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The Women's Movement

Decent Essays

ransitioning away from the overview of the women’s movement, it is important to look at the women separately from the movement in a more general fashion. Are these women receiving any benefits from the meaningful Westernized gratitude? The significance of this comes from the Western approach of what a woman is and how Japanese women are determined to embody these characteristics and styles to fit into this standard. Clothing and beauty are two momentous ways of seeing how the West has been an essential part of Japanese women. The western style of clothing entered Japan around the 1850’s and was first adopted by Japanese men in the military. The traditional clothing soon became outdated and only used for traditional ceremonies while shirts, …show more content…

It is tough to say seeing as how they have both inspired Japanese women and the Japanese women’s movement different. In relation to Japanese women, it can be argued that the influence has been negative. It has forced Japanese women to stir away from their traditional culture which would highlight the beauty of a geisha woman and her talents to entertain and now focus on how her clothing and facial appearance mostly emulates a western beauty conception. On the other hand, the influences that have help shape the women’s movement has clearly made positive adjustments to Japanese society. There are universities that teach men and women equally and women are higher to receive a higher education than a man. Women’s rights in Japan have greatly changed, with women being able to vote in 1954, birth control as an alternative and social leagues for women to keep pushing for reforms in the modern day. American feminism and Japanese “feminism” differ on ideals, goals, and their structure. Mitsu Tanaka, a leading women of the women’s liberation movement in the early 1970’s says that in Japan, “it was not about winning equal rights with men. It instead addressed the fundamental repressed role that women were forced to play, and called for liberation from their sex.” (Ito) Tanaka also denies the fact that the overall movement was generated from the West. Being a feminist in Japan has been viewed in an unflattering light, …show more content…

Without these influences, there is great speculation as to how the women and the movement would be today. Education and the status of women have positively impacted the movement in creating further progressive reforms by and for the sake of women. Education for women over time slow adjusted to the needs of society and is now easily available for both men and women alike. The “first feminist” of Japan were able to creates social and political advancements for women based of their journey out west. The relationships they made with American feminist are pivotal to their efforts made in Japan. Even though some people in society do not see the impact that the west has made in Japan, it is noted that these works did form after it was created in the West. The visual appearance of influence has been seen with Japanese women. Clothing, body image, and beauty are all fast pace additions that are still changing in today’s society. As the West changes, the influence it will have all over the world, specifically in Japan, will also change. This theme goes hand in hand with each other and will still have power for years to

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