In our century, many concepts have gained a perverse meaning, although initially they had an exclusively positive orientation. So, in the understanding of the majority of the stronger sex, a feminist is a woman who hates men, wants to dominate in everything, and avenges the opposite sex for her failures. In fairness, I must admit that often men are not so wrong in
this judgment. And all due to the fact that the concept of feminism in the modern world is turned upside down.
Feminism, by its nature, in its original sense, implied a struggle for women's rights. The thing is that two centuries ago the lot of the weaker sex was exclusively watching the house, courting a husband, caring for children. Women did not have the right to work, to own property, to elect, they could not receive a decent education, since there were no educational institutions for them. In such a situation, a feminist is a woman who does not want to put up with this state of things, who wants a better life for herself. Of course, statements and publications against discrimination of the weaker sex appeared back in the 16th century, but very often the bearers of such bold ideas were persecuted and even executed.
The first sign of the success of feminism was the performance of women in the United States at the beginning of the XIX century. Industry developed, it required the participation in the production of not only men, but also women. American feminists have been able to achieve a lot. The British women followed their example, having achieved a reduction in the working day, the provision of leave after childbirth, and the ability to manage the money they earned.
In each country, women had their own needs, which they sought, but feminists from all over the world, the right to vote, fought for one right. Somewhere earlier, somewhere later, but almost all the women of the world got the opportunity to choose. The only exceptions are Saudi Arabia and Andorra. On this, the first wave of feminism quietly came to naught.
History received a new round in the sixties of the last century. Feminist organizations began to appear again, believing that all the achievements of this movement were just an empty formality, and inequality continued to occur. Two areas of feminism stood out: liberal and radical. Liberals sought to improve the lives of women without destroying the existing way of life. But radical feminism required the complete destruction of the existing system, the redistribution of roles in society. It was this moment that became the cornerstone in the definition of an initially positive concept.
Feminism in Russia is less developed than in the West. Perhaps that is why the understanding of its essence in our country is so perverted.
A feminist is a radically-minded, militant lady, longing for power over men. She claims that
women's rights are violated , that they receive low salaries, that they cannot become leaders, they cannot take places in the Government. Many young girls, not understanding the very essence of the movement, declare their feminism. But in the end they get only misunderstanding and ridicule.
But if you think about it, women of the 19th century fought for the right to choose. And they really got it. Indeed, a modern feminist is one who herself can choose the work of a teacher, not a programmer, choose the role of the guardian of the hearth, and not the leader, to be a good mother, and not the President. And may there be more teachers, wives, and mothers in our world. Then the world, maybe a little bit, but it will become better.