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1-Page Summary of The Female Eunuch
Overview
Feminism made a lot of progress in the twentieth century. Almost everywhere, women have gained the right to vote and own property. But there is still a long way to go toward achieving social equality between men and women. Most importantly, women’s reproductive rights are still being debated around the world. The fight for respect continues today as it did during Germaine Greer’s time with her book The Female Eunuch.
The author believes that women are not portrayed positively in the media. The reason is because of the lack of female role models, which has led to a negative portrayal by men and women alike.
Big Idea #1: Society has castrated women.
Society values the qualities of a eunuch in women. Women are expected to be subservient and patient, with no ambition or strong personality. Rather than seeking out what they want from the world, women should wait for men to tell them what to do. When given gifts, they should show mindless joy; when married, unfailing devotion; and when around family members, passionless desire for their husbands.
In popular culture, dominant women are often portrayed as two stereotypes: sexy and cunning or athletic and arrogant. Whether it’s a movie, TV show or comic book, these female characters typically end up being tamed by the hero. Audiences learn that “dominant” qualities in women will only be detrimental to men unless they are defeated by them.
It often seems as though women are judged only by their looks and not what they can do. They should be soft, with no signs of maturity or power.
Society has created an artificial norm of how women should look, and brands and media have forced women to change their appearances to fit that image. As a result, society believes that women are unable to play equal roles in public or private life.
Big Idea #2: Our cultural definition of heterosexual sex limits the sexual potential of women.
The way we talk about sex makes women seem passive. Women don’t prioritize their own pleasure during sex, which could make them happier and more satisfied.
Women are taught that sex should be given in exchange for commitment. This is evident in romantic novels, where female characters withhold sex until the hero commits to them. In these cases, women don’t consider their own pleasure and orgasm during sex. Women have limited knowledge about how they experience orgasms because of this. The clitoral orgasm, which is analogous to a man’s orgasm, is typically considered the height of female pleasure; however, it’s not as euphoric as a vaginal orgasm. A vaginal orgasm requires physical stimulation and mental stimulation along with emotional connection with one’s partner.
Sex is an important part of a relationship. However, women shouldn’t feel like they have to give it up just because the guy treats them nicely. Women should do what’s best for themselves and their own pleasure. The way society views sex needs to change so that women can enjoy their sexuality fully.
Big Idea #3: Women have more opportunities than ever, but still aren’t being taught to take advantage of them.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a women’s movement fought for wives and daughters to have the right to vote. The suffragettes succeeded in this endeavor, but they also wanted their female descendants to be able to do more than just vote. In fact, women were fighting for many victories that would allow them to live fuller lives outside of the house.
Despite this, girls are still raised to be dependent on their mothers. While boys are encouraged to explore the world and become strong, girls are taught that they should stay close to their mothers. This prepares them for a life of dependence on men.
