Feminsim

4 Pages 1023 Words

Femininity -- An Evolution

I have heard it said so many times and by so many women “ I wish I were a man”.
“Men have it easy”.This statement stems from the fear and anger that comes from so many years
of submission and oppression. A statement that comes from the pressure to meet standards and
bodily perfections, but the woman of today, as she grows with time is proud to say that she is a
woman or rather a women of substance. Women have come a long way and freed themselves
from gender related stereotypes and redefined femininity.
Since the mid -twenties the role of women has changed dramatically from politics to
business, to academics and sport. Women have gained prominence that would have been
unimaginable to earlier generations, like that of the fifties where women lived in the shadow of
men accomplishments and were powerless to change their situations. ”
Three decades ago a typical family was depicted as a man and woman who married each
other, had beautiful children.and women proudly wrote occupation “housewives” on forms .
Femininity was the epitome of the fifties and was constructed to the adaption of male power. A
women of the fifties grew up in an era where women held one of the three stations -A daughter,
Housewife or mother. Women were influenced by magazines and articles with slogans like
“femininity begins at home” and “have babies when your young. The typical housewife’s goal or
daily chore was to try make home a place of peace, order and tranquillity. She had to be prepared
fifteen minutes before her husband got home from work, touch up her makeup , put a ribbon in
her hair and look fresh. She also had to minimize the noise of the vacuum, washer dryer and urge
the children to be quiet. Another rule to be followed was to be quiet and let him do all the
talking and not greet him with problems and complaints.The only ambition of the fifties women
was to be a perfec...