Welcome Feminism Thankam K Abraham Assistant Professor Department

Welcome

Feminism Thankam K Abraham Assistant Professor Department of English Christian College, Chegannur

Feminism, an Introduction Not about imitating men Above the concept of rivalry with men Question of dominance and subjection Deconstructs the rigid binaries in sexual and social relations • “a diverse and multifaceted grouping of ideas, and indeed actions”. (Freedman) • •

Freedman’s Classification • Liberal feminism • Marxist or Socialist feminism • Radical feminism

• Liberal feminism – campaign for equal rights for women within a liberal state • Marxist feminism – women’s oppression a consequence of the capitalist system of production and its attendant division of labour. • Radical feminism – dominance of men result of patriarchy and independent of other social structures or capitalist system

Freedman’s ‘Female’ and ‘Feminine’ • ‘Female’ – biological category to which women belong • ‘Feminine’ – behaviour and roles being the social constructions based on this biological category • “One is not born a woman. One becomes one”. (Simone De Beavoir)

Conclusion • Not just a theoretical proposition • Has social relevance and finds expression in cultural artefacts • Androcentric bias in representations of women in literature and the visual arts, including the media.

THANK YOU