Why is there a stigma with feminism and why are people frowning upon it, even in today's society? Feminism is the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. This seems like something that everyone would want. However, where we get into the taboo is the increase in smaller, more inconsequential campaigns such as 'free the nipple'.
Many people don't know this, but there are three waves of feminism and we are currently in the third wave. The first wave was the late 19th and early 20th century and centered around legal issues. Women's suffrage was spearheaded during this era which was huge for all women because they now had a chance to be heard.
America in the 1960s began the second wave, which spread through the western world and lasting all the way until the 1980s. This period included black, radical, and difference feminism. This era focused on the equality of men and women through things like workplace, family, sexuality and reproductive rights.
As stated before, we are in the third wave- which has many people talking. Although we, as women, have moved forward in family, sexuality, and reproductive rights, the workplace is still where lag behind. In the corporate world, women at the executive level are few and far between, only holding 20.2% of board seats and 5.2% of CEO positions in the US in 2016.
This phase is all about eliminating these disparities between the sexes.
But where society has the issue with a "feminist" today is the fact that the media is portraying these women who either are focusing on these mundane issues, instead of the larger more important issues, or showing women who are actually doing the opposite of feminism.
What is the opposite of feminism? Inequality and that's what these radical women's actions bring attention to. They want more rights for women than men which isn't what we are fighting but actually what we're fighting against. With the media portraying these women as the forefront of the feminist movement we are not taken seriously.
This needs to change. There are many people throughout the world taking serious measures to help bring change and equality. We need to focus on women like Diane Von Furstenberg who constructed her fashion career on the idea of empowering women or Sheryl Standberg who started the "Lean In" movement which helps to bring equal opportunities to the workplace for the sexes.
Oprah Winfrey said, " never did I consider or call myself a feminist, but I don't think you can really be a woman in this world and not be." Even though women don't have to be heading marches or sending thousands of dollars to philanthropic events, we need not be afraid at saying 'yes I am a feminist because all we want is equal opportunities'.
