What is a Feminist Perspective?
The acrid and caustic tones usually associated with the word feminism are a part of the reason this philosophy has been morphed and oversimplified into becoming the new “f” word. The new “f,” word almost always makes men cringe and women apologize. Thus, after years of attempting to define and conquer gender equality, the question remains; what is a feminist perspective?
One may look at the “Virgen de Guadalupe,” image that is so prevalent in the Mexican-American/Hispanic culture to begin to understand why the feminist doctrine has been so misunderstood and hard to reach. The fact that Jesus’ mother is considered to be a virgin is in and of itself sexist; giving birth is what makes a woman physically stronger than a male. It is how some women define their womanhood and embrace the essence of being a woman. However, this is not the case for the mother of Jesus Christ, one of the most prominent political figures in Western culture. Furthermore, the fact that one of the most loved icons is a virgin explains why women have struggled to reach independence. The image has created an undoable dichotomy for a female; she is either a whore or a virgin. Catholic people seek guidance from the “virgin,” when in personal struggle, in part because she represents purity. Therefore, a woman who is not a virgin is deemed impure and unholy.
So the question remains, what is a feminist perspective? It is a viewpoint which seeks to understand that a woman, with few exceptions, is neither.
Peace and Love,
“The argument between wives and whores is an old one; each one thinking that whatever she is, at least she is not the other.”-Andrea Dworkin
