The interpretation of the concept of feminism is surrounded by controversy that is rivaled only by religion. The issue is confounded even more by the contradictory actions and diversity of its proponents.
My passion for this concept derives primarily from being a female myself. After stating the obvious I have to say, that whilst there maybe a number of categories that I may fit. However, the female category takes precedence over the human one on most days.
If you take my statement in a historical context it will start to make sense. Without venturing too far out into the depths of history, some basic facts stand out that women of all statures were traded as pawns, killed at birth, sold for sex since civilization has been in effect. These activities persist in the present, granted in a more improvised fashion and with a façade of propriety. However, the true perception of our society surfaces every so often, when a rapist walks free or a man goes on a killing spree because he had problems dating. Men are granted the right to feel and I am not belittling the reality of mental illness across gender lines. However when this frontal lobe dysfunction only comes into play when the opposite gender's safety and feelings are involved, mental illness becomes merely a crutch and abuse is promoted as a masculine right.
To further understand where modern day equality stands, sociological studies show that there is still a preference for male children (across the globe) and there continues to be male domination in most fields of science, technology and finance. To explain these disparities, our era has been cluttered with articles and books describing the gaps and inefficiencies of the female strata in achieving equality in their careers and salaries. There are studies blaming the feminine approach for this lag. No one seems to admit to the fact that some of the responsibility is on the flawed system in place with minimal daycare facilities, abysmal maternity leave and simply an ambience of female deflection. A system destined to lead to either failure or a state of suspended internal conflict.
Notwithstanding the current shortcomings we cannot deny that there still was a feminist movement once with extraordinary consequences. That movement holds its roots in the discovery of the contraceptive pill and the ensuing sexual freedom. In all the sexual frenzy however nobody realized that getting the pill main-streamed as a medical necessity should even be a part of the agenda. And thus again as the right to birth or not to birth is argued, the financial burden of maintaining the population statistics is also on us. Now spreading your wings a little more globally, it quickly becomes clear that toppling sexual barriers is not the cornerstone of freedom. The concerns across the world at times are more expansive with gender differences in health and education topping the list. However it would be a rather ignorant perception to summate international feminism on such a note of despair. There are many voices that resonate across the world speaking not only for the local population but also preaching for global emancipation from stereotypical female roles. My underlying message for this rant essentially is that feminism is about "choice." A choice that is derived from a female free will without catering to the whims of society. A simple enough notion, but that does not translate into reality. Take for instance the right to dress oneself in the 21st century and I am not referring to the perplexing, autocratic legal terrains of Saudi Arabia, but in fact the right to dress in so called secular, democratic nations like France, and Turkey. The intellectual supremacy of these governments seems to override the decision-making skills of girls everywhere. Whether this constraint is enforced by legal means or by social disapproval, there remains an urge to control the feminine expression. It seems that silence is the only articulation of the female personality that is acceptable.
In this chaotic mess allow me to introduce another enigmatic twist known as Hollywood feminism. Their role in this controversy is by introducing superhuman, mutant females who wear leotards and bounce off walls as they overpower herculean men despite their playboy dimensions. This phenomenon has now set a new bar for equality by ushering in a relatively non-existent female embodiment. It seems to suggest to women that the only path to equality is if we can guarantee our physical investment. How dare we feign equality when we are victims of our own anatomy?
My intention in highlighting the conflicts surrounding feminism is not to complain of the hapless circumstances, but to encourage more flexibility in interpreting this concept and translating it individually into our lives. The search for a liberated feminist setup lies in our approach and the right mindset. Sexism and cultural misgivings will persist but it is ultimately our utility of the X chromosome, despite the circumstances that will decide how society will evolve.