Analysis of Post-Feminism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Post-Feminism - Term Paper ExampleWhile society of course has now become much more complex, at least until recently, this role differentiation has non significantly changed. That is, men leave home to be breadwinners, with their wives saddled with the domestic responsibility. While the womens liberationist revolution has freed nigh women from being captive to their homes, it has also placed additional burdens on them if they work outside, un slight husbands contribute to the domestic chores. Therefore there must not only be less role differentiation by gender in the workplace to give women greater career opportunities but also in domestic life, Douglas and Michaels Critiques of Dowds Perspective If Douglas and Michaels were critiquing Dowds perspective, I expect that they would complain that she focuses only on courtship issues involving single men and women. I think they would argue that this is much less stressful than having to live up to media hyped demands of perfe ct motherhood, possibly while at the same time pursuing an outside career. While career women whitethorn prevail difficulty finding compatible mates because men, used to being in control, are not comfortable with aggressive career women whose touchments rival or master their own, they at least have options. They can dumb down by hiding their success, pay attention to their appearance in an effort to compete with jr. women, or give up entirely on looking for a marriage partner.(Dowd 2005) By contrast, women responsible for their children, especially if the father is absent or not contributing to domestic duties, may feel trapped particularly if they do not have marketable occupational skills. Dowds approach is post feminist because it is based on the assumption that women have attained some degree of equality of opportunity in the workplace with men and also the social in good order to initiate and pursue relationships. Given the sense of entrapment many women feel in having to pu rsue unrealistic standards of motherhood, I suspect Douglas and Michael would dispute that we live in a post feminist age.(Douglas and Michael p. 5) Douglas and Michaels versus Dowds Understanding of Feminism Dowd describes feminism in terms of womens legal and social rights that is to have equal retrieve with men to educational and career opportunities, to initiate and pursue relationships, and to dress and make modus vivendi choices as they please (Dowd 2005). However, she decries early feminists who felt they had to mimic mens attire and habits rather than wear sexy clothing and pursue girlish interests(Dowd 2005) Essentially she feels that feminism means womens right to pursue their own lifestyle and career choices on an equal footing with men and without legal and social impediments. Douglas and Michael argue that we still live in a paternalistic society, and while women may have attained some legal rights, there are still social impediments and pressures hindering their effor ts to gain actual equality, and therefore they have yet to achieve the feminist goals of meaningful equality. For example, mothers are bombarded with media messages from celebrity moms instructing them how to be a better mom (Douglas and Michae