A well-known biblical legend is that God created a woman from the rib of Adam. And although many forget that there was also an ancestress Lilith, in the culture of most peoples the “weaker sex” always takes a second place. Feminism is a word derived from the Latin femina (woman). It denotes a socio-political movement whose goal is the struggle for the equal rights of the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity.
Sociologists, historians, philosophers, psychologists still do not have
consensus and one point of view on this phenomenon. Some believe that feminism is a kind of rebellion of women. Others argue that the problem of gender inequality is far-fetched and biased. The feminism movement originates in the era of the French Revolution, in any case, the official version defines it. In 1791, the Declaration of the Rights of Women and Citizens was published, in which the emphasis was on the need to address the social and legal aspects of gender inequality. Other sources claim that feminism is by no means an invention of the New Age,
that such trends have arisen throughout the history of mankind.
This movement intensified in the USA and England at the end of the nineteenth century, which was caused by growing attention to the spread of suffrage. In 1903, E. Pankhurst founded the Social and Political Union of Women in Great Britain. His demands included equal opportunities for women in education and the right to vote. Concepts that put women on a par with men were hostile to the society of that time. Nonetheless, feminism is a movement that as a result has led most countries in Western Europe to recognize the right of women to vote. The last equalized electoral powers were Switzerland (1971) and Portugal (1974).
Modern feminism, as sociological science believes, with
proved to be a new force in the 60s, especially in the USA. There, this movement was called the "liberation". Feminists demand real equality of suffrage, the same opportunity to manage the property of spouses. An important point in their program is the legalization of abortion, the identical payment for the same work, regardless of who performs it - man or woman. In addition, among the demands made by the feminism movement was the provision of opportunities to participate in public life.
In the political sphere, some important changes are already visible. In the 1990s, measures were taken such as increasing the representation of women in the parliaments of the Scandinavian countries (Finland (38.5%) and Sweden (38.1%)). The principle of "active participation" should provide women with a guarantee of a certain number of seats in party committees and in the executive branch. It can be argued that feminism is a movement that has achieved its goals in the main. However, other problems constantly appear that indicate gender inequality that exists in people's minds. These issues include abortion, domestic violence, and sexism. The latter term refers to acute cultural and social issues related to gender. For example, it is women who are several times more likely to be harassed in public places,
so at work. It is often said about them that they succeed “through bed”. Finally, it is precisely on them that the lion's share of the duties and responsibilities for raising and even maintaining children lies.
Having formally received the same rights, women are not perceived in society on a par with men. In countries where the government remains conservative (France, Greece, Portugal, Ireland), the participation of the "weaker sex" in political activity is much less than in the rest. The rights of women in Muslim states are also - in the European sense - violated. The problems that feminism raises are pressing issues regarding the whole of society. They are reflected in the documents of international law. One of them is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This document was adopted by the UN in 1979. The requirements of feminist organizations are reflected in most constitutions, which guarantee representatives of both sexes equal rights in the family, political, social and economic spheres.