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.
Patriarchy: A social system in which men hold primary power and dominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
Gender Roles: Societal expectations of behaviors, attitudes, and activities deemed appropriate for men and women.
Intersectionality: The interconnected nature of social categories such as race, gender, class, and sexuality, which create unique experiences of oppression and privilege for individuals based on their multiple identities.
Toxic Masculinity: The negative effects of traditional gender norms on men, including pressure to be unemotional, aggressive, and dominant.
Objectification: The reduction of a person (usually a woman) to a sexual object, characterized by a focus on their physical appearance rather than their thoughts, feelings, and capabilities.
Feminine Mystique: A phenomenon identified by Betty Friedan in her book of the same name, which describes the sense of dissatisfaction and lack of fulfillment experienced by many housewives in the 1950s and 1960s due to societal expectations and limited opportunities.
Gender Pay Gap: The difference in earnings between men and women in the workplace, reflecting systematic discrimination and the devaluation of women's work.
Rape Culture: A culture in which sexual violence is normalized and even condoned, seen in the objectification of women's bodies, victim-blaming, and slut-shaming.
Women's Suffrage: The movement for women's right to vote, which began in the late 19th century and culminated in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920.
Sexual Harassment: Unwanted advances or behaviors of a sexual nature, often experienced by women in the workplace, but can occur anywhere.
Liberal Feminism: Liberal feminism contends that gender inequality can be eliminated by removing legal and institutional barriers to equal opportunity and promoting individual rights and freedoms.
Radical Feminism: Radical feminism maintains that the root of gender inequality lies in patriarchy, a system of social organization in which men hold primary power, and the oppression of women can be undone through sexual liberation and a complete upheaval of patriarchal systems and structures.
Marxist Feminism: Marxist feminism argues that gender oppression is tied to capitalist economic structures and that true gender equality can only be achieved by overthrowing capitalism and implementing a socialist economy as females in the working class are doubly oppressed.
Intersectional Feminism: Intersectional feminism recognizes that gender inequalities intersect with other forms of oppression, such as class, race, sexuality, and others. It emphasizes the importance of addressing these various forms of discrimination simultaneously to achieve true gender equality.
Cultural Feminism: Cultural feminism views gender difference as a source of strength rather than oppression and celebrates feminine qualities that are traditionally devalued in patriarchal societies.
Ecofeminism: Ecofeminism emphasizes the interconnectedness of sexism, racism, environmental destruction, and the exploitation of nature and advocates for the incorporation of feminist principles in environmental policies and conservation efforts.
Black Feminism: Black feminism highlights the unique experiences of black women and emphasizes the intersection between racism, sexism, and classism, and how they all contribute to the subjugation of black women.
Womanism: Womanism is a feminist movement developed by and for women of color that emphasizes the importance of power dynamics and the role that cultural, historical, social, and economic circumstances play in shaping women's experiences.
Postmodern Feminism: Postmodern feminism critiques traditional feminist theories and approaches, challenging the notion that gender binaries exist and challenging the belief in objective truth.
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."