Module 1 Introduction & Feminism Session 2

Silent No More: Survivors Building on Our Strengths Module 1 Introduction & Feminism Session 2: Feminism Part I

A Training Program for Women Survivors of Gendered Violence This exciting leaning opportunity is made possible WomenatthecentrE through generous funding from Ontario Trillium 1224 King Street West, Suite 300 Toronto ON M6K 1G2 Foundation 416-964-0892 www.womenatthecentre.com

COURSE CONTENT MODULE 1 FEMINISM SESSION 2: Feminism Part I

Module 1: Introduction & Feminism FOCUS: The focus of this module will be on exploring the feminist movement and what it means to be a feminist. Starting with an historical

overview of women’s experiences under patriarchal societies, we review 2 Session 2: Feminism Part I sex role stereotyping, misogyny and how the family within Western society is organized in a way that values men over women.

What is feminism  Historical overview of women’s OUTCOMES: The intended outcomes of this module will be for the experience and patriarchy  The family within western society participants to gain an understanding of the root causes of gender based - roots of gendered violence  Sex-role stereotyping and violence, its religious and cultural foundations and how these institutions misogyny  the religious and cultural roots  political and are structured to limit women’s political participation and economic economic roots of discrimination of women  Organization of emancipation. family within western society and the impact on women’s roles and opportunities “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a door mat or a prostitute.” - Rebecca West, A. Introduction “Mr. Chesterton in Hysterics: A Study in Prejudice,” The Clarion, 14 Nov. 1913http://www.marxists.org/history/international/social- B. The Personal Is Political democracy/clarion/1913/chesterton.htm) C. Overview of Women’s Place In Society Throughout History

D. Cultural Support For The Continuing Oppression of Women E. Current State Of The Progress of Women F. The Role Of Media In Our Popular Culture And The Image of Women

G. On A Global Level

Activities

A. INTRODUCTION B. THE PERSONAL IS THE POLITICAL

Let us start by asking ourselves a few fundamental questions, because this This phrase is one of the cornerstones of feminist thought. It embodies is an issue that seems to have people either running away or running that idea that what we actually experience should and must inform and towards it. guide our thoughts, our actions and our politics. In this phrase, “political” is used to refer to any power relationships – elected officials and formal politics is only one aspect of ‘the political.’ This statement is a validation . What do you think of when you hear the word feminist? for women that we are the experts about our own lives and experiences.

. Can you remember the first time you heard the It is also a rallying cry to say that our lived experience needs to guide our word? work in our communities – both in the formal political arena and in any . Was your first association with feminism a positive or other kind of personal, community or inter-personal work! negative one? . Some people say that feminism is no longer relevant The actual originator of the phrase, ‘the personal is the political,’ is not because women have achieved full equality with known. The phrase was first used in the 1960’s and is now recognized as men… what are your thoughts? Post your thoughts on the Discussion Board one that was collectively created, which gives a wonderful lesson in the strength of the collective or the group. It has often been called the To some in society, Feminism is a collective consciousness. dirty word, the other ‘F’ word that

conjures up images of angry women As women who have the lived experience of gendered violence, who hate men and who want to we are the experts. We know our reality and the impact woman destroy the existing family unit. We abuse can and does have on the lives of individuals and on the simply do not agree. As Feminists, we community. We have to use our personal lived experiences to certainly do not hate men, or bring about political and social change. necessarily want to dismantle the existing structures that many cultures adopt as far as familial hierarchy One of the unique aspects of feminism is the fact that there are no goes. We believe that Feminism as a external experts. We, as women, have shared experiences as well as Movement has gotten a very bad rap differences in our experiences. Feminism is based on an understanding over the past few decades and want that it is up to us to make changes in our world by working together with to use this opportunity to explore other women and with male allies. why and how we came to this We have arrived at this point in feminist history thanks to the hard work of situation. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/266275396691790119/ the women who came before us.

We need to encourage young women to join us in our quest for gender

equity through human rights so that they will have the knowledge, skills,

and passion to carry this vision forward.

Take a look at these great pictures of women and men explaining why they C. AN OVERVIEW OF WOMEN’S PLACE IN SOCIETY THROUGHOUT need feminism. The link below leads to a website started at Cambridge HISTORY University in the United Kingdom, on reasons why women and men say they need feminism: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151452874113579.1073 . Do you remember the first time you noticed that girls were 741826.148494338578 treated differently from boys?

. Was this a positive or negative experience for you?

. Many of us got a clear message that as girls, our options were more limited and that we were unable to do as much as boys. If this was the case for you, what was your reaction? Did you feel angry? Disappointed? Confused?

. What, if anything, did you do about the limitations/lack of

options/expectations that were placed on you because you were a girl/woman?

Many women experience inequality with men and are also treated as objects. This is known as objectification. Objectification of

women is where men see women and our

bodies as commodities available for use,

with no regard to us as persons.

The sexual objectification of women perpetuates gender inequality by ignoring

the abilities of women and associating our worth or role in society with providing sexual pleasure for men.

Objectification of females is apparent in media, advertising, art, and pornography. The depiction of the ‘perfect’ woman, has led to an increase in cosmetic surgeries including breast and buttock augmentation, along with facial surgeries.

Did you know? Labiaplasty is plastic surgery performed on the inner and E. THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROGRESS OF WOMEN outer folds of skin surrounding a woman’s vulva. In 2008, the Journal of

Sexual Medicine reported that 37% of the women undergoing this Think about examples in our language that perpetrate inequality procedure did so for purely cosmetic reasons because they felt that their of women and men as well as the objectification of women. genitals did not have a ‘normal’ appearance1.

D. CULTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE CONTINUING OPPRESSION OF WOMEN Some common examples include: . Distinctions based on gender reach into every part of our lives. These Trophy wife . Wife-beater t-shirts differences are so much a part of Canadian culture that ordinarily they go . Bitch Slap unnoticed. Men have benefitted from, and continue to benefit from, . Whore and associated terms, such as ‘ho’ women’s subordination. . MILF (Mothers I’d Like to F..k) . In 2011, the average Canadian woman earned 83% of what a man . Cougar (an older woman who is attracted to younger men) doing the same job earned. (Catalyst, August 2012, www.catalyst.org)

F. THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN OUR POPULAR CULTURE AND THE . According to Statistics Canada, in 2006, 80% of lone (i.e. single) IMAGE OF WOMEN parent households in Canada were headed by women. That’s a total of 1.1 million families who are also the most financially . Often popular culture perpetuates a duality of innocent virginal challenged. ‘good girl’ as well as the idea and image of sexual women as nasty and evil . Traditionally, women have been socialized to consider men their superiors. . Women are portrayed all too often as merely objects for sex

. Sex-role stereotyping is rampant. Even though the vast majority . The family has been seen as “a safe haven” and family matters of women work outside of the home, most advertisements for have been considered to be private matters. The idea that what home products and health products show women as home- happens in the home should be kept private allows woman abuse makers to continue. . Popular culture still portrays lawyers, scientists and engineers as men even though women are almost in equal numbers in some of these fields.

1 1 1Miklos JR, and Moore RD. Labiaplasty of the labia minora: Patients’ indications for pursuing surgery. J Sex Med 2008;5:1492–1495. . Only 12 women were running Fortune 500 companies in 2011, ACTIVITIES down from 15 in 2010. Activity 1: TOPIC FOR GROUP DISCUSSION #1: (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2011/wo menceos/) Talk with two other women and find out how they felt growing up female. What similarities did you share? What were the differences? Why? . Over 70% of the world’s poor are women. (https://unwomen.org.au/sites/default/files/130111%20Member TOPIC FOR GROUP DISCUSSION #2: The role of the media and its ship%20Brochure%20FINAL.pdf) objectification of women. Your thoughts?

Activity 2: VIDEO . Women own a mere 1% of the world’s titled land. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-chemaly/women-own-1- Watch this interesting talk about ideas on reinventing feminism. What do of-the-worlds_b_1076715.html) you think? What changes does feminism need? Facilitator, please play this http://www.ted.com/talks/courtney_martin_reinventing_feminism . 1 in 3 girls are denied an education due to poverty, violence and discrimination. (http://becauseiamagirl.ca/page.aspx?pid=4938) Activity 3: ARTICLE This short video effectively portrays the reality for many women Take a look at this 2013 advertisement for the Canadian Wheat Marketing today. Facilitator, please play this Board. What does it say about the society and our willingness to tolerate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwNnbM-aX4A the portrayal of women in this way? http://m.news1130.com/2013/01/30/canadian-wheat-boards-vintage- cowgirl-ad-lassoes-controversy-on-prairies/

Activity 4: JOURNAL ENTRY

. What qualities does a female role model possess? . Has there been such a woman in your life? . Do you have someone in your life that looks to you as a role model?

Song of the Week: Enjoy Helen Reddy singing ‘I am Woman’ while you’re working. Facilitator, please play this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu4xpDuf84A

Congratulations! Well Done! You are amazing! Thank you for caring and sharing! Treat yourself for a week well done!

Notes:

Appendices https://unwomen.org.au/sites/default/files/130111%20Membership%20Brochure%20FINAL.pdf

Notes: http://becauseiamagirl.ca/page.aspx?pid=4938

http://www.news1130.com/2013/01/30/canadian-wheat-boards-vintage-cowgirl-ad-lassoes-controversy-on-prairies/