History of Feminism
Related: About this forumAn Introductory Feminist Reading List
1. Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft: The foremother of feminist philosophy, Wollstonecraft used this piece to push back against arguments that women should only receive domestic education, and to lay the foundations on which other women would build the argument for equality between the sexes.
2. A Room of Ones Own, Virginia Woolf: Woolf is arguing for educational access and economic independence as necessary preconditions for women who want to write, but her arguments are applicable to women seeking self-determination in any manner of arena.
3. The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan: Theres no question that Friedan is a problematic figure, particularly given her attitudes towards people of color and lesbians, but her analysis of the gap between what society wanted women to aspire to and the happiness it actually brought them played a critical role in the national feminist conversation of the last century.
4. Sister Outsider, Audre Lorde: Friedans flaws are Lourdes triumphs: a black woman, a lesbian, and the child of immigrants, Lourdes work makes a major contribution to a vision of feminism that isnt the sole preserve of and salve for the wounds of white, heterosexual, middle-class women.
5.Gender Trouble, Judith Butler: Butlers critique of the idea that femininity is natural rather than constructed is a perfect introduction to gender theory for first-timers.
More at the link:
http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2012/06/22/504090/an-introductory-feminist-reading-list/
BlueToTheBone
(3,747 posts)Here's what I think should be read:
When God Was A Woman - Merlin Stone
The Crone: Woman of Age, Wisdom, and Power - Barbara Walker
The Great Cosmic Mother - Monica Sjoo and Barbara Walker
Those 3 are the most important I think to understand the what was and how it changed.
LiberalLoner
(9,762 posts)I still think The Handmaid's Tale by Atwood describes what seems to be happening in regards to the religious right-wingers lately.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)She spent her life saying shitty things about gay people, much like any right winger. I do not care if she made the trains run on time.
Hatchling
(2,323 posts)If anything, knowing her views on gay people as one reads the book would help clarify how people can be conflicted in their views. I think it helps clarify what went wrong in so many instances.
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
wavesofeuphoria
(525 posts)Last edited Sun Jun 24, 2012, 01:07 AM - Edit history (1)
Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education and The Challenge to Care in Schools, both by Nel Noddings.