Is Your Mother’s Feminism Dead?

The results of a two-year landmark study entitled Progress & Perils: New Agenda for Women, released by the Center for the Advancement of Women, reveal a striking change in women’s attitudes and opinions on matters traditionally important to women. The findings strongly indicate that issues such as domestic violence are a much higher priority than abortion. In addition, the majority of women believe the U.S. continues to need a strong women’s movement to push for changes that benefit women.

“Women are making a powerful statement when personal safety tops their list of priorities on which to focus a women’s movement,” said Faye Wattleton, president, Center for the Advancement of Women. “The study results clearly indicate a new agenda for women — one that is more personal to their day to day lives and one that improves the way society treats women.”

While 8 in 10 women agree that the women’s movement has yielded positive results, almost two-thirds believe that there’s more work to be done. Additionally, 6 in 10 women say that there is a need for some form of a revitalized movement to push for changes that will benefit women.

The study, is the result of two national random surveys of more than 3,300 women, and was conducted over two years by Princeton Survey Research Associates. It documents women’s views about the women’s movement, feminism, their priorities and opinions on key policy issues, motherhood, relationships and work. It is the latest research being compiled by the Center for the Advancement of Women, a not-for-profit institution dedicated to research-based education and advocacy for women.

Today’s Feminism: Not Dead, Just Different

The study results indicate that feminism is far from dead and that the potential is strong for a re-vitalized women’s movement. A majority of women say that being a feminist is an important part of their identity, with minority women identifying with even more so with this term. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of African American women report that being a feminist is an important part of who they are, followed by 66% of Hispanic women, and 50% of non-minority women. Minority women are also more likely than non-minority women to feel strongly that our country needs a strong movement to benefit women (63% of African American, 68% of Hispanic and 41% of non-minority).

Surprising New Priorities for Women

Progress & Perils: New Agenda for Women revealed that women of the 21st century have surprising new priorities that a women’s movement should focus on, with 92% saying that reducing domestic violence and sexual assault is a top priority. Ninety percent (90%) cite equal pay as a top concern. Child care ranked third, with 85% of survey participants citing it as a top priority and improving women’s healthcare was close behind, at 83%.

Abortion was not considered a high priority. Only 41% of women surveyed identified keeping abortion legal as a top priority. Of greater importance to women is the ability to take time off to care for family (74%), reducing drug & alcohol addiction (72%), reducing sexual harassment (71%) and increasing women’s study of math, science, and technology (66%). More than 6 in 10 women also cited improving the lives of women outside the U.S. (64%) and getting more women elected in the U.S. (61%) as top priorities compared to just 4 in 10 who choose keeping abortion legal.

Increase Support for Abortion Restrictions

In addition, the study confirmed an increase in the number of women supporting severe restrictions on abortion. Fifty-one percent (51%) support abortion only in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the woman, or not at all.

“We have now a generation of women who, from the time they reached child-bearing age, have not lived without the option of legal abortion,” added Wattleton. “While women today express a high tolerance for restrictions on abortion, they also believe – by a 2 to 1 margin — that the Supreme Court will not overturn Roe v. Wade, despite predictions of a near-term vacancy.”

Men, Marriage, and Motherhood

The study looked closely at issues of motherhood, marriage and women’s relationships with men. Today’s woman believes you can have it all, ninety-one percent (91%) agree that you can have a successful career and be a good mother. Seventy-two percent (72%) of the women disagree that the experience of motherhood is necessary to having a complete life; 69% of
mothers themselves also disagree.

“Views on motherhood are interesting and contradict conventional wisdom. More than seven out of ten women feel that motherhood is not necessary to have a complete life, this is not a repudiation of motherhood. Women today believe
they have options in their lives beyond procreation,” says Wattleton. “At the same time, however, women still celebrate motherhood — 33%, a plurality, identify their own mother as the one woman they admire most.”

Three out of four women say it is important to their own identity to be married or be in a committed relationship. Sixty-six percent (66%) say they want a man in their lives for companionship; sixty-five percent (65%) say to give them love and affection; sixty-four percent (64%) say to have a family. However, significantly lower percentages want a man for physical protection (34%), financial support (26%), for demanding household work (28%), or for making household decisions (22%).

With regard to gender roles in a marriage, 62% believe in both partners working and sharing childcare responsibilities, while only 30% would prefer a marriage where the man is a provider and the woman is the homemaker.

Women and Political Action

In terms of domestic political activity, more than 4 in 10 (42%) women say they have voted for candidates because of their position on women’s issues. Smaller numbers of women say they have ever done the following: given money to an organization concerned with women’s rights (26%); contacted a public official expressing their views on women’s rights (19%); joined an organization concerned with women’s issues (11%); or taken any action on behalf of the rights of women in other countries (9%).

Concern for Women Abroad

While women are clearly aware of the plight of women in other countries, American women are divided over their country’s responsibility to help. Forty-seven (47%) percent think that the United States should use its influence to help women in other countries while 46% believe that our country should not get involved.

“The Center’s goal in conducting this research was to talk to a broad representative sample of women of different backgrounds and characteristics,” noted Wattleton. “Putting forth women’s views about the women’s movement, feminism, their priorities and opinions on key policy issues is essential to raising public awareness and activism.”

For more information at http://www.advancewomen.org