Quote: "Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes."
This subfield is about studying social movements and activism that fights for gender equality and social justice.
Patriarchy: The social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
Gender: Refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.
Intersectionality: A framework for understanding how different forms of oppression (such as racism, sexism, ableism, etc.) intersect and combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and inequality.
Privilege: Unearned advantages or benefits that some groups of people have based on their social identities, such as their race, gender, sexuality, or class.
Body autonomy: The right of individuals to have control over their own bodies and make decisions about their own health and reproductive choices.
Rape culture: A term used to describe a society that normalizes, excuses, and even promotes sexual violence and harassment.
Sexual harassment: Unwanted sexual advances or behavior that makes someone feel uncomfortable, intimidated, or unsafe.
Trans rights: The fight for the rights and protections of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.
Reproductive justice: A movement advocating for the right for individuals to access safe, legal, and affordable reproductive health care.
Equality: The belief that all individuals are deserving of equal rights, treatment, and opportunities regardless of their gender, race, sexuality, or other social identity.
Feminist history: The study of the history of the feminist movement and its impact on society.
Female representation in media: The examination of the portrayal of women in media, and the impact this has on gender roles and perceptions.
Toxic masculinity: The harmful and restrictive societal expectations placed on men in regards to stoicism, aggression, and dominance.
Workplace discrimination: The unequal treatment of individuals in the workplace based on their gender, race, sexuality, or other social identity.
Male allyship: The role of men in advocating for and supporting feminist causes and actively working to dismantle systems of oppression.
Body positivity: The celebration of all bodies and the rejection of societal standards of beauty that only celebrate certain body types.
Gender identity: An individual's internal sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with the sex assigned to them at birth.
History of reproductive rights: The study of the fight for reproductive rights, including access to contraception and abortion.
Objectification: The reduction of a person (usually a woman) to a mere object or sexualized commodity.
Activism and advocacy: Strategies and actions used to create change and promote women's rights and gender equality.
Radical Feminism: This perspective views patriarchy as the root of gender inequality, and advocates for fundamental structural changes in society, including the elimination of gender itself.
Liberal Feminism: This perspective focuses on securing equal rights and opportunities for women within the existing structures of society, including political and economic systems.
Intersectional Feminism: This perspective considers the complex ways in which different forms of oppression (such as gender, race, class, sexuality, and ability) interact and intersect, and seeks to address these multiple forms of inequality simultaneously.
Eco-Feminism: This perspective highlights the interconnectedness between the oppression of women and the degradation of the environment, and seeks to address both simultaneously.
Marxist Feminism: This perspective frames gender inequality as a product of capitalist economic systems, and seeks to end both gender and class oppression through a radical restructuring of society.
Social Feminism: This perspective advocates for government intervention and policies to address gender inequality, including universal healthcare, childcare, family leave policies, and equal pay laws.
Third Wave Feminism: This perspective emerged in the 1990s and focuses on issues such as diversity, intersectionality, and identity politics. It emphasizes individual choice and agency, and seeks to bridge the gaps between different feminist perspectives.
Post-Feminism: This perspective advocates for the end of feminism as a political movement, suggesting that gender equality has already been achieved and that women no longer need to fight for their rights.
Quote: "Feminism holds the position that societies prioritize the male point of view and that women are treated unjustly in these societies."
Quote: "Efforts to change this include fighting against gender stereotypes and improving educational, professional, and interpersonal opportunities and outcomes for women."
Quote: "Originating in late 18th-century Europe, feminist movements have campaigned and continue to campaign for women's rights..."
Quote: "campaigning for women's rights, including the right to vote, run for public office, work, earn equal pay, own property, receive education, enter contracts, have equal rights within marriage, and maternity leave."
Quote: "Feminists have also worked to ensure access to contraception, legal abortions, and social integration and to protect women and girls from sexual assault, sexual harassment, and domestic violence."
Quote: "Many scholars consider feminist campaigns to be a main force behind major historical societal changes for women's rights, particularly in the West."
Quote: "Feminist theory, which emerged from feminist movements, aims to understand the nature of gender inequality by examining women's social roles and lived experiences."
Quote: "together liberal, socialist, and radical feminism are sometimes called the 'Big Three' schools of feminist thought."
Quote: "Since the late 20th century, many newer forms of feminism have emerged."
Quote: "Some forms, such as white feminism, have been criticized as taking into account only white, middle class, college-educated, heterosexual, or cisgender perspectives."
Quote: "such as black feminism and intersectional feminism."
Quote: "Some feminists have argued that feminism often promotes misandry and the elevation of women's interests above men's."
Quote: "...some feminists argue for the inclusion of men's liberation within its aims, because they believe that men are also harmed by traditional gender roles."
Quote: "near-universally credited with achieving women's suffrage, gender-neutral language, reproductive rights for women, and the right to enter into contracts and own property."
Quote: "first-wave liberal feminism, which sought political and legal equality through reforms within a liberal democratic framework, was contrasted with labour-based proletarian women's movements that over time developed into socialist and Marxist feminism based on class struggle theory."
Quote: "calls for a radical reordering of society to eliminate male supremacy."
Quote: "criticize radical feminist positions as harmful to both men and women."
Quote: "mainly focused on women's rights."
Quote: "feminist theorists have developed theories in a variety of disciplines in order to respond to issues concerning gender."