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."
The belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes, and movements and actions advocating for gender equality.
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.
Intersectionality: The interconnected nature of social categories such as race, class, and gender as they create multiple and overlapping systems of discrimination and disadvantage.
Sexism: Discrimination, prejudice, or stereotyping on the basis of sex or gender.
Femininity: Traditional social norms and expectations associated with being female.
Masculinity: Traditional social norms and expectations associated with being male.
Gender binary: The classification of sex and gender into two distinct and complementary categories, male and female.
Gender identity: One’s sense of being male, female, or non-binary.
Transgender rights: Advocacy and activism for the recognition and protection of the rights of transgender individuals.
Sexual orientation: One’s enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to men, women, both genders, or neither gender.
Sexuality: The way in which people experience and express themselves as sexual beings.
Abortion rights: The legal and social battle over women’s right to control their own reproductive health and access to safe and legal abortion.
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C): The practice of partially or totally removing the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons.
Sexual violence: Non-consensual sexual acts, including rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other forms of abuse.
#MeToo movement: A global movement against sexual harassment and assault, sparked by allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Wage gap: The difference in pay between men and women doing the same job, often exacerbated by factors such as race and sexual orientation.
Glass ceiling: The societal and cultural barriers that prevent women and other marginalized people from advancing to higher-level positions in their professions.
Reproductive justice: The idea that people have the right to control their own reproductive lives, including access to contraception, abortion, and other reproductive health services.
Women of color feminism: Feminism that specifically addresses the experiences of women of color and their unique struggles for justice and equality.
Eco-feminism: The interconnectedness of environmentalism and feminism, regarding the exploitation and destruction of the natural world as closely tied to patriarchal power structures.
Global feminism: The study and advocacy of gender equality and justice on a global scale, understanding how localized forms of feminism and activism feed into one another.
Liberal Feminism: Focuses on equal opportunity for women through institutional and legal reform. Advocates for women's inclusion in previously male-dominated fields and merit-based hiring practices.
Radical Feminism: Argues that patriarchy is the root of all gender oppression and advocates for the eradication of gender roles altogether. Criticizes traditional gender norms and the nuclear family.
Marxist Feminism: Argues that the exploitation of women is linked to the exploitation of the working class. Advocates for both economic and social justice for women, arguing that economic inequality is inherently related to gender inequality.
Black Feminism: Focuses on the intersecting challenges faced by black women due to race, gender, and class. Argues that mainstream feminism cannot fully address the experiences of women of color.
Intersectional Feminism: Focuses on the ways that different forms of oppression (such as racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, etc.) intersect and compound to create unique experiences of discrimination. Argues for a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which different forms of oppression interact.
Womanism: A form of feminism that is specifically centered on the experiences and liberation of Black women. Coined by writer Alice Walker, it is a term that calls for recognition of the contributions of women of color and their unique struggles.
Trans Feminism: Focuses on the experiences and needs of transgender women. Advocates for trans-inclusive policies and fights against transphobia.
Ecofeminism: Argues that the exploitation of women and the exploitation of the environment are inherently linked. Advocates for a holistic approach to environmental justice and women's liberation.
Postcolonial Feminism: Focuses on the experiences and oppression of women in formerly colonized countries, including the ways in which patriarchal and colonial structures interact.
Indigenous Feminism: Focuses on the experiences and oppression of Indigenous women. Advocates for a decolonized approach to feminism, centering the ways in which colonization has impacted Indigenous women's experiences.
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."