Randi+Steiner+RP+Post+1

I am leaning towards writing a position paper because I think my topic will lend itself well to argument. I am planning on researching the topic of modern feminism, which many people, both men and women alike, do not see necessary. In the paper I want to educate on the importance of modern feminism, while refuting claims that women are equal with men. The position paper allows the analysis of both sides of an argument and displays the author's opinion in a valid and educational form. The argument must be based on facts, but is ultimately caused by differing opinions within the audience.
 * I. Presentation of research findings**

Who is the modern feminist? __Why is feminism important in today's society?__ What is the purpose feminism? Why aren't men and women treated as equals?
 * II. The pursuit of new knowledge**

I know my position on this topic is clear overall, but becomes fuzzy in the details. I don't know a lot of hard facts on the topic, but I am aware of the everyday struggle women face as a result of our patriarchal society. In the 20th century, feminism was about the right to vote and equal opportunities for women in the workforce. Now, the social component of feminism is becoming far more prominent. Legally, men and women are considered equal, but it is easy to see that men are far more powerful than women in society. More than 90% of Fortune 500 companies' CEOs are men, and it's no secret that America has never had a female president. Feminism in today's society advocates for men and women to have equal power, which requires the social barriers that prevent women from acting as leaders and possessing leadership qualities to be broken.
 * III. Background & early knowledge**

Early findings: The five main issues that feminists are currently focusing on are the division of domestic labor, the media, the glass ceiling, social inequality, and violence against women. Feminist beliefs about prostitution and porn tend to be in a gray area, rather than the black and white areas that include issues such as rape.

In the past few years, as I have begun to spend more time on the internet, I have read hundreds of articles, stories, and opinions that have educated me about modern feminism. As I have grown older, I have seen both my friends and myself have experiences that caused me to increase my concern with women's rights. When looking for a topic to research, I realized that was passionate about and interested in feminism. Yesterday, when I told my father that I wanted to write my research paper about feminism, he said, "Why do people need feminism? Women have the exact same rights as men, can't they just be happy with that?". In that moment, I realized that I had to write about why women need feminism, now more than ever, and expose closed minds to the reality that men and women are far from equal. I replied to my dad, "Women get paid 77 cents for every dollar a man gets paid," and he said that I was wrong, and left the room.
 * IV. The rationale**

This paper could go in many different directions. I see it very likely that I will end up focusing on just one of the current feminist issues, rather than trying to cover everything. Giving details and strong supports for a single issue may end up being more effective than providing a little bit of information about all five of modern feminists' concerns.