Feminism And Gender And Ethnic Studies - 1172 Words

My Interpretation of Feminism Feminism has had a deep impact on me since I was infantile. Though she never mentioned it, my mother was an active feminist. I grew up playing with toys considered to belong to either sex. I was taught to be strong and to let my emotions out, and I was given freedom to make my own identity. This was my first experience of social feminism, followed years later by learning the definition of feminism and learning to also see discrimination politically and economically. To further my understanding of feminism, I am currently taking the class Introduction to Women’s Gender and Ethnic Studies. During the first unit, I studied more in-depth about different types of feminism, and the feminism waves throughout†¦show more content†¦I then resorted back to â€Å"girly† hobbies, such as arts and crafts or experimenting outfit styles. I still spend at least ten minutes each morning adorning my hair. As far as my initial views on feminism went, the only difference I saw between men and women were physique. I would soon learn what it meant to be a feminist. Later, in high school, I met my significant other. She grew up in a family of engaged feminists. One day she asked me whether I considered myself feminist. At this point, I had never thought much of it, so I said â€Å"No.† She taught me exactly what it meant to be feminist, not the man-hating, hateful person, but the caring, thoughtful person who stands up for equality amongst sexes, genders, and races. After that, I have always considered myself a feminist. Earlier this year I decided to take the Introduction to Women’s Gender and Ethnic studies class during my first semester of college. After studying the first unit of the class, I learned about different feminisms. I now know about liberal feminists, who â€Å"campaigned for equal rights of citizenship and for the end of discrimination,† (); socialist feminists, who â€Å"attributed women’s oppression to capitalism and focused on women’s economic exploitation,† (); and radical feminists, who â€Å"identified male power or patriarchy as the source of female subordination,† (). These forms of feminism developed new attitudes and goals throughout the different waves of feminism in the past two centuries.