The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines feminism as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” The real question is: What does equality mean, and how can it be achieved?
Feminism means that women shall have at least as much to say as men about everything in the arrangement of human affairs, including especially the meaning, purpose, and activities of their own lives. Feminism means the collective empowerment of women. In addition, women can achieve collective empowerment by being provided with economic independence from men, control over their own bodies, and equal human rights.
Feminism and social justice continues to be a recurring topic worldwide. The topic is often depicted in movies trying to showcase the difficulties of women and the strength they demonstrate encountering different problems. “Salt of the Earth” is a famous movie from the 1960s telling the story of the movement started by the wives of mine workers in Mexico (Sandhu, 2014). Those women are the first who stand up against the working conditions of their husbands. This trend is still depicted in more recent movies such as “Et maintenant, on va ou?” by the Lebanese film director Nadine Labaki. There she portrays the union of the women of a small village in Lebanon made up of Christians and Muslims. Despite the superficial differences between the two groups of people, the women of the village manage to maintain a strong relationship with each other and stand up against the violence in the country.
Unfortunately, religious and racial separatism continues to be relevant in today’s world. The current feminist movement in Iran following the murder of Mahsa Amini showcases the battle that women are still fighting. They are fighting for their freedom and for detachment from religious laws such as the mandatory hijab in Iran (Makoii & Cobham, 2022). Going back in time, we remember the case of the black activist Angela Davis who fought for anti-racism and feminism rights (Rebel Archives, n.d.). The MeToo movement is another example of women’s advocacy for control of their own bodies and standing up against rape and sexual harassment.
In conclusion, despite the milestones of feminism and social justice, a lot of advancement in the advocacy of women’s rights still must happen.
Bibliography
Makoii, A., & Cobham, T. (2022, September 16). Iranian woman, 22, dies after she was violently arrested by morality police for wearing an incorrect headscarf. Retrieved November 26, from DailyMail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11219849/Iranian-woman-22-dies-violently-arrested.html
Rebel Archives. (n.d.). Angela Davis and Abolitionist Feminism. Retrieved November 2022, from Rebel Archives in the Golden Gulag: https://rebelarchives.humspace.ucla.edu/exhibits/show/sisters-in-struggle/introduction-
Sandhu, S. (2014, March 10). Salt of the Earth: Made of labour, by labour, for labour. Retrieved November 2022, from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/mar/10/salt-of-the-earth-labour-workers-blacklis ted-filmmakers
USCS Online Education. (2020, March 10). Bettina Aptheker’s definition of feminism {Video file}. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88npcoIQb64.
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