The best definition of feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights in society.
Some issues, however, might be claimed to be feminist although they go beyond the aforementioned goal, and this can cause confusion and resentment.
Paid maternity leave may advance the interests of some women, and some men if paternity leave is available, but at the expense of those men and women who aren't parents; indeed, there seems to be injustice in having employers pay for time off. There also is injustice in allowing women but not men to decide not to become parents (there is talk of childrens' rights being higher than those of male parents' but abortion and adoption both establish parental choice as higher), or in having understanding for violent solutions to problems solely when it is performed by women. All of these seem to set women (mothers in the first instance) as higher and deserving of better treatment than others. Another problematic case is the acceptance of a future draft for men but not women, which sends the message that the lives and wills of men are not as important.
As such, these issues go against the issue of equality and such goals as being able to vote, hold property, have autonomy over oneself and not be discriminated against. and should be labeled as preferentialism. While they may call themselves feminists, those goals are not equality.
Others claim to be feminists even though they oppose autonomy on the behalf of the individual because their ideal of femininity is different and, they believe, higher than the behavior that exists in the present. This denigrates the individual as subservient to a particular ideology, rejecting the right of the person to choose his or her own way.
Equality is worth supporting, while preference breeds resentment, and spreads further injustice and inconsideration.
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The maternity leave does not necessarily entail the individual to get paid while the individual is away from work. It only states that the individual may take some time off from work (usually just before and immediately after the birth of the child) without pay and that the job will be available for the individual when he/she returns. In a way, it is similar to the leave granted to certain military on the "reserves"; when they are called to active duty. They may be paid for only a very limited time while off, but their job is guaranteed upon their return from military service.
ReplyDeleteThat's how it is in the U.S. but not in other countries, and some so-called feminists think it is a paid maternity leave should be a right.
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