The term “feminism” has been used in common parlance for more than a century. Irrespective of age, gender, or race, this term is used in both holy and unholy arguments.
But what is the true meaning of this F-word? This article aims to break down the term, bust a few myths, introduce the waves and branches of feminism, and explain why fighting for gender equality is still relevant today.
Let’s begin with a definition and debunk the popular myth that feminism is women’s rights. Feminism is the advocacy of social equality for the sexes, in opposition to patriarchy and sexism (quoting J. J. Macionis). At its core, feminism is about the equality of men and women. One of the popular misguided arguments is that women are not the “same” as men, so there can’t be equality. Due to different body types- often shamed as “weaker” and smaller- and varying physical capabilities, some argue that gender equality is not possible. It’s critical to understand that “same” does not mean “equal.” Men and women don’t have to be the “same” in physicality to have the right to equality
The issue here is about equal rights and equal access to opportunities. Feminism advocates for a society where everyone, irrespective of identity, is free from discrimination, by dismantling underlying oppressive social structures (such as patriarchy) through empowering marginalised voices and advocating for equitable access to resources. Feminist theory is an extension of feminism into theoretical or philosophical fields. It encompasses work in various disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, economics, women’s studies, literary criticism, art history, psychoanalysis and philosophy. It manifests in a variety of disciplines such as feminist geography, feminist history and feminist literary criticism.
Feminist theory aims to understand gender inequality and focuses on gender politics, power relations and sexuality. It explores themes such as discrimination, stereotyping, objectification (especially sexual objectification), oppression and patriarchy. The terms “feminism” and “feminist” gained widespread use from the1970s and can be broadly summarised through three waves. However, the feminist movement was already in the public parlance much earlier; for instance, Katherine Hepburn speaks of the “feminist movement” in the 1942 film Woman of the Year.
The history of feminism can be generally divided into three waves. The first wave refers mainly to women’s suffrage movements of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the United States and the United Kingdom (mainly concerned with women’s right to vote). The second wave refers to the ideas and actions associated with the women’s liberation movement beginning in the 1960s (which campaigned for legal and social rights for women) and lasted through the late 1980s. The slogan “The Personal is Political” coined by feminist activist and author Carol Hanisch, became synonymous with the second wave. Third-wave feminism began in the early 1990s, arising as a response to perceived failures of the second wave and also as a response to the backlash against initiatives and movements created by the second wave. Central to third-wave ideology is a post-structuralist interpretation of gender and sexuality, which challenges dominant masculinist views of knowledge by using strategies of opposition, resistance, and deconstruction. It employs post-structural concepts of language, subjectivity, social organisation, and power to understand why women tolerate social relations that subordinate their interests to those of a masculinist culture.
Post-feminism describes a range of viewpoints reacting to feminism. They believe that women have achieved the goals of the second wave while being critical of the goals of the third wave. One of the earliest uses of the term was in Susan Bolotin’s 1982 article “Voices of the Post-Feminist Generation,” which was based on a number of interviews with women who largely agreed with the goals of feminism, but did not identify as feminists. Meanwhile, French feminism is distinguished by its philosophical and literary approach. Its writings tend to be effusive and metaphorical, less concerned with political doctrine, and generally focused on theories of “the body.”
Several feminist ideologies have developed over the years. Socialist feminism connects the oppression of women to Marxist ideas about exploitation, oppression and labour. Socialist feminists believe that unequal standing in both the workplace and the domestic sphere holds women down and see the oppression of women as part of a larger pattern that affects everyone involved in the capitalist system. Radical feminists consider the male-controlled capitalist hierarchy as the defining feature of women’s oppression. They see no alternatives other than the total uprooting and reconstruction of society to achieve their goals. Liberal feminism asserts the equality of men and women through political and legal reform. It believes in women’s ability to demonstrate and maintain their equality through their own actions and choices, asserting that change can happen without altering the structure of society. Other feminist sub-movements include anarcha (anarchist feminism), black feminism, postcolonial feminism, post-structural feminism and ecofeminism.
How is feminism relevant today?
It’s not uncommon these days to hear: “What is the point of feminism in 2024? Haven’t we already achieved gender inclusivity and equality?” Feminism remains relevant because it opposes pervasive injustices and violence in daily life, recognising that while such injustices manifest across socio-spatial demographics, they are deeply influenced by gender. Feminist approaches reveal how disparities result from cultural conservatism, entrenched patriarchy, gender blindness and stereotypes. By exposing and challenging these oppressive systems, feminism seeks to dismantle rigid gender roles, improving the visibility and understanding of gender disparities.
Over the years, feminism has grown into a diverse movement of plurality beyond any single ideology. At its core, being a feminist means opposing oppression and supporting equitable policies for all individuals to pursue their aspirations free from discrimination and violence.
So, whom do you identify as?
Edited by Yatin
Design by Vasuki
Article 19 