Feminism and Stereotypes
There are many stereotypes associated with feminism and the feminist movement. The movement itself was started as a way to combat the stereotypical view of women's role in society. Even after many years of working for women's civil rights, still it remained that "women were automatically expected to take notes at meetings, make coffee, do all the housework, and often be available as sexual partners for male co-workers." (236) Along with beliefs that women were weaker, less intelligent, and overall unequal to men in many ways, these stereotypes were the target of the women's movement for freedom and equality in America. However, stereotypes have infiltrated and plagued the feminist movement for decades. There are stereotypes held by many feminists regarding other women, stereotypes held by society about feminists, and stereotypes about specific ethnicities, such as Black and Indian feminism.
Although some women may find that taking care of the domestic needs of their families to be very rewarding and true expression of themselves, it can be met with a great deal of scrutiny from members of the feminist culture. Feminism often creates a stereotype that the housewife is being oppressed by her husband and that the homemaker is a slave to her family and a disgrace to free women. This stereotype can be traced back to Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique," published in 1963, wherein she described the typical family as a "comfortable concentration camp." Modern feminism took from Friedan's description of the homemaker a stereotype that no healthy woman would chose this life. Other…
