I see this division very clearly in the art scene where working class based artists and audiences are minority, at least working class-ness is a very distant echo. Feminist theory and queer theory are very popular topics in the arts, which of course deal with important issues, but I have felt the more theory is emphasized the more distant art gets. This goes with feminism which paradoxically and firstly is about making change happen on grass root level not only on idea level, which is of course vital what comes to making change in academic studying and research more welcoming to women. So far historically Feminism is divided into three waves which begin from suffrage movement evolving to development of ideas and to action of women’s liberation movement and third wave is continuation and reaction to the second wave feminism There is hostility in Feminism which can keep it distant and repulsive. It is accused of hating men, hating sex, but looking from what kinds of issues Feminism springs out feelings of hate are more than understandable.
Feminism is first a movement, demonstration and fierce action claiming equal rights for all, possibilities to choose how to live. After having put action out Feminist theory started to develop. Prejudice has made it so that Feminism is not mainstream ideology even we are bound to it as ideology. It is not all that common to be working class feminist. Feminist theory is working and looking out from middle-class points of views and is seen as radical movement of those who can afford radicalism still. Working class is not all that radical anymore, at least not in Finland. They are scared and conformist, contents consuming quiet citizens. Feminist theory does not address everyone as doesn’t science as a whole even though it is meaning of science to serve everyone. Elitism and academic towers can be isolating. To talk to only certain kind of people of social change is not enough to make that change needed happen. Change required does not happen within middle-class, in academies and in theory, theory is empowering as is being able to think for yourself. Middle-class and working class do not respect each other enough, know each other enough, speak the same language or even want to understand each other. There is a mutual contempt there which stops multilevel action, compassion and collaboration.
What is gender, what is the meaning of gender? Is gender the most important ruling feature of people? How much does it dictate what happens to me? Funnily it has got to do with everything there possibly is in life. Gender dictates something naturally, people make strange delusional gender rules and orders themselves. Many say in this day Feminism is outdated, that Feminism has lost its power and meaning in making equality happen because it is about women, because capitalism has harnessed Feminism since Feminists demanded women right to work outside their homes. It is a shame to be a Feminist to demand equal rights as people. It is like a profanity and curse just like being a woman has been. How odd it sounds to be female and a curse. Most appalled I am that women curse gender of theirs, themselves and other women. The matter of division of genders is one of the biggest errors of mankind since now we know we all have both female and male qualities in us, therefore Feminism is about all people. It is to benefit all. That a man can walk like a woman, talk like a woman and I can weld if I like and still be feminine.