Feminism and Feminist are two words that have to be distinguished sufficiently to understand their corresponding meanings better. Feminism refers to the various movements aimed at defending equal social and economic rights for women. It also consists in establishing equal opportunities for women.
On the other hand, the word ‘feminist’ refers to a person whose beliefs and behavior are based on feminism. This is the main difference between the two terms, namely, feminism and feminist. It is important to know that feminism concentrates primarily on issues surrounding women.
Feminism speaks about gender equality. On the other hand, a feminist is the one who supports gender equality. He can be a male as well but still supports gender equality and bats for women rights. The activities of a feminist are called as feminist activities. A serious feminist is called by the word ‘feminist activist’.
The feminist activists usually conduct campaigns for women’s rights. A feminist speaks and writes about various aspects concerning the rights of women connected with inheritance to property, power and voting. Some of the sensitive topics that are usually dealt by feminism include bodily integrity and reproductive rights.
A feminist, on the other hand, opposes anything that is detrimental to the societal growth of women. A feminist speaks or writes against sexual harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence. Workplace rights are another important area of debate when it comes to the activities of a feminist.
In fact, it can be said that feminism has its own views on workplace rights. The feminist activists would say that women should enjoy the same benefits and rights at workplaces that men enjoy and experience. Another area of activity of feminism is the pay for women in workplaces. A feminist for that matter would press the issue of equal pay and equal career opportunities for women when it comes to placement in various capacities.
Cultural feminism is an important aspect of feminism in the sense that it stresses the need to encourage women too when it comes to performance of arts and fine arts. According to a feminist, women should have a greater role to play in the cultural advancement of a country or a nation.
Religion too is looked upon in the women’s perspective. It results in what is called as religious feminism. In other words feminist theology is the field that studies the scriptures and religious texts from a feminist perspective. The same is true in the case of practices, customs, traditions and theologies. The role of women in practices, customs and traditions is proved beyond doubt by the feminists.
Feminists also strive hard to increase the role of women among clergy and religious authorities. This is done only after interpreting the dominance of males among clergy and religious authorities. The place of a woman is studied in terms of motherhood and her career in feminism. A feminist speaks also about the images of women in various established religious sacred texts.