The Familial Situation of Women Before and After Feminism

Dátum
2013-02-18T08:10:02Z
Szerzők
Palotai, Annamária
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Although it is true that discrimination against women is still present in several parts of life, there is a sharp difference between how women used to live before their liberation movement and how they can live now in Western European countries. Since they can earn their living, they are no longer “parasites” – as Betty Friedan used to describe them6. Although today’s situation is not fabulous either, we have to admit that it is much better than in the Victorian era. Women can thank several things to feminism. They can study, they can work, they can choose their partners, own property, and much more opportunities are open to them in life. However, we cannot ignore the fact that these changes went hand in hand with the economic change that full-time mothering, due to financial reasons, is many times not attainable for those who would prefer that. Another major achievement of feminism is that they have the right to control their reproduction, but the night-side of this is the high number of abortions. Besides these, the fact that men have entered the private sphere is also a major result. But if we consider their taking part in family life – housework and the amount of time spent with their children – one has to admit that equality in this respect is not complete. Therefore, it is clear that a change in men’s way of thinking would be a key to create a better world for women. Mouna Naim’s article expresses this key issue well: “[t]he heart of the matter is that the majority of men have a real problem in the way they relate to women. They must simply learn to respect them.” This should be valid whether she is a working woman or a mother. Or if she is both at the same time.

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Victorian women, equality, feminism
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