Theory of Feminism Review of Related Theories

Androgyny, an ancient Greek word−from andro male and gyn female− . . . seeks to liberate the individual from the confines of the appropriate. . . . [It] suggests . . . a full range of experience open to individuals who may, as women, be aggressive, as men, tender; it suggests a spectrum upon which human beings choose their places without regard to propriety or custom Eisenstein, 1995: 60. Based on the quotation above, being androgyny means having the good characteristics of male and female. By being androgyny, a wowan has extricated hersef from rigid gender system. Radical libertarians claim that an exclusively feminine gender identity is likely to limit women’s development as full human persons. Thus, they encouraged women to become androgynous persons, that is, persons who embody both good masculine and good feminine characteristics or, more controversially, any potpourri of masculine and feminine characteristics, good or bad, that strikes their fancy Tong, 2009: 50. The second one is allowing lesbianism. Radical libertarian feminists argue that heterosexuality is a form of women’s oppression where there is a tendecy women are positioned lower than men. They become the pioneer of lesbian media of women. Lesbian theorists argued that lesbianism is much more matter than a matter of sexual preference. As Eisenstein writes based on radicalesbians’ argument: She is the rage of all women condensed to the point of explosion. She is the woman who, often beginning at an extremely early age, acts in accordance with her society . . . cares to allow her . . . . She may not be fully concious of the political implications of what for her began as personal neccessity, but on some levels she has not been able to accept the limitations and oppressions laid on her by the most basic role of her society−the female role 1983: 51. Further, according to Eisenstein the term lesbian defines someone who has withdrawn herself from the conventional definitions of feminity. She has refused PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI to buy into the limitations and restrictions placed upon her by the social expectations of acting like a “true woman” 1983: 51. Radical libertarians argue that since a woman does not need a male body to achieve sexual pleasure, she does not have to engage in sexual relations with a man unless she wants to. Therefore, they suggest lesbian as another sexual preference for women to express themselves. If a woman wants to be a true feminist, she must become a lesbian. She must do what comes “naturally,” thereby freeing her own consciousness from the false idea that she is deviant, abnormal, sick, crazy, or bad because she enjoys sex with women, not with men. Tong, 2009: 71-72. The radical feminists think that lesbian is the only way of a woman to find her whole self in a relationship. They hope by being lesbian they can cultivate the treasures of their femininity and find self-realization within herself. There are also two types of lesbian which are the ‘masculine’ and the ‘feminine’ which is often being called as the ‘butch’ and the ‘femme’. The butch is a woman who adopts what will be considered masculine characteristics while the femme is a feminine lesbian. The third concept is believing that women should substitute arti ficial for natural modes of reproduction. The radical libertarian feminists perceive reproduction as womens main weakness. They are against biological motherhood and believe that femininity and reproduction limit womens capacity to contribute to society as they argue that the root of all female oppression lies in womens ability to bare children. As we shall see, radical libertarian feminists are convinced the less women are involved in reproduction, the more time and energy women will have to engage in society’s productive processes PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI Tong, 2009: 74. Another view comes from Evan’s book quoting Firestone about women’s maternal life. Therefore women must rebel; women must control fertility. Women must own their own bodies and new technology. And women must control childbearing and rearing Evans, 1995: 68. Maternal life, as we can see, can limit women roles in the society. They are bounded with the obligation to raise children in which spend most of her life. The claims of reproduction, too, have kept women from the productive sphere, and so from the road to freedom. It is not childbearing as such that necessitates this, but the whole structure built on and resting upon it, of reproduction, sexuality, and the socialization of children Evans, 1995: 73. The fourth idea is supporting pornography. Pornography is defined sexual material depicting and encouraging violent and coercive sexual degradation Humm, 19995: 212. Therefore pornography is socially regarded as an act againsts society’s norm and moral. According to Tong in her book, the radical libertarian feminists urged women to use pornography to overcome their fears about sex,to arouse sexual desires, and to generate sexual fantasies. These feminists claimed that women should feel free to view and enjoy all sorts of pornography, including violent pornography 2009: 68. They views pornogography as women’s freedom to pursue sexual pleasure without any limitation. Women should be free to enjoy all kinds of pornography whether involving themselves or not. Maggie Humm also states that pornograpphy expresses and reproduces the hierarchical difference between masculine and feminine which is part of culture 1995: 212. By this means, some feminists agree that pornography should not considered as women’s sexual objectification instead women’s freedom to experience any sexual actvitiy. These feminists argue