Is this really the 21st century where all humans – no matter which sex or color – are treated as equals?

The good old sexist agenda is still with us – just in a different disguise – especially in the Presidential Elections in the US.

It’s seems like that an odd mutation of feminism, religion and sexism has created new barriers for women …

The Right to Vote

Let’s have a look back. It’s just over hundred years since modern democracies granted women the right to vote – thanks to the first modern feminist the Suffragette movement. New Zealand was first nation to grant woman the right to vote in1893, the US granted these rights in 1920 and Britain 1918. Kuwait allowed woman the vote in 2005 – and we are still waiting for Saudi Arabia to arrive in the 19th century. (more info here)

First Wave Feminism: Give us the vote – damn it!

First Wave Feminism – finally the modern times begin

This so called First Wave Feminism did the toughest work on our long way to equal rights – it was a time when the Age of Enlightenment had already ended and slavery was abolished in most countries. But woman were still treated badly in so called modern (industrial) societies.

This first wave ended around 1920’s with the establishment of new laws and rights for woman in most of these modern countries.

The second wave of feminism started around the 1960’s – but I think it’s a big mistake to ignore the greatest transformers for women’s right in the 20th century: the first and second world war.

“I am not just pretty! I can build bombs and planes – and even drive tanks and fight the evil guys!”

The World Wars and Feminism

Wars are often big moments of transformation for societies. The new kind of industrial wars killed millions of soldiers and civilians – especially men. Therefore there was a shortage of workers in the factories, civil services and even in the military.

Before the mass slaughter of young guys all societies were to rigid and old fashioned to consider woman as soldiers or workers in factories. But especially during WWII there was no alternative to women: nations like Britain, Soviet Russia and the US needed female power to win against the (real) Axis of Evil.

Soviet Russia even had woman in combat units – something the British and Americans tried to avoid, but couldn’t avoid.

After the war there was no turning back to the good old days: women had proven they were able and willing to work and fight just as hard as men.

After 1945 most societies (apart from the communist ones) tried to forget the “special needs” during the great war – and return to the classical family setup. It was an age of nostalgia, good old family values and the old gender roles … at least that was the consensus of the war generation …

Second Wave Feminism: We are not Cattle! We are no products! We are human beings!

Second Wave Feminism – time to say Goodbye to Bras and Stereotypes

The next wave of feminism was part of a broader change: it was not just women’s rights that were pushed ahead (in the western world), but almost all civil liberties. Rights for women, rights for different races, rights for different sexual orientations.

People like McKinsey and other researchers started to demystify many old taboos. It was a riot for all sides – but progress was unstoppable.

Social sciences finally attacked old ideas and misconceptions how humans really work – instead of “old wisdom” like women or black people were less intelligent than the great white male.

Second Wave Feminism: Burning the old equipment was necessary to make space for the Wonder Bra for a better squeeze.

Suddenly completely new subcultures appeared on the radar of ordinary societies and the spectrum of lifestyles and role models increased immensely.

Modern mass media reflected the change: introducing new heroes and more sexuality in their programs. This started the odd trend of an almost frigid feminism on one side (sex was considered a tool of male domination) and a new oversexed society without taboos on the other.

But back to the basics: This was mostly a rich countries revolution: most of Asia, Africa and most of all the Middle East remained untouched.

Even the changes in the western world was mostly only relevant for the lower ranks of society and not very deep. Most money and power was still in the hands of males. The female vote rarely lifted women into power or made women rich entrepreneurs.

There was one more important change during these days: the old big family slowly disappeared and the smaller version established itself as the “dominant form of breeding”.

Third Wave Feminism: Cool, violent, sexy. Power Babes and Riot Grrrls.

Third Wave Feminism – the Attack of the sexy and rutheless PowerBabes!

Already in the 1980’s the next wave started to ripple through western societies. It was no longer that “dry” kind of feminism that was easy to spot – it was rather a rather hedonistic, but nevertheless serious breed of women. Sexist and hedonistic in their own way, less political correct and more power hungry than before.

And they actually didn’t care that much about the old feminism, instead these were “girls who just wanted to have fun” and a keen drive to advancing in society.

There are several important factors at work:

By now several generations of women had used and established themselves in all parts of society. It was no longer odd or strange to see women in all positions. There was hardly a taboo to break, so a new form of “normality” was established.

Third Wave Feminism: Girls just wanna have fun!

New divorce and abortion laws gave women more power over their bodies and made them less dependent on male support after a breakup.

The final points are great pay for woman and the rise of the Singles Society. Still women don’t get equal pay – even today, but the difference grew smaller and therefore women could really afford “their own lifes”.

And finally the development of the Singles Society. Urban areas became the playground for a new and independent breed of citizens: so called Singles (or better say Serial Monogamizers – jumping from one relationship to the next) or DINKS (Double Income No Kids).

The classical small family shrank even further – less and less women opted for kids or simply became single parents.

It was the birth of the super mom: she has a job, she has a serious career and she has kids. But she does it all by herself.

Modern Media Slutism: We sell our meat, because we want to – not because we are forced to do it.

The new Slutism

One more trends needs to be mentioned as well: a transformed form of female sexuality and prostitution. Women had always used their sexuality – or better say the males desire for female flesh – to transform sex into power and money.

Especially modern mass media allowed a totally new form of media Slutism: Marilyn Monroe is one of the best remembered earliest forms of this “style”.

But thanks to the third wave female Sexism and abusing it was no longer a taboo – it was considered the right thing to do. You got Boobs Babe – use them to advance yourself!

In combination  with mass media, the sexual revolution and the Internet the new Slutism is a mass phenomena. Already young girls instruct themselves in the art of Slutism – and many female superstar like Paris Hilton are proof that it simply works.

But it is more than just advancing through pornography: women like Madonna and Angelina Jolie are respected and adored for they sexiness.

A “respectable” women today can pose for playboy and PETA – and is still taken seriously. Society today can cope with much more female variety.

This can go to some extraordinary extremes: several porn stars ran for office here in Europe. Porn, popularity and politics no longer exclude each other.

Today: “Me good wife, me breed a lot and I am rich!”

Positions of Power

Women have always been in positions of power like Queen Elizabeth, Cleopatra or Catherine the Great. But they were rather rare political creatues.

Today in Europe females are becoming the norm in politics and other top positions. Many Nordic countries had female several Prime Ministers, Britain had Baroness Thatcher and Germany is currently governed by Frau Bundeskanzler Merkel. Canada already had a female Prime Minister Kim Campbell in 1993!

So what about the US?

Although women like Condoleezza Rice, Madleine Albright and Hillary Clinton walked the corridors of power – a woman on top seems to deeply scare America.

The reemergence of religion in the US has helped to enforce old values and fears. So called “small town values” seem to favor only traditional women – and not progressive ones.

Most of all: women have to be good breeders before they are allowed to serve (just like men have to prove they are fertile and able). Biology still seems necessary to prove that you are a good politician.

“Ok Mom – you had your shot. I’ll try again in twenty years, you can speak at my inauguration.”

It seems not enough to be a good (female) politician. Being a women in American politics still seems to be a disadvantage and is questionable by default.

Nobody questioned if Maggie Thatcher or Angelika Merkel were fit for office just because they are women. And they got elected without any endless discussions about sexism.

But there is also an odd reversal effect to this: Sexism also can be used as a shield to deflect serious political questions. Supporter of Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton both have used the sexist card in that context. Plus the pundits, parties and mass media have created exactly that kind of “hysteria” that is associated with women – and is so shamefully old fashioned.

Sarah Palin combines almost all the elements: she is sexy, she is a successful breeder, she is rutheless and she is religious. Too bad she is not even half the smart ass and experienced politician Hillary Clinton is.

Sarah Palin is exactly NOT the kind of women – or better say person – that should govern anything. But  at least she proves the point that woman can be equally incompetent and idiotic.

So America: you are still ahead of Saudi Arabia when it comes to women’s rights – but hardly #1 in that respect. When will you grow up beyond your old fashioned and often religious mental blocks and elect the best person for the job?