Feminism has failed

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Feminism has failed

23 Sep 2010

This June, Julia Gillard assumed office as Australia’s first female prime minister. 50 years ago, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the combined oral contraceptive pill and kick-started the birth of Second Wave feminism. In the intervening half century attitudes and perceptions have shifted beyond what could ever have been imagined in the late 1950s. Modern Britain is still shaped by the legacy of its first female prime minister, Germany has a female Chancellor and pop music has been through the ‘Girl Power’ revolution.

But in a world where legions of young girls spend hundreds on a night out at an exclusive club in an attempt to bag a Premier League husband, while some women are forced to remain covered from head to toe at all times, can the modern feminist movement really claim to have achieved real change?

One of the most talked about films currently gracing cinema screens is Made In Dagenham; a tale based on the events of 1968 strike action by sewing machinists that resulted in the 1970 equal pay act. Yet whilst audiences cheer the onscreen heroines and debate the positive role model set by these brave women for young girls entering the workplace, the reality is that business represents one of the least sexually integrated areas of modern life. Norway, which operates a quota system whereby 40% of boards must be female, has recently seen a raft of criticism saying that this policy is holding its companies back, whilst on British TV the most famous business clique: the 'Dragons’ of Dragons Den, features only one female member amongst their ‘boys club’ ranks. In 2008, women represented just 2.4% of CEOs on the Fortune 500.

There are notable exceptions, but for feminists, the question remains to what extent they are still exceptions. The 2010 Forbes ‘100 Most Powerful Women’ list is still topped by a woman, Michelle Obama, whose fame, and arguably power, comes directly from her husband's position. Like Cherie Booth before her, her success and qualities are undermined by her husband's power. Does spread the message amongst young women, for instance those who admire Colleen Rooney, that your choice of husband is the way to the top?

There are increasing global issues for feminism to address as well; the increased awareness of honour killings, female circumcision, mass rape in war torn countries and 'Gendercide', a growing epidemic. The Economist recently carried an article on how at least 100 million girls had been killed, aborted or neglected.

Despite the persistence of gender inequalities and injustices, feminism seems to have lost its radicalism. The liberated rich middle classes have spent their freedom on lads' mags and consumerist sexualisation of every aspect of life. The fruits of liberation are being enjoyed, but the burning fire to push for further change often seems not to have been transmitted to new generations. Does this mean that feminism has failed. Or, on the contrary, has it been so successful that it has become an imperceptible part of our mental landscape?