Wednesday, April 29, 2015

It was refreshing to find out that Mr. Ogden was going to discuss the relevance of feminism today and if it is still needed. Up until this week the presentations have discussed the historical struggles as well as modern day struggles that women face. The conversations ranged but not one of the previous presentations, or readings, questioned whether or not feminism was still relevant.

When Ms. Slater informed us of his presentation, I was both intrigued, and slightly confused. The first thing that came to mind was the wage gap which led me to think that as long as that exists, women will remain oppressed. In addition my mind was flooded with thoughts of the media and how women are used as objects in advertisements that in turn create insecurity and low self worth within young girls and women. However, after reading Hanna Rosin's book introduction, I began to understand the reasoning as to why this was Mr. Ogden's question for us. In her writing, Rosin discusses the somewhat new concept that women are able to do it all. The extent to which this occurs, Rosin states, is based off the one of three classes a person fits in. The idea is that working women who make their own money are now able to independently care for their children. This is no longer the age of the nuclear family. Women now are living in a world where they are able to take jobs where it's possible that they make more than the men in their lives. Therefore, women who cook, clean, work, and care for their children no longer need the unnecessary "extra mouth" of the unreliable, deadbeat dad.

Rosin also discusses the ability that women have to morph and fit different roles. Women are both willing to be the breadwinner as well as the home maker where as men are more reluctant to stay home and take care of the kids. It is this flexibility women possess that has allowed them to progress so much over such a short period of time where as men and their perceived roles haven't changed much. It's no wonder that in modern day America more people now wish to have a girl as opposed to a boy.

Reading and discussing Rosin's introduction shed a new light on what I have always perceived our modern day society to be. Although women are still oppressed around the world, obviously more so in some countries than others, there is still a lot to celebrate. Women have come a long way from what they were once perceived to be and have empowered themselves both socially and in their work. Many women are no longer afraid to outshine the men in their lives. At one time it was shameful, and even punishable, to birth too many females; people always prayed and hoped for sons. But now, more people would rather have a girl than a boy. Although I still believe that feminism is relevant and oppression still exists for women, I now have a new understanding of how far we truly have come.

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