Stemming from the 19th and 20th centuries women movements have bought about tremendous changes within our society. Feminists during the old wave and second wave periods were noted for their achievements in gaining women enforceable rights in being treated equally as a man regarding social, physiological, economical, and political endeavors. In today society, feminist groups seek to broaden women’s self-awareness and challenge the opposing forces of traditional stereotypes. Social exigencies of feminism, post feminism, and domesticity are replacing traditional ways. These ways are now being termed as either being “new traditionalism” or “backlash” against feminism. Public outcries on these terms are taking high forum. Do you think feminism and domesticity should undergo change? Is our home being threatened by post-modern, post-feminist and domesticity change?
Culinary writer, Nigella Lucy Lawson stated that women today are living amongst oppress post-modern and post-feminist times. Many allies of Nigella Lawson identified her as being British’s most beautiful and exhilarating TV chef, newspaper and magazine columnist, devoted mother and domestic goddess. While others arguing that she is nothing more than a feminist devaluing domestic labor with her social expectation of post-feminism and cooking style. In Nigella Lawson’s book, “How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and The Art of Comfort Cooking”, she explored various ways people could utilize their personality instead of their culinary expertise while cooking. She emphasizes that baking serves to be a metaphor for the familiar warmth of the kitchen we fondly imagine as a mean of reclaiming our lost Eden. Furthermore, she continues that baking offers women (particularly, “the post-modern, post-feminist, over worked woman’) possibilities for playful performance: meaning the pleasures of feeling like “a domestic goddess, trailing nutmeggy fumes of baking in…[her] languorous wake’ (200, p.viii).
This paper will explore the reshaping of the problematic place of feminism and domesticity in women.
Femininity as I understand represents a female trait or characteristic. A feminist is a person who believes in the classic tenets and goals of feminism. Feminism represents doctrine-advocating women the same rights granted to men, as in political and economic status. The term post-feminism stems from feminism meaning people whom are submissive to the classic tenets and goals of feminism. Post-modern represents partial beliefs in modern living, style, and ideas. Post-feminist are critical of the classic tenet and goals of feminism but challenge the views and solutions of feminists.
Reflecting on Nigella Lawson’s conceptualization of the new traditionalism for women. She uses “How to Be a Domestic Goddess” as a tool in luring women into reclaiming their feminine pleasures while being an overworked housewife. She analyzes that the three components of post-feminism are derived from feminism, domesticity, and sociality, all for which she believe serve as necessary ingredients in women livelihood. Along with other feminists, Nigella views a traditional woman as being disconnected from and discontent of any kind of domestic engagements. Feminist depicts a traditional woman as being a non-working housewife who basically cooks meals, bakes, and cleans daily. However, time has bought fort drastic changes. The contemporary woman has taken high forum in ratifying housewifery responsibilities and duties.
Nowadays, women without femininity pleasures being intact are considered products of traditional first and second wave or “backlash against feminism”. Feminists believe that feminism has harmed women and society by de-emphasizing the importance of the traditional family. Feminists state that Nigella is an exotic culinary television host that utilizes her feminine characteristics to trap the minds of male opponents and others. Based on this information, they argue femininity does contribute to problematic association of sexual misconduct and fantasy illusions. Furthermore, they highly recommend that feminine pleasures involving sexual connation be excluded from family’s presence. Whilst they argues that Nigella’s femininity is sending families mix messages on lady-like manners Nigella on the other hand argues that feminine pleasures does in fact validate a woman security about oneself.
While her recipes are filled with shortcuts for the contemporary woman, Nigella holds the belief that that a woman should both indulges herself in passionately cooking and fantasy illusions. She believes a woman should not submit herself to the simple standard of beauty nor ignore her beauty. Clearly, Nigella’s aim in her book is to provide women with both the basic ingredients for reclaiming their beauty and refining their domestic housewife image into a domestic goddess image. A domestic goddess as she defends doesn’t require you to separate yourself from the family. It enhances your lost Eden by fulfilling your inner fantasies. It’s the traditional stereotypes she proclaimed that preventing women of this era from seizing their equality rights of feminine pleasures. Nigella highly recommends that the victimize woman of backlash should go back and reclaim her femininity characteristics, restoring their self-esteem and refine their image of being that domestic housewife into being a domestic goddess.
Along with feminism, post feminists reclaim domesticity as a powerful force of oppression. Feminists and post feminists both agree that finding a balance between work and family is a crucial issue for women. However, feminists think women need to shift their priorities from careers to their family while on the other hand, post-feminists think that women should revert to traditional gender roles. Post-feminists argue that, although women deserve the right to work and receive equal pay for their work, women are happier and more fulfilled at home. According to Nigella Lawson, feminists should recognize that the traditional gender roles are beneficial to both men and women. She claims that reforming feminism is not a revolt against the gender roles; it serves to be a balance in enhancing values and complements of the distinctions sexes. Nigella claims that the new type of post-feminist woman should bestow both domestic and tough elements at the same time. She claims that a contemporary housewife can work and still continue to be a passion cook, devoted wife and mother to her family. While the domesticity disputes continue, feminists argue that a woman place is at home, however, if she must work, she should accommodate her family in an exceptional means.
Distinctly, society today has a serious number of inequalities that women of all cultures are affected by. Our society will always presented conversional debates surrounding women housework, childcare, and cooking duties. Nigella claims domesticity stems from the refusal of the second –wave feminism’s views. Post-feminists along with Nigella agues that the contemporary fascination with downshifting and maintaining a balance work-life should be articulated in our society as being reforms of feminism and domesticity conditions. Nigella recognizes that we are not living amongst historical times but living in contemporary times therefore, we must consider the relative neglect of domesticity be abolish within our society. Nigella recognizes that women whom portray the overwork housewife role usually becomes a disconnected, discontented, bored and a neglected woman. She claims that refining domesticity serves to be shortcuts for women to utilize at home and work. Nigella believes that a woman should not only be socially inclined to her family but to others as well. She claims that being social active do promotes emotional stability. Feminists on the other hand suggest feminism and domesticity should not undergo any more reforms. They argue that families’ consumptions are in fact degrading from this reform. They claims that contemporary families today are not connected as the traditional families once were. Based on this information, feminists claim that the contemporary lifestyles do in fact impose threats to the family structure.
Traditional and contemporary lifestyles are different just as the feminist and post-feminist views are different, however, the problematic arena will always centered on post-feminism, post-modern, and domesticity reforms choices. Along with Nigella Lawson, I find that society is forever changing. Society as a whole must understand that change is never constant. Nothing will remain the same, not even traditional values concerning feminism and domesticity. People will always constitute changes in our society. Threats can only be made if we are vulnerable to them. Family ties are the strongest elements for tearing down weapons of post-feminist, post-modern, and domesticity threats. However, I believe homes that are weak to these threats are submissive products of historical conditions. Clearly, our families are what we structure them to be.

Cited Work
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