Understanding Feminism A Study Of The Women’s Movement

[Link] HONOURS (Sociology)

Ms. Preeti Priyam Sharma.

SUBMITTED BY
Isheta Boruah
UID Number:
SF0118020
First Year; Second Semester

National law University and Judicial Academy, Assam

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

Contents Page number

1. INTRODUCTION 3- 6
1.1. Overview
1.2. Literature Review
1.3. Scope and Objectives
1.4. Research Questions
1.5. Research Methodology

2. CHAPTER 1 7- 9
The Meaning of Feminism

3. CHAPTER 2 10 – 12
Positions of Women in Pre- Independence Era in India

4. CHAPTER 3 13 – 18
The Wave of Feminism in United States

5. Chapter 4 19 - 20
Black Feminism

6. The Position of Women in Post Modern Dimension. 21- 23

7. Conclusion 24

8. Bibliography 25

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 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Overview.

Feminism is a social movement and ideology that fights for the political, economic and social rights for
women. Feminists believe that men and women are equal, and women deserve the same rights as men in
society. The feminist movement has fought for many different causes, such as the right for women to
vote, the right to work and the right to live free from violence.

In this project we will look upon the matters such as of the Black Feminism, the meaning of feminism, the
3waves of feminism in United States and along with the Liberty and representation of women in Pre
Independence and post modern era.

1.2. LITERATURE REVIEW.

1. Women Rights Human Rights, Ratin Bandhopadhya, Sanjay Kumar Singh,
Rajendra Dhar Dubey, Sangeeta Mandal Cambray.R & Co. Private Ltd.
Kolkata
This book mainly talks about the Human Rights of women and their Fundamental Rights and their
movements. This book helped me to see what was the condition of women in pre- independence era
starting from the Ancient Vedic period.

2. Naina Lal Kidwai, 30 Women In Power (Rupa & Co 2016)

30 Women in Power carries the inimitable voices of Indian women who have been pioneers and
led large organizations in banking, law, the media, advertising, government services, health care,
consulting, the fast-moving consumer goods sector and the not-for-profit space.
In these narratives told up, close and personal thirty of India’s greatest women achievers speak of
the guiding principles that have held them in good stead; The role models who have anchored
them; The childhood influences that have shaped their values and the interests outside the world
of work that have revitalized them. Coming from all walks of life, these empowered women
discuss their many successes and their dreams for the future. Yet, they also venture to disclose
the setbacks that have preceded hard-won conquests; The barriers, psychological or otherwise,

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that may have held them back at certain points and the compromises they’ve had to make to
reach the top.
Through these honest and contemplative revelations, thirty women in power answer those
questions that confront all working women from how best to balance the personal and the
professional, to how to dismantle gender biases. Equally, the essayists consider seminal issues
that concern every committed professional, man or woman: What are the qualities that define a
leader? Where does one find a mentor? What are the ingredients in the recipe for success?
Edited by business leader extraordinaire Naina Lal Kidwai, this topical and relevant book is a
must-read, not only for the lessons it provides, but also for the intimate accounts it offers of lives
powerfully lived.

3. Ann E Cudd and Robin O Andreasen, Feminist Theory (Blackwell Pub

2005).
Feminist Theory: A Philosophical Anthology addresses seven philosophically significant
questions regarding feminism, its central concepts of sex and gender, and the project of centering
women's experience. Topics include the nature of sexist oppression, the sex/gender distinction,
how gender-based norms influence conceptions of rationality, knowledge, and scientific
objectivity, feminist ethics, feminist perspectives on self and autonomy, whether there exist
distinct feminine moral perspectives, and what would comprise true liberation. Features an
introductory overview illustrating the development of feminism as a philosophical movement.
Contains both classic and contemporary sources of feminist thought, including selections by
Mary Wollstonecraft, John Stuart Mill, Simone de Beauvoir, Kate Millett, bell hooks, Marilyn
Frye, Martha Nussbaum, Louise Antony, Sally Haslanger, Helen Longino, Marilyn Friedman,
Catharine MacKinnon, and Drucilla Cornell. Bringing together classic essays from a number of
well-known philosophers and feminist theorists, this work features an introductory overview
illustrating the development of feminism as a philosophical movement. Feminist Theory: A
Philosophical Anthology addresses seven philosophically significant questions regarding
feminism, its central concepts of sex and gender, and the project of centering women's
experience. The volume's essays contemplate the nature of sexist oppression; the sex/gender

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distinction; how gender-based norms influence conceptions of rationality, knowledge, and
scientific objectivity; feminist ethics; feminist perspectives on self and autonomy; whether there
exist distinct feminine moral perspectives; and what would comprise true liberation.

1.3. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVE

a) To find out the meaning of Feminism
b) To find out position of women in Pre-Independence Era In India.
c) To find out the theory of Feminism by the point of view of Black Women.
d) To find out The Wave of feminism in United States.
e) To find out the position of women in Post Modern Dimension.

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the meaning of Feminsm?
2. What were the wave of Feminism in the United States?
3. What is the meaning of feminism for Black Women?
4. What is the position of women in the Post Modern Era?

1.5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

For this project the book Exploring North East India Writings by Indu Swami was used. And
help of various websites from the internet were also taken. The internet played a vital role in
making this project.

Approach of Research

In this project doctrinal research is used. Doctrinal Research is a research in which secondary
sources are used and materials are collected from libraries, archives, etc. Books, journals, articles
were used while making this project.

Type of Research

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Explanatory type of research is used in this project, because the project topic was relatively
broad and also because various concepts were needed to be explained.

Sources of Data Collection

Secondary source of data collection was used which involves in collection of data from books,
articles, websites, etc. No surveys or case studies were conducted.

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 CHAPTER 1
The Meaning of Feminism

Feminism is a social movement and ideology that fights for the political, economic and social
rights for women. Feminists believe that men and women are equal, and women deserve the
same rights as men in society. The feminist movement has fought for many different causes,
such as the right for women to vote, the right to work and the right to live free from violence.

Feminism beliefs in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes. Although largely
originating in the West, feminism is manifested worldwide and is represented by various
institutions committed to activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.

Throughout most of Western history, women were confined to the domestic sphere, while public
life was reserved for men. In medieval Europe, women were denied the right to own property, to
study, or to participate in public life. At the end of the 19th century in France, they were still
compelled to cover their heads in public, and, in parts of Germany, a husband still had the right
to sell his wife. Even as late as the early 20th century, women could neither vote nor hold
elective office in Europe and in most of the United States (where several territories and states
granted women’s suffrage long before the federal government did so). Women were prevented
from conducting business without a male representative, be it father, brother, husband, legal
agent, or even son. Married women could not exercise control over their own children without
the permission of their husbands. Moreover, women had little or no access to education and were
barred from most professions. In some parts of the world, such restrictions on women continue
today.

HISTORY OF FEMINISM

There is scant evidence of early organized protest against such circumscribed status. In the 3rd
century BCE, Roman women filled the Capitoline Hill and blocked every entrance to the Forum
when Consul Marcus Porcius Cato resisted attempts to repeal laws limiting women’s use of

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expensive goods. “If they are victorious now, what will they not attempt?” Cato cried. “As soon
as they begin to be your equals, they will have become your superiors.”

That rebellion proved exceptional, however. For most of recorded history, only isolated voices
spoke out against the inferior status of women, presaging the arguments to come. In late 14th-
and early 15th-century France, the first feminist philosopher, Christine de Pisan, challenged
prevailing attitudes toward women with a bold call for female education. Her mantle was taken
up later in the century by Laura Cereta, a 15th-century Venetian woman who published Epistolae
familiares (1488; “Personal Letters”; Eng. trans. Collected Letters of a Renaissance Feminist), a
volume of letters dealing with a panoply of women’s complaints, from denial of education and
marital oppression to the frivolity of women’s attire.

The defense of women had become a literary subgenre by the end of the 16th century, when
merito delle donne Il (1600; The Worth of Women), a feminist broadside by another Venetian
author, Moderata Fonte, was published posthumously. Defenders of the status quo painted
women as superficial and inherently immoral, while the emerging feminists produced long lists
of women of courage and accomplishment and proclaimed that women would be the intellectual
equals of men if they were given equal access to education.

The so-called “debate about women” did not reach England until the late 16th century, when
pamphleteers and polemicists joined battle over the true nature of womanhood. After a series of
satiric pieces mocking women was published, the first feminist pamphleteer in England, writing
as Jane Anger, responded with Jane Anger, Her Protection for Women (1589). This volley of
opinion continued for more than a century, until another English author, Mary Astell, issued a
more reasoned rejoinder in A Serious Proposal to the Ladies (1694, 1697). The two-volume work
suggested that women inclined neither toward marriage nor a religious vocation should set up
secular convents where they might live, study, and teach.

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The Waves of Feminism

First Wave

The first wave of feminism happened in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. First wave
feminists were known as the suffragettes, they campaigned for women’s right to vote. Imagine
living in a democracy where only half the population could vote! Unfortunately this is still the
case in some countries, but we are lucky in Australia that women have the same democratic
rights as men.

Second Wave
The second wave of feminism came in the 1960s and 1970s. They had a much broader scope of
rights they were campaigning for. These include the right for equal pay, the right to live free
from both physical and sexual violence and the reproductive rights- like access to contraception
and safe and legal abortion. Feminists in Australia are still fighting for these rights today.

Second Wave
The third wave of feminism started during the 1990s and continues on today. The third wave is a
more inclusive form of feminism that considers things like race, ethnicity and sexual identity. It
recognizes that every woman’s experiences are different, but continues to fight for the same
rights and principles as the second wave.1

1
'Feminism | Definition, History, & Examples' (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019)
<[Link] accessed 30 April 2019

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 CHAPTER 2
POSITION OF WOMEN IN PRE- INDEPENDENCE ERA IN INDIA

It is very difficult to find out the real position of women in Indian society and how they
internally felt about their positions and ostracism due to their lack of entries and verbally
speaking about their feelings. In 1950 the Constitution of India came into existence and declared
men and women to be equal and also prohibited any kind of discrimination against women. But
in reality, the obstacles to the emancipation of women have not all been eliminated.

We have to explain the socio-economic and political situations of Indian society to find out the
actual position and status of women.
The position of women in India can be divided into three main period:
Ancient, Medieval and Modern.

2.1Ancient
This period saw how women enjoyed high place in Indian society, they also took part in religious
matters. The two great epics Mahabharata and Ramayana have a strong influence on Indian
society. Even today some girls are expected to follow the footsteps of Sita. Sita is considered to
be the ideal Hindu women because she surrendered personal desires and followed her husband
Rama. Whereas Draupadi is the symbol of courage .

2.1.1 The period of Jainism and Buddhism

During this period a large number of women joined in the religious movement. Women could
give up family life to become ascetics. In Jaina literatures there have been remarkable women
who achieved their position as ascetics.

2.1.2. The Age of Dharmashastra

This period saw the exclusion of women from both economic and religious sphere. The concept
where women were inferior to men came into being. There were strict rules on education and
exposure of women. So in this period women had to depend on men.

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2.2. Medieval Period

Medieval period in India was also known as the ‘dark age’ for the women. Medieval period saw
many conquests. In those times it was seen the sole property of father, brother and the husband.
There were many practices such as sati where women were expected to jump into the funeral
pyre of the husband. Child marriage was also prevalent as the girls were married off at age of 8-
10. They were not exposed to education and rather seen as the material being. There were also
situations of restrictions to widow remarriage and Purdah system.

2.3. Modern Period.

2.3.1. British Period
British came to India in 1600 A.D. various evils of the medieval India were destroyed in the
British era. The British age was an era of social reform for the women. The famous social
reformer Raja Rammohun Roy fought against the practices of Sati. The Governor General took
initiative to establish Sati Prohibition Act.
This period also saw the prevalence of Widow Remarriage in India. There were Indian orthodox
who restrained on these changes Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar tried to lift up the ban on widow
remarriage and also promoted education for women.
The social reform movement which started from West Bengal spread out to the other parts of
India too. Jyoti Ba Phule started school for girls around in 1929 fixed minimum age for marriage
of girls to be 14 years and above and for boys as 18 years.
The British also believed education through legislation and passed Acts in England in 1870,
1867 and 1880 for educating their children due to which they set up Education Commission in
1882.

The British period saw various reform movements and social changes which took up the issue of
gender inequality, primarily by passing laws that removed barriers women’s emancipation.

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Though dramatic changes did not take place in whole India, the age was definitely se for
launching a struggle for creation of a ‘gender just society’. 2

2
Women Rights Human Rights, Ratin Bandhopadhya, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Rajendra Dhar Dubey, Sangeeta Mandal,
Cambray.R & Co. Private Ltd. Kolkata, page 75-84.

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 CHAPTER 3
The Wave of feminism in United States

Feminism in the United States refers to the collection of movements and ideologies aimed at
defining, establishing, and defending a state of equal political, economic, cultural, and social
rights for women in the United States. Feminism has had a massive influence on American
politics. Feminism in the United States is often divided chronologically into first-wave, second-
wave, third-wave, and fourth-wave feminism.

Women’s rights movement, also called women’s liberation movement, diverse social movement,
largely based in the United States, that in the 1960s and ’70s sought equal rights and
opportunities and greater personal freedom for women. It coincided with and is recognized as
part of the “second wave” of feminism. While the first-wave feminism of the 19th and early 20th
centuries focused on women’s legal rights, especially the right to vote (see women’s suffrage),
the second-wave feminism of the women’s rights movement touched on every area of women’s
experience—including politics, work, the family, and sexuality. Organized activism by and on
behalf of women continued through the third and fourth waves of feminism from the mid-1990s
and the early 2010s, respectively. For more discussion of historical and contemporary feminisms
and the women’s movements they inspired, see feminism.

Prologue to a social movement

In the aftermath of World War II, the lives of women in developed countries changed
dramatically. Household technology eased the burdens of homemaking, life expectancies
increased dramatically, and the growth of the service sector opened up thousands of jobs not
dependent on physical strength. Despite these socioeconomic transformations, cultural attitudes
(especially concerning women’s work) and legal precedents still reinforced sexual inequalities.
An articulate account of the oppressive effects of prevailing notions of femininity appeared in Le
Deuxième Sexe (1949; The Second Sex), by the French writer and philosopher Simone de
Beauvoir. It became a worldwide best seller and raised feminist consciousness by stressing that
liberation for women was liberation for men too.

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The first public indication that change was imminent came with women’s reaction to the 1963
publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. Friedan spoke of the problem that “lay
buried, unspoken” in the mind of the suburban housewife: utter boredom and lack of fulfillment.
Women who had been told that they had it all—nice houses, lovely children, responsible
husbands—were deadened by domesticity, she said, and they were too socially conditioned to
recognize their own desperation. The Feminine Mystique was an immediate best seller. Friedan
had struck a chord.

Reformers and revolutionaries

Initially, women energized by Friedan’s book joined with government leaders and union
representatives who had been lobbying the federal government for equal pay and for protection
against employment discrimination. By June 1966 they had concluded that polite requests were
insufficient. They would need their own national pressure group—a women’s equivalent of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). With this, the National
Organization for Women (NOW) was born.

The organization was not an instant success. By the end of its second year, NOW had just 1,035
members and was racked by ideological divisions. When the group tried to write a Bill of Rights
for Women, it found consensus on six measures essential to ensuring women’s equality:
enforcement of laws banning employment discrimination; maternity leave rights; child-care
centres that could enable mothers to work; tax deductions for child-care expenses; equal and
unsegregated education; and equal job-training opportunities for poor women.

Two other measures stirred enormous controversy: one demanded immediate passage of the
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution (to ensure equality of rights, regardless
of sex), and the other demanded greater access to contraception and abortion. When NOW threw
its support behind passage of the ERA, the United Auto Workers union—which had been
providing NOW with office space—withdrew its support, because the ERA would effectively
prohibit protective labour legislation for women. When some NOW members called for repeal of
all abortion laws, other members left the fledgling organization, convinced that this latest action
would undermine their struggles against economic and legal discrimination.

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NOW’s membership was also siphoned off from the left. Impatient with a top-heavy traditional
organization, activists in New York City, where half of NOW’s membership was located, walked
out. Over the next two years, as NOW struggled to establish itself as a national organization,
more radical women’s groups were formed by female antiwar, civil rights, and leftist activists
who had grown disgusted by the New Left’s refusal to address women’s concerns. Ironically,
sexist attitudes had pervaded 1960s radical politics, with some women being exploited or treated
unequally within those movements. In 1964, for example, when a woman’s resolution was
brought up at a Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee (SNCC) conference, Stokely
Carmichael flippantly cut off all debate: “The only position for women in SNCC is prone.”

While NOW focused on issues of women’s rights, the more radical groups pursued the broader
themes of women’s liberation. Although they lacked the kind of coherent national structure
NOW had formed, liberation groups sprang up in Chicago, Toronto, Seattle, Detroit, and
elsewhere. Suddenly, the women’s liberation movement was everywhere—and nowhere. It had
no officers, no mailing address, no printed agenda. What it did have was attitude. In September
1968 activists converged on Atlantic City, New Jersey, to protest the image of womanhood
conveyed by the Miss America Pageant. In February 1969 one of the most radical liberation
groups, the Redstockings, published its principles as “The Bitch Manifesto.” Based in New York
City, the Redstockings penned the movement’s first analysis of the politics of housework, held
the first public speak-out on abortion, and helped to develop the concept of “consciousness-
raising” groups—rap sessions to unravel how sexism might have coloured their lives. The
Redstockings also held speak-outs on rape to focus national attention on the problem of violence
against women, including domestic violence.

Responding to these diverse interests, NOW called the Congress to Unite Women, which drew
more than 500 feminists to New York City in November 1969. The meeting was meant to
establish common ground between the radical and moderate wings of the women’s rights
movement, but it was an impossible task. Well-dressed professionals convinced that women

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needed to reason with men could not unite with wild-haired radicals whose New Left experience
had soured them on polite discourse with “the enemy.” NOW’s leadership seemed more
comfortable lobbying politicians in Washington or corresponding with NASA about the
exclusion of women from the astronaut program, while the young upstarts preferred disrupting
legislative committee hearings. NOW leaders were looking for reform. The more radical women
were plotting a revolution.

Successes and failures

Despite such dissension in its leadership and ranks, the women’s rights movement achieved
much in a short period of time. With the eventual backing of the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (1965), women gained access to jobs in every corner of the U.S. economy, and
employers with long histories of discrimination were required to provide timetables for
increasing the number of women in their workforces. Divorce laws were liberalized; employers
were barred from firing pregnant women; and women’s studies programs were created in
colleges and universities. Record numbers of women ran for—and started winning—political
office. In 1972 Congress passed Title IX of the Higher Education Act, which prohibited
discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program receiving federal funds and
thereby forced all-male schools to open their doors to women and athletic programs to sponsor
and finance female sports teams. And in 1973, in its controversial ruling on Roe v. Wade, the
United States Supreme Court legalized abortion.

The eventual dwindling of the women’s rights movement was hastened by NOW’s singular
focus on passage of the ERA. Owing to the efforts of women such as Bella Abzug, Betty
Friedan, and Gloria Steinem, the ERA passed Congress in 1972. But its ratification by the states
became a rallying point for the backlash against feminism. Anti-feminists such as Phyllis
Schlafly organized a crusade against the amendment, warning—correctly or not—that it would,
among other things, invalidate state sodomy laws, outlaw single-sex restrooms in public places,
legalize same-sex marriage, and make taxpayer-funded abortion a constitutional right. Needing
ratification by 38 states within 10 years of its passage by Congress, the amendment fell three

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states short.

The failure of the ERA was followed in the 1980s by a gradual decline in organized, often
bellicose activity by masses of women in the United States. Moreover, there was a growing
national sense that the core goals of the women’s rights movement had been achieved. NOW
continued to work for women’s rights—to defend abortion rights (a cause made more prominent
by the National Abortion Rights Action League) and sexual harassment laws, to promote full
equality in the military (including combat duty), and to secure greater federal funding for child
care and for programs to prevent violence against women. But despite NOW’s growth, both in
budget and in membership, its activism became fragmented and fraught with dissension.
On college campuses, feminists argued among themselves and against their colleagues over such
questions as whether male professors involved in consensual relationships with female students
were guilty of sexual harassment. They debated the validity of women’s studies as an academic
major. The role of women in the armed forces became a point of contention as some hoisted the
standard of equality while others protested that mothers in the military should not be sent off to
war.

By the 1990s, a movement that was once defined by its radical pitch had taken on new tones—
some of them conservative. The divide over abortion continued to alienate many women, such as
the Feminists for Life, who believed fervently in women’s rights but disagreed with the
mainstream movement’s position on abortion. That divide deepened when, in 1998, Norma
McCorvey, the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade, declared her opposition to abortion on demand.

Eventually, a backlash cast doubt on many of the social and economic achievements fostered by
the women’s rights movement. Faced with increasing numbers of single mothers and older
divorced women living in poverty, many Americans began to wonder whether no-fault divorce
and the end of most alimony had, in fact, served women’s best interests. With a growing number
of young children spending their early years in institutional day care, debates erupted over
whether women were abdicating their maternal responsibilities and whether federal policies that
gave tax breaks to working mothers were encouraging a further deterioration of the family unit.
Feminists were further targeted as the primary culprits behind the many by-products of the

17
sexual revolution, from the increased rate of teen pregnancy to the spread of AIDS. Ironically,
however, many of the purveyors of those opinions were women who had achieved prominent
status—thanks to the gains of the women’s rights movement.3

3
'Women’S Rights Movement | Overview, History, & Facts' (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019)
<[Link] accessed 1 May 2019

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 CHAPTER 4
Black Feminism

Black feminism has been around since the time of slavery. If defined as a way that black women
have sought to understand their position within systems of oppression then this is exemplified in
Sojourner Truth's famous speech, "Ain't I a Woman?", which was delivered in 1851 at the
Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio. Truth addressed how the issues being discussed at the
convention were issues that primarily impacted white women
Black feminism assumes that the experience of black women gives rise to a particular
understanding of their position in relation to sexism, class oppression, and racism. That is, the
experience of being a black woman cannot be understood in terms of being black or of being a
woman. The way these concepts relate to each other is known as Intersectionality, a term coined
by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. Crenshaw argued that each concept—being black,
being female—should be considered independently while understanding that intersecting
identities compound upon and reinforce one another.

A black feminist lens in the United States was first employed by black women to make sense of
how white supremacy and patriarchy interacted to inform the particular experiences of enslaved
black women. The black feminist movement continued to expand and build support post-slavery,
as black activists and intellectuals formed organizations such as the National Association of
Coloured Women (NACW) and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Black
feminism rose to prominence in the 1960s, as the civil rights movement excluded women from
leadership positions, and the mainstream feminist movement largely focused its agenda on issues
that predominately impacted middle-class white women. From the 1970s to 1980s, black
feminists formed groups that addressed the role of black women in Black Nationalism, gay
liberation, and second-wave feminism. In the 1990s, the Anita Hill controversy brought black
feminism into the mainstream. Black feminist theories reached a wider audience in the 2010s, as
a result of social-media advocacy.4

Proponents of black feminism argue that black women are positioned within structures of power

4
Ann E Cudd and Robin O Andreasen, Feminist Theory (Blackwell Pub 2005). Pg 60-67

19
in fundamentally different ways than white women. In recent years, the distinction of black
feminism has birthed the tag "white feminist", used to criticize feminists who do not
acknowledge issues of Intersectionality. Critics of black feminism argue that divisions along the
lines of race or gender weaken the strength of the overall feminist movement or anti-racist
movements.

Among the notions that evolved out of the black feminist movement are Alice Walker's
womanism, and historical revisionism with an increased focus on black women. Angela Davis,
bell hooks, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, and Patricia Hill Collins have emerged as leading
academics on black feminism, whereas black celebrities, notably Beyoncé, have encouraged
mainstream discussion of black feminism.5

5
Smith S, 'Black Feminism And Intersectionality'

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 CHAPTER 5

The position of women in Post Modern Dimension.

The 21st century has brought a new hope and has empowered women in a positive manner.
Earlier they were under the shadow of a husband or a father, but now they have established their
own identity and are independent.

Education is an important key to success. Empowering women would become more pertinent if
women were well informed and educated. A woman needs to understand her rights so that she
can walk at par with men. Mother Teresa, Indra Nooyi, Pratibha Patil, Kalpana Chawla and a lot
more have been very significant in their own sphere and are an idol for every woman in India
and across the globe.

5.1. Changing role of Women

The role of women has changed tremendously and they have been able to create a positive
impression in the society. From housewives to CEOs, the transition can be seen at an
accelerating rate. Modernization and the advent of the latest technology have widened hope and
opportunities for them. They have established themselves socially, politically and economically
in almost every field. Women are no longer considered unfit or weak for military or for other
defense forces. Recently, Avani Chaturvedi has set a perfect example and has created a milestone
by becoming India’s first female fighter pilot.

There are also many faces in big multi-national companies where the modern women are leading
as the Chief Executive Officers. 6
Here are some of the Examples:

1. Indra Nooyi
Indra Nooyi (née Krishnamurthy; born 28 October 1955) is an Indian American business

6
Nigam k, 'The Role Of Women In Today's World'

21
Executive, serving as a director of Amazon, the largest eCommerce business in the world by net
revenue.

She has consistently ranked among the world's 100 most powerful women. In 2014, she was
ranked at number 13 on the Forbes list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women, and was
ranked the 2nd most powerful woman on the Fortune list in 2015.

In February 2018, the International Cricket Council announced that Nooyi would join the ICC
Board as its first independent female director in June.

2. Zia Mody (Big Mama)

When acquainted to the world of law we can never not talk about Zia Mody, the legal consultant,
the founding partner of AZB & Partners, one of India’s largest Law Firms, and an authority on
corporate mergers and acquisitions law. She has been regularly listed by Business Today as one
of the twenty-five most powerful businesswomen in India.7

3. Chanda Kochhar
The managing director and chief executive officer(CEO) of ICICI Bank Limited, India’s largest
bank and the largest in the private sector. She is widely recognized for her role in shaping the
retail banking sector in India and for her leadership of the ICICI Group, as well as her
contributions to the various forums in India and globally. 8

Women today are much different than historical women. The modern woman is consumed with
many obligations, duties, and responsibilities on a daily basis. Women are now stepping out of
their historical role of mother and housewife to obtain a higher quality of living. The modern
woman has a much different lifestyle with many different choices. Modern women also look,
dress, and act much differently than historical women. Just like other creatures in the world,
women have also evolved over the centuries and are continuing to adapt to the new environment.

7
Kidwai N, 30 Women In Power (Rupa & Co 2016). Pg 280
8
Kidwai N, 30 Women In Power (Rupa & Co 2016). Pg 41

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Although many women in foreign countries continue to keep their traditional roles, women in
America are breaking the old boundaries and are changing with the times.

The modern women of the 21st century are focusing on themselves and their own lives more
than historical women ever have. Goals and opportunities are more abundant for women and the
modern woman is taking advantage of them in a positive and healthy way.

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 Chapter 6

CONCLUSION

The journey of liberation of women has crossed many milestones and the society has indeed
come a long way. They have struggled hard over the last few decades but still been able to
successfully establish their own identity. Today’s women are adorned with patience and
perseverance, which has helped them to attain the pinnacle of success. Earlier, women were seen
only as housewives who were projected to cook, clean and take care of their family. Today-
along with handling tough clients at office, they successfully multitask at home too. Women are
more focused and have a unique decision making power even at senior leadership level, in the
most optimal manner, and at times are in a better position than men. Empowering women can
help the society to grow and develop at a faster pace. We are definitely redesigning the world.
Thus in this project the 3 waves of feminism, the concept of Intersectionality in regards of the
Black Feminism and the also how is the modern position of the women have been discussed.

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 I) BIBLIOGRAPHY

Articles
1. Nigam k, ‘The Role Of Women In Today's World’
2. Smith S, 'Black Feminism And Intersectionality’
Websites
1. 'Feminism | Definition, History, & Examples' (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019)
<[Link] accessed 30 April 2019

Books

1. Women Rights Human Rights, Ratin Bandhopadhya, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Rajendra Dhar
Dubey, Sangeeta Mandal Cambray.R & Co. Private Ltd. Kolkata

2. Kidwai N, 30 Women In Power (Rupa & Co 2016)

3. Ann E Cudd and Robin O Andreasen, Feminist Theory (Blackwell Pub 2005).

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