Feminism: A Short Synopsis

What is feminism?

Feminism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. There are various types of feminism which are noted in the “Terms for Reference” page. Scholars often distinguish between various “waves” of feminism in America. Through these waves, feminism has been molded into the feminism we see today.

Waves of Feminism

The First Wave of feminism is commonly defined as the movement for women's right to vote. This started in the 1840’s with the Seneca Falls Convention where Elizabeth Stanton voiced desire for female enfranchisement and ended in 1920 with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment (Hewitt 2012). However, many women, especially white women, were still content to remain in the “women’s world” once their right to vote was won (Maclaran 2015).

The Second Wave was from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. A resurgence of focus on women’s rights occurred following the two World Wars and feminism became more concerned with the inclusion of women of color. They also became more aware of the “patriarchal market” and the effect of advertising on women (Maclaran 2015). Feminism became more vocal about the effects of the patriarchy on society and the degradation of women that America had become used to.

During the 1990’s, the Third Wave of feminism sought to find greater ideological fluidity in “feminism” and proclaimed that feminism was much more prominent than it had been in the past, “like fluoride in the water” (Snyder 2008). However, postfeminism took control soon into the early 2000’s, advocating for the idea that most women had all the same choices and freedom as men did (Maclaran 2015).

Modern American Feminism

Now, we are said to be in the Fourth Wave of feminism. With celebrities stressing feminist activism, such as Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, and Emma Watson, feminism’s stigma is lessening (Maclaran 2015). Because of social media, this wave of feminism has grown at an incredibly fast pace and has connected feminists all around the world who otherwise may never have met. It is also increasingly concerned with the very ideas of “femininity” and “masculinity”, leading feminists to often interact and collaborate with the LGBTQ+ community (Maclaran 2015). Modern American Feminism is still concerned with subjects of past waves but it has now evolved to be more inclusive as it continues to make use of the incredible power of technology.