Specifying Feminist Theory Essay, Research Paper
Criticism. The word merely looks chilling, and it s something most people are a small afraid to have. However, I am afraid to give unfavorable judgment. As the lone male Women s Studies major on this campus, and the lone male pupil who wants to larn about Feminist Theory, I ve erudite really rapidly to cognize my function. This class has served as a wake-up call to me that I am an foreigner in the feminist motion and that this motion is non my motion. So for me to knock a motion that I m profoundly involved in, but non wholly a portion of, that scares me. I ve asked myself, what right do I have to state the adult females involved in the feminist motion why I think what they re making is incorrect? Why do I think I know a better manner, when I can t of all time to the full hold on what we re speaking about? I will slog through this paper, with the doctrine of when in Rome
I signed up for Feminist Theory for several grounds. On the lower terminal of the graduated table was the existent content of the category. I had no thought what Feminist Theory was, or what the category would be about. I was certain I ve read some of this theory in my Intro category, yet I wasn t sure, since I had no working definition of the term. What is theory? I think I can reply that reasonably confidently. What is theory for? Who is theory for? How make different women’s rightist authors do theory otherwise? I ve learned that much like the women’s rightist motion itself, the reply to that battery of inquiries is traveling to be different for every one you ask.
bell maulerss says that theory is a liberatory pattern. For me personally, I ve come to hold whole-heartedly with her stance. I ve come to utilize ( informally ) theory as a manner to explicate things about myself, and the full gay/lesbian/bisexual community that I ne’er understood, or liked. The procedure of speculating what society sees as cultural abnormalcies or failings has helped me to turn things around. I no longer hold with society in what they view as abnormalcies or failings. Alternatively, I believe their positions are counter-productive, and failings. I learned that theory could be a curative topographic point. ( hooks, 61 ) The most productive side consequence of theory is mending. The author gets to understand the universe from a different angle. The author gets to re-evaluate the society that has caused her/him hurting in their life. The author gets to trust for a better hereafter. The author gets to dream of what their life would be like in a more perfect universe. There is no greater good that can ensue from personal theorizing than personal healing. The two should ( and will ) ever be connected to each other. You can t make theory without mending yourself to some grade. That s the chief thing it is ( mending procedure ) and what it does ( mend ) .
Theory besides serves other intents. I believe a 2nd benefit to theorizing is learning others to speculate. Reading the women’s rightist theory I have in this category so far, I ve learned that it s acceptable to analyze, and believe in alternate accounts than our society has taught us since birth. A 3rd degree of theory is showing new thoughts to women’s rightists. As Jane Gallop says, believing about things you ve ne’er thought about earlier is larning. ( Dateline Video, 1998 ) I can believe back to category, and retrieve during Identity: Skin Blood Heart, when Leah started shouting while reading a paragraph of the article. I look back and inquire how an accounting professor would respond to the information they teach doing a pupil to shout. I remember experiencing uncomfortable, scared to do oculus contact with Leah. But I besides remember being overjoyed, and thrilled for Leah at the same clip. I knew that reading that article had made a alteration in her life that would forever consequence her. That s the most positive reaction a feminist theory author can trust to accomplish from her or his authorship.
The last thing I think feminist theory does is to educate non-feminists. When I say non-feminists, I don t mean the women’s rightists who are afraid to give themselves the label of women’s rightist. I mean people who do non believe in feminist issues. I intentionally list educating non-feminists last, because this is something I think seldom happens. The unfortunate portion of theory is that the people who ne
erectile dysfunction to read the information the most are the 1s who would ne’er of all time pick up the book.
Who is feminist theory for? There are two groups of people to analyze to this inquiry. The first group is the authors. They benefit the most from their theorizing. The 2nd group is the readers. Unfortunately, the readers aren t the right people.
When I theorize ( once more, true really informal and unprofessional ) about gay/lesbian/bisexual issues, I feel better. I think to myself that I can utilize these theories to alter people s sentiments about issues. I think I m get downing to alter the universe in my ain small corner of the universe. In composing this paper, I m recognizing that there is a really direct mark audience for my theories. The homosexual childs, the bisexual childs, and the Alliess in IMPACT. No one new. No 1 whose head can be changed from one extreme to the other. At the terminal of every hebdomad, no affair how many theories I come to, there will still be the same figure of GLBT protagonists as there was at the beginning of the hebdomad. There is besides the same figure of GLBT oppositions. None of that s changed. Regardless of what theories I come up with for myself, the lone people who are larning anything new are the people who were supportive of my ideas anyways.
This is a job with feminist theory every bit good. It s great that Leah had a monumental acquisition experience from Pratt s work. Yet, whether Leah had read that article or non, I don t think she would ve of all time voted for any statute law that wouldn t be seen positively from a feminist position. Even though Pratt s essay was outstanding, and made every one think about things we ve ne’er thought of before if you cross Main Street and come in a frat house, no 1 at that place has changed their sentiments of adult females. Pratt s work was first-class, and they don t attention.
When I speak of knocking feminist theory, this is what I criticize. I think the feminist motion is trusting on theory because it affects most women’s rightists personally when they read it. It s a great learning experience for every one involved. Which is a good thing. However, the people who need these learning experiences are merely non acquiring them. We haven t found a solution to that job yet.
So when I title my article This Can t Be It, I am knocking women’s rightist theory. I recognize that feminist theory is highly critical, and I would ne’er propose extinguishing it. Yet, this can t be it. Not if things are supposed to alter. Key issues in the feminist motion are colza and organic structure issues. How many future rapers sign up for a Women s Studies category? How many future rapers attend college to get down with, the first topographic point where it s offered to them? The work forces who invariably criticize and objectify adult females will ne’er be sitting following to me when I receive my grade in Women s Studies. We can larn a batch from theory but we re already half manner at that place.
Minnie Bruce Pratt s article is astonishing. Jane Gallop s book is tickling, entertaining and intriguingly different. bell hook s Hagiographas are ever thought provoking. I personally love reading them, and during the summer, when it s non required of me to make so, I m rather certain that I will make it anyways.
But I would ne’er vote for a pro-life president. I would ne’er vote for an anti-gay president. I will compose letters to my congresswomans and senators. I will compose letters to concerns. Not to state that I don T still have a batch to larn, but I do non necessitate to be reading this information about every bit much as a member of Life Beat, College Republicans or Campus Crusade for Christ.
Minnie Bruce Pratt has changed my life. She s changed Leah s life, and 100s of other people s lives. Yet, until we find a manner to acquire through to the people we need to acquire through to she s non had a fraction of the impact on the universe that she s capable of.
When I say, this can t be it, that s what I mean. There has to be another manner. There has to be a better manner. Otherwise, we re running into a brick wall. Until we find another tool to interrupt down the walls of sexism, racism, sizeism, classism, heterosexism and ablism, they will ever be at that place. As sad as it is to state, we merely can t interrupt down the walls with our caputs.
