While feminism's primary emphasis has historically been on a woman's role in the world and the need for a drastic change in our movement toward equality, feminism today does not present such a simple and unified message. Feminist scholars vary drastically in the arguments they make about feminism from to what extent it is prevalent, what its causes are, and what should be studied and emphasized to improve women as a group within society. But because women are such a broad group as a whole, individual experiences of sex, race, and class ultimately affect particular feminist scholars in their area of study. For while Melanie Maltry and Kristin Tucker's article "Female Fem(me)ininities: New Articulations in Queer Gender Identities and Subversion" focuses on the restricted historical endorsement and political legitimization of the masculinized lesbian, Audre Lorde's article "Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference" focuses on the roles certain characteristics in life place on differentiating women's experiences and needs. Meanwhile, Iris Marion Young's article "Throwing Like a Girl" centers on feminine body behavior and its implications. This paper will first look at these arguments individually, and will then compare and contrast the articles in order to assess to what extent each author's argument are in line with the broad and generalized goal of feminist; to create a society in which women are equal to men. Through analysis, this paper will ultimately show that authors' personal background and biases seem to dominate their study, rather than their commonality as women.
             In their article, Melanie Maltry and Kristin Tucker examine the roles femme and butch lesbians have within their community, and how femme lesbians have historically been ignored both by the gay community and the straight community. It is important to note that this article was written in 2002. The fact that it wasn't written long ago gives it more cred...