Engaging with Research
Cite: Kimmel, Michael S. “Men’s Response to Feminism at the Turn of the Century.” Gender and Society, vol. 1, Sage Publications, Inc., 1987, pp. 261–283.
Define: There were several different types of responses from men when the feminism movement was growing. Some were antifeminist who were essentially against all of the things that women were fighting for (gender relations, childbearing, sexuality, etc.). Much of the response from anti-feminist men was to heavily reinforce traditional ideas of gender roles in society. Some weren’t against women having more power in the social sphere but were against them having control in private realms (masculinist response). Lastly, a small group of men were pro-feminism and agreed with what the women were fighting for.
Women’s colleges were on the rise so the idea of educated powerful women was also a scary thought to some. These colleges increased literacy, delayed marriage age, and ultimately created the idea of the New Woman (single, highly educated, and economically autonomous).
Men’s antisuffragist organizations began to arise (clear backlash to the feminist movement) and worked to increase the tension between the sexes. Some even tried to use the New Women’s education against them by “scientifically” citing how women’s civic equality is essentially unnatural. The masculinist response was more subtle than anti-feminists as they were willing to make change, but still keep a degree of power on the men’s side. Pro-feminists had an emphasis on the “modernity’s liberatory potential.”
Understand: The response to feminism from men at the turn of the century was mostly split into three groups: anti-feminists, masculinists, and pro-feminists. The response of each of these groups was distinct and manifested in different ways as women were beginning to grow more independent with the rise of women’s college and the idea of the New Woman. Anti-feminists were the most aggressive in their backlash as they formed anti-suffragist organizations to fight against the feminism movement. Masculinists weren’t completely against the movement, but they did want to retain some of the masculine power/control that they believe in more natural. Pro-feminists (the smallest group) believed in empowering these women through education and had a far more liberal stance than the other two groups.
Evaluate: This source is logical, substantial, and valid. It cites the main reasons why men were frightened of the feminism movement and what kind of responses they gave. It places an emphasis on what gender archetypes and roles were playing into the backlash which can easily tie into the paper I’m trying to write on Dracula. Overall, the focus on the man’s response is very interesting as it allows the reader to better understand why the backlash was so big at the turn of the century.
Distinguish: This source ties in well to the points I’m trying to make in my paper. It gives me information on why people were responding the way they did which gives me a greater context for why the author of Dracula decided to make certain character and plot choices within the novel. It enriches my idea and gives me a greater perspective. For example, the contrasting characterizations of Jonathan and the count begins to show what stance the author could have had feminism and what he was trying to say when he wrote his book.
Create: As previously stated, this source gives me a broader perspective on the feminism movement at the time and gives me a greater understanding of the reasoning behind some od the backlash. This gives me a lot more information to work with when it comes to analyzing certain characters and their role within the story.
