Contrary to what many believe, feminism didn’t begin at the Miss America Pagent of 1968 when a group of women burned their bras. Over 500 years before the scent of smoking undergarments, women were writing and speaking on behalf of their rights. The modern suffragist movement began in the eighteenth century in France. In 1920, women were given the right to vote in the United States.
In 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment was introduced in Congress. It proposed the following: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
The ferment of the late 1960s led to the modern women’s liberation movement, built on the feminists who came before, as well as on the civil rights movement. Feminism is the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
The Equal Rights Amendment passed the U.S. Senate and then the House of Representatives, and on March 22, 1972, the proposed 27th Amendment to the Constitution was sent to the states for ratification. However, in 1977, Indiana became the 35th and,so far, the last state to ratify the ERA. The Equal Rights Amendment was reintroduced in Congress on July 14, 1982 and has been before every session of Congress since that time.
In spite of the fact that feminism speaks only of equal rights, huge misconceptions have arisen about the nature of feminists. Pat Robertson, talk show host and former presidential candidate, described feminism as a “socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” Many people believe that in order to be a feminist one must be a “loud, abrasive, man-hating, lesbian,” and must “give up makeup and skirts, stop shaving, and abandon one’s religion.” Others don’t even have an opinion because they believe that since women now have equal rights in our modern society, feminism went the way of the dinosaur. For years now, one magazine or another has an article titled “Is Feminism Dead?”
Neither belief is true. Feminists believe in equal rights for both genders, a notion that shouldn’t seem radical in our modern age. And, while there are feminists who are lesbians, there are also feminists who are heterosexual. Feminists run the same gamut of social, political, religious, and sexual orientation as does the general population. And the belief that women have achieved equal rights already is dangerously misguided. For example, the workplace pay gap between men and women has actuallygotten worse.
Democracy is government by the people. It seems a no brainer to me that a population that has equal rights will make for a stronger government. For that reason, alone, we should all be proud to label ourselves feminists.
writerwoman61
October 15, 2010
Thanks for this, Renée! I am related to Harriet Beecher Stowe, Catherine Beecher, and Julia Ward Howe, who were all early feminists…
I’ve always taught my daughters that there isn’t much that men can do that they can’t: father a child and pee standing up are the only things I could think of!
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
October 15, 2010
Wow, what a lineage. My elementary school was The Julia Ward Howe Elementary. We began every assembly singing “The Battle Hymn of the Repiblic.” Great line about fathering a child and peeing standing up.
merrilymarylee
October 15, 2010
Yay, YOU!!! Love this!
Also loved your nekkid pictures. 🙂 Very clever!
lifeintheboomerlane
October 15, 2010
And thanks for reading! With all the zillions of blogs out there, I’m honored that anyone finds mine. This post came as a result of my going to a NOW event yesterday evening that included the film “I Was a Teenage Feminist.” Very thought-inducing.
Mama Haas
October 15, 2010
Interesting topic – you get back to the roots of it and the true spirit – equal rights, choices, and status. 🙂
Unfortunately, there seems to be a new conservative wave happening and it’s from our own gender, from the Christine O’Donnell’s in the political spectrum to posts I see on crafting related blogs – women offended by the female form, social/moral choices, etc. It’s interesting…and a bit frightening.
lifeintheboomerlane
October 15, 2010
Thanks for reading. And yes, agreed. I hear the reasons why they feel as they do, but my gut asks, “Why would anyone be against anything that is for their own benefit?”
brasch1985
October 18, 2010
I have a feeling I’m not 🙂
The Girl from the Ghetto
October 18, 2010
Yahoo! I’m all about feminism and have been since the third grade.
I’m assuming you’ve seen “Iron Jawed Angels?”
lifeintheboomerlane
October 18, 2010
Thanks for reading. I haven’t seen that film, but it’s on my Netflix list.
Therese Shechter
October 18, 2010
Hi there! Thanks so much for writing about our film “I Was A Teenage Feminist!” (Our google news reader pointed us to your blog entry…) So glad you went to the NOW event and enjoyed it – we appreciate you spreading the word.
You might also be interested in our in-the-works film and blog about virginity in America. I think if you click on my name it will take you to the site.
lifeintheboomerlane
October 18, 2010
Hi Therese. Wow, I’m honored that Google pointed you to it. It was a great evening. I’ll check out the film on virginity. I’ll bet that it will be fascinating. Best, Renee
Update: That trailer for the film does look fascinating. When will it be realeased?
Therese Shechter
October 19, 2010
We’re editing the Virginity film now, so hopefully early 2011.
Re: bra burning…Bras were never actually burned in protest. It’s an often-repeated myth.
Women threw their bras into large trash cans at the Miss America pageant (along with their heels and other things they felt were oppressive).
There’s a little snippet of it at the start of my film, which you can see a clip of at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2utxLaC-Cc.
Some people think the myth was somehow associated with draft cards being burned around the same time.
lifeintheboomerlane
October 21, 2010
So interesting! Yes, that makes sense, that it started with draft cards being burned. By the way, I love that you are the “star” of your documentaries. And was it your impending marriage ghat have you the idea to do a documentary on virginity?
Loosefemme
October 19, 2010
OMG I love the Pat Robertson quote, I have stolen it and am going to make good use of it. lol
lifeintheboomerlane
October 19, 2010
Thanks for reading my post! That comment is priceless, isn’t it.