Feminism

Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies, largely motivated by or concerning the experiences of women, especially in terms of their social, political, and economic situation. As a social movement, feminism largely focuses on limiting or eradicating gender inequality and promoting women's rights, interests, and issues in society.

Feminism in many forms

Some forms of feminist theory question basic assumptions about gender, gender difference, and sexuality, including the category of "woman" itself as a holistic concept, further some are interested in questioning the male/female binary completely (offering instead a multiplicity of genders). Other forms of feminist theory take for granted the concept of "woman" and provide specific analyses and critiques of gender inequality, and most feminist social movements promote women's rights, interests, and issues. Feminism is not a single ideology. Over-time several sub-types of feminist ideology have developed. Early feminists and primary feminist movements are often called the first-wave feminists, and feminists after about 1960 the second-wave feminists. More recently, a new generation of feminists have started third-wave feminism. Whether this will be a lasting evolution remains to be seen as the second-wave has by no means ended nor has it ceded to the third-wave feminists.

Related Topics:
Gender - Inequality - Right - First-wave feminists - 1960 - Second-wave feminists - Third-wave feminism

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Moreover, some commentators have asserted that the silent majority of modern feminists have more in common ideologically with the first-wave feminists than the second-wave. For example, many of the ideas arising from Radical feminism and Gender feminism (prominent second-wave movements) have yet to gain traction within the broader community and outside of Gender Studies departments within the academy.

Related Topics:
Radical feminism - Gender feminism

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For example, Radical feminism argues that there exists an oppressive patriarchy that is the root cause of the most serious social problems. Violence and oppression of women, because they are women, is more fundamental than oppressions related to class, ethnicity, religion, etc. Radical feminisms have been very vocal and active in influencing attitudes and state-wide school curriculum standards. Thus, it is not unusual for feminism to be equated with the ideas proposed by Radical feminism. Some find that the prioritization of oppression and the universalization of the idea of "Woman," which was part of traditional Radical feminist thinking, too generic, and that women in other countries would never experience the same experience of being "woman" than women in Western countries did.

Related Topics:
Radical feminism - Patriarchy

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Some radical feminists advocate separatism—a complete separation of male and female in society and culture—while others question not only the relationship between men and women, but the very meaning of "man" and "woman" as well (see Queer theory). Some argue that gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are themselves social constructs (see also heteronormativity). For these feminists, feminism is a primary means to human liberation (i.e., the liberation of men as well as women, and men and women from other social problems).

Related Topics:
Separatism - Queer theory - Gender role - Gender identity - Social constructs - Heteronormativity

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Other feminists believe that there may be social problems separate from or prior to patriarchy (e.g., racism or class divisions); they see feminism as one movement of liberation among many, each affecting the others.

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• Egalitarian forms:
• equity feminism
• individualist feminism (also known as libertarian feminism) ** liberal feminism
• Gynocentric forms:
• cultural feminism
• gender feminism
• pop feminism
• radical feminism
• Belief in oppression by patriarchy:
• anarcha-feminism
• French feminism
• radical feminism
• Belief in oppression by capitalism:
• Marxist feminism
• socialist feminism
• Differences are solely cultural, not biological:
• Amazon feminism
• psychoanalytic feminism
• Segregationalist:
• lesbian feminism (Lesbian separatism)
• separatist feminism
• African-American
• Black Feminism
• Womanism
• non-Western:
• third-world feminism
• post-colonial feminism
• pro-sex feminism (also known as sexually liberal feminism, sex-positive feminism)

Subtypes of feminism

• Amazon feminism
• Anarcha-Feminism
• Anti-racist feminism
• cultural feminism
• ecofeminism
• equity feminism
• existentialist feminism
• French feminism
• gender feminism
• individualist feminism (also known as libertarian feminism)
• lesbian feminism
• liberal feminism
• male feminism or men's feminism
• Marxist feminism (also known as socialist feminism)
• material feminism
• pop feminism
• post-colonial feminism
• postmodern feminism which includes queer theory
• pro-sex feminism (also known as sexually liberal feminism, sex-positive feminism)
• psychoanalytic feminism
• radical feminism
• separatist feminism
• socialist feminism
• spiritual feminism
• standpoint feminism
• third-world feminism
• transnational feminism
• transfeminism
• womanism
• Certain actions, approaches and people can also be described as proto-feminist or post-feminist.

Although many leaders of feminism have been women, not all feminists are women. Some feminists argue that men should not take positions of leadership in the movement, because men, having been socialized to aggressively seek positions of power or direct the agendas within a leadership hierarchy, would apply this tendency to feminist organizations; or that women, having been socialized to defer to men, would be hindered in developing or expressing their own self-leadership in working too closely with men. However, most feminists do accept and seek the support of men. Compare pro-feminist, humanism, masculism, masculinism®.

Related Topics:
Pro-feminist - Humanism - Masculism - Masculinism

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