African people, especially the women, still do discrimination if they visit or stay in abroad. The minority, black African women, do not respect by majority. In western, we often hear that women who have white complexion do oppression to women who have black complexion. They assume that they are not in the same line.

      Feminist movement can influence others women in other countries. It is still debatable for all people in this world.

Thus, despite the contradictory current scenario, there is much remarkable and potentially radical, progressive or emancipatory feminist praxis to be seen if we look hard enough. There is also, we suggest, a resurgence of women’s and feminist organising, and feminist theorising, at the heart of a range of social movements today (see, e.g., Eschle and Maiguashca, 2010). Much of this is documented in the special section on feminist strategies, which brings together a wide range of reflections from around the world in order to contribute to a debate on practice which in our view needs to be revived and amplified. (Transnational feminisms at the WSF November 2011, Volume 3:52 page 32)

Feminist movement comes from a group who has high ambitions in defending women existence.  They believe that women have to be same with men, and it must be maintain in all sides. It is not logic, though. It also makes some conflicts among women and society. People who cons with it have more strong reasons why they do not like feminist movement.  A part of them say yes and support for feminist movement, but others do not give his/her enthusiasm for feminist movement.

      In contrast, many people against feminist movement. The first factor that makes it happen is that the women’s instinct. We have already known that women should keep their family at home, keep children, and being a good household for her family. It is true; women task is only maintain and make sure her family whether they are in good condition. Women just stay at home to take care of his family, and men have a job to fulfill their need. It means that a wife receive money from her husband. Men give the justification to women that they are not expected to find money in respecting women. Men love women, and they do not want women to get violence outside, so that women are proper to stay at home in caring her children.

      Furthermore some activities cannot be done by women. It sounds strange when women ask to lift the heavy weight such as chair, table, and so on. It warns that women need the protection. We believe that quality of women existence should improve, because we argue that women who get discrimination because they cannot show their identity. It means that when women keep themselves, wherever they are, they would not bother by bad people/community.

      To sum up, feminist movement describes the cultures, where women are not treated well than men. They assume that feminism is the best way to turn back their opinion about equality. Feminism consists of activist, whether personal and group, to make the evolution and new change in their selves and social based what they expected on without think the impact. I declare that I say no for feminist movement. We never find the real justification in this world, because law has been coming as the media to reach and set our life. The ideas are absolutely zero differences between men and women. There are differences, but these differences do not make either gender superior or inferior to the other. This quote might remind us to think and analyze “Dealing with complexity is an inefficient and unnecessary waste of time, attention and mental energy. There is never any justification for things being complex when they could be simple.”(Edward de Bono)

SOURCES

1.      http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/edwarddebo163907.html#R6r2FZKSqLGte29i.9

2.      file:///Facts%20and%20statistics%20on%20gender%20inequality%20_%20UK%20Feminista.htm  (online October 3, 2014)

3.      Interface: a journal for and about social movements Article

4.      Volume 3 (2): 33 - 64 (November 2011) Conway, Transnational feminisms at the WSF (online October 6^th, 2014)

5.      Interface: a journal for and about social movements Editorial

Volume 3 (2): 1 - 32 (November 2011) Motta, Flesher Fominaya, Eschle, Cox,

Feminism, women’s movements…

(online October 6^th, 2014)

6.      www.debatemotioncentral.com

7.      youtube about human right

8.      www.wikipediafeminstm.com

9.      ESSAY WRITING 2 Rhetoric and Modern Feminism - Oxford Handbooks.htm (online 7^th October 2014)

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