Introduction of Global Women's Studies

Do I call myself a feminist? Yes, I do believe that I am a feminist.  I believe this because my cultural and social opinions gear toward women deserving equal rights and opportunities as men.  In order for women to believe that they deserve equality they must receive more encouragement than men.  I do agree with Chapter One’s claim that many people have negative views of feminism.  This is because I too, before taking this course, believed that feminist were “man-haters” due to the fact media shows feminist as women yelling at men.  However, this is not the case.  After taking it upon myself to read chapters in the book and research key women that are involved in feminism, I have developed my opinion about feminism.  Feminists are brave women who seek equality for women through all perspectives.  Most people do agree with the aims of feminism but don’t like to be associated with the “F” word.  Feminism is often negatively stereotyped and not understood as an act of empowering women.  Mainly because they believe feminism is one-sided and that women deserve all supremacy.  Another reason that people may believe that feminism is not so great is because of tradition.  If a person was brought up to think that were are suppose to have a lower status than men, then of course they would not agree with feminism.  It is my belief that if people took the time out to educate themselves, they would admire the movements and efforts of feminism.  I believe that a lot of American women think of just American women in feminism not the lower status and power that women as a whole deal with worldwide in regions such as Latin America, Africa, and Asia.