Feminism

                                                                    FEMINISM

Historical Development

The term 'feminism' originated in France in the 1880s, combining 'femme' (woman) with 'ism' (political position). The core belief of feminism is that all people, women and men, are politically, socially, and economically equal.

The Four Waves of Feminism

First Wave (19th Century - 1920): Focused on women's suffrage and legal rights. It opposed the ownership of married women by their husbands and sought equal property rights. Key figure was Mary Wollstonecraft with A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792). The wave ended when women achieved voting rights in 1919.

Second Wave (1960s - 1990s): Emerged during civil rights movements, focusing on sexual and reproductive rights, equal pay, and workplace equality. Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex (1949) was the foundational text. Two major schools emerged: Radical Feminism (slogan: "Personal is Political") and Socialist Feminism (blamed capitalism and patriarchy).

Third Wave (1990s - 2010s): Began with Rebecca Walker's article "Becoming the Third Wave" (1992). Most inclusive wave, addressing race, class, and transgender rights. It responded to criticism that second wave only addressed white, upper-class women's issues.

Fourth Wave (2010s - Present): Focuses on sexual harassment, campus rape, and workplace discrimination using social media and technology. The #MeToo movement is a prominent example. However, it faces criticism for inherent classism as only privileged sections have access to digital platforms.