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| Issues of Feminism in regime of Globalisation | |||||||
| Paper Id :
15752 Submission Date :
2022-03-06 Acceptance Date :
2022-03-10 Publication Date :
2022-03-20
This is an open-access research paper/article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For verification of this paper, please visit on
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| Abstract |
The paper attempts to navigate the territory of feminism by starting a campaign on Tumblr, facebook and twitter. The theme of the campaign was ‘who need feminism’.The participants were supposed to register their opinion on the later topic. The campaign received widespread support from people all around in 2012. Subsequently in 2013 people responded in reaction to this campaign by ‘I don't need feminism’ and diverse opinions were expressed by the people on the social sites which incidentally had no bearing or relationship with feminism as such. People expressed their views based on emotion or certain misconception. Very fewer people had knowledge regarding the true meaning of feminism. In the present context one has to view the changing nature of feminism in the transformation affected by the globalisation and the movement of people and commodities with the easing down of boundaries across the nations. Similarly the weakening of the established hierarchies and notion of post modernity has altered the views and opinions concerning feminism. This work will explore the various viewpoints that were expressed on the social sites and draw suitable conclusion regarding feminism.
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| Keywords | Feminism, Globalised Era, Who Need Feminism, Women against Feminism. | ||||||
| Introduction |
In 2012, some students of Duke University started a campaign "Who Need Feminism (WNF) on social media which attempted to explore the continued need and relevance of feminism in present globalised society. The campaign was very successful in its outreach with Tumblr, and it received attention on facebook and Twitter as well. The campaign gathered worldwide support. Presumably, in response to this campaign, in July 2013, ‘The Women against Feminism’ campaign began on Tumblr and the campaign gathered steam in July and August 2014, when many prominent columnists and bloggers brought media attention to it. In both campaigns most of the posts begin with the statement, either by "I need feminism because........’ or by 'I don't need feminism because.........’ followed by their reason(s).
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| Objective of study | The present work aims at thorough analysis of these strands in the name of campaign. Direct interaction with social site saviours like Tumblr, facebook, WhatsApp and c. have proved very helpful in reaching the current trend about feminism. One hundred posts from each campaign have been analysed and the selection of posts was like of my 4 year old son who has no idea of feminism, who doesn't understand reason/s underlined by the supporters or opponents of feminism. He is only interested in watching cartoons and posters and their colours on the screen. |
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| Review of Literature |
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie1(2014) has given a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author's exploration of what it means to be a woman now--and an off-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.
Rachel F. Seidman2(2013) has observed that Who need feminism project is still unfolding, but it already offers a case study in how social media shapes feminist pedagogy and civic engagement and has a powerful, if un predictable, impact on our students, our scholarship, and our world.
Oana Crusmac3(2017) has analysed the social representation of feminism within the “Women Against Feminism” (WAF) on-line movement that is based on a shared blog which gained significant coverage in the U.S. and U.K. media since the summer of 2014. Using the method of quantitative content analysis and the insights provided by social representations theory, the researcher has disclosed what lies behind the concept of ‘feminism’ for the group embracing the WAF movement. Findings of the study suggest that the social representation of feminism within the WAF on-line movement is not based on a lack of information, but rather on a stereotypical understanding of the concept and on a non-nuanced perspective upon the history of feminism and its current developments (in particular the difference between post-feminism and third wave feminism).
Bush, Julia4(2007) has analysed the full history of the female campaign against votes for women in late 19th and early 20th century Britain. His study explores the motives and ideals of women against the vote. The provenance of their opposition has been analysed through three overlapping groups: maternal reformers, women writers, and imperialist ladies. His detailed study of anti-suffrage organizations and their supporters also reveals that partnership between the sexes was seldom straightforward, even for a movement dedicated to separate and complementary gender roles. Anti-suffragism was divided by internal conflicts between men and women, and between reformers and ultra-conservatives, as it fuelled the suffrage conflict and wider contemporary debates over the women questions. Women pursued their own agenda within organised anti-suffragism, demonstrating their affinity with mainstream social conservatism of the British women’s movement and continuously collaborating with moderate suffaragists in non-political social action. The rediscovered history of female anti-suffragism provides new perspectives on campaigns both for and against the vote. It also makes a significant contribution to the wider history of Victorian and Edwardian women’s social ideas and public activism.
Petronzio, Matt5(2012) has observed that the students created interactive Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter accounts for the project. Although they expected the Facebook account to serve as the main social media outlet for promoting the project, the Tumblr account "really took off." One student suggested that the site encouraged discussion without the moderation that the Facebook page required.
The BBC6 (2018) has analysed the movement “Women against Feminism”. According to it the movement is an online community that use social media to brand 'Feminism' as a 'toxic' movement. Following on the original creator of the Women against Feminism Tumblr page is an American woman who has chosen to remain anonymous because of online harassment and backlash she has faced for her ideas.
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| Result and Discussion |
Most of the people, who have posted their views on ‘Who Need Feminism’ campaign, were supporters of Feminism and 23% of whom are of the opinion that since inequality still persists, they need Feminism. In their view the goal of gender equality cannot be achieved without raising their voice. 21% supporters were against the Patriarchy. They believe that women can't think about themselves so long as the Patriarchy persists. 15% people think that women must have right to control over their lives and bodies and they require freedom. 13% believe that when women are sexualized and objectified in so many cultures, it is feminism through which they can get empowerment. Rest 30% have given other arguments behind their support to feminism. On the other hand, when we go through the posts of ‘The Women against Feminism’ campaign, the reasons why these women reject Feminism are as follows-(1) 20% posts reject feminism because they believe that "feminism is a movement only for women, and it hates men". This theme has two very prominent arguments within it. First of all, the very popular idea that all feminists are connected to misandry, or the literal hatred of men. Many people who attempt to relate to feminism can't get past the idea that it is a group against men, or a man-hating mass, and often don't want to be a part of it. (2) In 18% of responses, the main issue was Equality for all. Although feminism is often referred to as the social, economic and political equality of sexes, many people don't see it that way. The women claimed they didn't want feminism in their lives because they considered feminism as a movement that doesn't actually bring equality, and that feminists have put themselves above men. This is why one woman puts it, "If it is about equality, shouldn't it be called people-ism?" (3) In 15% posts women enjoy being feminine so they reject feminism. The image of a feminist as bra burners, angry women, self-righteous and women who don't shave their legs etc. continue to this day and they don't like these types of images. (4) In 12% cases, women were against feminism as they simply enjoyed being a mother and a wife, and believe that feminism looked down upon traditional female roles. Very much of the connotation behind feminism is that you have to be an independent female fighting for higher pay and breaking through the standard of housewife and child bearer. Time and again in my sample, women stated, "I love my husband and daughter." and "Being a stay at home wife is my choice". In 9% cases women reject feminism on the ground that they are not feeling oppressed and in 7% cases respondents are of the opinion that there is a significant difference between men and women and we must acknowledge. Rest in 18% cases, women reject feminism on different other grounds. It is a matter of serious concern that the young women involved in these campaigns do not appear to know what feminism is and are arguing against an imaginary foe using straw man arguments. A commentator from Time writes: "Most of the posts include some reiteration of the central misunderstanding about feminism, that a core belief of feminism involves hating men". In September 2015, column on Open Democracy by Beulah Maud Devaney asserted that Women against Feminism mainly represents the view of privileged women who want to maintain the status quo and are, thus deliberately misrepresenting what feminism stands for. It is also alleged that most of these posts have been uploaded in the name of women by men in disguise.
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| Conclusion |
A thorough analysis of various strands and stray views in favour of and against feminism by social site saviours and columnist/ bloggers pushes the author in utter confusion. Voicing for female in the name of feminism smacks of the stage of meta-narratives which have lost ground long past. Though feminism as a movement holds many laurels in the name of rights and facilities to women but at the same time it has also made a divide in the society on the ground of male versus female which is hardly desirable for the society at large.
Now, it is the mainstream disenssion that in the globalised society of present era, no regimented thought process be it feminism or masculinism can stand the ever emerging new challenges. The distinction between men and women seems losing ground and the whole issue needs a fresh look in the light of new developments in the global world. |
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| References | 1.Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie;2014; We Should All Be Feminists;
2. Seidman, Rachel F. "Who Needs Feminism? Lessons from a Digital World." Feminist Studies, vol. 39, Issue 2, summer 2013, pp. 549;
3. Oana Crusmac; The Social Representation of Feminism within the On-line Movement “Women Against Feminism” ; Vol. 19; No. 1(2017)
https://doi.org/10.21018/rjcpr.2017.1.228
4. Bush, Julia (2007); Women against the vote : female anti-suffragism in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 16.
5. Petronzio, Matt (13 April 2012); "'Who Needs Feminism?' New Tumblr Promotes Gender Equality". Mashable. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
6. Meet the ‘'Women Against Feminism"; BBC News. Retrieved 2018-11-29 |
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