Firstly, I would like to address feminism in a way which...
Feminism Isn't Actually for Women's Rights.
I am glad to take this debate. Thank you for the opportunity, and good luck. Firstly, I would like to address Firstly, I would like to address feminism in a way which is comprehensive, so I will begin with some opening arguments. (1) Feminism was a movement launched with the intent of ending stigmas women faced. (1a) During the great depression in America, women faced harsh gender biases when attempting to find work. Women who attempted to attain employment, economic success, or even self-dependence, were often accused of thievery and stealing opportunities from their male counterparts. According to the article, "Women And The Great Depression" by Susan Ware, ""Women who sought relief or paid employment risked public scorn or worse for supposedly taking jobs and money away from more deserving men." The previous quote does in fact prove that women faced stigmas exclusive to them, and thus those stigmas gave them difficulty when trying to find employment. This therefore proves the need for feminism. (1b) Feminism has accomplished many many things for the sake of women; ranging from reducing gender pay inequities, granting women the right to the suffrage, allowing them to wear clothes, participate in the entertainment industry, and even has allowed them to serve in government positions. According to an article by the History Network, "For almost 100 years, women (and men) had been fighting to win that right [suffrage]: They had made speeches, signed petitions, marched in parades and argued over and over again that women, like men, deserved all of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship." Again, this is evidence that feminism, a movement which was initiated to advocate for the escalation of women's statuses in society to be equal to men's, does in fact benefit women. (1c) The very definition of feminism is also proof that feminism operates predominately in the interest of women who face gender stigmas, however, it does also operate in favor of both: "1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes 2 : organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests" Sources Cited: (1a) https://www.gilderlehrman.org... (1b) http://www.history.com... (1c) http://www.merriam-webster.com... I think that this is an appropriate size/length for an opening argument, I will therefore hand the floor over to my opponent.