I believe a liberated woman to be a woman who accepts her flaws and loves herself divinely. One free from social constructs and who is mentally and sexually free to be herself. Free to makes her own choices and build a life for herself not as a extension but as a whole Additionally being a  liberated woman can  refer to a proclaimed feminist that advocates and protests for equality for women. The 1960s were full of  waves of “liberated” women who fought the oppression of sexism in culture and in our  politics they  tried to free women from the  expectations of what women are forced to be expected to do inside and outside the home. Additionally i feel like a liberated woman is someone who feels free to choose to have  sex before marriage and pursue a career. If she wanted without over thinking or worrying about being ostracized  and without worrying about other people, since other people should mind their own business and let the woman do whatever she wants; except breaking the law, the liberated women continue to break molds and social constraints they are important for women’s liberation and continue to be the simplest most absolute form of rebellion against the patriarchy. It is political when women decide to not take part in their oppression by fitting themselves into what a woman should be by society’s standard.Woman are so dismissed and dehumanized that we are not even seen as people that there are articles and papers about women and orgasms as if they have never asked a woman about it in their life. Men making decisions and discussions and absolute statements about women’s anatomy and rights over their body. Their place in society and their position as a human being. In my personal opinion the liberated woman is one who does not take orders from men or is not afraid to take up space and be who they are regardless of the risks societal and otherwise. The liberated woman seeks to love and free herself and all women from oppression. In a patriarchal world that oftentimes feels like it seeks to destroy women it feels radical to just exist and express oneself in their entirety. To seek understanding from one another and support one another is revolutionary in some aspects. That’s just my take on it. I especially enjoyed the article about the politics of housework and how it is explained that women get shit work and are expected to hold things down but are rarely given recognition. I appreciated this week’s reading.

I agree with Mainardi about women’s liberation and liberated women being different. I had never viewed it in that light before. However, I’ve noticed a lot of discussion about women’s liberation. Or, as we say nowadays, split it 50/50. Many women believe that you should never go half with a man. I never understood it before, but I now agree. Nothing will ever truly be 50/50. Especially when it comes to having children. We are the ones who are carrying the child. We must tend to it. Countless nights must be spent with the baby and many exhausting days while the man is at work. Our bodies change. It can take weeks, maybe even months, for our bodies to heal. Despite this, there is a lot for us to do after we give birth. I once saw a video on Tik Tok of a man caring for his child while his wife recovered from childbirth. He took time off from work and let her sleep in. When the baby cried, he got up. And he made every effort to be there for his wife and the baby. When asked why he explained that it was because he had never gone through what she had to go through during those 9 months or those many hours in the delivery room. He thought it was the least he could do. He realized that while he was there every step of the way, it was nothing compared to having to go through it all. To be honest, I’ve noticed that when it comes to dividing everything up, it almost always comes down to the women doing more work. Not to mention that a lot of guys don’t know how to cook or clean, so you’ll just have more work to do. Mainardi mentions how men will do the chore incorrectly, and then you’ll have to help them. Also, sometimes you’ll have to show them how to do it over and over again. I think this is because they were not forced to do these things as children, so they will be uninterested in starting now. That is why, in my opinion, I will never do 50/50 with a man. Especially if I’m going to be living with him.

In “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm,” Koedt discusses the lack of knowledge about female anatomy. When it comes to female pleasure, it’s always geared to benefit men. I believe that if men took the time to learn about our bodies, women would be satisfied sexually. In sex education, boys and girls were frequently separated. However, they would continue to teach girls about male anatomy, though it is not always the same for boys. Some men have no idea where the clitoris is. This article shows the importance of teaching men about the female body.

Women’s liberation means a movement that counterattacks sexual discrimination and obtains all rights in education, vocation, and social rights equal to men’s. Women continue the fight to be able to recognize to be capable and qualified without hesitation. The simple thought behind the reluctance of capability is the emotional factor that women supposedly have that doesn’t allow them to think logically but emotionally.
In the reading “The Feminine Mystic” by Betty Friedan, Betty talks about the women post World War 2. At this time, their true dream was to be perfect wives and mothers. What fulfilled these women was through housework, marriage, and child-rearing alone. It was assumed that women didn’t care for high education or work. They allowed men to take on the more critical decisions. Also, when the census came around in the occupation slot, they would write proudly “housewife,” which is revolting because I cannot imagine myself being at home taking care of all the household chores and raising children being the perfect wife. Betty speaks about the problem that has no name, “This is all?” the realization that there has to be more than just being a housewife. Realizing there was more was a turning point in feminism. Channeling your feminism helps you prevail from the thought that you have a stopping point. You can express yourself one way by your wife or mother’s duties. Women are still represented as secondary that men don’t acknowledge or give respect to women. There is still a lot of work to be done in this aspect. I face moments when my voice isn’t heard, even if I scream it out in my work setting. My boss doesn’t make it easier either because she sees more potential in male employees than women. Her thought behind her hiring process is that I stated at the beginning of my writing: women are more emotional, and she doesn’t want to deal with the presumable drama.

The similarity between “The Feminine Mystic” and “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” is that both readings address male dominance. There is so much that can be said when we speak up. Settling with what is given to us is losing the gift of going beyond what you thought was enough. Women’s liberation is essential so they can see themselves differently. Witnessing women in social-economic roles or even political is a significant statement because this gives young girls or women, in general, to be seen as more than just house wife that can bear children. Transforming mainstream society can help the change.

The politics of housework dives into how women are forced into doing housework and Men could care less about putting in their part. duty. Pat Minardi explains how men will say anything to not share the housework, like you do it better than me or when women finally ask for help Men will say I will do on my own time. Men seem annoyed when women feel that housework should be a two-person job.   Women can work a full-time job and at the same time must get home to a lengthy list of things to do while men just worry about themselves and their needs. Men tend to downplay a woman’s job especially maintaining their home. 

A liberated woman knows what she wants and there are no gender roles in the household. To be a liberated woman is to know when you need help and if you want to clean your home alone then it is a choice and not an obligation. Being a liberated woman is knowing that you can to what your heart desires and chose your own path. 

The Myth of the vaginal Orgasm sets another example about women and how our minds are connected to our bodies. Women must feel or be attracted to men and when they are not, they are belittled and mentally abused. The fact that men result to women being insane for not having feelings towards them is beyond me. It also explains the mis information that was spread women’s bodies and how men are not at fault when it comes to woman’s orgasm. It was Freud theory that was problematic because he believed it was up to the woman to transfer the orgasms to the center of the vagina. The vagina is actually not sensitive at all it is only the ciltoris. He lacked evidence and was never really challenged for his thoeries back then because well he is a man who knows best (sense the sarcasm). A woman’s body is very complex and orgasms come in many different forms. Men have always found an excuse to blme women in my opinion. they have never taken the time to actually know women and our bodies.

When reading “The Politics of Housework” by Mainardi, Pat being a liberated woman means women represent and freed herself society gives as a label man during the 60s. My understanding as to being a liberated woman they refer to a feminist who pushes for more equality for women. In the 1960s there were many women who fought against sexism in culture and policies and they want to change the expectation of what women should be outside of the household and inside the household. According to the reading, Mainardi has had examples of the stereotypes of women back in the 1960s, women had to be housewives and do much housework, especially taking care of the kids while men had to go out and work. They were often imaged as stay-at-home moms who were often dependent on men, in the reading, Mainardi stated “Man’s accomplished have always depended on getting help from other people, mostly women. What great man would have accomplished what he did if he had to do his own housework?” This quote explains that men are not only dependent on their wives for housework but their mothers too. This is the reason why liberated women are important to society because there the ones that want a chance to end sexism in society and for women to not only work as housewives but also work whether it’s in the office or in politics. The important part of women’s liberation is to make a change and destroy the stereotypes society put for women such as being in the kitchen all day, only wearing dresses, being dependent on a man, etc. In another reading called, “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” another example that shows that liberated women are important and show the personal is political if women aren’t sexually attractive to males men will end up gaslighting them or slut shaming or mentally abusing them so they can be sexually attracted to males. In one of the readings, Anne explains that Freud’s recommended cure for women who were frigid was to put them in psychiatric care or another word was to put them in a mental hospital because they were “suffering” and failed her role as a natural woman. This can be based on personal is politics because when a woman breaks the role as being a woman, society believes that it is a mental illness and needs to be cured so they can get back to their original role as a female.

During the 1960s Pat Mainardi wrote “The Politics of Housework” which address the misconception of gender during her time and her view on why patriarchal system continued. From the article my understanding of liberated women is a woman who has freed herself from labels that society had put upon women to justify men’s actions. A liberated women is a representation of all the oppression and prejudice women have faces especially during the 60s. Women often have this image of a stay-at-home spouse that must do everything in the house such as cook, clean, and even take care of the men in the house. Pat Mainardi states” man’s accomplishments have always depended on getting help from other people, mostly women “which is true because many males depend on their mothers, sisters, and wives. Liberated women are important for women’s liberation because they make the movement, they set change, without those women we would not know what is needed to change the stereotype people have on women. It is a learning experience, but I believe as time goes by, we make more of a change when the women who have been liberated can be part of the women’s liberation. These two pieces of articles show that “the personal is political” because in both articles women are being spoken about the need they have in intimacy and in their relationship and household. “The personal is political” is a phrase use during the 1960s and 1970s to express to any power relations not just government or elective officials. This is shown in the articles when women must compromise to either fake an organism to not hurt their partners feelings or when they have wanted to slip the house chores with their partner but must show them how to do these things but end up doing it themselves because it would faster than having their partner do it. Political for this reason because it will either be discussed to decide or have it expected of them because of society. Overall, both articles speak on topics many do not have knowledge about but must be talked about because it is part of women liberation history. 

The liberated woman is a woman that is not chained to her kitchen cubicle. A liberated woman controls her own destiny. A liberated woman is empowered and refuses to participate in acts of stereotypical servitude . She refuses to depend on the security of others. The liberated woman liberates other woman. The liberated woman does not hold all men accountable for the subjugation some woman willingly take part in. The liberated woman does not preach about woman empowerment while simultaneously knocking them down . A liberated woman pushes for woman’s equality and does not waiver her on her morals.

The liberated woman is vital to the woman’s liberation as an example of triumph. The liberated woman would be something for other females to strive for which would spread attention and gain support to the movement as well. A liberated woman free from social biases would shatter societal standards and push the boundaries that once prevented the female gender from reaching their full potential. It is only by becoming a shining example that could bring about such a change. Only by having large numbers of support does the world take oppression seriously .

“The Politics of House work” demonstrates that something simple as doing chores as something demeaning to woman, something they are supposed to be doing because they are woman . The traditional ways woman are looked at in society are the same even within the privacy of her home. Though i can empathize with her frustrations this piece should really be called, “Men leave the seat up! , the movie”. Their are some parts that are downright ridiculous and rather disrespectful at times. For example

“Man’s accomplishments have always depended on getting help from other
people, mostly woman.

Nikola tesla’s inventions , Michelangelo’s Sistine chapel , geometry, man discovered the constellations. I was with her in the first half until it turned into a man bashing piece as it usually does. Another point was her wording of “All men “. As in

“In a sense, all men everywhere are slightly schizoid-divorced from the reality
of maintaining life. This makes it easier for them to play games with it”.

She doesn’t know all men and the men she thinks she knows is portrayed like an idiot caveman correctional officer. That neither knows how to debate or be in a relationship with another person . This example i guess it fits perfectly with her narrative of implementing her personal experiences as facts.

After reading “The Politics of Housework” by Pat Mainardi and “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” by Anne Koedt, I thing I might define a liberated woman as a woman who has freed herself of the strictures and labels that society has placed upon women. A woman defines her own wants and needs and does not subscribe to the oppressive notions thrust upon her. A liberated woman not only has autonomy of her body and actions ( be they day to day or larger aims of life and career) but actively seeks to define herself.

A liberated woman, in pushing against society’s mandates to shape herself, can forge new paths and set a new example of what is possible. Even if she herself does not seek to liberate other women, she illuminates aspects of life for others that they had perhaps never considered, allowing them to follow or fight for the liberation of others. She can challenge or question norms and custom just by existing in opposition to them. And enough women united in challenging the status quo can together inspire a movement.

There are few problems we face that are unique to our circumstance. Almost any trouble we have can be linked to a larger societal issue. In the examples of “The Politics of Housework” and “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” show how personal circumstances of housework and the female orgasm relate to larger societal issues. In the case of housework, the tendency of women in heterosexual relationships to be responsible for housework is to say that women are deserving of this menial work, or that men are above it. It is something we universally recognize as undesirable, and the fact that housework is unending only adds insult to injury. But this personal issue of delineating housework in a relationship echoes society’s pattern of placing men on top. Men are consistently put ahead of women in promotions and leadership roles. Just as women are not seen as equals in the boardroom, they are not seen as equals in home. And those views play off of each other. How can you view a woman as equal to a man outside of the home but not in it. In the delegation of undesirable work, no one should be considered above it based on their sex. Similarly, a woman’s sexual pleasure is frequently secondary to that of a man. The idea that a woman should put a man’s desires above her own, be it alleviating him of housework to allow him his own pursuits or putting a man’s sexual needs before her own. And society has done an amazing job of gaslighting women to help maintain this line. I think the fact that we have stigmatized female desire speaks greatly to this in a addition to Koedt’s points of the medical establishment concocting explanations for female frigidity. A sexually liberated woman is synonymous with “slut” to some people. We have shamed women for there sexuality as a means to keep them oppressed. Again, this personal issue of prioritizing the male orgasm echoes society’s need to put men first.

This week you read two pieces that were written in 1970. In “The Politics of Housework” Pat Mainardi makes a distinction between the Liberated Woman and Women’s Liberation. In “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” Anne Koedt calls for a reexamination of women’s sexual pleasure. (Note: these pieces were written in 1970, and “women” means “cisgender heterosexual women” in this context.)

• What do you understand the liberated woman to be?
• How might the liberated woman be important for women’s liberation?
• How do these pieces show that “the personal is political”?

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