I am woman, hear me roar- OR Thoughts on feminism

I have been pondering something for quite some time, and thought I would share some thoughts. That's why you love me, right? ( : As all of you have noticed, one of my linked blog sites is Feminist Mormon Housewives. It is a site I love to visit when I am looking from some thought provoking discussions. I proudly identify myself as a feminist, if anyone asks (although no one ever does, pout). Wikipedia identifies feminism as "belief in the right of women to have political, social, and economic equality with men." I am a firm believer that men and women are separate but equal, and there is a wide spectrum of normal in gender roles and behavior.

So, I found it interesting when I was blog surfing the other day, to come across some blogs, which, incidentally I rather liked, that had links to a "Ladies against Feminism" and a "Families against Feminism" website. The funny thing is, I checked out the blogs, because I am kind of sick that way. And, they weren't bad websites. It brought up some interesting questions about what it means to be a feminist. Why does feminism have such a bad name?

Well, because this isn't a scholarly paper, I am not going into serious detail, nor am I going to reference much. I will just share my (correct of course) opinions. The feminists that one thinks of when the term is bandied around derive their public image from the highly liberal, often extreme feminists of the 1960's. Of course, these feminists are responsible in part for a number of changes in society, both positive and negative. One could certainly argue that the negative effects were terribly detrimental for society. But what good have they done? A wikipedia article on feminism describes 3 waves of feminism- the 19th/early 20th century, the 60's & 70's, and the 90's to present. As for the first wave, who can argue that women should go back to having less property, educational, and financial rights? And what thinking person would argue that a woman should not be allowed to vote? Although there were some very extreme views, such as those held by Margaret Sanger, the overall effect of the movement was a positive one. The 60's movement is a little more complex. Do the good effects of improved equality and opportunities for women outweigh the negative effects of the sexual revolution, birth control, etc. I would argue that they do- but it is a highly subjective question. As for the latest wave of feminism, I believe that they have come a long way in becoming more balanced in respecting the wide range of options, possibilities, and unique struggles of being a woman in the modern age.

However, in order to accomplish the most good, I believe the Feminist movement needs to refocus on the original goals. Of course, western society still has a ways to go (such as equal pay) as far as equality, but truth be told, the structure of modern society is more than most women could have dreamed of in the past. But there are so many societies remaining in which women are still subject to overwhelming male domination and oppression. Practices such as female genital mutilation, lack of education, widespread rape and abuse, and the silencing of women still exist, and in a far greater number than allows any self-respecting female to sleep well at night (although I do). Feminists need to bring the rest of the world up to our level, in a culturally correct, very careful way. Of course, cultural differences exist, but there are so many practices that are just plain WRONG. Only when women all over the world can exercise a voice and more equal rights can any further progress be made.

So, are you a feminist? And if you're not, what's your deal? Feel free to enlighten me ( :