I am woman, hear me ROAR

Today's feminists share the same goal with their early predecessors -- equality. But the changing roles of women in society have caused the goal of equality to evolve and include other important issues. \nThe passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 guaranteed women the right to vote. Afterward, feminism expressed not one particular goal, but an entire realm of possibilities. But a lot more work was required. \nAfter earning the right to vote, women began to realize their potential to change their lives, criminal justice and history professor Ellen Dwyer said. While a lot has been achieved in establishing equality between men and women, issues such as violence, sexual harassment, body image and reproductive rights remain pertinent.\nCurrent feminism topics such as the 30th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade and debates about women's roles at home and work are surging to the forefront because it is Women's History Month. \nMoving forward\nToday, feminism can carry various meanings, depending on the individual.\nThe Oxford American College Dictionary defines "feminism" as "the policy, practice or advocacy of political, economic, and social equality for women." Feminists say this definition is stale and stereotypical. Feminism encompasses men as well as women, both fighting for equality of the genders and races, according to the Feminist Majority Foundation, an organization dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health and non-violence.\n"Feminism has nothing to do with being male or female," said junior Rebecca Cushman, publicity coordinator for the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. The group endorses equality for women and educates about non-discrimination at IU. "It's about promoting equality."\nDuring her lecture in February at IU, legendary feminist Gloria Steinem said many people misunderstand the term "feminism". Still, one-third of women identify with the feminist movement, she said. \nThe goal of equality dates back to the movement's origins. \nThe first wave of feminism in the United States started in the mid-1800s and swept into the early 20th century, when women fought for the right to vote. A proposed constitutional amendment that would have granted women voting rights was introduced in every session of Congress from 1878 to 1919, but was defeated each time, according to the Feminist Majority Foundation. Finally in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right.\nThe second wave of feminism, sometimes referred to as "Women's Liberation," arose from the sexual revolution in the 1960s. This period of the movement fought for reproductive rights, especially birth control and abortion, as well as equality in the workplace and female representation in government. \nToday, women have more options than ever because of legislation passed in the 1960s and 1970s. Several organizations have been established to help women help themselves. \nAmong the first was the National Organization for Women, which is dedicated to achieving equal opportunities for women. Betty Friedan established NOW in 1966 and led the campaign for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which calls for absolute equality and non-discrimination, and has not been ratified.\nThe 1960s also delivered job and reproductive civil liberties. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited job discrimination on the basis of gender. Birth control became widely available. In 1973, the Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion. \n "Throughout history the standard of masculinity has bound men to have a strong desire to control women's bodies as a basic means of reproduction," Steinem said in her lecture at IU. "Any form of birth control was punished because men wanted to have the power over women."\nWomen can now choose when and if to have children. More women are going to college and working outside the home. At IU's eight campuses, 58 percent of students are female.\n"I think now women are more likely to reach out internationally to talk about human rights abuses in other countries," said graduate student Rebecca Bartlett, president of Campus for Choice. The group at IU educates students about reproductive rights issues, communicates with elected officials and works with other pro-choice organizations. \nWhile some feminists say they believe significant progress has been made in the past century, others remain dissatisfied. \n"There has been progress," Cushman said. "But people aren't really aware how inequality still exists between all types of people and groups, not just men and women."\nAre we on the road to progress?\nToday, a woman is expected to do everything -- work and be a wife and mother, Dwyer said. Some companies give women with young children an option to work a four-day week.\n"I'm curious whether that has negative implications for their careers in the long run," Dwyer said. "It's still not easy to both have a family and a career."\nThis new twist on women's roles is one of the results of the continuous evolution of the feminist movement. \n"Women are expected to be super-women," Cushman said. "A woman must pull double duty. There is a cultural lag. Household chores should become more evenly distributed."\nBut chores were less evenly distributed 40 years ago. In 1963, Betty Friedan's bestselling novel "The Feminine Mystique" argued women were seen as second-class citizens in their own homes. The book's thesis states women were victims of delusions and false values that urged them to find fulfillment and their identities vicariously through their husbands and children. \nFriedan was one of the first to make others aware of women's issues. Issues facing women today include body image, sex education and reproductive rights.\nModern women especially have trouble accepting their bodies. Society is concerned with body image -- magazines, TV and other media are littered with images of thin women who do not resemble most women in the United States. The average American woman wears a size 12, while women in the media tend to not wear clothes larger than size 8, according to the National Institutes of Health. \nIn a 1999 study in The Journal of the American Medical Association, 69 percent of 548 college-age women said magazine photos influence their idea of the perfect body shape. \n"Women are trying to be comfortable with their bodies," Bartlett said. "Young women still struggle with self-esteem."\nIn addition, the feminist movement is concerned with the lack of adequate sex education in high schools. Indiana's state law prescribes an abstinence-based curriculum, although each school system can teach other aspects of sex education. Monroe County Community School Corporation offers sex education at every grade level beginning in the fourth grade, said Jennifer Staab, drug and AIDS education director for MCCSC. \nWhile MCCSC tries to offer an all-inclusive curriculum, some people still doubt the adequacy of local sex education. \n"Schools need to allow women and men to be more educated about actions beside abstinence," Cushman said. \nAbortion is perhaps the most debated topic facing modern women. Campus groups like Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance and Campus for Choice inform the public about choices. \n"We want to control and shape our own destiny," Bartlett said. "Having control over our bodies and our decisions, especially when to have children, is important to us."\nBecause of the Roe vs. Wade decision, women can choose to have an abortion. About 1.5 million U.S. women with unwanted pregnancies choose abortion each year, according to Planned Parenthood Federation of America. But reproductive rights have recently come under attack: Indiana law now requires women to seek counseling at least 18 hours before an abortion. \nFeminism on campus\nCampus groups such as FMLA and Campus for Choice represent a growing number of women who take charge of their lives. The groups are concerned with reproductive rights, social and political equality, and celebrating women. \n"FMLA is an outlet for activism," Cushman said. "Through it I have become aware of issues facing women -- the struggle for reproductive rights, domestic violence and rape, sex education in schools, globalization and female genital mutilation."\nAnother group dedicated to supporting women through activism and education is the IU Women's Student Association. Through meetings, lectures and information sessions, WSA works to eliminate discrimination and oppression, including racism, sexism and ageism.\nAll three groups also promote safety and combat violence against women. Protest marches like "Take Back the Night" seek to raise awareness about brutality against women. One out of four women will be raped in her lifetime, according to event sponsors. \nOther events that promote an end to violence and sexual harassment include the annual V-Day College Campaign, a movement that raises money and awareness, to performances of "The Vagina Monologues." \nOverall, feminists are concerned with the state of society and ushering in progress.\n"A lot of the stereotypical sex roles are still maintained," Dwyer said. "At the level of daily life, feminism is a useful way of thinking about personal relationships"