DEFINITION Feminism or feminist theory is a range of political movements, ideologies, and social movements That share a common goal which is to define and advance political, economic, personal, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment.
Feminist Movements The history of the modern western feminist movements is divided into three "waves” Each wave dealt with different aspects of the same feminist issues. FIRST WAVE The first wave comprised women's suffrage movements of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, promoting women's right to vote.
2. SECOND WAVE The second wave was associated with the ideas and actions of the women's liberation movement beginning in the 1960s. The second wave campaigned for legal and social equality for women. 3. THIRD WAVE The third wave is a continuation of, and a reaction to, the perceived failures of second-wave feminism, beginning in the 1990s.
4 Basic Principles in Feminism 1. Working to increase equality: Feminist thought links ideas to action, insisting we should push for change toward gender equality and not just talk about it. 2. Expanding human choice: Feminists believe that both men and women should have the freedom to develop their human interests and talents, even if those interests and talents conflict with the status quo. For example, if a woman wants to be a mechanic, she should have the right and opportunity to do so.
3. Eliminating gender stratification: Feminists oppose laws and cultural norms that limit income, educational and job opportunities for women 4. Ending sexual violence and promoting sexual freedom: Feminists feel that women should have control over their sexuality and reproduction.
TYPES OF FEMINILISM Liberal Feminism - focuses on women’s ability to maintain their equality through their own actions and choices. They argue that society holds the false belief that women are, by nature, less intellectually and physically capable than men Social Feminism - focuses upon both the public and private spheres of a woman's life and argues that liberation can only be achieved by working to end both the economic and cultural sources of women's oppression. Radical Feminism - calls for a radical reordering of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts. They seek to abolish patriarchy by challenging the notion of traditional gender roles, opposing the sexual objectification of women, and raising public awareness about such issues as rape and violence against women.