Final words on Feminism

After doing my book report and being able to discuss feminist philosophy in class, I wanted to make a final point on my views in respect to that. I have had the time to see the philosophy from many perspectives: from non- feminists, radical feminists and equality feminists. I believe there is no feminist philosophy; however, I do believe there is a way to look at things from a feminist point of view when the matter is philosophical. I personally identify as an equality feminist; I believe in women's rights and changing the world for women. However, I also believe in delivering that equality to other repressed groups and people who suffer. I think from that alone I look at certain issues with that lens. However, I do not believe that there is a purely feminist way to look at things. If so, there would be issues that would be hard to recover and analyse depending on what kind of feminist you are.

I am proud to say I am a feminist who believes in looking at philosophical issues pertaining to others in a open minded sense. If you become closed minded and too narrow I believe you lack the ability to truly understand many things. After reading that book on different feminists, I believe that there are issues philosophically that I would take a feminist perspective on, like issues dealing with reproduction, health and personal rights; however, I do not think that there is a sole feminist philosophical perspective for everything.

Mental illness in literatrure

If any form of expression has a way of presenting the raw truth about mental illness it is literature. I know we spent a good amount of time in class talking about mental illnesses from a philosophical and scientific perspective; however, as an English Major with a Literature concentration, when I have come across the discussion and representation of mental illnesses it has been through books.

Some of my favorite books have been memoirs about the writer's mental illness, their battle with it and more often their hospitalization. For example, one of the books I really enjoyed is Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel, who details her life as a manic depressive student at Harvard University. She has an interesting approach to describing her illness; she refers to it as a "black wave" that covers her. However it is all very honest and blunt truth. Another writer who talks about living with borderline personality disorder in a more abstract manner is Susanna Kaysen, the writer of Girl Interrupted. All of the methods she uses to talk about her illness are metaphors like, "swallowing a dark secret". I found her description of her illness to be rather emotional and philosophical in the sense that throughout the book she analysizes her illness and other patients in a manner that relates it to the self as a whole.

I think literature is another major source to understand mental illnesses.

You are what you Suffer from?

" I would rather have anything wrong with my body than something wrong with my head, but the idea seemed so involved and wearisome that I didn't say anything. I only burrowed down further in the bed.” - Sylvia Plath


People with mental illnesses often feel, when they are told by their doctors or psychiatrists that they have an illness, that they become their illness. The name for mental illnesses like depression or bi-polar disorder often become labels and burdens to those who suffer from the illnesses. However, their illness does not define them and it is not fair to assume that their illness is all that they are as a person. There are many people who go all throughout their life suffering from a mental illness and not even know that they have it, and they go on and live relatively normal lives. However, when they are finally diagnosed with their illness, they believe that their illness is now who they are. Actually, it is known that when a person is reinforced with their illness as a label it only decreases their chances of recovering or finding healthy ways to combat it. For example, people with depression try to find healthy ways to cope with their illness. However, once they are told they are depressed it is harder for them to ignore the label of the illness and get better. I believe that there should not be a reinforcement of the title or name of the illness once a person is diagnosed because it does not do the individual any better to know, rather it often hinders them. Yes, they should be aware of their illness if it is one that debilitates their everyday lives; however, that should not be overly reinforced.

Labels from Society

Society often creates bad connotations of mental illnesses or believes that everyone who suffers from a mental illness fits under one stereotype pertaining to that illness. It seems as though many people often believe that if you suffer from bi-polar, you are very unstable and moody and not someone who can function in society properly. However, contrary to popular belief, there are many who suffer from bi-polar that live relatively normal lives.
It seems as though society adopts stereotypes for individuals with mental illness that make them seem widely unstable and people who cannot function. That is to say, there are some people who suffer from an extreme form of their illness and cannot function properly in society; however, they are not the majority of those who suffer from illnesses. It is not correct to place a bad connotation onto those who suffer from mental illnesses; it is not something they chose to have. Much of it is due to mental and chemical imbalances in the brain. There should be an elimination of bad connotations placed onto any mental illness, because if we want to help another human who may suffer from an illness we must get rid of wrongly preconceived notions about their illness, so as not to hinder their recovery or hinder any chances of them living with the disorder peacefully.

What it is like to be a Woman

"If you want to know what it is like to be a woman, ask one."

This notion is almost amusing to me. Many assume that women are what gender roles describe them to be. This is to say that, typically, women are emotional, irrational, motherly and sexually reserved. This "outline" of women is a social construct; not every women fits those terms. Some women may fit none of those terms. In today's society it means many different things to be a woman. Even though the fight for women's equality is not done it is certainly at a different place than before. Now, women do not have to fit those certain roles or behaviors. Now, women do not have to be sexually reserved or motherly. Some women choose to have no motherly responses and others choose to expound upon their sexuality.

To know what it is like to be a woman cannot be determined by society, it is determined by women themselves. So I agree that if you want to know what it is like to be a woman, you should ask one, instead of assume the truth of a gender role that is far too dated.

Emotions and Gender

 Is one gender inherently more irrational and or emotional than another?

 When discussing the sexes it often comes up that one gender is more irrational than the other, and that irrationality usually comes from one gender portraying emotions more openly than the other. Typically this more irrational gender is women. However, is it fair to say that women are inherently more irrational than men or any other gender? It is known that women are more likely to cry when they are upset or if they are angry. This emotional reaction may be due to brain chemistry or how the emotion is handled. However, the fact that crying or showing emotions is something women are known to do, or that it is known as a feminine trait, is something constructed by societal gender roles. In this society, it is okay if women cry; however, if men show emotions or cry openly they are not seen as emotional - they are seen as effeminate. Whether the emotional reaction has to do with their brain chemistry or not is often left out or not regarded. This theory is skewed because it is very obvious that emotions and gender are not linked in the sense that one controls the other.

So is one gender more irrational or emotional than the other? Perhaps the reasons behind the emotions are due to the different combinations of  brain chemistry. However, much of the belief  regarding irrationality and emotions is constructed by society as a way to demand compliance with gender roles. I do not believe that one gender is more irrational or emotional than the other - I believe that is a societal perception of the genders.

Response to Skyla's post

Her response post is here http://skylasreality.blogspot.com/2012/11/post-2.html

In Skyla's blog post she commented on my idea of people who advocate for issues without being critical thinkers. I used the example of the LGBTQ community and she took it in another direction, one which I did not originally consider. Skyla considered this concept with people and politics. She used the example of her being raised in a democratic household and then having both political parties to her. She uses the idea of people who vote without knowing the issues; this is something I had not originally considered. However, it is very true that we cannot accurately take part in the voting process or in politics if we do not critically think. The issues which we are voting on and for are ones that we need to be able to understand in full and think about without a party bias. 

Considering this, I think it is important to realize that we must critically think if we truly want to make a difference and not vote just to say we voted. Today the stakes in politics become higher and higher, and as voters and citizens, if we choose to take part in this process we need to be critical thinkers. I believe firmly that we cannot ignore being a critical thinker if we want to fight for issues that matter or vote or advocate for different things.