One of the women’s demands is the gender inequality. Gender is the set of social expectations associated with maleness and femaleness. By using the word
“gender,” sociologists suggest that the social construction of male and female behavior is as important to collective experience and action as biologically based
sexual characteristic.
20
Understanding the way male domination and sexism was expressed in everyday life created awareness in women of the ways they were victimized, exploited, and, in
worse, case scenarios, oppressed. Early on in contemporary feminist movement, consciousness-raising groups often became settings where women simply unleashed
pent-up hostility and rage about being victimized, with little or no focus on strategies of intervention and transformation. On a basic level many hurt and exploited women
used the consciousness raising group therapeutically. It was the site where they uncovered and openly revealed the depths of their intimate wounds. This confessional
aspect served as a healing ritual. Through consciousness-raising women gained the strength to challenge patriarchal forces at work and at home.
21
2. The Definition of Feminism
20
Op.cit. p. 48
21
Bell Hooks 2000, loc. cit.
One of the ways women have fought discrimination is through feminism, but one of the difficult parts of learning about feminism is defining it. First of all it is
necessary to consider what the meaning of feminism itself. Etymologically feminism come from word femme woman, mean woman
singular which struggling for woman rights plural, as a social class. In this matter it is necessary to make a difference between male and female as the aspect of
biological differences, as natural term, masculine and feminine as the aspect of psychological and cultural differences. In other words, male-female leading to sex,
on the other hand masculine-feminine leading to gender. In more extensive understanding, feminism is the women movement in resisting to be marginalized,
subordinated and to be put a side by the dominant culture, either in economy and politics or in social life in general. In a slight understanding, which is in literature,
feminism is connected in ways to understand a literature related to either the production process or the reception.
22
Feminist believe that women have been locked off in a condition of lesser reality by the dominant patriarchal attitudes and customs of our culture. We find these
and customs reified in the institution of literature and literary criticism. Feminist critics- like many feminists in every area - are engaged in negating these reification.
23
22
Sugihastuti Suharto, Opcit, p. 50
23
Josephine Donovan, op.cit.,p.74
Feminist researching the female tradition constantly emphasize both the amount and the variety of material to be uncovered.
24
Modern feminist political activists commonly campaign on issues such as reproductive rights, including the
right to safe, legal abortion, access to contraception and quality prenatal care, protection from violence within a domestic partnership, sexual harassment, street
harassment, discrimination and rape, and rights to maternity leave, and equal pay. Feminism asks for sexual equality that includes sexual difference. It aims for
individual freedoms by mobilizing sex solidarity. It posits that women recognize their unity while it stands for diversity among women. It requires gender consciousness for
its basis yet calls for the elimination of prescribed gender roles.
25
Feminism is a belief that women and men are inherently of equal worth. Because most societies privilege men as a group, social movements are necessary to
achieve equality between women and men, with the understanding that gender always intersects with other social hierarchies.
26
In simple terms, feminism is the belief in social, political and economic equality of the sexes, and a movement organized around the belief that gender should
not be the pre-determinant factor shaping a persons social identity or socio-political or economic rights.
24
Mary Eagelton, Feminist Literary Theory Oxford: Basil Blackwell, Great Briatain, p. 2
25
Nancy F Cott. The Grounding of Modern Feminism. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987, p 5.
26
Estelle B Freedman. No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002, p. 7.
3. Kinds of feminism a. Liberal Feminism
