Feminist Consciousness
Feminist consciousness – a form of critical social consciousness that includes the following aspects:
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the rejection of the use of biological sex differences to justify women’s rigidly fixed and subordinate position in the family and society;
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the rejection of strictly fixed male and female roles in the family and society;
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the critique of the division of public and social life into “male” and “female” spheres;
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the conviction that women and men in contemporary society do not have equal opportunities for self-realization in different spheres, and that this situation is unjust;
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the acceptance of an image of woman, or gender ideal, whose main features include energy, activity, self-confidence, the pursuit of freedom and independence, and participation in different spheres of public life;
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the view that professional achievement, career development, the realization of one’s own abilities, and the pursuit of self-fulfillment are of high value for women;
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a preference for family relations that do not require women to devote themselves entirely to caring for others;
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an understanding of child-rearing according to which society should strive as much as possible for the equal participation of fathers and mothers in the life of the child;
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the condemnation of treating women as objects of sexual oppression;
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the rejection of double standards in public morality when evaluating the behavior of men and women in different spheres of life;
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the conviction that women need to develop a deep awareness of their subordinate position, a desire for changes in women’s social role, and an understanding of the importance of practical action in this direction (Khassanova, n.d.).
Reference:
Khassanova, G. A. (n.d.). Gendernyi glossarii [Gender glossary]. Retrieved from http://www.policy.hu/khassanova/glossary_rus.htm [in Russian].
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