'Feminism Today: Women's Safety in a Male-Dominated Society and How Men Can Help' by Bradley University blogger Ashley

More young women today are calling themselves feminists than in the past, and the definition of a feminist has changed as well. What has brought about this resurgence in feminism? What influenced these young women (and men) to join the movement now? Some would attribute this to the creation of the website Jezebel.com by writer Anna Holmes (read Glamour article here http://www.glamour.com/inspired/2013/09/the-new-do-calling-yourself-a-feminist). Some would give credit to more female celebrities talking about feminism and the need for it, but others might call this a sort of “bandwagon” effect. No matter who or what influenced people, we have more feminists today than before, which is truly awesome. There lies an issue before us, though- can women feel safe in a patriarchal society? And how can men help create more equality in society themselves?

Patriarchy rules our society to the point that some women even support it fully- women being the primary caretakers of children, staying at home to cook and clean, not holding positions of power, not deserving of equal pay or treatment, being weak and submissive, and other mostly demeaning characteristics applied to us. For those of us tired of being demeaned and pretty much forced into submission, we speak up and fight back. Fighting back can be dangerous in the society we live in- how dare we challenge authority? Clearly we deserve the hits that are thrown at us as a result of challenging a man, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong. There will always be men and women trying to “put us in our place”, but we have to be strong enough to say “no”. If every woman just sat silently while she was reduced to a role that fit the patriarchal society, then there would be no feminism, there would be no need to challenge authority because rules would be accepted blindly. Now, is there anything wrong with fitting into the typical female roles of the patriarchal society? No, but only if the woman consciously makes this decision on her own and actually desires to serve that role. For example, when a woman says that she stays at home with the kids because that’s what she should or is supposed to do, then I’d be curious as to why it is a should and not a desire.

So at this point in time, can women feel truly safe in a patriarchal society? No, not yet. Hopefully with the help of men, women can feel safer and more equal. So how can men help? Opening up more opportunities to women that have mostly been held by men, realize when they are making comments that are sexist or demeaning, and defending women in situations where they may not even be present (e.g., calling out a friend who calls women offensive things). Those are just a few suggestions on how a male can make a difference. It’s not about simply being a “feminist” while women are around. It’s about standing up for not only women’s rights but human rights 24/7. Educate yourselves and stand up for human rights!

Can women progress in a male dominated society? by blogger Shaleen

The belief that women are living creatures, who are able to make rational decisions on their own baffle so many people, so one can assume women are viewed as the lesser human. New feminism is a new concept that many people don’t understand because many believe the definition of feminism is the superiority of females over males. Before this philosophy can be known for what it actually is, people need to understand that not every feminist hates men. It supports the idea that men, and women are indeed different but both sexes deserve equal worth and dignity.  Even though women are living in a so called “man’s world,” we have made a lot of progress since the start of the feminist movement. Equality between the genders is a difficult thing to accomplish with so many different viewpoints and cultures around the world.  

            

Unless life was started over again, there is no way women will ever feel safe in a male dominated society. There are set stereotypes that women have, as there is for men, and women will always be seen like the lesser of the two because of that stereotype, as much as it saddens me to say. Many people grew up learning that tradition is the route to live by, which the new feminism points out saying its fine to stick with the stereotypical roles for both men and women. The difference between the two is the treatment of one another. The traditional role of a women would be one where she submits herself to her husband, while staying at home and being the the homemaker or caregiver of the family. New feminism wants a woman to feel comfortable being about to be a woman who stays at home with the children or the woman who goes out into the workforce.

    

We can all join together and fight the inequality in many ways. We just have to be willing to stand up for what we think is right and how we think others should be treated. Both men and women have opinions and voices to speak them with. No gender is lesser than the other because of a tradition that is no longer being used in other aspects.

I was, I’m and shall continue to be – 'A woman of Substance' - by Blogger Snehal

A Sanskrit (a prominent, ancient language) verse states – “Yatra naryastu Pujyante ramante tatra devatah yatraitaastu na pujyante sarvaastrafalaah kriyaah” :- Divinity rejoices where women are honoured and respected; where they are not, even sacred acts are fruitless. This verse gives us a glimpse of the social stature of women in the ancient time that boasts of social equality.

 Myriad significant changes suppressed the status of women across the globe over the centuries. There was an emergence of patriarchal structure of the society that perpetuated oppression of women, mainly through sexual violence. “Masculinity” was defined through power, violence, aggression and dominance whereas “Imposed Femininity” was defined as weak, inferior, powerless, oppressed, exploited sex who had no choice but to surrender as a victim or a prey to these male predators. The tyranny continued in the form of rape, sexual assault, violence, oppression, fear of death, apprehension of grievous hurt that pushed womanhood into the dark, unbearable abyss of humiliation and self pity for centuries to come.

An honest, deep introspection then led women to stand up for their right, their right to live with dignity, right to breathe freely. A flash! Then was an emergence of a feminist era that not only revolutionized but refined the status of women. Women now can walk shoulder to shoulder with men and voice their choices too. Feminism is a strength that changed the face of victims into survivors and opened the doors of competitive world for them. Today, women are not mere sex objects; women are a symbol of power, equality, strength and much more. All that a woman needs is to be loved, to be heard and to be respected. Simple!

The question that arises is, are women really safe in this male dominated world? The answer is yes, provided men use their strength for creating cultures free of violence and have a positive influence on womanhood.

It is always said that the apprehension of rape limits the potential of a woman. I believe that encouragement coupled with support and love can help them expand the boundaries of their potential and proudly say “I’m worth it”.  

Too Many Expectations by blogger Kendra

Jay-Z is not the only one with 99 problems. Women have to deal with a number of things like their jobs, families, and household chores, and it does not stop there, nor does it begin there. From an early age girls are told they have to look, think, and behave a certain way in order to gain respectability from society and to appease boys. There is an unfair advantage that comes with being a man, and that's that the expectations for them are significantly lower than women.


Many of today's feminists say there are just too many expectations for women and they are working together to close the gap. When walking down the street minding their own business, women are expected to be flattered and grateful for the men shouting sexual puns at them; women are expected to wear clothes that are sexy, but not too sexy because when they do “they're asking for it”; women are also expected to be independent but not too independent, and submissive but not too passive. Women often find themselves asking, “What is it exactly that you want from me?”


There are some expectations that are unavoidable which are determined by where you work and/or go to school, but most of them can be stopped. Men will have to get on board and get involved in making changes to how women are viewed and treated. This is a progression that many feminists are hoping to move towards as soon as possible.

Reducing Sexual Assault on Campus by blogger Kendra

Hormones run rampant among college campuses with incoming freshmen ready to enjoy the college scene which, along with actual classwork, consist of drinking, partying, and sex. Unfortunately, many students partake in this so called scene incorrectly. Some students consider this more of a free-for-all four year journey all the while insisting this is just part of the college experience.





Sexual violence is a touchy subject that most college campuses put little emphasis on. It is something that often gets put on the back-burner until it is too late.


Statistics

show that one in four college women have either been the victim of rape or an attempted rape.







Luckily there is so much that can be done by school officials to ensure their students do not become another statistic. A colleges theater group could put on a play about sexual assault on college campuses and how to stay safe. Or perhaps there could be a week long 'Assault Prevention' week complete with self-defense training lessons one day and a speaker the next.





Also, although campuses have phones set up for students to report a crime, what are the chances of a student being near one of the phones during the time of an emergency? Nearly every college student has access to a mobile device. Colleges could create a texting service that will allow students to text a certain number or letter to campus security for help.