VI.

Impact of Feminist Thought

Feminist thinking has succeeded in drawing public attention to inequality between women and men and to the structures within society that belittle and work against women. It has led to a reconsideration of women’s role in the workplace, resulting in policies that promote equal pay and equal opportunities. And it has identified and tackled the problem of sexual harassment at work. Feminism has also succeeded in challenging perceptions of women’s skills, with the result that some women are entering nontraditional areas of female employment such as the construction industry.

Feminism has influenced culture, resulting in greater coverage of women’s interests and concerns, particularly by the mass media. Feminist thinking has adapted and diversified to tackle new issues, including AIDS (see Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease Syndrome), homophobia (prejudice against homosexuals), technology, and warfare. Some feminists have combined feminist ideas with pacifist and environmental ideologies to condemn nuclear weapons and criticize new technologies. These include reproductive technologies (see In vitro fertilization) and surrogate motherhood, which are regarded as means by which men exert control over women’s bodies.

Feminist thinking has had a powerful influence upon many academic disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, psychology, literary criticism, history, theology, and the sciences. Feminist scholars are undertaking research that draws attention to neglected female concerns, and they are exposing the patriarchal assumptions that underlie traditional approaches to scholarship.