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Some Finally realize thet their pain comes not just because they do not conform but because they do not want to conform. With this comes the recognition that there is nothing particularly wrong with them they just do not fit into this kind of society. Many eventually learn to insulate themselves from the harsh social environment. However, this too has a price. Unless they are cautious and conscious, the confidence gained in this painful manner --with no support from their sisters-- is more often a kind of arrogance. Bitches can become so hard and calloused that the last vestiges of humanity become buried deep and almost destroyed. Not all Bitches make it. Instead of callouses, they develop open sores. Instead of confidence they develop sensitivity to rejection. Seemingly tough on the outside, on the inside they are a bloody pulp, raw from the lifelong verbal whipping they have had to endure. These are Bitches who have gone Bad. They often go around with a chip on their shoulders and use their strength for unproductive retaliation when someone accepts their dare to knock it off . These Bitches can be very obnoxious because they never really trust people. They have not learned to use their strength constructively. Bitches who have been mutilated as human beings often turn their fury on other people -- particularly other women. This is one example of how women are trained to keep themselves and other women in their place. Bitches are no less guilty than non-Bitches of self-hatred and group-hatred and those who have gone Bad suffer the worse of both these afflictions. All Bitches are scapegoats and those who have not survived the psychological gauntlet are the butt of everyone's disdain. As a group, Bitches are treated by other women much as women in general are treated by society -- all right in their place, good to exploit and gossip about, but otherwise to be ignored or put down. They are threats to the traditional woman's position and they are also an outgroup to which she can feel superior. Most women feel both better than and jealous of Bitches. While comforting themselves that they are not like these aggressive, masculine freaks, they have a sneaking suspicion that perhaps men, the most important thing in their lives, do find the freer, more assertive, independent, Bitch preferable as a woman. Bitches, likewise, don't care too much for other women. They grow up disliking other women. They can't relate to them, they don't identify with them, they have nothing in common with them. Other women have been the norm into which they have not fit. They reject those who have rejected them. This is one of the reasons Bitches who are successful in hurdling the obstacles society places before women scorn these women who are not. They tend to feel those who can take it will make it. Most women have been the direct agents of much of the shit Bitches have had to endure and few of either group have had the political consciousness to realize why this is. Bitches have been oppressed by other women as much if not more than by men and their hatred for them is usually greater. Bitches are also uncomfortable around other women because frequently women are less their psychological peers than are men. Bitches don't particularly like passive people. They are always slightly afraid they will crush the fragile things. Women are trained to be passive and have learned to act that way even when they are not. A Bitch is not very passive and is not comfortable acting that role. But she usually does not like to be domineering either -- whether this is from natural distaste at dominating others or fear of seeming too masculine. Thus a Bitch can relax and be her natural non-passive self without worrying about masticating someone only in the company of those who are as strong as she. This is more frequently in the company of men than of women but those Bitches who have not succumbed totally to self-hatred are most comfortable of all only in the company of fellow Bitches. These are her true peers and the only ones with whom she does not have to play some sort of role. Only with other Bitches can a Bitch be truly free.

As Bitches begin to take jobs, or participate in organizations, they are rarely content to sit quietly and do what they are told. A Bitch has a mind of her own and wants to use it. She wants to rise high, be creative, assume responsibility. She knows she is capable and wants to use her capabilities. This is not pleasing to the men she works for, which is not her primary goal. When she meets the hard brick wall of sex prejudice she is not compliant. She will knock herself out batting her head against the wall because she will not accept her defined role as an auxiliary. Occasionally she crashes her way thru. Or she uses her ingenuity to find a loophole, or creates one. Or she is ten times better than anyone else competing with her. She also accepts less than her due. Like other women her ambitions have often been dulled for she has not totally escaped the badge of inferiority placed upon the "weaker sex." She will often espouse contentment with being the power behind the throne -- provided that she does have real power -- while rationalizing that she really does not want the recognition that comes with also having the throne. Because she has been put down most of her life, both for being a woman and for not being a true woman, a Bitch will not always recognize that what she has achieved is not attainable by the typical woman. A highly competent Bitch often deprecates herself by refusing to recognize her own superiority. She is wont to say that she is average or less so; if she can do it, anyone can. As adults, Bitches may have learned the feminine role, at least the outward style but they are rarely comfortable in it. This is particularly true of those women who are physical Bitches. They want to free their bodies as well as their minds and deplore the effort they must waste confining their physical motions or dressing the role in order not to turn people off. Too, because they violate sex role expectations physically, they are not as free to violate them psychologically or intellectually. A few deviations from the norm can be tolerated but too many are too threatening. It's bad enough not to think like a woman, sound like a woman or do the kinds of things women are supposed to do. To also not look like a woman, move like a woman or act like a woman is to go way beyond the pale. Ours is a rigid society with narrow limits placed on the extent of human diversity. Women in particular are defined by their physical characteristics. Bitches who do not violate these limits are freer to violate others. Bitches who do violate them in style or size can be somewhat envious of those who do not have to so severely restrain the expansiveness of their personalities and behavior. Often these Bitches are tortured more because their deviancy is always evident. But they do have a compensation in that large Bitches have a good deal less difficulty being taken seriously than small women. One of the sources of their suffering as women is also a source of their strength. The trial by fire which most Bitches go thru while growing up either makes them or breaks them. They are strung tautly between the two poles of being true to their own nature or being accepted as a social being. This makes them very sensitive people, but it is a sensitivity the rest of the world is unaware of. For on the outside they have frequently grown a thick defensive callous which can make them seem hard and bitter at times. This is particularly true of those Bitches who have been forced to become isolates in order to avoid being remade and destroyed by their peers. Those who are fortunate enough to have grown up with some similar companions, understanding parents, a good role model or two and a very strong will, can avoid some of the worse aspects of being a Bitch. Having endured less psychological punishment for being what they were they can accept their differentness with the ease that comes from self-confidence. Those who had to make their way entirely on their own have an uncertain path. Some finally realize that their pain comes not just because they do not conform but because they do not want to conform. With this comes the recognition that there is nothing particularly wrong with them they just don't fit into this kind of society. Many eventually learn to insulate themselves from the harsh social environment. However, this too has its price. Unless they are cautious and conscious, the confidence gained in this painful manner -- with no support from their sisters -- is more often a kind of arrogance. Bitches can become so hard and calloused that the last vestiges of humanity become buried deep within and almost destroyed. Not all Bitches make it. Instead of callouses, they develop open sores. Instead of confidence they develop an unhealthy sensitivity to rejection. Seemingly tough on the outside, on the inside they are a bloody pulp, raw from the lifelong verbal whipping they have had to endure. These are Bitches who have gone Bad. They often go around with a chip on their shoulders and use their strength for unproductive retaliation when someone accepts their dare to knock it off . These Bitches can be very obnoxious because they never really trust people. They have not learned to use their strength constructively. Bitches who have been mutilated as human beings often turn their fury on other people -- particularly other women. This is one example of how women are trained to keep themselves and other women in their place. Bitches are no less guilty than non-Bitches of self-hatred and group-hatred and those who have gone Bad suffer the worse of both these afflictions. All Bitches are scapegoats and those who have not survived the psychological gauntlet are the butt of everyone's disdain. As a group, Bitches are treated by other women much as women in general are treated by society -- all right in their place, good to exploit and gossip about, but otherwise to be ignored or put down. They are threats to the traditional woman's position and they are also an outgroup to which she can feel superior. Most women feel both better than and jealous of Bitches. While comforting themselves that they are not like these aggressive, masculine freaks, they have a sneaking suspicion that perhaps men, the most important thing in their lives, do find the freer, more assertive, independent, Bitch preferable as a woman.

But few people consciously recognized the root of their dislike. The issue was never confronted. If she didn't know it before, a Bitch learns during these years that she is different. As she gets older she learns more about why she is different. As Bitches begin to take jobs, or participate in organizations, they are rarely content to sit quietly and do what they are told. A Bitch has a mind of her own and wants to use it. She wants to rise high, be creative, assume responsibility. She knows she is capable and wants to use her capabilities. This is not pleasing to the men she works for, which is not her primary goal. When she meets the hard brick wall of sex prejudice she is not compliant. She will knock herself out batting her head against the wall because she will not accept her defined role as an auxiliary. Occasionally she crashes her way thru. Or she uses her ingenuity to find a loophole, or creates one. Or she is ten times better than anyone else competing with her. She also accepts less than her due. Like other women her ambitions have often been dulled for she has not totally escaped the badge of inferiority placed upon the "weaker sex." She will often espouse contentment with being the power behind the throne -- provided that she does have real power -- while rationalizing that she really does not want the recognition that comes with also having the throne. Because she has been put down most of her life, both for being a woman and for not being a true woman, a Bitch will not always recognize that what she has achieved is not attainable by the typical woman. A highly competent Bitch often deprecates herself by refusing to recognize her own superiority. She is wont to say that she is average or less so; if she can do it, anyone can. As adults, Bitches may have learned the feminine role, at least the outward style but they are rarely comfortable in it. This is particularly true of those women who are physical Bitches. They want to free their bodies as well as their minds and deplore the effort they must waste confining their physical motions or dressing the role in order not to turn people off. Too, because they violate sex role expectations physically, they are not as free to violate them psychologically or intellectually. A few deviations from the norm can be tolerated but too many are too threatening. It's bad enough not to think like a woman, sound like a woman or do the kinds of things women are supposed to do. To also not look like a woman, move like a woman or act like a woman is to go way beyond the pale. Ours is a rigid society with narrow limits placed on the extent of human diversity. Women in particular are defined by their physical characteristics. Bitches who do not violate these limits are freer to violate others. Bitches who do violate them in style or size can be somewhat envious of those who do not have to so severely restrain the expansiveness of their personalities and behavior. Often these Bitches are tortured more because their deviancy is always evident. But they do have a compensation in that large Bitches have a good deal less difficulty being taken seriously than small women. One of the sources of their suffering as women is also a source of their strength. The trial by fire which most Bitches go thru while growing up either makes them or breaks them. They are strung tautly between the two poles of being true to their own nature or being accepted as a social being. This makes them very sensitive people, but it is a sensitivity the rest of the world is unaware of. For on the outside they have frequently grown a thick defensive callous which can make them seem hard and bitter at times. This is particularly true of those Bitches who have been forced to become isolates in order to avoid being remade and destroyed by their peers. Those who are fortunate enough to have grown up with some similar companions, understanding parents, a good role model or two and a very strong will, can avoid some of the worse aspects of being a Bitch. Having endured less psychological punishment for being what they were they can accept their differentness with the ease that comes from self-confidence. Those who had to make their way entirely on their own have an uncertain path.

They had to make their own way and the pitfalls this uncharted course posed contributed to both their uncertainty and their independence. Bitches are good examples of how women can be strong enough to survive even the rigid, punitive socialization of our society. As young girls it never quite penetrated their consciousness that women were supposed to be inferior to men in any but the mother/helpmate role. They asserted themselves as children and never really internalized the slave style of wheedling and cajolery which is called feminine. Some Bitches were oblivious to the usual social pressures and some stubbornly resisted them. Some developed a superficial feminine style and some remained tomboys long past the time when such behavior is tolerated. All Bitches refused, in mind and spirit, to conform to the idea that there were limits on what they could be and do. They placed no bounds on their aspirations or their conduct. For this resistance they were roundly condemned. They were put down, snubbed, sneered at, talked about, laughed at and ostracized. Our society made women into slaves and then condemned them for acting like slaves. It was all done very subtly. Few people were so direct as to say that they did not like Bitches because they did not play the sex role game. In fact, few were sure why they did not like Bitches. They did not realize that their violation of the reality structure endangered the structure. Somehow, from early childhood on, some girls didn't fit in and were good objects to make fun of. But few people consciously recognized the root of their dislike. The issue was never confronted. If it was talked about at all, it was done with snide remarks behind the young girl's back. Bitches were made to feel that there was something wrong with them; something personally wrong. Teenage girls are particularly vicious in the scapegoat game. This is the time of life when women are told they must compete the hardest for the spoils (i.e. men) which society allows. They must assert their femininity or see it denied. They are very unsure of themselves and adopt the rigidity that goes with uncertainty. They are hard on their competitors and even harder on those who decline to compete. Those of their peers who do not share their concerns and practice the arts of charming men are excluded from most social groupings. If she didn't know it before, a Bitch learns during these years that she is different. As she gets older she learns more about why she is different. As Bitches begin to take jobs, or participate in organizations, they are rarely content to sit quietly and do what they are told. A Bitch has a mind of her own and wants to use it. She wants to rise high, be creative, assume responsibility. She knows she is capable and wants to use her capabilities. This is not pleasing to the men she works for, which is not her primary goal. They had to make their own way and the pitfalls this uncharted course posed contributed to both their uncertainty and their independence. Bitches are good examples of how women can be strong enough to survive even the rigid, punitive socialization of our society. As young girls it never quite penetrated their consciousness that women were supposed to be inferior to men in any but the mother/helpmate role. They asserted themselves as children and never really internalized the slave style of wheedling and cajolery which is called feminine. Some Bitches were oblivious to the usual social pressures and some stubbornly resisted them. Some developed a superficial feminine style and some remained tomboys long past the time when such behavior is tolerated. All Bitches refused, in mind and spirit, to conform to the idea that there were limits on what they could be and do. They placed no bounds on their aspirations or their conduct. For this resistance they were roundly condemned. They were put down, snubbed, sneered at, talked about, laughed at and ostracized. Our society made women into slaves and then condemned them for acting like slaves. It was all done very subtly. Few people were so direct as to say that they did not like Bitches because they did not play the sex role game. In fact, few were sure why they did not like Bitches. They did not realize that their violation of the reality structure endangered the structure. Somehow, from early childhood on, some girls didn't fit in and were good objects to make fun of.

A true Bitch is self-determined, but the term "bitch" is usually applied with less discrimination. It is a popular derogation to put down uppity women that was created by man and adopted by women. Like the term "nigger," "bitch" serves the social function of isolating and discrediting a class of people who do not conform to the socially accepted patterns of behavior. BITCH does not use this word in the negative sense. A woman should be proud to declare she is a Bitch, because Bitch is Beautiful. It should be an act of affirmation by self and not negation by others. Not everyone can qualify as a Bitch. One does not have to have all of the above three qualities, but should be well possessed of at least two of them to be considered a Bitch. If a woman qualifies in all three, at least partially, she is a Bitch's Bitch. Only Superbitches qualify totally in all three categories and there are very few of those. Most don't last long in this society. The most prominent characteristic of all Bitches is that they rudely violate conceptions of proper sex role behavior. They violate them in different ways, but they all violate them. Their attitudes towards themselves and other people, their goal orientations, their personal style, their appearance and way of handling their bodies, all jar people and make them feel uneasy. Sometimes it's conscious and sometimes it's not, but people generally feel uncomfortable around Bitches. They consider them aberrations. They find their style disturbing. So they create a dumping ground for all who they deplore as bitchy and call them frustrated women. Frustrated they may be, but the cause is social not sexual. What is disturbing about a Bitch is that she is androgynous. She incorporates within herself qualities traditionally defined as "masculine" as well as "feminine". A Bitch is blunt, direct, arrogant, at times egoistic. She has no liking for the indirect, subtle, mysterious ways of the "eternal feminine." She disdains the vicarious life deemed natural to women because she wants to live a life of her own. Our society has defined humanity as male, and female as something other than male. In this way, females could be human only by living vicariously thru a male. To be able to live, a woman has to agree to serve, honor, and obey a man and what she gets in exchange is at best a shadow life. Bitches refuse to serve, honor or obey anyone. They demand to be fully functioning human beings, not just shadows. They want to be both female and human. This makes them social contradictions. The mere existence of Bitches negates the idea that a woman's reality must come thru her relationship to a man and defies the belief that women are perpetual children who must always be under the guidance of another. Therefore, if taken seriously, a Bitch is a threat to the social structures which enslave women and the social values which justify keeping them in their place. She is living testimony that woman's oppression does not have to be, and as such raises doubts about the validity of the whole social system. Because she is a threat she is not taken seriously. Instead, she is dismissed as a deviant. Men create a special category for her in which she is accounted at least partially human, but not really a woman. To the extent to which they relate to her a a human being, they refuse to relate to her as a sexual being. Women are even more threatened because they cannot forget she is a woman. They are afraid they will identify with her too closely. She has a freedom and an independence which they envy and challenges them to forsake the security of their chains. Neither men nor women can face the reality of a Bitch because to do so would force them to face the corrupt reality of themselves. She is dangerous. So they dismiss her as a freak. This is the root of her own oppression as a woman. Bitches are not only oppressed as women, they are oppressed for not being like women. Because she has insisted on being human before being feminine, on being true to herself before kowtowing to social pressures, a Bitch grows up an outsider. Even as girls, Bitches violated the limits of accepted sex role behavior. They did not identify with other women and few were lucky enough to have an adult Bitch serve as a role model. They had to make their own way and the pitfalls this uncharted course posed contributed to both their uncertainty and their independence. Bitches are good examples of how women can be strong enough to survive even the rigid, punitive socialization of our society. As young girls it never quite penetrated their consciousness that women were supposed to be inferior to men in any but the mother/helpmate role. They asserted themselves as children and never really internalized the slave style of wheedling and cajolery which is called feminine. Some Bitches were oblivious to the usual social pressures and some stubbornly resisted them. Some

A true Bitch is self-determined, but the term "bitch" is usually applied with less discrimination. It is a popular derogation to put down uppity women that was created by man and adopted by women. Like the term "nigger," "bitch" serves the social function of isolating and discrediting a class of people who do not conform to the socially accepted patterns of behavior. BITCH does not use this word in the negative sense. A woman should be proud to declare she is a Bitch, because Bitch is Beautiful. It should be an act of affirmation by self and not negation by others. Not everyone can qualify as a Bitch. One does not have to have all of the above three qualities, but should be well possessed of at least two of them to be considered a Bitch. If a woman qualifies in all three, at least partially, she is a Bitch's Bitch. Only Superbitches qualify totally in all three categories and there are very few of those. Most don't last long in this society. The most prominent characteristic of all Bitches is that they rudely violate conceptions of proper sex role behavior. They violate them in different ways, but they all violate them. Their attitudes towards themselves and other people, their goal orientations, their personal style, their appearance and way of handling their bodies, all jar people and make them feel uneasy. Sometimes it's conscious and sometimes it's not, but people generally feel uncomfortable around Bitches. They consider them aberrations. They find their style disturbing. So they create a dumping ground for all who they deplore as bitchy and call them frustrated women. Frustrated they may be, but the cause is social not sexual. What is disturbing about a Bitch is that she is androgynous. She incorporates within herself qualities traditionally defined as "masculine" as well as "feminine". A Bitch is blunt, direct, arrogant, at times egoistic. She has no liking for the indirect, subtle, mysterious ways of the "eternal feminine." She disdains the vicarious life deemed natural to women because she wants to live a life of her own. Our society has defined humanity as male, and female as something other than male. In this way, females could be human only by living vicariously thru a male. To be able to live, a woman has to agree to serve, honor, and obey a man and what she gets in exchange is at best a shadow life. Bitches refuse to serve, honor or obey anyone. They demand to be fully functioning human beings, not just shadows. They want to be both female and human. This makes them social contradictions. The mere existence of Bitches negates the idea that a woman's reality must come thru her relationship to a man and defies the belief that women are perpetual children who must always be under the guidance of another. Therefore, if taken seriously, a Bitch is a threat to the social structures which enslave women and the social values which justify keeping them in their place. She is living testimony that woman's oppression does not have to be, and as such raises doubts about the validity of the whole social system. Because she is a threat she is not taken seriously. Instead, she is dismissed as a deviant. Men create a special category for her in which she is accounted at least partially human, but not really a woman. To the extent to which they relate to her a a human being, they refuse to relate to her as a sexual being. Women are even more threatened because they cannot forget she is a woman. They are afraid they will identify with her too closely. She has a freedom and an independence which they envy and challenges them to forsake the security of their chains. Neither men nor women can face the reality of a Bitch because to do so would force them to face the corrupt reality of themselves. She is dangerous. So they dismiss her as a freak. This is the root of her own oppression as a woman. Bitches are not only oppressed as women, they are oppressed for not being like women. Because she has insisted on being human before being feminine, on being true to herself before kowtowing to social pressures, a Bitch grows up an outsider. Even as girls, Bitches violated the limits of accepted sex role behavior. They did not identify with other women and few were lucky enough to have an adult Bitch serve as a role model.

The BITCH Manifesto by Joreen
Written in the fall of 1968, this paper was first published in Notes from the Second Year ed. by Shulamith Firestone and Anne Koedt, 1970. It was later reprinted as a pamphlet by KNOW, Inc., and reprinted in several books.

...man is defined as a human being and woman is defined as a female. Whenever she tries to behave as a human being she is accused of trying to emulate the male... Simone de Beauvoir

BITCH is an organization which does not yet exist. The name is not an acronym. It stands for exactly what it sounds like. BITCH is composed of Bitches. There are many definitions of a bitch. The most complimentary definition is a female dog. Those definitions of bitches who are also homo sapiens are rarely as objective. They vary from person to person and depend strongly on how much of a bitch the definer considers herself. However, everyone agrees that a bitch is always a female, dog, or otherwise. It is also generally agreed that a Bitch is aggressive, and therefore unfeminine (ahem). She may be sexy, in which case she becomes a Bitch Goddess, a special case which will not concern us here. But she is never a "true woman." Bitches have some or all of the following characteristics. 1) Personality. Bitches are aggressive, assertive, domineering, overbearing, strong-minded, spiteful, hostile, direct, blunt, candid, obnoxious, thick-skinned, hard-headed, vicious, dogmatic, competent, competitive, pushy, loud-mouthed, independent, stubborn, demanding, manipulative, egoistic, driven, achieving, overwhelming, threatening, scary, ambitious, tough, brassy, masculine, boisterous, and turbulent. Among other things. A Bitch occupies a lot of psychological space. You always know she is around. A Bitch takes shit from no one. You may not like her, but you cannot ignore her. 2) Physical. Bitches are big, tall, strong, large, loud, brash, harsh, awkward, clumsy, sprawling, strident, ugly. Bitches move their bodies freely rather than restrain, refine and confine their motions in the proper feminine manner. They clomp up stairs, stride when they walk and don't worry about where they put their legs when they sit. They have loud voices and often use them. Bitches are not pretty. 3) Orientation. Bitches seek their identity strictly thru themselves and what they do. They are subjects, not objects. They may have a relationship with a person or organization, but they never marry anyone or anything; man, mansion, or movement. Thus Bitches prefer to plan their own lives rather than live from day to day, action to action, or person to person. They are independent cusses and believe they are capable of doing anything they damn well want to. If something gets in their way; well, that's why they become Bitches. If they are professionally inclined, they will seek careers and have no fear of competing with anyone. If not professionally inclined, they still seek self-expression and self-actualization. Whatever they do, they want an active role and are frequently perceived as domineering. Often they do dominate other people when roles are not available to them which more creatively sublimate their energies and utilize their capabilities. More often they are accused of domineering when doing what would be considered natural by a man.

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Spurred by the anti-Vietnam and civil rights movements of the 1960s the second wave of feminism carried its way well into the 1990s. An increasingly radical voice was growing on the Left fueled by sexuality and reproductive rights and armed with the Equal Rights Amendment preaching social equality regardless of sex. Publically protesting the Miss America Pageant of 1968 feminists held their own “cattle parade” where the crowned a sheep as Miss America. Such events were believed by the feminists of the time to be devised by the patriarchy to keep them either in underpaying jobs or at home. It was in the emotion of these events where we first saw the destroying of traditionally feminine articles including make up, bras, girdles, and high heels as they were considered oppressive to women. Because at this time there were so many social movements going on women’s movements were again, swept aside. Feminist reaction was to become unified and gain a louder voice through organizations such as NOW as well as publications such as “The BITCH Manifesto”. The first wave of feminism was fueled by middle class white American women while the second wave included women from outside the country including women of color. It was also critical in addressing such topics normative heterosexuality and women’s roles as wives and mothers.

This brings us to the third wave of feminism which includes the reclamation of women’s bodies, traditional feminine articles, and finally derogatory terms like “bitch” and “slut”. This wave is driven by taking ownership over ones sexuality and seeing themselves as beautiful individuals. Not to be understated is the understanding that these women are dressing with lipstick and plunging necklines for themselves and to make themselves feel a certain way, not to draw the attention of a sexist patriarchy. This in its own right is a little confusing for the second wave feminists who established the idea that these items and way of dress were inherently associated with male oppression. We also begin to see an abundance of internet based zines and chat rooms where there “grrls” can come together and share ideals. This creates an interesting dichotomy in itself where there is no way to determine if these individuals are all biologically women. This in turn helps to further break down specific ideas about identity, gender, and sexuality. Third wave feminism helps to break down these walls and allows acceptance of however individuals choose to identify, including whether or not they choose to identify as feminists at all.

It is widely understood that there have been three waves of feminism. However, what is disputed are the exact parameters of each wave i.e. the catalyst, the key players, and the success of each wave. We will examine each wave and gain further understanding of each as well as gain better understanding of exactly how much progress we have made as a culture over the years.

It was in the sprawling urban industrialist zeitgeist of the late 19th and early 20th century that the liberal social views fostered the first wave of feminism. Feminism in its inception, and arguable still to this day is intertwined with the temperance and abolitionist movements. The primary goal during this time was women’s suffrage, or the ability to vote alongside the men. The initial wave was galvanized in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention where 300 men and women came together to raise awareness about equality for women with regard to voting as well as employment opportunities. This gathering showed women acting in what Victorian era Americans considered to be unladylike manners including public speaking and protesting which also led some to spend some time in jail.

Feminism as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary is as follows:

Feminism (noun) : the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities : organized activity in support of women's rights and interests

Well, wait… that isn’t so scary. This whole time we have been being told that feminism is aggressive, angry even, something to be feared. When in reality all it is, is an ideal that men and women should be equal. That doesn’t seem so bad, it actually sounds rather nice. But, wait… we ARE even right? Men and women have equal opportunities; they make the same amount of money for the same job; and they aren’t held to different standards than men… right? Wrong. The fact is that women in general make about 17 percent less than men FOR THE SAME JOB. There is also a prevailing concept of what is called “The Glass Ceiling” which has been explained as "the unseen, yet unbreachable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements." See also the attached chart explaining average wage differences between men and women. So as we can see in this chart it clearly shows a pretty wide pay gap between similarly qualified men and women. If there is a clearly quantifiable difference in pay, then it would be understandable to make the assertion that there are similar gaps in areas less quantifiable than annual income. So here we are, we have defined what feminism is and also that it does in fact exist based on a societal need to make men and women equal. It is a tangible issue in our modern culture that has existed as long as recorded history.

What exactly is a “feminist”? My conservative uncle tells me that it is a group of women with flat top haircuts who hate men for one reason or another and think they should rule the world. Some of my friends think that it is all the crunchy men and women looking to free women from the constant oppression of society. The tabloids tell me that Taylor Swift, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and Lena Dunham are feminists, but they don’t exactly explain why. Well, these all seem a little like generalizations with no real information to back up their prejudice. However, as it so happens they may all be right though this is nowhere near the whole story. Where did it all start? Was it Joan of Arc riding nude through the streets of France? Did it start with burning bras in the 1960s? Was it started by the Guerrilla Girls in the 1980s? Why is there such a negative connotation with the idea of Feminism? Is this due to institutionalized sexism ingrained in society? Through this publication we are going to be looking at the foundation of feminism and how it has grown over the years. We are going to look at some of the big players credited with bringing feminist ideals to the mainstream. We are also going to look at some contemporary individuals who are redefining the idea of a successful woman. These women are as successful as they are inspirational. They blur the lines of traditional gender roles in business and society and make no excuses.

Toutefois, lorsque vous choisissez la tenue de votre fille de fleur il ya quelques choses que vous devriez garder à l'esprit. STYLE ET COULEUR Le style et la couleur de la robe devraient être similaires à ceux portés par les demoiselles d'honneur ou la mariée elle-même. Inclure tous les éléments clés et les accessoires, mais prendre ceux qui sont trop révélateur ou sexy. La longueur de la robe peut varier. Cependant, gardez à l'esprit que les jeunes enfants peuvent avoir des difficultés à marcher de longues habillements. Voilà pourquoi il peut être préférable de prendre une robe au genou long pour eux. Si vous avez des filles de fleurs qui sont adolescents, vous pouvez les obtenir une robe plus. CONFORT Les jeunes enfants peuvent être difficiles à contrôler. Si elles se sentent ennuie ou si ils ne l'aiment leurs vêtements, ils vont le montrer. Donc, si vous voulez avoir plus de visages souriants sur vos photos de mariage, trouver une robe et des chaussures qui sont confortables. Ne pas torturer les enfants avec des robes lourdes ou des chaussures serrées. Trouver une robe qui est faite de matériau souple. De cette façon, votre fille de fleur sera pas marcher sur l'allée gratter. SAISON Au moment de choisir votre robe de fille de fleur, robe de cortege pour petite fille, vous devriez également considérer la saison dans laquelle le mariage aura lieu. Saisons froides exigent des vêtements chauds. Trouver une matière vestimentaire et tissu qui permettra à la fois magnifiques et le garder au chaud des enfants est difficile, mais il est impossible. Si vous envisagez de se marier à l'automne ou l'hiver, la robe de votre fille de fleur est conseillé d'être en velours ou de velours. Ceux qui auront un ressort ou un mariage d'été devrait trouver une robe qui est léger et un lâche. Plus sur les tissus Les petits enfants sont très énergique et actif. Gardez à l'esprit qu'ils vont jouer à des jeux, courir et sauter tout au long de votre journée de mariage. Voilà pourquoi la robe de votre fille fleur doit être faite de tissus qui ne se froissent pas. En outre, il devrait être facile à nettoyer, car les enfants peuvent être salissant. Suivez ces conseils lorsque vous choisissez une robe pour vos fille fleur / filles. Rappelez-vous juste de garder les choses simples et confortables.

Feminism: For Everyone!

An introduction to equality.

By:
Greg Marche

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Milada Horakova (1901 - 1950)

Milada's grave is in Vysherad cemetary. Like Libuše and Šarka she fought against (TWO!) patro-fascist states and was persecuted for the brave resistance work she did.

She was sentenced to the death by the Germans for her resistance work from the 1939 occupation, but was sent to Terezin instead of being killed. After she was released from Terezin she was urged to leave as friends feared for her safety, but she remained politically active in Prague.

On 27 September 1949 she was arrested by the secret police. She was accused of being the leader of a plot to overthrow the Communist regime. The Czechoslovak secret police infamous for their brutal interrogation methods tried to force her to confess to treason and conspiracy, using both physical and psychological torture.

She was executed by the state in 1950. Her grave is a monument to her brave life and to all those who fought against occupation.

Dead women of Vysherad and the woman as the tragic, grief stricken mourner

Here, the grieving woman is the emotional hyperbole without any historical context. While men are depicted on their graves,

heroic | stoic | immovable

women are trapped forever in lament. Is this the curse of loving? the curse of femininity? Is this pure strength or pain?

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Social Realism and the Depiction of Women

The statues in Prague depict women in the modes of Renaissance, Rococo,Baroque, Gothic, Greek and more! One prominent and fascinating way of looking at women depicted in Prague is the way Communist Era changed the depiction of women from decorative and symbolic objects to full-bodied, strong, feminine workers.

When and how and why are women are women depicted in such a way? Is it limiting? Is it expansive // Empowering?? Is it freeing?

This depiction celebrated women as workers and mothers which many women who have lived under Communism still react against. However, this working woman, this "productive" woman has become part of the daily fierce Womanly landscape that Libuše and šarka established in the Praha Vicinity. However, however however, these women do not reside on top of hills in enclosed in formal, royal fortresses -- these women line the streets and adorn doorways. the depiction of These "everyday" women act as subtle resistance peices where women equal men, where women can react violently against men, where women can work as much and as hard as men, where women can maintain or shirk the beauty//confines of femininity.

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Flower Girl CONSEILS DRESS

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