Feminism 101

THE CONCEPT OF FEMINISM

Feminism, a derivative from the word feminine, is a philosophical concept that is best described as a political, economic and/or economic movement which advocates for the attainment of equal rights for both men and women. It campaigns for gender equality by putting more emphasis on legal recognition of women’s rights and interests.

The history of feminism dates back to the late 1800s when women then, just like men, began acknowledging that they were entitled to directly contribute to running of the society in their own right. According to Maggie Humm and Rebecca Walker, its historical background has classified into three waves. The first feminist wave was in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. For instance, Katherine Hepburn spoke of the feminist movement in a 1942 film ‘Woman of the Year’. The second and third waves have existed between the 1960s and 1970s, and 1990s to date respectively. The first wave of feminism was the beginning of the heightened feminist activity during the 19th Century and early 20th century. It advocated for equal contractual terms and property rights for women and political rights, particularly women’s suffrage. The feminists in this wave were against chattel marriage. The second wave of feminism which occurred in the early 1960s to the late 1980s. Estelle Freedman, a leading scholar, compared the latter to first wave, concluding it was geared towards equality and ending discrimination.

Feminism led to the growth of literary works which as a result, has inspired transformation among societies triggered by an equality-based conscience. Simone de Beauvoir wrote The Second Sex which documented women’s oppression thereby forming the foundation for the campaign of women rights. Women have historically been considered as deviant and abnormal, wrote Simone. Also detailed is Christine de Pizan’s first attempt as a woman author to defend her sex in the 15th Century in her book Epitre au Dieu d’Armour (Epistle to the God of love). In 1963, feminist activities had begun reaching their peak. Consequently, Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique criticized the idea that women’s societal roles were primarily giving birth, rearing children and doing home-based chores. Her book was influentially regarded and ignited the contemporary feminist campaigns that strongly resisted the fact that a woman could only be identified with their husbands.

Feminism and the law are intertwined. The former is a legally driven approach to address issues affecting women in the contemporary society while still emphasizing on unity and order. The third wave of feminism began in the early 1990s to date. Liberal feminism is a philosophy associated with the attainment of gender equality through political and legal reform. It is heavily reliant on a woman’s action and choices to achieve equality through social interactions. They advocate for rights to reproductive and abortion, education, healthcare, affordable childcare and equal pay for work done. It also addresses sexual harassment and gender-based violence. This concept hypothesizes the formation of a just, fair and equal society and, the integration of every person into its transformation. Radical feminists believe that can free themselves from the bondage of an inherently oppressive patriarchal regime.

REFERENCES

GWA Net Central Asia. History and Theory of feminism. https://www.gender.cawater.info.net/knowledge_base/rubricator/feminism.e.html

Jone Johnson Lewis (August 05, 2019). Feminist Philosophy. www.thoughtco.com/feminist-philosophy-definition-3529935