What is Feminism?

I think that Feminism is a very popular topic in our present day society. Feminist Criticism is something that is highly debated by people all over. I feel like especially recently this topic has been at an all time high of popularity. Everyone has their own opinions about it, but for the most part, women are feeling subjected by men and thinking that they should have their own voice when it comes to their bodies and themselves. While there are many topics and sides to debate regarding feminism, let’s take a look at some of our theorists.

In Ann George’s text, “Mr. Burke, Meet Helen Keller” and Judith Butler’s text, “Gender Trouble” we see these texts relate very much with feminism. Feminism has been around for ages, but it wasn’t until recently that women are voicing more of their opinions about it. This is because of the developments of our society and how they have changed the way we think. For years, women have not been given equal pay. But because recently women have been taking more control and becoming more powerful, they are demanding for equal pay. Women want to be not only equal economically, but socially and politically as well. This is exactly how it is for Helen Keller in “My. Burke, Meet Helen Keller.” For must of us, we know Helen Keller to be one who survived the Holocaust and dealt with deafness and blindness her entire life. But not many of us know that she was a humanitarian as well. Helen Keller “published nearly 200 works and became one of America’s most effective Goodwill Ambassadors” (George 340). These accomplishments were overlooked, as Keller is known for being deaf and blind rather than her works. Wouldn’t this make her overall accomplishment more powerful? If we had know about her works? Why is she being overlooked and demeaned to being deaf and blind.

One reason for this is because maybe her thoughts did not conform with the rest of society. Maybe Helen Keller spoke her own words and her own ideas, making her a feminist within herself. She came from a time when feminism was not present in society, she was just shut down. She had no one to speak for her and yet she was so intelligent.

“We cannot be free until we know the nature of our bondage and examine the chains that bind us” (George 341). I took this quote to mean that we cannot be free as women until we know what is holding us back. It took so many years for Feminism to become prominent in today’s society because women did not realize that it was men holding them back and making them unequal. Butler also stated on page 4, “Feminist critique ought to also understand how the category “women” is produced and restrained by the very structures of power through which emancipation is sought.” These two theories coincide with one another. Butler thinks that the whole concept of Feminism is twisted. While women are fighting for equal rights for women, there is no constitution for this. While seeking to equate men and women, women are misrepresenting themselves. This causes constraints on the idea of feminism, because women are not taken seriously. We, as feminists, need to not only stand up for ourselves but understand what we are standing up for, and in a respectful way. 

- Haley Bryant