Male & Female Movements

The feminist movement, also known as the Women’s Lib, is a women’s movement that I identify with. This movement had many angles; they stood for voting rights, maternity leave, equal pay, reproductive rights, and many other important life values. I identify with this movement because I believe that men and women should be treated equal, just like a white and a black, or a Jew and a Gentile. This idea of equality goes great with my service learning organization, The White House Project. The White House Project is trying to bring equality into politics, for example more women in office. I believe if this goal is met, then our nation could be on our way to a more equal rights place of living. While thinking about the feminist movement and gender expectations, I believe that the movement itself changed the gender expectations of a female in America. The movement showed that women are equal and they deserve the same rights, and after time, eventually the gender expectation changed; expecting more from the gendered female. To further elaborate on this, stereotypes “a generalization about an entire class of phenomenon based on some knowledge of some members of the class”. Women were stereotyped as people who take care of the house and raise the children, but now women can be stereotyped as business women to several degrees. Therefore, women in the 1950’s had different stereotypes about them then they do now; thus once again, I am stating the fact that the gender expectations of a female in America have changed because of the feminist movement. I experience personal impact from this movement every day, and so does every other American. I think that this movement changed the path of women, if it weren’t for this movement or movements of this nature, gender expectations may have never changed and women could possibly still not vote. This movement’s impact affects all of us, and I believe it is for the better, creating a more civil and equal place for living. I believe that this movement has made me want to try to help women with their advancements in today’s society, and I think that working with The White House Project is the perfect place to start.

Link to a great feminist movement picture…  skipmaclure.wordpress.com

The men’s movement is a social movement. I believe that this movement is also changing gender expectations in America, but obviously for males in this case. The male movement is about gender role and improving men’s rights with child access and regard to marriage. I identify with this male movement. I believe that men get shafted with respect to marriage and child access. It is typical for the women to get the rights to the children and receive the benefit of the doubt in marriage divorcé courts. Touching back on the women’s movement I previously discussed, if women can change their gender expectations from the “house” into the “workforce”; why shouldn’t men be able to do the same except vice versa? I believe that this process is too trying to alter the expectations of the male gender. The movement is trying to say that men have a caring mother touch in them, and they too can run the house and raise a family. The movement has an impact on me because I am a gendered male. I believe that as this movement progresses it will be ok for a male to be a stay-at-home dad. This affects me personally, because I could possibly do that (not really planning on it, but could), and if I were to I would want to be able to do it without any judgment or persecution from society. I do not think I will do anything about this movement. I support it 100%, but it’s not for me in the sense that I have different goals. Furthermore, I do believe in an equal place of living. And if we are to live in a place like this, men too should have the choice of “house” or “workforce”.