Women’s rights movements lead struggles for women that opened doors to respect and equality. It was a time of social reform. Reform movements not only benefited women but American Indians, Blacks, Hispanics, and even environmentalists who fought for a wide range of issues. Initially, outspoken women compelled society to change the way it viewed and treated women. Groups advocating women’s rights formed, insisting on equal rights in social, political, and later economic sectors. Fragmented, Feminism is now the good, the bad. and the ugly. Feminist ideologies have changed with time.

In a historic 1902 speech about the inequalities women were subjected to, Carrie Chapman Catt of the National Women’s Suffrage Organization lamented that, “This world taught women nothing skillful and then said her work was valueless. It permitted her no options and said she did not know how to think. It forbade her to speak in public, and said there were no orators. It denied her schools, and said women had no genius. It robbed her of every vestige of responsibility, and then called her weak.” Discrimination against women created a need for feminist movements to end blatant inequalities. In some countries today, women are subjected to incomprehensible inequalities and denied basic human rights. In Dafur, Africa, woman suffer from war and violence. They are singled out and subjected to abuse and rape. Some are burned alive. To this extreme, a radical feminist movement would save lives.

Progressive movements during the 1800’s bought on heated debates. One of the biggest and most successful feminist movements was achieving the right for women to vote. It was an uphill battle. Hesitantly, each state began to give women voting rights, the state of Wyoming leading the charge in 1869. By 1890, the states of Utah, Colorado and Utah followed suit extending women the right to vote. Feminist movements pressured government and society to end a blatant inequality. Powerful women such as Susan B. Anthony, Cady Stanton, Alice Wells and other female leaders were the “Mothers” of feminism. Broadcast radio greatly assisted the cause. In 1909, Harriet Black became the first woman to speak on public radio about the inequalities of women in society.

Women’s rights have come a long way. Some struggles took on “ugly” changes. In 1969, a number of essays purporting feminism to the extremes appeared in a largely circulated gay publication. Now infamous author Jill Johnston wrote what was termed a feminist “manifesto” overshadowing the straight feminist movement with radical feminism. In her book, “Lesbian Nation,” she wrote, “All women are lesbians except those who don’t know it.” The Feminist Movement became separate and unequal as straight females stood for a set of principles that differed from the radical actions that blurred the issues. Some “Rights” were wrongs. The “cause” became fragmented to suit a number of separatist organizations. From socialist feminism to liberal feminism, women stood up for their rights. Evolving, humanism and conservatism paved the way for smaller groups who were radical such as lesbian feminist movements. Cultural feminism had its place protecting women of color from abuse, sexism, and inequalities.

The original intentions of feminism were well-meaning and dutifully good. Exaggerated and taken to extreme limits, it becomes fragmented Feminism that steadfastly defies the typical roles of men and women - Hunters and gatherers should be nurturers and caretakers. Nurturers and caretakers should be gatherers pounding the pavement. Taking a stand gave women the rights they deserved. However, feminism in it’s extremes became convoluted. The creative minds of well-meaning men and woman tweaked nature attempting to define a society without gender specific roles. Much of today’s Feminism promotes friction between men and women. More often than, male and female roles are confused. Divisive behaviors between genders is prevalent. Publicizing the ups and downs of relationships between men and women is popular. The attributes of men and women are in competition with each other.

The male and female of every living species cohabitate together, each functioning in their strengths to evolve, to complete each other. In opposition, men and women compete with each other to no productive end. Mammals, Reptiles, Birds, Amphibians all have a male and female, each playing specific roles. Every living thing functions based on this principle. Hence, man and woman are created with specific, individual characteristics that complement and complete each other to function harmoniously as one unit - family.

Christianity, one of the oldest religions in the world, testifies to the fact that males and females are made to complement each other. Noah’s Ark was filled with one male and one female of every living thing. Why didn’t Noah take more females and fewer males? In Divine Order, He knew that, naturally, to reproduce, nourish, and promote each of these species to evolve, it would take one male and one female (to replenish the earth). Naturally, every living thing reproduces itself, the male playing one part, the female another. Then, there are gender specific roles that the male and female are to play in life, reproduction, and living as is with every living thing. Motherhood, fatherhood, and family are living responsibilities. Reproduction is instinctively the top priority with every other living thing. Males and females are made differently for specific reasons. In opposition, the male and female of any species unravels the fabric of nature.

Advertisement and promotion (extreme movements purporting female victimization) causes men to be viewed as villains and women made out to be a victims. In totality, this is an untruth. In spiritual confusion, man and woman begin to serve themselves with individual motives, contrived “moralities,” and separatist rights that bind and deteriorate the familial fabric of society. Naturally, males have strengths and attributes that females cannot compete with. Relatively, females have strengths that men simply cannot compete with. Women are emotional and soft while men are stern and hard.

From fatherless homes to motherless homes, ultimately women, men and children suffer from any form of extreme feminism. According to statistics, the marriage rate is “7.1 per 1,000; Divorce is 3.5 per 1,000.” Perhaps, Feminism has replaced the typical roles of moms and dads. Neglected are family structures that offer security and wisdom. The deterioration of family unity is at hand. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), “In 2008, there were 6,318 arrests for every 100,000 youths ages 10 through 17 in the United States.” Special education programs and similar resources are helpful showing some sign of progress. The OJJDP further reports that, “The overall juvenile arrest rate was lower in 2008 than in 1980.” In the name of feminism, is it possible that society is adjusting to fatherless and motherless homes? Have the roles of man and woman changed for good or bad? What are we teaching our sons and daughters? Beware!

Today the man is at odds with the woman. It is a given that a number of men will still make the “mistakes” of being men, viewing woman as “weak” or less than. Similarly, there is a large number of women who play a part in the dissension between men and women - they have just given up. Some woman’s groups hold male imperfections against all men collectively as if “there just aren’t any good men around.” As catchy as this negating phrase has become, it is philosophical, illogical, fallacious, and unfair. The assumption is that “if some men are… than all men are…” - an argument ad homonym: “A logical fallacy used in an argument or debate.” When radical feminism attacks manhood rather than the issues, the conclusions are against men in a general sense. The same could be applied to women, their shortcomings highlighted. It is a fact that men are apt to abuse physically while women typically abuse mentally. Both male and females play a part in the dissensions between men and women. One would wonder what the response would be to a “Masculinity Movement”? One could only imagine the resistance.

It is written in the Holy Bible, book of Proverbs, that (paraphrased) it is better to sit on a rooftop than inside a home with a contentious woman. Women have become provocative and outspoken. In the Garden of Eden, it was a rebellious Eve that first bit the Apple from the Forbidden “Tree of knowledge” and then offered it to Adam, the man. Judge not lest ye be judged.” Men get a bad rap. Vengeance has become a woman’s “right” to discredit manhood. Certainly men have their faults as do women. What is so often overlooked is the fact that man and woman were created to complement each other. Where one falls short the other is strong; that is love, that is nature. With an eternal bond (equally yoked), the best of each gender’s characteristics function together in unity. In their mutual imperfections and contrasting attributes, there is no competition. There is no “case” against one or the other!

There are great men and there are phenomenal women who manage to balance feminism, family, and their freedoms, respectively. Gloria Steinam, a long-time advocate of women’s rights, is a superior advocate, setting the tone in today’s graduated form of feminism. She promotes a comprehensive feminism that empowers women and still leaves a place for men. At more than 70 years old, her track record and her experience is stellar. She has paved the way and continues hard work to end still-existing inequalities and sexism against women. On her website, www.feminist.com, she offers several resources to help women. The site encourages women “to speak out and get involved!” Ms. Steinam’s offers a myriad of resources for women such as follows:

Amnesty - Women’s Human Rights Actions

Equality Now Action Alerts

Feminist Campus.org

League Of Women Voters

Planned Parenthood Take Action Center

The White House Project   

In the struggle for freedom, women have not only established a respectable place in society, but have made great strides to empower themselves to be all they can be while “whipping up the bacon, frying it up in a pan” and never neglecting their family or their man.

Although Feminism charges full steam ahead fighting for the rights of women, men and minority groups as well, the term “feminist” is somewhat antiquated. Old philosophies and terms are outdated. According to academic sources, “among 617 college students, overall, 22.8% of the students self-identified as a feminist while 19.3% were unsure and 57.8% explicitly did not identify as a feminist.”