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Goals of Feminism

  1. Complete equality of men and women.
    • Social equality of men and women. This would require, at least:
      • the elimation of double standards for men and women
      • the elimination of gender-based stereotypes (and sex-role socialization), particularly that which put our health at risk (for example: tanning, extreme weight-lifting for men, harmful chemicals and high-heels for women, dieting for both)
      • the elimination of dehumanization and objectification of women
      • recognition of women in history
      • equal treatment of women in the media (not to mention in the culture), and an end to media and advertising exploitation of women's bodies
      • equal treatment of women's issues
      • sexual equality (equality with intimate partners)
      • the elimination of lookism (including fat oppression)
      • the complete elimination of violence against women (rape, incest, abuse, female genital mutilation, forced sterilization, molestation, assult)
      • the tolerance (and acceptance!) of women's (and feminist) cultures
      • the elimination of tolerance & acceptance of misogynist language and hate speech... and the same for misandry
      • the elimination of the stigma associated with being a victim of sexual assult
      • equal support for male victims of sexual assult and abuse
      • effective sexuality education in public schools
      • an end to workplace discrimination
    • Economic equality of men and women. This would require, at least:
      • equal pay for equal work (elimination of the wage gap & the "glass ceiling")
      • equality in hiring, promotion, & treatment of employees, and equal treatment of women particularly in the business world (for example, eliminating dress codes which exploit women's bodies)
      • equality in financial self-sufficiency
      • equal economic opportunity
      • the elimination of gender-based price discrimination (for example, menstrual products are subject to taxation, because they are legally a "luxury item", instead of a necessity like food)
      • integration in traditionally gender-segregated occupations, and higher pay for the traditionally less-valued (lower payed) occupations which are predominately held by women, such as school teaching
      • paternity leave for fathers after the birth or adoption of a child, and improved maternity leave options
      • legal, accessable, affordable, government-subsidized, insurance-covered sexual protection / birth control products
      • better family leave options for women and men
    • Political equality of men and women. This would require, at least:
      • equal rights and treatment of women and men under the law (especially the right to vote, & basic human rights & Constituational rights)
      • equal treatment & representation of women in public office
      • fair & equal treatment of women by the laws passed and enforced
      • passing of the Equal Rights Amendment
      • allowing women in the military
      • legal, accessable, affordable abortion, on demand, without parental and spousal consent laws, hopefully with recooperation assistance and perhaps counseling services
      • pro-breastfeeding legislation (so women can nurse their children in public)
      • equal protection by law enforcement
      • regulated, affordable, mandatory child care centers
      • legal, commonplace adoption by non-traditional families (and perhaps singles)
      • elimination of the Draft of men in wartimes
  2. Complete equality regardless of actual or percieved sexual orientation or sexual identity.
    • Social equality would require, at least:
      • the elimination of gender-based stereotypes (sex-role stereotypes), particularly GLBT stereotypes, and particularly the idea that any orientation other than heterosexuality is a mental illness, disease, or genetic defect, and the elimination of the stereotype of GLBTs as HIV+
      • the complete elimination of violence against GLBTs (hate crimes)
      • the elimination of dehumanization of GLBTs
      • recognition of GLBTs in history
      • equal treatment of GLBTs in the media (not to mention in the culture)
      • the tolerance (and acceptance!) of GLBT cultures
      • equal treatment of GLBT issues
      • the elimination of tolerance & acceptance of anti-GLBT language and hate speech (and hopefully all heterosexism, homophobia, and biphobia)
      • an end to heterosexism (the assumption that everyone is heterosexual, and that heterosexuality is the only "normal", valid identity)
      • the elimination of HIV and AIDS discrimination
      • the right of each individual to come out without negative repercussions (for example, being killed, beaten, socially ostracized, disowned, stereotyped, labeled, defamed, threatened, told to "not act like that in public", put in therapy against their will, etc.)
      • the right of a same-sex couple to express normal affection in public without negative repercussions
      • the right of a trans individual to just be trans without negative repercussions
    • Economic equality would require, at least:
      • equality in hiring, promotion, & treatment of employees regardless of their actual or percieved sexual orientation or identity
      • equal "domestic partner" benefits
      • equal access to sexual protection products
    • Political equality would require, at least:
      • equal rights and treatment of GLBTs under the law (especially the right to marriage, & basic human rights & Constituational rights)
      • equal protection by law enforcement
      • equal treatment & representation of GLBTs in public office
      • fair & equal treatment of GLBTs by the laws passed and enforced
      • the addition of GLBTs to civil rights legislation
      • allowing openly GLBT individuals in the military
      • the elimination of all anti-gay legislation (including "don't ask, don't tell" and all Defense of Marriage Acts - DOMAs)
      • equal legal protection for GLBT victims of intimate partner violence
      • legal, commonplace adoption by GLBT couples (and perhaps singles)
  3. The elimination of all forms of established heirarchy, particularly mandatory and enforced (Hetero)Patriarchy. This may include the following:
    • Capitalism: big business priveledge, classism, the gap between rich and poor, financial systems which encourage poverty
    • oppressive aspects of religion
    • racial supremacy and all racism
    • the current public education system
    • dominionism
    • all government that does not recognise equal voting rights to all its people (one that is not democracy or concensus-based)
    • other oppression such as ageism and lookism
    • oppression of non-human animals and the destruction of the earth (all those things which animal rights and environmentalism oppose)
    • all authoritarianism


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