International Women’s Day, and Its Discontents

Womanhood has been weaponized. Some will argue that feminism has always been aggressive and short-sighted, but I disagree. In 1914, the concerns at the forefront of the women’s movement included the right of a woman to work, to her convictions, and to keep her name. Major contributions of the second wave, beginning in the 1960s, included an expansion of reproductive rights for women, such as greater access to contraception and legal abortion, and a renewed focus on a woman’s right and, in many cases, preference, to both work outside the home, and have a family. I would hope that our goals for feminism going forward include those listed here, as well as equality of opportunity, and protection from predation and quid pro quos—such as sexual favors for career advancement—as have been revealed in corporate America and Hollywood.