Social Policy, Movements, & Feminisms

Women and Policy in a Global ContextJuly 16, 2014

OVERVIEW

Brief History of US Women’s (Feminist) movements & its global effects

Intersectionality & Black Feminism Women & Revolutionary

Movements Case study: Islamic Feminism,

Women & Change

US President Nixon (1969-74) once said, in a conversation with aides: "I’m not for women in any job. I don’t want any of them around. Thank God we don’t have any in the cabinet ... I don’t think a woman should be in any government job whatever. I mean, I really don’t. The reason why I do is mainly because they are erratic. And emotional. Men are erratic and emotional, too, but the point is a woman is more likely to be.”

Three waves of the women’s liberation movement 1. 19th – early 20th century

› Main goal – political equality (suffrage); overturning legal obstacles to gender equality (right to property)

2. 1960s – 1980s› Main goal – Women’s Liberal Movement;

‘revisionist feminism’ - social and cultural equality (civil rights, sexuality, family, workplace, reproductive rights, legal and de facto inequalities)

3. 1990s – Continuing struggle for social equality› based on the critique that differences between

women exist. There an acknowledgement that not all women “suffer equally” – class, race, etc. intersect to impact women’s lives

› 1995 UN Convention in Beijing- Fourth World Conference on Women

Women’s suffrage march, New York, May 1913

Women & World Wars

Women After the World Wars

INTERSECTIONAL THEORY Redux

Intersectional Theory argues that most sociological theory makes the mistake of examining only one variable at a time (single-axis)

Intersectional Theory is particularly concerned with the formation of social identities.

At its most basic form, Intersectional Theory examines the ways that gender, race, class, and sexuality work in concert to create inequality—“interlocking systems of oppression.”

Race & Feminism“When race is discussed in sociology, it tends to be analyzed in terms of the problem of racism and its effects on African Americans and not in terms of how Whites are socialized to see themselves as raceless. This lack of sophistication around the social construction of race has had consequences for the nature of feminist sociology because it has led feminist scholars to assume a race-neutral "femininity" that, in a society where whiteness is the norm, be comes a White femininity.”

Black feminist thought Patricia Hill Collins, Sociologist, University

of Maryland Collins believes that:

inequality and oppression are the result of several forces working hand in hand—the matrix of domination.

No one singular force is the cause of injustice. She identifies class, race, and gender as the major forces that affect the lives of Black women.

these forces also affect many others, and that other issues come into play as well.

“Women are differentially evaluated based on their perceived value to give birth to the right kind of children, pass on appropriate American family values, and become worthy symbols of the nation. Black women, White women, Latinas, Native American women, and Asian American women all occupy different positions within gender, class, race, and nation as intersecting systems of power” –Patricia Hill Collins 2000, p. 230

Experiences of White, Middle Class Women

Right to Work Right to Not have

Children Stop Violence Against

Women The ‘Essential’

Woman

RACE, CLASS, GENDER Experiences of

Working Class Women of Color

History of Forced Labor

Controlled Reproduction

Violence Inside and Outside Community

Racialized Stereotypes of Womanhood

GLOBAL MOVEMENTS

Collin’s ‘Globalized Gendered Apartheid’

Black Feminists’ Global Movement

Shared Experience of Marginalization, Poverty, Motherhood, Sexuality, Education, etc.

World Conferences on Women

BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION (1995)

“It aims…at removing all the obstacles to women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life through a full and equal share in economic, social, cultural and political decision-making. This means that the principle of shared power and responsibility should be established between women and men at home, in the workplace and in the wider national and international communities. Equality between women and men is a matter of human rights and a condition for social justice and is also a necessary and fundamental prerequisite for equality, development and peace. A transformed partnership based on equality between women and men is a condition for people-centred sustainable development. . .”

Changes at the Millennium Overall, the 20th century brought changes for women around

the world.› By the end of the 20th century, most countries granted

women suffrage. Women still can’t vote in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait Additional voting qualifications for women in Lebanon

› By the end of the 20th century, most countries granted women the same economic and property rights as men. Exceptions are found in some Middle Eastern Countries (lack legal rights

to own land) Most land is still officially owned by men Remember, poor women have always worked

› By the end of the 20th century, the literacy rates for women had increased dramatically from the 19th century. In Europe and North America more women than men pursue secondary

education. In poorer nations, few families can afford to educate girls – they choose

to educate their sons

Revolutionary Changes?

Women and Social/National Movements

Independence and Nationalistic Movements

In India, Gandhi encouraged women to participate in the independence movement; Indira Gandhi (no relation) served as the leader of India; cultural issues in some parts of India limit role of women

In 1929 women led “unrest” movements in Nigeria and other women were active in other African independence movements; however, their involvement did not translate into great change for women in African countries. › Most Africans live in rural areas where tradition remains firm about

gender issues; men left the countryside to move to cities – leaving women and children behind to care for themselves; polygamy is still a common practice in most African countries (either legal or not) and AIDS has caused huge death tolls for women; in most countries literacy rates are below 50% for men and even lower for women; democracy is still a challenge in most African nations, but current leaders of Mozambique and Liberia are women

Questions to Consider

Why would women join revolutionary movements that appears against their best interests?

What happens to women following revolutionary movements that promised equality?

Why are women often relegated to lower status and less benefits in the post-revolutionary period?

Role of women during/after Revolutions

Russian Revolution (Oct. 1917) and Women

After the March Revolution, the provisional government of Russia did set up full voting rights for women; however, women still had few social rights.

The tenets of communism do not differentiate between men and women – all work to the best of his/her ability and all gets what they need.› "To effect her complete emancipation and make her equal of the man it is

necessary for house work to be socialized and for women to participate in common productive labor. Then women will occupy the same position as men“

› Lenin Women served as soldiers during the Russian Revolution (and

later WWII). After the Revolution, women had equal opportunities to go to university and to work in all fields of employment. The state provided medical care, education, and day-care for all women (and men). “Feminism” was discouraged as communism would allow all people of all classes to have equal rights (in theory).

Soviet Union and Women

Under the Soviet Union, women enjoyed the same legal, social, and economic rights as men.

Efforts were made to ensure these same standards in land “secured” by the Soviet Union.

In Central Asia (Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) Soviet policies challenged traditional Islamic law relating to women. Soviets banned polygamy, bride-price, and raised the minimum age for marriage to 16. Women were also educated in the law and were trained to take political posts; however, as in the Soviet Union, rural areas were slow or unwilling to accept equal roles for men and women, so most fundamental change for the sexes occurred in urban areas (minority of the population lived).

China (Chinese Communism) and Women

Prior to the Communist Revolution(s) women had very limited legal and social roles. Foot-binding had been a common practice (outlawed, but still practiced).

The 1911 Revolution overthrew the emperor, but under the republic women still were denied basic equality rights.

In 1919 the May Fourth Movement did bring women out to protest for equality; however, little changed until the 1930s when women were granted the same property and marriage rights as men.

In 1949 the Communist Revolution brought Mao to power. In the 1950s laws were formalized recognizing the equality of women in marriage, voting, and inheritance rights (end of primogeniture) . With the redistribution of land in the 1950s, both male and female peasants were given land.

China and Women

The education of women greatly expanded. Prior to 1949, only 10% of women in China were considered literate. Throughout the 1950s millions of women began to attend schools and universities.

Women suffered just as much as men during the Cultural Revolution.

The role of women in China is limited primarily as it relates to rural traditions and family preference for male children.

There are currently 37 million more men in China than women.

Vietnam

Many women supported the nationalistic movement defined by Ho Chi Min.

As in other Communist-inspired nations, legal treatment of men and women are guaranteed by law. Legally women have rights to education, inheritance, and suffrage. Culturally women are not always treated with the same level of equality.

Vietnamese Women

Questions to Consider

Why would women join revolutionary movements that appears against their best interests?

What happens to women following revolutionary movements that promised equality?

Why are women often relegated to lower status and less benefits in the post-revolutionary period?

Global Women’s Movement

WOMEN’S MOVEMENT & ISLAMIC FEMINISM

WOMEN’S MOVEMENT & ISLAMIC FEMINISM

Women’s movement 1890-1950, a global attempt

International Collaboration 1911-1950 with Middle Eastern women’s movement

International Woman Suffrage Alliance and Equal Citizenship & the International Alliance of Women (IAW)

Orientalism and its effects

International Alliance of Women

WOMEN’S MOVEMENT & ISLAMIC FEMINISM

Reasons for failure:› 1) IAW could not acknowledge Islam’s

potential as a basis for feminist activism› 2) Patronizing belief of ‘helping’ the

oppressed women of the Middle East to realize that their seclusion signifies total helplessness

› 3) Could not acknowledge the problems with Western imperialism, causing a rift in the Palestinian dilemma

ISLAMIC FEMINISM

Is Islamic feminism an oxymoron? How do women envision ‘Islamic

feminism’? How is it different from western (White)

‘feminism’? What historical factors affect the current

Muslim women movement? (past constraints, present problematics)

Why are women’s body a source of contention for power?

ISLAMIC FEMINISM

ISLAMIC FEMINISM TODAY

Women’s Mosque Movement and the Islamic Revival

Not related to the trend of religious violent “Islamist” extremism

Liberating by offering an opportunity to gain intellectual ownership of Islamic teaching

Women’s Study Circles: varies by country› Informal to more formal

MUSLIM FEMINIST

“…one who adopts a worldview in which Islam can be contextualized and reinterpreted in order to promote concepts of equity and equality between men and women; and for whom freedom of choice plays an important part in expression of faith.” (Umm Yasmin, Centre for Muslim Minorities and Islam Policy Studies at Monash University, Australia)

ISLAMIC FEMINISM

Increase in popularity in 1990s› Fatima Mernissi› Ziba Mir-Hosseini› Nilufer Gole› Leila Ahmed› Amina Wadud› Rifat Hassan› Saba Mahmood

Women of Change

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6zsX4KnLVY&list=PLF7981214F62A7E5A&index=27

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IRANIAN REVOLUTION & ISLAMIC FEMINISM

“Persian” women have had a long history of education – in the early 20th century many women were journalists and educators.

The Shah and the Ayatollah Women under the Shah:

› Family Protection Act 1967 & 1973 (restricted polygyny, raise marrying age, women’s right to divorce)

1979 Revolution & the Islam Republic of Iran › Economic & demographic needs gave women

positions in public sphere› Flexibility & cooption to dissenting voices

Turkey In 1919, the Ottoman Empire crumbles. In 1923, Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) becomes the first “President”

of Turkey and leads “western-style” changes throughout the Muslim country.

Ataturk instituted laws that called for the equality of women in all aspects of society.

Efforts have been made to keep “Turkey” secular (limit influence of Islam). This has led to laws against head scarves for women in public. In the later 20th century further laws were abolished that limited roles of women (permission from husband to work), etc. Women gained the right to vote in Turkey in 1929 (first elections in 1930).

Just as in other countries, law and practice are different. Social and religious attitudes do restrict the lives of women to certain norms – fewer in universities and certain professions than in others; arranged marriages are still common

Side Note on Islam Remember of all the world religions and belief

systems, Islam (as written in the Qur'an) actually has more protections and rights for women than any other. Muhammad outlawed infanticide, legalized women-initiated divorce, set out clear property rights for women, and declared that women as well as men should be literate.

Many Muslim women enjoy great many rights in many countries, including Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. In addition women have been heads of state in “Islamic” countries such as Pakistan, Senegal, Turkey, Kosovo, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. There was even a female vice president of Iran at one time.

Most of the ways women are treated in some societies are not based upon the teachings of Islam, they are based upon cultural traditions that existed long before Islam emerged.

ISLAMIC FEMINISM

Is Islamic feminism an oxymoron? How do women envision ‘Islamic

feminism’? How is it different from western (White)

‘feminism’? What historical factors affect the current

Muslim women movement? (past constraints, present problematics)

Why are women’s body a source of contention for power? (i.e. the veil)