Feminism: myth, ideology or a woman's achievements?

By Ruhanie Perera and Esther Williams

So, what is the image that comes to mind when you think of feminists - angry protesters crying out against the injustice toward their sex? In the West, the early feminist movements and even the on-going gender wars have been aggressive and often irrational, sending out to the forefront the bra-burning, man-hating women and political protesters.

Is feminism actually an ideology that celebrates the contributions, achievements and successes of women? Does it seek to understand and directly address live issues and the problems faced by women? Is it rooted in the day-to-day needs and experiences of a large number of people? Does it touch upon questions that are central to the life experiences of women in their struggle for dignity, equality and justice? Or is their struggle simply an influence of the West?

Today we find that many women have organised themselves as a direct response to specific cases of violence against women. No culture is complete without a women's movement that strives to liberate women from the centuries-old bondage that is rooted in a male supremacist tradition, while ensuring individual freedom and women's right to choose.

Considering the number of instances of oppression (rape, domestic violence, sexual harrassment, etc.) in all cultures of the society, where woman is given a secondary status, one wonders if feminism has a role to play.

Here's what some people had to say on this burning issue:

Ranjith Fernando (student)

I believe that women should have equal rights, but the feminist movement tends to blow many of their causes out of context. There are instances when the causes espoused by feminists are not collective causes; thereby they fail to look into real areas of discrimination that require attention. The ideal feminist would be the woman who is happy with who she is and what she has done, while at the same time being concerned about the people in her society. In my experience, I have seen more women cut-throat each other, rather than reach out because of what they have in common.

Tracey Holsinger (drama teacher/ play director)

I think the idea of feminism is often misinterpreted. Many people get the wrong idea of what a feminist is, which leads to the common conclusion that a feminist is a woman with an 'I hate men' attitude. To be honest, many of the early feminists deliberately went on that trend but modern feminism is a more controlled approach, one that seeks to inform women of their right to equality. 

In 1996, I did a study on trends on Feminism in Performance Arts, which was based on a series of plays that highlight the lives of women in all walks of life. This had an impact on my idea of feminism and it is during this period that I began to understand the essence of feminism. 

For me, feminism is about learning to accept who you are and learning to live with the different sides of being a woman. I think the ideal feminist movement should be about empowering women; showing them how strong they can be and letting them know that they have options and rights. I don't think though that many have grasped the concept of modern feminism, which is mostly about equality and independence. But a woman who expects to be fully provided for (or even expects the man to pay for a dinner on a regular basis) can't expect to have independence as well. If you want to be independent you have to take all that into account.

Am I a feminist? I am a feminist! But I hate the word because it comes with such negative connotations. I am not the stereotype man-hating woman, but I am a feminist in the sense that I believe in my rights (as a human being) and I find the idea of individuals, in this case women, being denied their basic human rights in extremist cultures, simply disgusting. What is sad is that the negative connotations of the word, as interpreted by those who are insecure takes away from the positive work that women's groups are engaged in.

I believe that I am equal to men, more importantly I believe in my convictions and live by them - that's the feminist I am. 

Monica Melanchthon (feminist theologian)

Women today have to fight not only age-old customs and traditions and values that oppress them but also address inequities and injustices that have come into being more recently because of social and economic inequities, often in very fused forms. Development and advance in science and technology has led to the discovery of techniques such as amniocentesis that give scope for the practice of female feoticide. 

The advances in media and communication technology have resulted in the abuse and misrepresentation of women in the media and an increase in pornography. The women's movement is therefore under enormous pressure to deal with many issues at various levels.

Feminism to me is an ideology that seeks to work towards the equality of men and women in all spheres of life. Although women have achieved much in terms of equality in law, politics and economic status, they have a long way to go towards empowerment of women. Feminity is a gift given to women that contributes towards her uniqueness and identity. It does not need to be given up to achieve equal status. 

A feminist movement to be effective should address the needs of the poorest women, from the lowest rung of the social ladder. When women want to act superior to men, they would only replace patriarchy with another oppressive system.

Annamma (Housemaid)

The concept of feminism is something that I know nothing about. All I am aware of is that I, like several others in my income group are the sole breadwinners of our families. Having a husband who cannot keep a job, who squanders away any meagre earning of his, is something I am resigned to. As a result, expenses towards children's education, food and shelter are my responsibility. Very often I need to take small loans to make ends meet. Who would you say is superior in such a situation?

Victor Gunawardene (Journalism, Research and Training Consultant) 

When attending a discussion on the rights of women, I found that most of the women present who were active campaigners for this cause were there because they had a domestic at home to take care of the household duties, thus enabling them to devote their time for such activities. So, I really don't know if even the so-called feminists are clear about the idea of feminism. I know I am not.

Being a father only to daughters, I am, naturally, very much for equal rights of women. However, in this respect, there are several issues that need to be carefully considered and taken in perspective.

On the issues of having more seats for women in Parliament, I don't think that the fact that you're male or female should come into play at all. Rather than getting hung up on quotas, in any sphere, I say leave it to the public to decide. 

The public service was once male dominant, the objections being to the extra issues that come up regarding women - for example, the question of night work and the disapproval that arose from the situation of women going home alone at night. But, there were those in the fields of medicine and journalism, who did return home late at night. The institutions they were attached to would take the responsibility of safeguarding their women workers and thereby make the necessary arrangements. 

I don't deny that there still is a negative attitude toward women in the workplace. The rights of the working mother are still a very important issue we, as a society, are dealing with. 

Today we see the breakdown of the male pillars of our society. There is very little discrimination against women in the working world, although we still find a relatively smaller number of women in the higher positions. The reasons for this are primarily historical in the sense that at the time of recruitment there were relatively more males and they in turn have worked their way up to the top positions. 

For me the deciding factor is the capability of the person, irrespective of sex. If I were to recruit a female I would be aware of the additional responsibilities that come with the fact that she is a woman, yet it would not be a discriminating factor. Women, as wives and mothers, play an essential role in society and this must be viewed in a positive light rather than a negative factor. This should be our attitude and in that respect what we need then is a change of attitude within society, one that will open up opportunities for women that would ultimately lead to their upward mobility. 

J. Arputharaj (Social Scientist)

The patriarchal system still prevails in our society where women are discriminated. Efforts are required to ensure that women participate in all structures of the decision making process within the society, family, community, business and politics. Women are born with the best of qualities - gentleness, perseverance, sincerity and accountability. However when they behave like men and engage in anti-men activities they hinder their progress.

Paula Kim (Canadian intern)

Feminism basically means that men and women should be equal. Although they are not biologically and physically equal, they should have equal rights and access to things. It is especially relevant in countries where democracy is not practised, where women have no voice in policies or laws that are made. 

It is just as relevant in the west although not as urgent as it used to be. There are still those 'white Anglo-Saxon men' or the 'British Stock Men' in top positions and feminist movements who need to penetrate that barrier. When women don't think about the differences, insisting that men and women are the same and going as far as demanding co-ed bathrooms is going too far. Mothers are definitely better care-givers and therefore should be entrusted with child-care.

Shehani Senanayake (Undergraduate)

I believe in chivalry! Does that mean that I'm not a feminist?