7 Important Reasons We Still Need Feminism ...

By Alison

There are so many reasons we still need feminism. A century after the suffragettes fought for the right to vote, women are still behind men in so many ways. There are too many examples of the ways in which women are treated as objects and less deserving than men. Here are some of the reasons we still need feminism in the 21st century …

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1

Status

One of the major reasons we still need feminism is the status of women. In many countries women still don't have equal status to men, either legally or socially. There is no justification for this, but it happens. Women have to fight for their rights, until they are officially equal to men in every way.

2

Equal Pay

Yes, it still happens that women are paid less than men for doing the same job, as if we deserve less for our time and effort. And Governor Rick Perry described Wendy Davis' focus on equal-pay legislation as 'nonsense' (trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com). If it can still happen in spite of current legislation, then we need more focus, not less.

3

Women as Objects

Women are treated as objects in the media. And women and girls are still blamed for 'leading men on' or 'asking for it.' Remember the appalling Steubenville case? As if the abuse the unconscious victim suffered wasn't bad enough, photographs and videos were circulated. Some members of the community and users of social media even blamed the girl. That is WRONG.

4

Legislation

There is a lot of legislation that denies women their rights. From the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia to new legislation limiting abortion in Spain, women are discriminated against in various ways around the world. While such legislation exists, and in the absence of equal rights legislation, the need for feminism is clear.

5

Representation

Let's look at some figures. In the US, 20% of senators are women. In the House of Representatives, it's 18%. The UK has 22% female MPs, Canada and Australia have 24%. Even Iraq has more than the US, at 25%. Which country has the highest? Rwanda at 56%. The lowest? Think of how many have little or no representation by women. I'm not in favor of appointing or electing women simply for their gender, but the numbers are clearly off in many countries. And how many have never had a woman leader?

Famous Quotes

Silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech.

Plutarch
6

Gender Stereotypes

Have you been told that you should study more 'feminine' subjects, or that maths or physics aren't right for you? Yes, it does still happen in the 21st century, so we need to challenge outdated stereotypes . But feminism isn't just about demanding equal rights for women, it should also include equal rights for men. Let's not forget that men can also face obstacles if they want to pursue careers seen as 'female.'

7

Girls Worry

Girls are worrying about their bodies at very early ages. They need to learn as early as possible that looks are not the most important attribute, that they don't need to be slim and beautiful, or try to please men. When girls are growing up thinking that cosmetic surgery and having the perfect figure are desirable, then yes, we do need feminism.

Women have achieved a lot and fought hard for equality, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Attitudes need to be changed in many areas. What do you think are the reasons we still need feminism?

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Another important reason we still need feminism- to support our LGBTQ brothers and sisters in their fight for rights as well. Modern feminism is much more broad and all-encompassing than it was in the days of bra- burning.

I'm not even gonna start on what's wrong with this list. Just... #humanism... please don't single out one genders problems. That won't "solve" anything in any society or government.

This list is so important- we should never take forgranted the path paved by feminists for gender rights and equality. Of course this is an ongoing battle and your list was a reminder of areas that can still be prominent examples of inequality. I believe in #humanism, but let's not pretend gender discrimination doesn't happen, especially to the female sex. Education and awareness leads to change, which is the foundation upon which this movement was founded. #peoplepower #positivechange

While I do believe in women equality as well I think that we should focus on both of the genders problems. And we should get rid of the stereotypes too! Like the only men are capable of rape,or they're all after one thing. The women's stereotype that they belong in the kitchen. Or that they're all after the money of men. While I do believe in feminism as I stated earlier, I think that women(I'm a female btw) only want equality when it benefits us. Which is why I have never and will never identify as feminist. Anybody is capable of anything. Women can rape,women can beat their husbands and everything that people believe are just 'male' things. And before anyone says anything, yes. I know that feminism means the equality of both men and women. But a lot of 'feminists' nowadays are just misandrists in disguise. Anyway. I'm done ranting.

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