Still Needing the F Word: A Summary on the Article by Anna Quindlen

Still Needing The F Word: A Summary on the Article by Anna Quindlen

According to a 2003 op-ed, pre-feminism stands boldly from the campuses of two east coast universities to the governor’s office of California. In “Still Needing The F Word” author Anna Quindlen introduces the primitive ideology of social and political inequality within America’s borders. Specifically, Quindlen addresses the unaccomplished strives of feminism.

Data from a Duke University study depicted young women as socially insecure in the view of their male counterparts. In one instance these women intended to display physical perfection. On the contrary, they felt a need to limit intellectual exposure to achieve male approval. One student went as far as to shift her focus from academics in poetry to the need to be popular.

At Princeton University the study drifted from the students to the faculty. Compared to men, women employed in the sciences felt unsatisfied in their career. One concern was that the ratio of faculty was tilted in favor of the men. Precisely, fourteen percent of the staff were women. Another female injustice was executed through verbal misconduct. The men would repeatedly focus topics of discussion on gender issues.

An example of pre-feminism within political fields involved Arnold Schwarzenegger. Anna Quindlen explained how Schwarzenegger allegedly sexually violated sixteen women. He then went to defend his actions as unobjectionable. To Quindlen’s surprise, these allegations were irrelevant to the voters as he quickly became governor.

The article concludes with the slight progression from a women’s role as a housewife to occupations in both education and government. However, In Anna Quindlen’s eyes America still hasn’t reached social inequality based on studies revolving females within both sides of academics and also governmental office. She believes pre-feminism boldly stands within walls of America.