The Complex Relationship Between Multiculturalism and Feminism Essay

The Complex Relationship Between Multi paganism and Feminism These days, it seems that multiculturalism is generally an fabricated good. Increased acknowledgement of diversity and cultural sensitivity seem to be steps toward leveling the playing field for all human beings. And that is the last of much scholarship and activism, right--to secure and ensure human rights across the come on? That is one of global womens libs aims, so it would seem that multiculturalism would help, non hinder, feminist work to better the situation of women. That is not necessarily the case. It may be helpful to first clarify what is meant by both womens lib and multiculturalism. Though it is difficult to definitively state what is meant by these complex terms, Susan Moller Okin is able to lend up the essence of feminism and single out a facial expression of multiculturalism that is tokenly relevant. In her essay, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?, Okin explores the relationship between fem inism and multiculturalism, especially pertaining to the granting of group rights. Okin writes By feminism, I mean the belief that women should not be disadvantaged by their sex, that they should be recognized as having human arrogance equal to that of men, and that they should have the opportunity to live as fulfilling and as freely chosen lives as men can. She goes on, writing that Multiculturalism is sullener to pin down, but the particular aspect that concerns me here is the claim, made in the context of basically cock-a-hoop democracies, that minority cultures or ways of life are not sufficiently protected by the practice of ensuring the individual rights of their members, and as a resultant these should also be protected through special group rights of priv... ...a hard time representing our entire countrys population in a few sentences, or even a few pages. The American cultural dust of today is far different than the culture of the 1940s, and my experience as a Sou therner is quite different than that of someone from New England. Multiculturalism seeks to protect cultures from extinction, it is actually dangerous to over-simplify a complex cultural system and identify it by its most extreme practices. Feminism and multiculturalism do have some of the said(prenominal) goals chiefly, equality of rights for all human beings. It is true that some efforts of multiculturalism counter feminisms goals to empower women, but I do not think of that this must always be the case. Cultural sensitivity is not passable we must consider cultural practices, the workings of the cultural system that supports them, and how that system itself came about.