Feminism : A Social Movement

Early feminism was typically focused only on white women, likely because racism was still extremely prominent at the time feminism began emerging. It was not until Kimberlé Crenshaw introduced the term “intersectionality” in 1989 that feminism started to look at oppressed group’s needs (Nash, 2008, 2). Intersectionality is a way of thinking that acknowledges that when a person has identities that belong to more than one oppressed group, it impacts their quality of life more negatively. In this paper, I will argue that intersectionality is important in the discussion of feminist theories and activism because it ensures that feminism is for all women, not just a select group of them. Intersectionality has changed the way the feminist movement handles the overlapping of different identities, which has helped feminist theorists understand the experiences of women of colour much more clearly. While intersectionality has a very important role in the conversation and practice of feminism, there are certainly critiques of the concept that should be brought up. These critiques, however, can offer a way to improve the study of intersectionality.

The feminist movement has been developing its method of solving social and economical issues in three consecutive waves, from the end of the 19th century till present. Each stage had its benchmarks and significant shifts in the treatment of women - from viewing them as objects and commodity to perceiving them as citizens in full rights and creators of their own destiny. Gradually, together with the growth of self-consciousness and demand for more rights and freedoms, suffragists and later feminists managed to secure more legal precedents and norms manifesting and consolidating their achievements, including the right to vote, to own property and participate in public life.

The 1960s was a time of great challenges and changes for our nation. One movement that caused a lot of change was the Youth movement, which altered our views of the Cold War and changed our everyday lives. The Feminist movement was/is a long hard path, they won many rights, but lost many too. The Feminist movement has been a very difficult, but it got a big push during the Civil Right movement. During the 1960s, there was great confusion due to the Civil Right movement, the Cold War, and changing of laws and lives.

Feminism is the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. In history, there have been several large acts of feminism that were needed for women's’ equality. The first major wave of feminism came around 1848, when the Seneca Falls convention took place and many women from around the United States went to discuss women’s rights. The outcome of the convention gave women ten new resolutions, while only one of them failed to pass, which was the women’s rights to vote. Seventy-two years after the Seneca Falls convention, another movement for feminism came into play, which was The Women’s Suffrage Movement. The Women’s Suffrage Movement started because while many of the American men who went to battle in world war one,

Feminism was once a movement understood to focus on the rights of women. Feminism today involves a countless range of other human right affairs aiming to defend a state of equality and legal protection for men, women, and everyone in between. Throughout American history feminism has been associated with negative, false images that devour the efforts of activist who strive to bring justice to widely ignored issues. The theory of feminism has existed since the nineteenth century and has since evolved over generations to fit modern society, yet the label “feminist” continues to bring up controversy and criticism. Feminism has a stigma attached to it brought on by opposition and misconceptions which make it difficult to be taken seriously.

The feminist movement came to fruition during the early 20th century. Over all, the push for women 's suffrage and rights was strong, but further enhanced by leaders like Alice Paul and Jane Addams. The idea of equal rights for all was further scrutinized and contested after civil rights were granted to former slaves. Women began to push for similar equality as illustrated through the feminist movement.

On January 21, 2017, the biggest U.S. protest in history occurred with marches from New York to Los Angeles and everywhere in between resulting in an estimated 4.2 million marchers (Frostenson 1,2). Why are they even marching? Bystanders have made their opinions on the marches known by slander and crude remarks of disapproval. They believe the marches are pointless and a waste of time with no possible outcome. The mind set for the marchers is much different filled with broad goals and aspirations. Marching and protesting shows they want to be heard by the people who are close minded and by those who don’t support the ideology of feminism. Feminism is for all; a fight for the equality of all genders, races, religions, and sexualities with the

One of the scariest things I see time and time again is how so many women didn’t even realize how unfairly they were being treated. It was only after being reached by social movements or reading books, like The Feminine Mystique, that they realize their treatment is unfair. That fact really illustrates how an entire half of the population can be oppressed even when they hold so much social power.

For the most part, it is the movement for social, political, and economic equality for all people, both for men and women (Feminist.com)

“Bitch (feminist magazine) manages to give full-time and part-time employees – all of whom are women – healthcare, maternity leave, and the “Bitch minimum wage” of $15 an hour, “If Bitch can do it, why can’t you?” –Falks. Women in today 's modern society are facing inequality at their jobs. Precisely like unequal pay, sexual harassment, and terrible maternity leaves. They work the same job and get paid incredibly less than their male co-workers. Although it may take years, women deserve to have full equal rights as men.

Feminism is very debatable because some issues that still need to be addressed in the world. The term feminism means the support of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social and economic quality of men. Each and everyday there are smaller number, and nations that limit the rights to the role of a woman in such as features and characteristics. Feminist group's beliefs are that men are being misrepresented in the social world. To this day a lot of feminist groups still fight to let people hear their voice and be heard all at once.

“The history of feminism is the sequential records of the movements and principles aimed at equal rights for women. While feminists around the world have differed in causes, goals, and intentions depending on time, culture, and country, most Western feminist historians assert that all movements that work to obtain women's rights should be considered feminist movements, even when they did not (or do not) apply the term to themselves.” As a result, Feminist movement was successfully moving forward, If religion, culture norms, men or gender equality did not take control over the feminist dream, the feminist movement's ambition for the right of women worldwide would succeed. (Wikipedia)

Throughout history, America has often distinguished men as primary leaders who have the utmost dominance. Whether it is the political, economical, or social status of a person, men have persistently controlled –with few rights given to women. For centuries, women were treated as their husband’s property; they did not have legal rights of any kind when it came to money and did not have management over their earnings (History-World). With men being the superior power, women had less access to employment, property ownership, and medical care –and as recent as the 1960’s women were expected to devote their life to being a housewife (History-World). This all changed with the start of the Feminist Movement. The Feminist Movement came into action in the late 60’s and throughout the 70’s. Feminism is a collection of ideologies and movements that promote the social, political, and economic equality of both genders –being most prominent throughout the 1970’s (Facts on File). The feminist movement in America consists of men and women from all over voicing their ideas on equality to make for a better society, and to broaden perspectives on how impactful women can be when they are able to contribute more to the world. The influence of feminism through the 1970’s was a necessary movement which helped the United States progress as a society by standing up against patriarchy, empowering women to face sexist oppression,

Equality has been a long-time goal for the feminism movement. Over the last 100 years did feminism equality advanced so much within the united states. Women have gained many rights that men have and perhaps more. Has feminism accomplished all their goals that there is no need for feminist in the united states? Many women believe that there is no need for feminist anymore.

Before we explore the topic of pornography and its harms, we must look at what radical feminism is. Radical feminism, the theory espoused by leading critic of pornography Andrea Dworkin, is the idea that women are biological class which oppressed by the dominant class of men. Patriarchal power surrounds women completely, through all media and institutions. According to radical feminists, it is only through the complete destruction of all patriarchal institutions can women truly be free. It is through this lens that the “anti-porn”