Patriarchy

Feminism

"Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression."

Can a group oppress itself? Why or why not?

No, because in order oppress that group or group members would need to have power to oppress and if it can, then they are not part of that group.

Define "male-identified" and give two examples of how our society is male-identified.

Patriarchy is male-dominated in that positions of authority - political, economic, legal, religious, educational, military, domestic - are generally reserved for men. Ex. CEOs and board members.

How is the work that women do devalued under patriarchy? Give two examples.

The work of women is devalued under patriarchy due to the belief that men are better or more valued than a woman. This makes it harder for a woman to prove herself in a workplace because she is always to be viewed as a maternal figure, because the fact that a woman can have a child it is believed that she cannot put as much effort into the workplace as a man can. Also, even with the same education and experience as a man in the same workplace, the woman earns less than the man.

Discuss how all women are subject to the cultural devaluing of women's bodies as sexual objects. Give one example from our current society.

Women are subject to being devalued and seen as sexual objects because we are seen as the sexual object of man in a male dominated society. Women are sexually objectified their entire lives, you see it in the dress code that is enforced on women our entire lives, but it is not equally as enforced on men. (Women can't show our shoulders, our thighs, our chest/collarbone area)