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Feminism

 Feminism is a movement with the intentions of defining and securing equal political, social and economic rights and privileges for women. Throughout history, women have never been equal to men. Hopefully someday, this cultural blockade will come to an end. Women in some countries, but not many, have achieved cultural equality and in some cases even run their countries. However, most females do not receive treatment equal to that of men. Women are paid considerably less than a man doing the same job. This is not only unfair but also degrading. In pop culture, women are often degraded in songs, movies and even in conversation. Women are unappreciated and sometimes looked down on. This should not be the case when women can and would be able to do anything a man can do. Feminist campaigns include various events and discussions to raise awareness and to attempt to put an end to the degradation of women.

 A Timeline of Women's Rights Movements in the US


 *  1848 **
 * first women's rights convention held in Seneca Falls, NY
 * 68 women and 32 men signed a Declaration of Sentiments which set the agenda for women's rights movement
 *  1850 **
 * first National Women's Rights Convention in Worcester, MA
 * more than 1000 in attendance
 *  1869 **
 * National Woman Suffrage Association formed by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
 * American Woman Suffrage Association formed by Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell
 * Goal: to gain voting rights for women
 *  1890 **
 * National Women Suffrage Association and American Women Suffrage Association merge to form NAWSA
 *  1893 **
 * Colorado is the first state to grant women the right to vote
 *  1896 **
 * The National Association of Colored Women formed
 *  1903 **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The National Women's Trade Union League formed to advocate for better wages and working conditions for women
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> 1916 **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Margaret Sanger opens first US birth-control clinic
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> 1919 **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Women's suffrage amendment passed by House and Senate, sent to states for ratification
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> 1966 **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">National Organization for Women formed by feminist including Betty Friedan
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> 1971 **
 * Ms. Magazine is first published
 * 1972**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Title IX bans sex discrimination in schools

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> The most active time period for feminist movements was the twentieth century. As women slowly gained the right to vote, they continued to try and get more rights, rights that they deserved. As times have changed, so have the issues women have fought for. In the beginning, women just wanted the right to vote for their country. For hundreds of years, women were placed under men, not given the right to choose what they wanted for their country. After achieving the right to vote, women wanted to take it further. New groups formed to protect women of color and rights when it came to sexual issues.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Important Feminists

Organized state and national conventions on feminism Collected signatures for a petition to grant women the right to vote and own property Worked toward emancipation of slaves during Civil War Helped to form the Women's Loyal League
 * Susan B. Anthony** (1820-1906)

President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and the International Woman Suffrage Alliance Achieved success in 1920 when all American women were granted the right to vote
 * Carrie Chapman Catt** (1859-1947)

Writer, Patriot, abolitionist, one of the earliest feminists In a letter to her husband, John Adams, she wrote on the behalf of women
 * Abigail Adams** (1744-1818)

First woman doctor in US Earned her degree, graduated top of her class at Geneva College Opened a clinic in NYC when hospitals refused to hire her
 * Elizabeth Blackwell** (1821-1910)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">Important Quotations

"If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation." -Abigail Adams "If society will not admit of woman's free development, then society must be remodeled." -Elizabeth Blackwell "It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union." -Susan B. Anthony
 * <span style="display: block; display: inline !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Abigail Adams is saying that if women are not given the rights and attention that they deserve, they have no problem coming together and changing the ways of society. She says that women will not follow any laws that they have not had a say in. Basically, if women are not granted the right to vote, they will not follow the laws put in place by the elected leaders. Without representation, no one should be expected the do as they are told. This quote is from around the beginning of the 19th century, before feminism really got going. These are the first thoughts and ideas being put together.
 * <span style="display: block; display: inline !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Elizabeth Blackwell is simply stating that women will go right ahead and unite to change society if society does not recognize them as people too. Women are just as worthy of rights as men are, and that is what she is trying to say. It is imperative that society is remodeled until women are recognized in all the ways they should be.
 * <span style="display: block; display: inline !important; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">Not only the white male citizens formed the country, women had a large role in doing so as well. Sure, men were the ones fighting in the wars and forming the government, but it was the women that would take care of them. Without women, men would not have been able to write the Constitution, form a country, and win the war.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 190%;">Literature <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//The Bell Jar// by Sylvia Plath is a great example of feminism. Through enormous detail, Plath invites the reader to learn about the vivid insanity of the main character, Esther Greenwood. First published in 1953, the book was written after a great time in the history of feminism. Women were recently given the right to vote. They were still settling in to their new abilities. //The Bell Jar// examines the pressures and hardships of women during this time.

//Jane Eyre// by Charlotte Bron<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">të tells the story of an orphan who emerges into the real world unbroken. It shows how even through hardship, women are able to overcome their past and become successful people. //Jane Eyre// depicts the strength of women through the story of a woman with a hard life but a never-give-up attitude.

//The Color Purple// by Alice Walker is a graphic story of a women, Celie, who is put through hell beginning at a very young age. Through the telling multiple incidents of rape and abuse by her own father, Celie learns to be strong and appreciate herself. Because Celie never had a normal life, she never learned to love herself or her talents. With the help of a close friend, Celie learns to do so. She, too emerges as a strong woman capable of anything. Celie could represent many women that are abused and mistreated all around the world.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Feminism in Popular Culture <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the modern days, women are still treated relatively poorly. Women are often degraded in songs, movies, and on television. Most songs seem to be about something but if they are really listened to, a lot of them are about sex, all of them degrading women. Women don't seem to do anything about this issue, most of them just sing along. The fact is, it has been taken too far. There is absolutely no respect for woman anymore. A lot of women don't even care enough to respect themselves. It is an everyday, normal thing to hear a song about sex, or see a movie where women are put down. Women are pressured by society to look a certain way, act a certain way, and dress a certain way. Who is there to tell them that they are perfect just the way they are? Women are finally accepted in society and they are still letting men have this degrading effect on them. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are most likely movements to put down these issues but none of them are well-known, which means they are rather unsuccessful.

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**Works Cited** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">"Famous Feminists." //Famous Feminists//. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> <www.univer.omsk.su/gender/famous_fem.html>.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Imbornoni, Ann-Marie. "Women's Rights Movement in the U.S.: Timeline of Events <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> (1848-1920) â€” Infoplease.com." //Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas,// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> //Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research &// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> //homework help. â€” Infoplease.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenstimeline1.html>.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Lewis, Â Jone Johnson. "Abigail Adams Quotes."//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; line-height: 24px;">Women's History - Comprehensive // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; line-height: 24px;"> Women's History Research Guide //. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> <http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_abigailadams.htm>.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Lewis, Â Jone Johnson. "Susan B. Anthony Quotes." //Women's History - Comprehensive// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> //Women's History Research Guide//. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_s_b_anthony.htm>.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Lewis, Â Jone Johnson. "Elizabeth Blackwell Quotes." //Women's History - Comprehensive// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> //Women's History Research Guide//. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://womenshistory.about.com/od/blackwellelizabeth/a/Elizabeth-Blackwell-Quotes.htm>.