The Feminist Quest of Mary Beard

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Gender inequality represents the unequal power dynamic that exists between men and women and which has traditionally shaped their social, economic, and political well-being. Accordingly, any feminist who has ever argued against gender inequality argued for men and women to have the same standing in society, to enjoy the same legal and political rights, and to have equal access to economic opportunities as men. In essence, their line of thinking and arguments for men and women to be equal are based on the standards that society measures male success.

Discussion

Consequently, famous feminists such as Mary Beard quipped “We have no template for what a powerful woman looks like, except that she looks rather like a man” (Sadler, 2018, p. 57) On this quote, I am forced to completely agree with it because the underlying thought in feminist arguments on gender inequality is that a system built on patriarchy oppresses women rather than treats them as equals or how they would treat their male counterparts.

Feminism and its advocacy for gender equality are best understood by looking at the first, second, and third waves of feminism. The first wave of feminism fought for women’s right to vote and was generally referred to as the “suffragette movement.” At the beginning of the 20th century, women’s movements advocating for their rights to vote gained global popularity, especially in the United States, the United Kingdom, and countries in Europe (Tobias, 2018). Their form of advocacy involved public debates, demonstrations, the laying of the foundation for the establishment of international women’s organizations, and written articles in newspapers. By the first quarter of the 20th century, women in European countries and the United States were granted the right to vote and many were now active in socialist and democratic circles as a majority of them turned to office jobs rather than fulfilling the role of a housewife. At this point, they could have a career and a family but they were nowhere near equal to their male counterparts.

Women’s grievances in the first wave of feminism included the denial of their right to vote. At the time, the right to vote was considered a natural right for men born in European countries and the United States. However, in the United States, the right to vote was restricted for Black people and Asians. Anyway, the fight to have the same rights as men is a clear example that relates to Mary Beard’s statement that indeed the lack of a template for a strong woman lends credence that she must look like a man. White men were in charge of the democratic practices in Europe and the US and they gave themselves the right to vote. They wrongly assumed women were incapable of making responsible political choices and thus they denied them the right to vote until they demanded and fought to have the same right as men to cast their ballots and have a say in who leads them. Therefore, by gaining the right to vote, women moved closer to power parity with men.

The second wave of feminism gained traction in the 1970s with a vague goal of women’s liberation. Unlike the first wave which had a clear purpose, different groups pursued different agendas. Liberals pursued the goal of advocating for the amendment of laws and the enactment of laws that pursued equality between men and women especially as they relate to schools, media, and church. On the other hand, the hardliners argued that inequality between genders was a product of patriarchy and that men as a group were responsible for women’s oppression. They especially focused on domestic violence and rape to support their point of view on men as a group and patriarchy (Loney-Howes, 2019). Socialists went a step further and concluded that patriarchy and capitalism were responsible for women’s oppression. The second wave resulted in a shift in education where several disciplines on women were introduced and international conventions that guaranteed women’s rights were enacted.

Like the previous feminist movement, the second wave was also about making sure that women had the same political, social, and economic access as men. In essence, it was about elevating women a step higher in their efforts to become as powerful as men. However, the liberal, radical, and social feminists realized that they were still miles away from enjoying the same power and rights as men. Thus, to ensure that men did not go back on their words, they came up with international agreements that bind men to extend some of their rights to women. If there is anything the second wave of feminism achieved, it was the elevation of women’s social and economic rights to almost the same level as men’s. For example, new curriculums that included the study of women who contributed to the development of society were established in schools and higher institutions of learning. However, once again the second wave of feminism did not bring women to par with their male counterparts.

The third wave of feminism can be categorized as a knee-jerk reaction by North American feminists, especially in America to suggestions that the world was entering a post-feminist era. During the third wave of feminism, there was a realization of the issues faced by women, racial minorities, and other minority groups in America. Particular attention was paid to Black women in America and other parts of the world sparking the establishment of feminist global non-governmental organizations that focused on specific issues rather than a vague feminist ideology (Shiva, & Nosrat, 2019). This wave was characterized by the extensive use of media and pop culture to promote certain ideas. For example, they focused on writing in magazines and blogs about issues such as the gender pay gap, domestic violence, and sexual violence. Thus, while the third wave of feminism was unplanned, it focused on responding to areas where men and women did not enjoy the same rights. One can thus conclude that it was yet another attempt at making women more like men which is in line was Mary Beard’s assertion.

Conclusion

Mary Beard summed up the feminist quest as one aimed at making women as strong as men. The strength she was talking about is not physical strength but rather social, political, legal, and societal strength. Traditionally, men enjoyed an advantage over women in these spheres which meant that they could dictate what women could and could not do. Thus, to Mary Beard and other feminists, changing this power dynamic was essential to restoring the balance in relations between men and women. With nothing to refer to other than the historically known power of men, Mary Beard claimed that although a template for what a strong woman should look like does not exist, she was sure she would look like a man.

References

Loney-Howes, R. (2019). The politics of the personal: The evolution of anti-rape activism from second-wave feminism to# MeToo. In # MeToo and the politics of social change (pp. 21-35). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Sadler, B. J. (2018). Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard. Pleiades: Literature in Context, 38(2), 19-22.

Shiva, N., & Nosrat K., Z. (2019). The fourth wave of feminism and the lack of social realism in cyberspace. Journal of Cyberspace Studies, 3(2), 129-146.

Tobias, S. (2018). Faces of feminism: An activist’s reflections on the women’s movement. Routledge.

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The Feminist Quest of Mary Beard

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