Feminism. Is it still relevant in 21st century Britain?

The Oxford Dictionary defines feminism as:

‘Advocacy of equality of the sexes and the establishment of the political, social, and economic rights of the female sex; the movement associated with this’

Therefore, what occurs when equality between the genders is already considered to be established by many politicians and lawmakers in the UK? Is feminism still needed in the eyes of the law, or does it now only cover societal issues?

Historically, feminism originated in the late 18th century Europe with groups throughout the Continent advocating for political and economic independence for women. The overall quality of life for women was poor, being seen as incompetent and second-class compared to their male peers. The lack of voting rights meant political freedom for women was far and their ability to democratically change their condition was impossible. Therefore, feminism was crucial to enhancing women's freedoms and liberties. When emerging, the idea that women were rational creatures was equivalent to saying pigs can fly. Feminist thinkers at the time opposed this and perfectly defined feminism. Mary Wollstonecraft stated, ‘I do not wish women to have power over men, but over themselves’. Which is what feminism is fundamentally about.

Over time, women were given more freedom. Notable acts include; the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 - allowing women to open bank accounts and apply for mortgages without male supervision, the Equal Pay Act 1970- which established equal pay for women and men when in the same roles, and the 1928 Equal Franchise Act which gave women the right to vote at the age of 21.

Which leads us to the modern day, where in the eyes of the law, women and men are finally equal.

Therefore, feminism has done its job, right?

Well, some would argue yes, women finally have their full independence from their husbands financially and socially (in the UK), and they have the right to choose who represents them in parliament, which suggests that equality has been achieved.

However, some would also argue that female issues extend a lot further than just equality within laws but also equality socially. Feminism can also refer to how women are treated by their peers in educational and professional environments, the equality of opportunities between genders and the overall safety of women in the UK.

Previously, in professional environments, men have been dominant with women staying home and taking on domestic duties. However, reforms regarding equality in industries for women occurred in the 20th century, such as The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, which also made it illegal to discriminate against a person due to their sex meant that employers could not hire candidates based on their sex. These reforms led to the employment rate of women rising by 21%. However, the lack of women in leadership roles has remained consistent.

Having women in leadership roles is crucial, as they represent the voices of other females within the company and contribute to creating a successful company or workplace.

Further, women in leadership roles offer individuals with equal talent, intellect and strength as their male peers to showcase their ideas and lead without being dismissed based on sex.

Further educationally, the lack of women in subjects such as STEM (Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Maths) is a massive problem in the UK. Out of all STEM majors, women only comprised 29.9% of undergraduates in 2020.

STEM subjects are the foundations of our society; women’s voices not being heard in fields like medicine leads to a lack of study in events such as childbirth leading to more emergencies than needed.

So, why are there fewer women in STEM subjects? Besides the fact that historically women have had less time to get involved in STEM subjects, a lack of awareness and inclusion in STEM subjects which are often seen as male-dominated, can be off-putting for young girls. Further, girls tend to be attracted to jobs based around helping people, such as education or nursing.

Overall, on a societal level, it is crucial that we show young women role models in STEM subjects such as Ada Lovelace, a computer scientist, or Marie Curie, the chemist, who show women that they too can make a change.

Overall, in the UK, society needs to adapt to bridge the gap in education and leadership roles between the genders.