About Me

My photo
I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Just Finished Reading: Feminism – A Very Short Introduction by Margaret Walters



The title was a bit of a misnomer here. This interesting short volume was actually about the history of the rise of Feminism in England during the last 200 years or so. I suppose that a 140 page introduction to the whole gamut of Feminist history and writing would just be far too general to actually mean anything or far too fragmentary to make much sense.


I was rather surprised to see this book start with the religious roots of Feminism – believing that Christianity at least was deeply misogynistic. Reading the opening chapter actually failed to disabuse me of this idea despite, or maybe because of, the early attempts by religious females to become recognised as a valuable contributor – beyond the production of babies and the means to feed them. Apparently this cut little ice with the male dominated religion of the time. Only, it seems, with the increasingly secular 17th century – no doubt helped by the upheaval of the Civil Wars – did recognisably modern Feminism begin to emerge. The 18th century saw the increasing influence of women such as Mary Wollstonecraft with the publication of her Vindication of the Rights of Women [which is on my ‘to read’ list]. But it was the 19th century, with the rise of the Suffragists and the Suffragettes, that really saw true social progress for women. With the achievement of the Vote and greater penetration into the workplace it seemed like much had been achieved but as the 20th century progressed it became clear that there was still much to do – including the female regulation of reproduction and the fight against both conscious and unconscious male domination. These fights persist today.


Although much of this book was not exactly new to me it still, in conjunction with several other books I have been reading lately, concentrated the mind onto the plight of women who suffered, from a modern perspective, to an intolerable degree until comparatively recently. The advantages that many take for granted today – and sometimes openly disparage – have a long and contested history which should be appreciated in the same vein as the fight against slavery and other abuses of basic humanity. I fail to understand why, throughout most of our history, women have been treated as second class citizens at best and far too often as chattels to be disposed of as men see fit. Books such as this remind those who need reminding that today’s more enlightened view – at least in the West – is a fairly recent phenomenon and should not be taken too lightly or for granted. Women still have things to gain and much to lose. Recommended.

6 comments:

VV said...

I'm constantly reminded of how much we have to lose over here as the Religious Right continues to try and undo what we've worked so hard for over the years. They're preparing to attack abortion rights legislation yet again. Ugh!

Stephen said...

Thomas Cahill's "Mysteries of the Middle Ages" tried to portray feminism as rooted in the Catholic church's ecclesiastical programs, focusing on influential nuns like Hildegard. Interesting read, though Cahill's love/zeal for Judaism and Christianity tend to compromise his books.

Sadie Lou said...

Actually, Jesus was extremely warm and hospitable to women and children despite the culture of his time. Women played a huge role in supporting his ministry. One woman came in and started washing Jesus' feet with her tears and her hair-a potentially sexually charged display, probably made everyone in the room uncomfortable, but Jesus allowed it. Also, some of the male religious leaders of the time caught a prostitute in the act and drug her out to Jesus (not the adulterous male, but the woman-very telling) and Jesus began writing "something" in the sand. It isn't told to us what Jesus wrote in the sand but the accusers started leaving the scene from the oldest to the youngest. Jesus asked the woman, "Where are your accusers now?"
I love that scene. Anyhoodles...

CyberKitten said...

v v said: They're preparing to attack abortion rights legislation yet again. Ugh!

You do have to wonder exactly what is the problem that most so-called enlightened societies have with their female populations. Is it fear, hate or 'simply' a power thing?

sc said: Thomas Cahill's "Mysteries of the Middle Ages" tried to portray feminism as rooted in the Catholic church's ecclesiastical programs, focusing on influential nuns like Hildegard.

This book mentions her too - along with other prominant Middle Age nuns and abbesses.

Sadie said: Actually, Jesus was extremely warm and hospitable to women and children despite the culture of his time. Women played a huge role in supporting his ministry.

It's a pity that didn't translate across to the Church he left behind... Or even today on both sides of the Christian divide actually.....

Sadie Lou said...

"It's a pity that didn't translate across to the Church he left behind... Or even today on both sides of the Christian divide actually....."

Meh. You're generalizing. Yeah, a lot of people get this wrong but a lot of people really get it, too.
Hey, you're in the UK...ever heard of book called Total Church written by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis? Have you heard of the church "The Crowded House"?
http://www.thecrowdedhouse.org/small-beginnings/
I just read the book-fascinating reformation of the church in practice. I loved it. Have you heard of John Stott? Love him.
~Sadie

CyberKitten said...

Sadie said: Meh. You're generalizing.

Yes, I am - as my knowledge of any particular church is effectively zero.

Sadie said: Hey, you're in the UK...ever heard of book called Total Church written by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis? Have you heard of the church "The Crowded House"?

Nope.

Sadie said: Have you heard of John Stott?

Nope.

What came to mind is firstly the Catholic churches attitude to women in general plus the uproar within the Anglican church about the ordination of women - indeed a handfull of Anglican bishops over here have just moved over into the Catholic church because of this and other disagrements. From some interviews I've seen on TV they are deeply mystoginistic.

If there are pockets of Christianity who treat women as full and equal members of humanity all well and good. But as far as I am aware - admittedly without doing anything but the most cursory 'research' - that's all they are: pockets.... although the Anglican church (at least in Europe) seems to be creeping slowly in the right direction.