Western Feminism in a Global Perspective

KEYWORDS:Westernization Feminism Empowerment Gender IdentityGlobalization

American women have struggled historically against certain paradigms of inferiority that all
women experience. The female identity is different according to each culture and their customs,
but many cultures are based on a patriarchal past where men wield more power than women.
Women worldwide experience subjugation in the form of jobs, education, sexuality and
reproductive choice. American women have strived to overcome these stereotypes and have
gained a position of near equality in many societal constructs. In the United States today, men
and women enjoy almost equal social standing. Women can and do vote, own businesses, hold
political office and have a full spectrum of rights. They have reproductive and social rights to
divorce, abortion and birth control. They can wear whatever they choose. Laws are in place
protecting them from sexual assault and physical abuse. There are, however, media constructions
of gender that portray clear stereotypes of men and women. Women are portrayed in the media
as sexual objects: thin, large breasted, demure and flawless. Even though they hold powerful jobs
and play valuable roles in a variety of social constructs, the paradigm of the American housewife
prevails.

American feminism has evolved over time based on the accrued rights established by feminists
over time strictly within the boundaries of the United States. As an established democracy, the
United States is liberal in its views of equality and as such women’s rights fit into this mantra of
freedom for all. This kind of feminism is, perhaps, limiting because it does not extend globally to
all women who do not enjoy the same rights as American women. Establishing international
discourse will become increasingly important as globalization tightens the connections between
countries and cultures. A concept called Third Wave Feminism has emerged which emulates
feminism of women in developing countries who do not necessarily share the same identity and
cultural goals as Western feminism outlines. “Questioning essentialist, monolithic western
feminism, which ignores the heterogeneity of women in the third world, they have made clear
how important it is to pay attention to difference. Their politics of difference contrasts the
singular gender focus of western feminism with the need to integrate race, class, and imperialism
into the debate on gender subordination among third world women” (Yu).

In addition to strengthening the discourse between women internationally, the impact of

homogeneous Western media images of women as thin and white must be examined.
Standardized images of Western female beauty are harmful to the identities of all women. In the
United States both women within the dominant white society and the ethnic minorities who are
less represented are impacted by the unrealistic and sexualized images prominently displayed all
around them. These images are also projected internationally and may impact women beyond the
borders of the United States. This impact must be understood and any negative results should be
addressed.

The basic biological roles of sex do not extend to include the complex system of gender and
identity. Since gender is learned, one can assume that the cultural constructs of each society
propel certain understandings of gender roles.