Postmodern and Third-Wave Feminism

To define a few words that I have just added to my vocabulary, postmodern feminists reject phallogocentric thought, or ideas ordered around an absolute word that is male in style.  They also reject feminist thought that aims to give a single explanation for why women or oppressed or how to liberate women.  Third-wave feminists are interested in diversity and change.  They welcome conflict and contradictions because difference is the way things are.  Until reading this chapter, I was unfamiliar with these terms.  Jacques Derrida discusses structural differences, which are based on binary oppositions.  The definition of female is based on the definition of male.  Cixous also talks of these dichotomies, associated certain qualities with males and others with females.  Obviously we use language to describe other words, but they should not always associate with males or females.  Cixous uses “activity” to describe males and “passivity” to describe females.  She certainly doesn’t know the women I know! Passive is far from the word I would use to describe them. 

Power is another interesting subject that is talked about in this chapter.  Power-relationships are evident in all aspects of our lives.  People are constantly battling for power or being put in their place by power.  Power can be both a limiting and empowering agent.  For women beauty is a source of power.  This desire for power has prompted cosmetic surgery.  The problem is that society defines beauty and makes women self-conscious of every detail on their bodies.  This insecurity leads to drastic measures to be seen as beautiful and rewarded power.  This cycle is one big institution.  Take a beautiful girl like Heidi Montague from The Hills and because of the pressures of society she goes out and has like 15 surgeries.  She has completely deformed her natural beauty.  She looks absolutely fake. 

I like that the Third-wave feminists are open to diversity and change.  I think it is important to separate the stereotypes that we have for people of different backgrounds.  It is important to understand your heritage, but your heritage should never be a handicap or a source of hardship.  More people need to be open to diversity and change because in many cases it is for the best.