Summarize the following:
Feminism has several possible definitions, depending on which school of thought you reference. However, the two main definitions of feminism are: Feminism is a movement by women for women. This means that feminists are women who are working to better the lives of other women. There can be different types of feminism that represent different female groups in society, from African American women to trans women, but the basis of the movement is for and by women. Men can act as allies to women and work with women to demonstrate their support of the movement but they are not a dominant force in the movement. Feminism is a movement about gender justice. This means that feminism works against the system of oppression we live in, which affects women as well as other non-binary individuals (or individuals who are not straight men). In this approach to feminism, people of all genders can be feminists as long as they are willing to work to dismantle the system of oppression that we currently live in. A big part of being a feminist is understanding that as individuals we live in a patriarchal society. This means that society is based on a system of customs and rules that are created by heterosexual men for heterosexual men. As a result of the patriarchal system, individuals who are not heterosexual men (including women) are discriminated against or are not given fair treatment. Recognizing that we exist in a patriarchal society will allow you to better understand the need for feminism and for movements to work against the existing patriarchy. Just because feminism works against the effects of patriarchy does not mean feminists hate all men. Instead, men can be seen as allies to women in the fight against patriarchy. The support of men in the feminist movement will ultimately benefit people of all genders. Educate yourself on a daily basis by integrating feminist blogs and websites into your internet reading routine. Rather than click on the standard news and opinion sites, seek out websites and blogs that address current news and issues from a feminist perspective. This will allow you to access the perspective of feminists and support them by reading what they have to say. There are several well known feminist blogs and websites online that are updated regularly. Many of these blogs are written by women for women, but are of course, accessible for men, too. You can also throw financial support behind feminist issues by subscribing to feminist publications. Many of these publications have low subscription fees and appeal to a wide readership, with articles on pop culture and political issues from a feminist perspective. Look for feminist magazines, such as Bitch Magazine or BUST Magazine, at your local bookstore, magazine stand, or at your local library. You can also subscribe to these magazines online.
Understand the two major definitions of feminism. Be aware of the role of patriarchy in our society. Read feminist blogs and websites. Subscribe to feminist publications.