Talking Feminism with My Mom

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women” – Maya Angelou

For my English class, I had to explore feminism from a different perspective, so I decided to talk to my mom about it.

My mom explained feminism as something that came out of the inequalities women have faced for a long time. She talked about how women were stuck in domestic roles such as taking care of the house, cooking, cleaning, and raising kids without any chance to work or make decisions for themselves. In India, it was even worse because cultural traditions like dowries and the preference for male children made it clear that women weren’t valued the same way as men. Sons were seen as assets who could work and bring in money, while daughters were considered a financial burden. She said feminism really started when women began asking, “Why can’t we work? Why don’t we have the same rights?” Movements grew from there and women started fighting for things like the right to vote, equal pay, and fair job opportunities. Women wanted to prove they could do more than just be secretaries or assistants. They wanted to be CEOs, leaders, and decision makers. My mom also pointed out how even in a progressive country like the U.S., we’ve never had a female president, which says a lot when other countries like India and Pakistan have had women leaders. It shows how much work still needs to be done. 

From this conversation with my mom, I learned more about the inequalities women have faced and currently face as well as the struggles that led to the feminist movement. It gave me a better understanding of how different types of equality such as economic, political, and social are connected and how progress in one area can influence other areas.