ee W.. a of EE. | eminism? eminism isa very misunderstood word. Many peopte—men an wren iike—are ‘Scared ofi. The confusion and misunderstanding comes parity onthe male-domt nated media, which has widely musseprgsented fenunists 03 “bru burning.” “manhating or bed hopping, “family-destroying” women. These images are reinforced by other forces an groups thal see the emancipation ‘nd liberation of women as. threat. As a rel omiuists are often attacked and tdamiased as “middleclass, westemized, "and “ootless " ‘As aresult, many, who have not even given fenvinim ang thought a al rel have imbibed the false propaganda against feminism, are too quick-fo say thal hey fare not, or that somebody ish a feminist Orthat someone wha is should be fewer! land avoided, or simply shunned and ignored or, athe very least. hunnoured wnt patronized Women in Aetion culled these questions art ansivers fromthe boak Kali For Women by Kamla Bhasin aii Nhat Said Koto help you know forsure what eminizin is. Read and decide: Are yon a ferinist? FEMINISM Qs. what, really, is femibom? (omnism),an ~~ At Usike many star emia does yo deve thorn mronast fing’ soncapal boy on Shy dhe gorieal onsen tees kee ae Sonend _sproieabtaldesitan offen apple a eee ata ses exploitation of culturally concrete realities 4nd levels of consciousness, perception and action women in society,“ “This means that feminitm meant one thing in the 17th century. [when the i atwork, and - word was fir used) and that it means something quite diffeent inthe 1980s, within the family, ean also be articulated differently in afferent parts of the world andl, within ‘andconscious the country, diferent by diferent women depending on their clase, backgroun!. level of education, consciousness, and others. Even among sinvlar kinda of women, action by women there are different currents and debates in feminist thinking, partici wilt fandmento regard to the reasons, that is, the historical roots, for us taday changethese "In a South Asia workshop, women fram Banglaclesy, nia, Nepal, Pakistan conditions, and Sti Lanke accepted this deifiition of feminism "An awareness of the oppres sion and exploitation of women in society, at work and within the family, ant conscious aetion by women and men to change [these conditions) In this definition, anyone who recognizes the existence of sexism (liscrnina tion on the basis of gender), male domination aiid patriarchy and who takes suine action against it isa feminist. Note however that’ Le. mere recognition of sexism | 40 Women in Action 3/95Taree sats by Sanda is not enough. ‘That recognition haa to be ‘accompanied by action, by a challenge to instance a woman's decision nat to be humiliated or to edueate herself and pur- fue a career or her decision not to have Children are as feminist as the actions, bother words, youdo not have lo belong toa troup to be a feminist although in orlr to ‘0 anything effectively, i ig much better to be part of ane. i What isthe difference between Suny and present day feminists? | io Pie tain arene etn tne two is thatearle the struggle wae for the democratic nights of women ‘These rights elude the neh to esacation tnd employment, the ight to ov prope the ne to vote the right to enter pari: tent the ight to rth conto, te ht (0 Aivorce, ste in oer words, earlier fem nist fought for legal reform for Tepally aga posion in society. “tay) feminists nave gone beyond mere ta seorms to end dverimiation ‘They are working, towards the emancipa Women in Action 3/95 tion of woinen, Reminism, therelore, now includes the struggle against women's subordination to the itale within the Toney against their exploitation by the amily; agninst their ceontiuing low atua at work, in society and in religion “ind culture ofthe country; against their Mouble birden in pradktetion and reproduc the very notions. of femininity and rma “satiny as, mutually” exclusive, bielog ‘ally determined categories. In its es ence, present day feminism is @ strugele for the achievement of women’s equality Ahignity and freedom of choice 1 conto) four lives and bodies within and outside ut i must also be made clear that it isnot enough to simply ask for wotnen to bbe equal with men in the community. Wht good wilt do for n peasant woman to ‘become equal to.a peasant man sso himself brutalized, exploited and appressed by society. Feminists, therefore, are not fly) asking and fighting for the “equality fof women but fora just and equitable society for both women and men. resulted in the liberation of women. Thoy .ve Brought women out of the home and inte the workforce and have made t cconomécally independent. What ten is the problem, and do we still need feu lem? 'A. While some women have indeed benefitted from these changes, their ‘umber is small nnd needs to be in freased, Feminism is for more wornen Coming out of the home and into the Workiorce, if they want and necd to work. ‘But at the snme time we are against policies which allow and perpetuate the exploitation of women's labor. the pay tment of low wages, the prevalence of Unhealthy working conditions, overwork, aa2 ferbitrary hiring and firing, denial of freedom of association, sexunl exploita But it needs to ye added hove that ‘economic independence, although very Important for women's emasipation is not ‘enough. Bven economically independent ‘women are subordinate to thei tien and families and face discrimination at hhome. "The fight for economic inlepend- fenceis, thus, Just one aspect of the wom en's strugsle Moreover, the figures with regard to women’s participation in government aiid policy making are, infact, appalling No South Asian country has had more. than a hand of women members of parliament since independence thain India, The pres- fence ofa few women in important public positions in no way proves that the overall Status of women Ia eatistactory tent the rea reason for inegual sty inthe workplace the fact that wom are less productive than men because they are more concerned with home Hie? An Capitalism user thie angiment Used on the view that a manna the he af the Rousebol spd a fsily wage? Iioely ie wite ana hs shidven, Accord ing to this view, women engaged in pode tive wore are terely supplementing Lhe fay income ad ean therefore be jd Jenn than men, even for wor of equa value ‘The realy Ts Somewhat difereh Studies have revealed that in many goun- tes, as many 98:29 fo 40 per cent ofall families either live primarily on the ‘earnings of women or are single parent housetohs headed by womens Most st {hese women ie in poverty or hold poor paying jobs, are diciiminated opaiat in the workpiece’ by the exact sume capitalist putrarehy’s asstimption refered to above tis lao true that in adition to work {nthe factory, eld or plantation, wonnen have to spend many hours attending to household chores~cosking, cleaning, washing, fetching water and gathering Women in Action 3/95 Nrewood, child eare, and! 90 on, Women therelore experience the double burden of ‘paid work" as. part af the worklorce ane “Unpaid worl? inthe home. This double bburden also makes i difficult for ome to Up the professional toler 9. But surety, ifwe want to develop, we have to tolerate there forme of exp Loita tion for some time. Once we have devel: ‘oped, the negative features will disap ‘A. There is seally no guarantee that te negative features will disappear with development. Past experiences show. that iy most cases, this does not happen. The model of development followed in develup- ing countries is based on the capitalist development that has felnforced and nen Sled gender-specific roles aa well ns the exploitation of women For example, in Europe, the home hhad earlier been ihe eentre of production. Food, clothes, soap, candles, and many mare were produced nt home. ark! wonven played an important role so this praduction {a5 well ag in agriculture and avin easing. With the Industria! Revoltion, ts role er women changed. Un one an, pom ‘women were force to work in facories nd ‘mines a6-cheap inbour and reproduced the ext generation of workers. On the other hhand, women of the bourgeoisie were kept at hoine a3 housewives ane their role wae limited to producing heirs, Dissenting Independent bourgeois women who relusedt to conform were ostracized and penalize With this, the ideology ofthe exploitation of poor women and the aeclusion of rich ‘women was perpetuated. Given the nature ff development ts Third World countries, these same tendencies. already exist here and are likely to continue. Can you briefly explain the word patslarehy because one hears itso olten ‘A The word itself means the rule ofthe father or the patriarch, I refers 10. [social eysiem where the futher comteols allmembers ofthe family, all property and ‘other economic resources, and makes all Inajor decisions, Linked to this soci system is the belit or the ideology that men are superior to women; that women should be controlled by men and (of men’s property. This thinking forms the basis of many of our religious, Jaws and practices and explains all those social practices which confines women to the home and control their ives, Our double standards of morality an! ou laws, Which give more rights to men than to ‘women, are alao based! on patriarchy, “Today, when one wees the word pat archy, one relers to the systems that op Presses and subordinates women i both the private and the publie sphere, Q. Would you calla woman who decided tbe just'a housewife a feminiat? ‘A. First ofall, feminists will not say “Just” a housewife, knowing what and how much a housewife does, Feminists do not belittle or lok down upon housewives for housework. In fact, ane of ottr major struggles isto have housework be recog- ‘zed and Valued so that wamen wha doit fre recognized, valued and respecte ‘Once houseworie gots the recognition and G the value that are die it, men would not only start acknowledging it init might as start doing ‘A.woman whe chooses tae house: wife and fels that her invita {alent ae Fully utilized ay such feminist, Being a feminist docs not necessarily me home, All it means is having vice Dased on equal opportunities. The clement ‘of ehoice, ofa woman's own wil 8 what mmportant. Some. feminists leel though that if women could really choose notte be fulltime housewives, we would nol find so many doing this work 'So the’ decision to become w house wife must be genuine, ‘he decision should faot be made because of conditioning, or because of indirect oF direct pressure liom others, oF because there are no ales option’ available,” At the moment hon’ fever, itis very difficult to determine which js a “conditioned” decision and which is free one. Beeause of our upbringing ond Decauie of our conditioning, eur aapira tions have beet limited and stl and this conditioning i somettnes 0 well internalized that itis difcult to say what @ free choice actsaly is Having sat this we would like to reiterate that a feminist can chou ti be a fall time housewife i-ahnt ie what saiies her, providéd she can selain ler inept fence and her individuality, and provided her partner does not wield power over her because she is not earning. ‘There must be ‘equality and mutual respect within the . home. Feminisen is not about prescribing what women should or slit fot do Teminisis ate fighting for m society wher women have the ‘reedom)to choose, where they are not feree! to be house: ‘wives, where they are nol pushed int ‘ypieal “erninine” roles an ow paid “lem ine" jobs, and where they are teated with respect ‘We reject male-female polarity aul male-female stereotypes. Bvery git) should hhave th freedom and opportunity toda and bbe whl alte wants todo.and is capable of a Women in Action 3195 $a)44 doing. Because she is born a gil, dos and pots and pans should not naturally be her nly toys, nor should she be shoved into dresses which do not allow her lina to tmave, or be confined tothe four walls ofa home, or be forced tobe subelied ard submissive because she hss to adjust to hher husband's family. The concerna of feminist are ag simple and rensanable as these, However, feminist concerns are not only the few narrow “women lanes like ape, wile-beating, contraception aad equal wages. Feminists believe that everything Jn the world concerns women beause everything allects women. Since feminists Sa ihe mova of eh oem eral Ip. dominaln and oppresdon tout ‘Sanuc ae worsen eesti nate ea womens pantie bo IScen and mints snk tees the tS pepe inal apres ferent and atonal ie, oe must ene takes postion on erring wthcioritia nudear ware beeper countries, ethnic and communal Conflict, pols sconomic and deo a cacao Roe ed a and Sree, seen omanane ar aes oe ove! ean a a abe ads Dost feminine etry psc ime a” take a close ok at aa “practi homes a ach pes es ‘Tomer dence aaa ome peaceful ony er so lone were ‘Shure he inne end the baa Tra woman he svterecng er new i the aren at indies rpeineneos a omen work td tn anual chiar home Breaker ton woman meshing noe {ie anual aao or bare ts hon her ovn dreamy and ambos doe Noten tobe an el submis ae Women in Action 3/95 Ging, seiFettacing wile? Or is it the man, who insista that she negates tersell in Uhis way, the reat destroyer? While most feminists are not apsinst Ue hon:e and the family, ate do take the position that the only way to ave. bath is {fo change the nature of fee male rele tionship within them, Pesce and harmony fan ne longer be maintained at the cost of ‘women. We eannat tall of democracy utside the fay andl yet allow mate Glictatorship inside it, To fact, ©» elieve that real democracies and venlitarian societies can only be establisies If we practice democracy, equality and sutual Fespect within the family. eal peace in _ society can only be establisied ire expe Fience peace at home ‘So, es, many feminiats may actually festeoy homes. But they do itn the sae fay 88 peasants or workers disturb the Harmony of village or factory when they | stand against a landlord or an industrial ist After all, one person's peace may be another person's poise ‘A. Feminists’nre not against women having eluldren. Bue motierond should not be considered to be every wan An's destiny nor should wornanheod he fequated with motherhood. Feminists Deligee that every woinan should have the GChaiesof whether oF not to have chile ‘At resent such a choice does not exis many developing countries lepaly, so Clally or payeholugically—and our stetele therefore ia for women to obtain i But most womnen see motherhocal x their destiny. This ie cue both to the hick ofalternatives and tothe glorieation of motherhood. Women are aiired for thei ability and desire to aacriice for others ‘Tbs has been a payehological trap for women, Such glorification is Tike the Sugar coating on bitter quinine and ‘women, for generations, have fallen for this bil of sugar and accepted a role that ‘has immobilized them. Wemen do nut haveSpecial limbs to look after chiren nor do most men do not appear to veogiize this they have special glands which produce nnd few want to strugale to lee tae Jove and care selves into becoming more hua ard {Although only a wornan can beara uly democratic, Mareecce child, anyone ean’ bring it up or mother it Motherhood means looking after, muta ing and caring for another human being, it means helping another person develop Q._If men’s lberatio Bhysicaly, emotionally and mentally. Sich to women's liberation and i they aee mothering can be done by anyune, even by, trapped by the syatein, why ave dey so {aman. The ability and capacity to mother \ fearful of feminieaa? + [is not ‘biologically determined A. Men fear feminism and ave coesestides, if the world really considered agninsl a change that woul aise Ley chen | aoftteriood to be the most noble of ecause basically, the preaent sialon “2 Metvitieg—if that ia what you got Nobel sulle them in oboe anne Se ee "Brass for—men would not have allowed nm chualengea male sureeionty a ‘women to monopolize For ail their domination in seciely, st worl andi the praise of such an activity, men are hhome, and since it questions male au verse to practicing it themselves thority based not on ability but on gender, Feminists Believe that chidien would it forces men to review Us mein tow up better if they get the best from thelr behavior, andl tis recess in both their parents. Mothering would then— neither easy nor pleasant Ne valor wie and only then—become truly creative, ingly gives up authors Joyous and fun for everyone concerned There are other fears ae well that ‘men have had about independent an competent women. ‘They are afraid women nny move yy women to help them recognize this they @ Are feminists manhaters? 2 oat eminlsts do not hate men but will ean wt ith then for ee Teen Bre ngainst patriarchy, male dominatign define ws ole essenialy ae oct of and the mateness in men—and in thoge hotigewiv:-. oyna me eet omen why might imbibe similar behavior their lay cape Shien atterns—which is expressed as domina- when eu coat and neceeon ie fon, augression, violence, ete. We arg delfnlpn «iw: men's role change ned ‘against men who do not accept womenias thelr com snd capacity to assert their équnle"who treat women as theif themacives my. ise, then sash ace, Property or otherwise view them only ak ~ nation wilt possi. People aif commodities, jobs accord their competence and aot acherunatcy most men dodomihaie| ‘because ths naleor female land do have such qualities in them. This [Capitan algo against feminism — + is true even of the most ardent “demo{ becdlse ance Wien become conee aof cratic” and "socialist" men who, while their rights. wil no longer. tolerate fehting fr equality in society, refuse tothe low'pa!, Ic skilled jobs ther ha accept equality within the hone aid fre present.) co) ned to. They will alsa interpersonal male-female relationship. |. resist becoming, sracions tegen and However, feminists belive that just| fight again: og seen as oer sojata women are not naturally more ariig Inshot, on fear the societal land nurturing, men are not naturally change th ninism proposes because ‘aggressive and domincering. They are, in it willma, ss lose Preeece te fact, a8 much as victims of their own clear advan. "They do not lenow that consciousness and of society’s condition, feminism wil ide dre aint i ‘ng ss women are. ‘The problem is that) advantages th -y are not set acne of “as Women in Action 3/9546 Q Hf men will also gain from the generally organize themselves into all- women groups? 1. The women's movement is built on the assumption that women share a common interest. While. the feminist movement proposes a society that would tbe beneficial or all, itis necessary that at ceratin_ stages of the struggle and ‘while working with other movements women understand the nature of their ‘oppression and plan strategies to'change the situation among themselves. The Fationale of ‘this iano different from that teed in support of the aulonomy of ather oppressed classes. We do, for instance, ‘support the autonomy of elaas, ethnic and national movements and #0 om. This distinction fe even more valid for the women's movement because the problem here is far more complex and lon term. Ik ultimately requires not the triumph of bone group over anotherin this dase, female over male—but a rethinking and restructuring of all aspects of society. Other classes can achieve their pims ictory by overcoming or eliminating, {heir-antagonists But the women’s movement can do none ofthese. It must resolve and over Come elass and other diflerences| within ftsell. If it must change the essence of society, it must convert the antagonist In this sense, the women's steugale is the most dificult struggle ofall and women must identify for themselves the process that it will take,\ In othér words Separate women’s organizations are a necessary and important stage in the Strugele, but they are only « stage. Slowly the movement will Integrate feeif with movements for fundamental changes in society and in the mode of functioning of exsting institutions. But even while we have separate women’s [groups, feminists welcome and valle the support of sympathetic men, We join the ‘Women in Action 3/95 strugale of working class and peasant ‘groups, of groups fighting for evil iber thes and hima rights aiid the environ ment, and the struggle of the minority ‘necessary for ou society but iis also ery exciting forall those who parti Date in the process of defining, arielat Ire, shaping and Hving i Ife cxcing precacly because i challenges us to Feview, refine and change the most intimate of relalonshipa, the most per sonal of belits, the most inarticuated Areas of our minds and hearts. For tive fret tine we have nn “isn” that suggests profound changes in society at every fevel, including the personal. Feminists believe thas the potental to provide is with the direction that other ama" have Tailed to provide emininm in extiting Sas necaune i in nat defined by someone else, some where else, for us. Allof us ea and have to participate in the process of finding ts meaning for ourselves. Al {hough people feel feminist, they have ft yet been able to collectively articulate Coltective power to bring about the Kind Of change we are looking for But the present uid state ofthis emerging iediogy ts nota bad thin bbecause, forthe frst time, way ol hf belng tried out at every level before iis formulated as theory. Por us, Uh is sn Important process of learning and discov fring, a process which is neerssarily Sow and faltering. That fs why tere ae {aiterences even among feminists. We (are sldearpingrand are at diferent / Stages Of the process. To the opponentsal feminiam, thin uncertain but unfolding status of of Waeology say be a negaie point. Bud feminists see it as 2 poslive fone. becalfse then, the ideology, when i finally and eventually arrives, will have ‘been tried pnd tested. }