Women in American Society

Women in American Society Origin of American feminism The abolitionism ideology, that all human beings have the moral authority of control over their bodies roots the origin of the feminism in America in 1830s. â€Å"Abolitionism was a movement formed to ensure the bringing of slavery to a dead end† (Linder 5).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Women in American Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During the movement, women participated and enormously played pragmatic roles. Consequently, women realized their potentiality to free themselves from gender focused discrimination. As matter of urgency, the birth of women movements took place. One of the feminist campaigners, Abbie Kelley who lived in 1810 to 1887, noted that, â€Å"we have good cause to be grateful to the slave, for the benefit we have received to ourselves, in working for him. In striving to strike his irons off, we found most surely that we were manacled ourselvesâ₠¬  (Ellen, Lynn 25). Some of the women during the 1830s movement discovered the religious inspirations that denied them equal public activity rights but rather conferred impeccable similar rights to their male counterparts, had only the effects of serving as subtle breeding grounds for gender prejudices. The religious principles seemed pegged on natural rights shrouded with individualistic ideologies so designed to confer benefit to the males only. Through the feminists movements fights to bring to an end gender based discriminations, â€Å"Angelina Grimke (1805-1879), Sarah Grimke (1792-1873), and Abbie Kelley became the first women in America to do lecture tours before audiences that included men† (Ellen, and Lynn 59). However, they received a lot of caution not to incorporate women rights into their speeches. In 1838 Angelina Grimke, got an opportunity to speak before a legislative body of America, where she criticized the conditions under which their rights seemed deemed to hold: subject to dominance of men’s rights first. Grimke sisters set out the ways that enabled the feminists who followed them to thrive by dismantling social taboos that facilitated growth of prejudice against women. The central concern of feminism is that women stand out as oppressed or alternatively placed at a lesser advantage compared to men.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The other pillar that anchors concerns of women stipulates them as being treated in unjustified manner that makes the oppression and discrimination illegitimate. Late 19th century during the time Grimke sisters and other feminists who actively participated in the initial fights for women rights, 2nd world war period, post 2nd world war period from early 1950s to the late 1980s, and early 1990s period formed epochal moments in the history of women rights. During these periods, rights of women have evolved from one stage to another and finally into the status where rules of nature are perceived to endow both men and women with equal rights. Three waves conceptual frame work of feminism The first wave: 19th to 20th century, addresses women and girls educational rights, conditions under which women work and voting rights issues. Predominantly, the wave sort to address issues such extinction of slavery and disproportionate moderation. Groups objected to averse rapid change: made of Christian groups that included â€Å"Francis Willard and the women temperance Christian union, and others resembling the diversity and radicalism of much of the second wave† (Kerber 59), constituted the major groups that were the champions of the first wave. The wave ended when women were constitutionally conferred voting rights upon the amendment of the US constitution in 1919. Inequality of Laws, societal roles and differences in culture between women and men got their attention in the s econd wave, which existed in 1960s to 1980s. Second wavers hassled to bring to an end the gender-based discrimination as opposed to their predecessors who were much concerned with absolute rights (Sargent Para. 3). The third wave: born in early 1990s, though intertwined with the second wave concepts, reflect replication of the second wave agendas alongside feedback from prior waves’ failures.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Women in American Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Essentially, the third wave seeks clarity on terms that dominate feminism debates to realize equality in applicability to all women irrespective of class or races. The wave constitutes the making of encounters of micro politically instigated debates emanating from the differences in application of definitions of femininity terms. Some feminists think that in determining the things considered as good for women generally did not inco rporate factors such as social classes and race into the function. The arguments points at attributing general definition of things right for women being applicable to the experiences of women belonging to the higher class or white women. Roles of war, labor and economy Civil war gave feminism movements in US a major boost. The position of the women in the society changed drastically and permitted them to participate in paid for work in addition to their house chores. Need to set up ammunition industries rose. Given the labor requirements in the industries, the norms that allowed men only to work in the factories had to face a change. In an attempt to end slavery, women devoted themselves to support the civil war with a consequence of amicable benefit in reduction of legal discrimination of women. In 1800, legal incapacitation of women dwindled. Better recognition of women’s capacity to manage and control property got a dossier in 1809 upon their receiving of their ability to make legally binding relationships: the ability to make a will. In 1940s, Second World War saw some 300,000 American women serving the military in full military uniform. War had adverse effects on the economy. Therefore, the phrase â€Å"no tax without representation† (Kerber 29) had to be paraphrased to permit the government to collect taxes from women. Feminist’s movements, as a result, took advantage of the economic situation to portray their concerns eloquently. Race and Class When the civil war came to a halt, feminists seemed torn into two parts, instead of focusing on claiming for more women rights in general, their debates across all states adopted initiatives to seek statutory rights for the blacks.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The struggle saw the US population voting rights not discriminated on the bases of â€Å"race, color, or previous condition of servitude† (Ellen, and Lynn 69). Some critics regarded the rights for the blacks so attained, as harsh and framed in a manner discordant with the rights of the women. Injustices in conferring rights to blacks only affect women in particular upon denying the rights only to black women. Class resulted to some women believing that men cheated on when perceived to enjoy some rights while in actual sense they do not. They therefore believe that some rights are a preserve of women belonging to some privileged class of women. The Point of Disagreement The unity of women’s fight for better-balanced habitat characterized by equality between men and women, received a major drawback when Individualism started stemming in. Ellen and Lynn note that â€Å"while the mainstream feminism concentrated on suffrage, more radical feminists looked elsewhere for pro gress† (105). The disintegrated views amongst feminists prompted varying responses to the various groups. Generally, feminists do not strike a common understanding on the constituents of sexism and the precise strategies required in dealing with it. The question of what being a man or a woman means, the political and social repercussions and economics effects of gender prejudices attracts conflicting answers from different feminists. Ellen, Dubois, and Lynn, Dumenil. Through Women’s Eyes: An American History With  Documents. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. Kerber, Linder. Women’s America: Refocusing the Past. New York, Oxford: Oxford  University Press, 2004. Sargent, Judith. History of Feminism, 2010. Web.  womenshistory.about.com//feminism/Famous_Feminists_and_the_History_of_Feminism.htm