Feminism can bedefined as the belief in which the political, social, and economic arenas shouldwithstand equality of sexes. Activist Feminism is the activity aimedtowards ending sexism and patriarchy, in support of women’s rights. In EFR, “TwoSpeeches” written by Sojourner Truth would represent activist feminism. She wasa free slave who was not afraid of the criticism, yet one of the few activistsof her time fighting for the equal treatment of women, although illiterate. Asshe presented this speech at the 1851 Ohio Women’s Rights Convention, her strengthand endurance to bring passion to the issue at hand paved the way through thecrowds of many men and women who was in attendance.During her speech, SojournerTruth emphasized the points of abolition (slavery) and women’s rightsmovements. She discussed how slavery was starting to diminish, and how blackwomen should be entitled to the same fundamental rights as a free black man.
Inher two speeches, she made comparisons of women to men, both mentally andphysically which served as a warning to the audience of her logic behind herideology. She expressed that she cannot read, but can hear (Truth 64). Thismeant that although through the challenges of not having an education, she wasstill aware of the unfair treatment happening at the time, and was willing tobe a part of the change. It is she that stated, “Ihave been forty years a slave and forty years free and would be forty yearsmore to have equal rights for all” (Truth 65). This meaning that she hasalready experienced the worse throughout her time, hinting that it can only getbetter from this convention.
Truth explained what she believed in (equality forall) with commencement that she is to be taken seriously. She argues that Godwas the one who makes “him,” yet it was to be sure that a woman is the one whobore “him.” Adding onto this, she throws gabs at the audience (full of men) byasking the question, “Man, where is your part?” (Truth 64). This is her determinationto question society as a whole leaning for the equal rights of men and women. IntellectualFeminism focus’ on the study of what is happening to women and investing and assessingthe situations. The piece that took a stand with literate information andknowledge was “Letters on the Equality of the Sexes” by Sarah Grimké. Expressedin her writings, Sarah was educated and knew what she was talking about. In aletter to her sister, she was responding to Catherine Beecher’s Defense of the subordinateroles women had and there sexually exploitation to society.
The idea that womenhad to abide by their “appropriate sphere” (Grimké 48) is what she focused herpiece of writing on, in hopes of demolishing this concept. Instead, she arguedthat God is the one who made sexes equal, but the presence of men is whocreated the inferiority complex between the two. With thedepth of knowledge Sarah Grimkéwithheld, she insisted that women were given the same rights, privileges, andduties as men. This would also include standing a chance at having full participationin education, choice of work, religion, and politics (Grimké 49-51). Opening upthe case for the convention regarding women’s equality, she demonstrated greatpassion and radicalizing her work, representing great intellectual feminism.