Feminism Started Largely With the Essay

The body of elected officials would be quite different, with no Sarah Palins or Nancy Pelosis being taken at all seriously, or even being given attention by the media. The media itself would also be very different, with probably no (or almost no) female anchors or reporters, allowing the male view of society to completely dominate and in effect become (or remain, as it may have been) the only relevant perspective from which to discuss pertinent issues. That is, our entire understanding of the world would be much more limited and narrowly focused. This shows that in addition to the intrinsic problems of injustice, unfairness, oppression and repression that a world without feminism would endure, there would also be practical problems in a reduced ability to explain and engage with our world.

Despite this fact, however, there are still many in the world that oppose feminism for various reasons Some of these are an adherence to religious values that preclude the true equality of men and women, insisting that a woman's "place" is in the home, rearing children, cleaning, and cooking. There is some basis for a sharp division of labor roles found in religious texts such as the Bible, and in many cultures and societies these values -- and those found in other religious texts and systems of morality -- yet there is also an abundance of stories and details that show the worth of women in leadership roles and in their strength and ability to counter male adversaries. In general, those who oppose feminism do so through selective readings.