Reviews of Feminists Articles

In regards to the article, Sojourner Truth, by Carleton Mabee, it portrays a woman who was intelligent despite being illiterate and had a beautiful voice to sing such that her public speaking also involved singing. She was an ex-slave and an enemy about the practices of discrimination against black women. Additionally, she was born into slavery and inspired by religion. Mabee further illustrates that Truth was what challenged the view that slaves were male and all women were white (Mabee, 1993).

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Aint I a Woman? is a question that was raised by Mabee in the Sojourner Truth when giving a speech in the Womens Rights Convention. Unfortunately, the speech was not recorded in a formal way but became a classic expression of the rights of women. The Classic Report was then released whereby in the same convention, some of the ministers were bold about the way men are superior to women. Mabee points out that among the terms used were manhood of Christ, superior intellect and sin of our first mother. When Sojourner Truth rose from her seat, the women did not want her to speak as they were afraid of a mix up of their cause with Abolition. Mabee, however, points out that she spoke and questioned them on where their Christ came from; a man or woman. The men were then silenced and appeared to be quite confused (Mabee, 1993).

The article On Womens Rights, Womens Work and Womens Sphere depicts the calls that were advocating for equality of women's' rights. The article is based on the burst of feminism onto the political stage of the Western countries that were demanding for education and rights to property. Protests were being held by women, workers and the poor across various countries such as France and Germany. In the United States, the women were advocating for the eradication of slavery. This form of social movement needed an opinion of social justice and resources for political mobilization (Freedman, n.d).

According to Freedman, the replacement of factories with home-based artisanal production led to the widening of the gap between the mens paid and womens unpaid labor. As a result, women became economically dependent on men and thus enjoyed less control within marriage and fewer opportunities outside it as well. It is also noted that the element of capitalism only encouraged political theories that were of individual rights and a form of social contract between people and their leaders as well. Freedman further points out that industrial entrepreneurship and revolts of equality put women at a position in which they were more limited than men. However, some resources allowed women to raise their voice over gender inequality. For instance, in the middle class, gaining education exposed more women to new concepts on the aspect of citizenship.

The article further presents the issue of liberal feminism whereby after 1800, there was the spread of capitalism and as such, political rights encompassed from the upper and middle classes to those who were earning wages and without property as well. At that time, the idea of the woman removed from labor that is productive and leaving her to be reliant on her husband was now the definition of the common family position. Among the aspects that were brought up at that time was the assertion for women education. A debate was raised by the European Enlightenment that led to the production of female equality in the West. Education at that time was becoming quite significant, and it was impossible to deny women the chance to pursue it as well. One of the writers of Enlightenment, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, believed in education for all the citizens as it would ensure that they become independent, virtuous, and reasonable. He however disregarded education for women since to him, they were unreasonable and devious. He further regarded education as a luxury to women and which would make her move from the domestic domain. Freedman, however, points out that some parties were in support of women gaining education like men and thus achieve equality (Freedman, n.d). The liberal ideas of the rights of all humanity continued to circulate, and males and females advocated for these rights to be extended. Nevertheless, the emphasis on ownership of property and education did not consider the ways in which the aspect of capitalism influenced women who were working for classes and did not have any property to their name (Freedman, n.d).

Entry 2

Week 10

In Passion and Politics by Rosen, it presents young women who wanted to comprehend the alien political culture of a country where she had been adopted and asked about the way the womens movement was like in the region. This led to the rise of other questions concerning women such as why the Africa feminists appeared much angrier than the Europeans. On the other hand, the American women believed they were the most liberated globally. The article was thus presented at a time when various things were being discovered. At the same time, advertisements were regarded as an insult when they utilized the bodies of women to sell items (Rosen, 2000).

Naomi Weisstein points out that it was the first time they were talking pain since they were on the discovery of their moral anger and had become true actors. In another engagement, Vivian Gornick found homemakers talking about marriage and not even love. They were all angry (Rosen, 2000).

At last, they took to the streets to express their anger in one of the least-remembered demos that occurred in 1968. The Women Strike for Peace had been protesting against nuclear testing and development and even organized an anti-war protest that was only for women against the Vietnam War. Their main aim was to recruit large numbers of American women also to oppose the war that was occurring in Vietnam. The media organizations also became the target of feminists such that they ended up terminating services. The feminists were demanding for a fifty percent inclusion of women workers in all the departments, a review of the pages of women and an end to the reception of any form of advertising that depicted the exploitation of women. Rosen further talks of how the feminists invaded the bars and clubs that were for men. In 1970, they protested the control by men over the laws of abortion where women were asked to abstain for one day (Rosen, 2000).

In the article Race and the Politics of Identity in U.S. Feminism, radical feminists contested the beliefs that are appreciated about the place of women. Their publicity for the liberation of women was achieved when they held demonstrations against the Miss America pageant and even spoke about provocative topics such as rape and prostitution.

The article further looks at the way the liberal and radical feminists aimed at attaining the aspect of gender cohesion through the politics of identity. Betty Friedan advocated for the liberation of women through employment, but the black women who had always worked were reluctant since they knew that by joining men of their race on the jobs, they would still face discrimination. The women of color were thus aware that race affected their daily lives. A poll conducted in 1972 depicted that two-thirds of the black women unlike one-third of white women were understanding and even participated in the womens movement. Most of these black women yearned for inclusive feminism in the protests, in contrast to the whites who were focused on depicting men as oppressors (Freedman, n.d). In 1978, Western feminists were inspired by the black women and those outside the Western region not to give up on the equality of women. They even brought up topics such as Can we talk about the worldwide oppression of women, its causes and lives in any universal terms?" (Freedman n.d).

Entry 3

Week 11

In the article Feminist and Culture, by French and Poska, it defines gender by the depiction of social and cultural standards. The ideas of Marxist have been applied by many feminists on the notions of subordination and capitalism to describe sex domination. Additionally, some feminists such as the German-based theorist Maria Miles condemned the failure of Marxist to recognize the capitalist-patriarchal through labor exploitation (French and Poska, n.d).

French and Poska further note that some feminists such as Evelyn Fox Keller advocated for gender bias characteristics to be revised. They have gone ahead to inquire about the association between sex and gender, the place of women in the society and the modes of influence to the world by gender (French and Poska, n.d).

Feminist Culture is an element that has been touched on by French and Poska which offered a critique of the expectations in the customary times that had been laid on the women. On the other hand, the field of art has been dominated by women who have made sexuality the main way in which they express their works. Yugoslav for instance has been seen to test the limits of her body to renegotiate the association between the audience, body, and performer. Ana Hamilton rose to fame as a result of leaving imprints of her body in various settings. The ideas of gender and class have thus been reversed. In another scene, Ana Deavere Smith challenged the concept of ethnicity, religion and race when she did a solo performance where she represented the characters of distinct sexes, backgrounds, and races (French and Poska, n.d).

According to Linda Nochlin on Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?, it depicts the absence of significant women artists is due to their incapability to be great. By trying to provide an answer, women have been seen only to support its adverse effects. Nochlin further notes that attempts to respond to the question entail a modification of the ground in a trivial way and stressful way just as some modern feminists exercise (Nochlin, 1988).

On the other hand, it has been alleged that women artists are more elusive and even distinctive in the way they treat their medium. The big issue here is the way female artists have developed a misconception that has been shared with the public on the idea of art and that it is something direct and a personal manifestation of the personal emotional understanding. Nochlin, however, notes that art is something bigger than what most of the women perceive. The question raised thus led to the conclusion that art occurs in a social condition and even facilitated by certain social institutions such as academies. Women should thus think widely, and in this way, they will come across larger opportunities in the field of art (Nochlin, 1988).

Entry 4

Week 12

In the article Poetry is not a Luxury by Lorde, the elements we employ to examine our lives usually determine the ideas we receive at the end. Women have further been seen as having a dark place within them where they breed some of their hidden spirits. The areas are regarded as dark since they are antique and unknown. There is an unbelievable replacement of power and creativity that further contains emotion and feeling which have not been examined or recorded. The aspect of poetry not being a luxury to women means that it is a fundamental part of their existence. It a form of expression for the things they cannot speak out but are now able to put it another hidden form (Lorde, n.d).

Lorde further notes that as the fears and hopes of women become known and even received by all of them, the way they feel and their honest search of these emotions develop into preserves and thus find essential and bold ideas. Hints can be many and viewed as painful and unconceivable when they appear after poems and dreams (Lorde, n.d). The article has further depicted that the concept of a possibility is not immediate or continual. As such, women view themselves as having been diminished or even made so soft by the existence of false accusations. Nevertheless, the aspect of experience has...