Analysis Women's Rights Rhetoric

Analysis of Rhetoric in the women’s movement

Becky Swanson claims that "The public attention given to the contemporary women's movement in the past decade is due in part to the rhetorical developments within the movement." She labeled the movement to be incomplete rhetoric. Key elements of the rhetoric include the rhetoric of naming, building of community and underrepresentation of women. (Swanson)

The earliest stage of women’s movement was the women's "liberation" rhetoric. At this time there were strategies used to redefine women. The naming of the enemy, men, was key in the rhetorical development of the movement. A famous researcher 'hancock' argues that the characteristics of the enemy serve as the rhetorical criteria for a counter-definition of women. (Swanson)

The strategy of "total rejection of men and elevation of women" serves as a way to build community while searching for "affirmation by negation.” The women’s movement enabled women to develop and individual and collective identity as women and to understand the connection between individual and community.  The new finding of rights has a way of reflecting and building upon a sense of community weaved within the women’s movement. (Weisburg)

Swanson, Becky. From Small Group to Public View: Mainstreaming the Women's

Author: Sarah C.