E-Briefing September 1999 APPRAISING FEMINISM Table of contents 1. You've come a long way baby? A. Introduction B. Gauging feminism vs. women's studies C. Feminism's greatest achievements D. Unmet goals E. Tempted to see feminism as a failure F. Feminism: a successful 'do-it-yourself' project G. Feminism's deeper purpose H. Struggle not yet over. And we need to look at issues affecting boys A. INTRODUCTION The past 30 years of feminism changed the world: in the late 1960s and early '70s, who could foresee women leading space shuttle missions or women sitting on the Supreme Court? So, is feminism a success? The verdict is split. The answer might just depend on where you live. The Institute for Women's Policy Research (IPWPR) in Washington, D.C., ranks women's status in each state. Their most recent evaluation shows that Ohio ranks 35th in women's employment and earnings, 28th in women's political participation, 38th in women's economic autonomy and 45th in reproductive rights. The latest ranking was done in 1998, and another is expected in December 2000. To see more on these national rankings, go to http://www.iwpr.org/STATE S98.HTM. Amy Caizza, study director of the IPWR's Status of Women in the States Project: "...given the short time frame, a lot has been achieved. The women's movement has been responsible for many of the changes we've seen. There are some more important longer-term goals that I don't think we could expect to have achieved yet." contact: 202-785-1921 B. GAUGING FEMINISM VS. WOMEN'S STUDIES Lisa Hogeland, interim director of UC's Center for Women's Studies, which was founded 25 years ago this year: "Has feminism succeeded? In many ways, the answer has to be yes -- and in many others, no. Feminism has dramatically improved the lives of many women -- not yet dramatically enough, and not yet enough women ... In short, there are greater opportunities for women, but there are still limits to those opportunities." contact: 513-556-6652 (If the question is posed about women's studies, rather than feminism, Hogeland says, "...women's studies an incredible success story because it has grown so much in the last 25 years." When UC's women's studies office first opened in 1974, it offered just a few courses. Now in the silver anniversary year, the center lists 49 courses for fall quarter, plus another 53 interdisciplinary offerings that have some women's studies content. This quarter, UC has 90 undergraduate students enrolled in the women's studies certificate program, and the UC Friends of Women's studies has 400 members. When it was founded in 1980, the Friends of Women's Studies became a model for universities nationwide. In the U.S., women's studies has grown a from a handful of courses in the early days, scattered all over the country, to more than 600 undergraduate programs and more than 25 graduate programs, including doctoral programs.) C. FEMINISM'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS Sociologist Dana Vannoy who served as the first director of women's studies at UC lists feminism's greatest achievements: our society's declining tolerance for more overt types of sexist behavior, increasing numbers of elite women entering professions, a growing international woman's movement, and rising consciousness about women's rights around the globe. Vannoy, an affiliate in UC's Kunz Center for the Study of Work and Family, also warns that it would be unrealistic to expect feminism to be become a full-fledged success in one generation. "The change toward women's equality with men is a change that must cross many generations -- it's not something done in 25 years." contact: 513-556-4707 D. UNMET GOALS Cynthia Berryman-Fink, UC professor of communication who specializes in gender issues: "Data on domestic violence, sexual harassment, pay inequity, glass ceiling, ratio of men to women in political office...show that there are still feminist goals that are unmet." contact: 513-556-4455 E. TEMPTED TO SEE FEMINISM AS A FAILURE Deb Meem, professor of language arts, UC's University College: "As a middle-aged woman who was active in the lesbian-feminist movement of the late 1960s and 1970s, I am tempted to say feminism has failed. The word itself has become an insult to many young women, who are sure that equality has been won and the struggle is over." contact: 513-556-1793 F. FEMINISM: A SUCCESSFUL 'DO-IT-YOURSELF' PROJECT Grace Auyang, professor of sociology and head of the behavioral science department at UC's Raymond Walters College: "Over the past 25 years, I believe that feminism has succeeded in its fundamental goal. Women learned that no one has ever liberated us, and no one will ever liberate us, unless we do it ourselves." contact: 513-745-5656 G. FEMINISM'S DEEPER PURPOSE L. Sue Davis, UC associate professor of nursing: "Like all disciplines, feminism exists not only to reach goals, but to further our understanding of ourselves and our worlds and to bring meaning and purpose to our existence. Isn't this enough to justify the work of feminism?" contact: 513-558-5280 H. STRUGGLE NOT YET OVER. AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT ISSUES AFFECTING BOYS Patricia O'Reilly, UC educational foundations professor and developmental psychologist, says the work is far from finished. "Young women in their 20s and 30s believe all of the battles are won and that the threats of discrimination and harassment are no longer a problem, but those issues remain." She adds that the focus on young girls as a result of the feminist movement has been instrumental in leading to a new awareness of issues affecting young boys. "Goodness knows we need to take a look at boyhood in this country." contact: 513-556-3614 Click here to return to the most recent e-briefing offering.