Waves of Feminism

 

1ST WAVE OF FEMINISM

  • Took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • Emerged from industrial revolution and liberal, socialist politics.
  • Formally began at the Seneca Falls Women’s Right’s Convention in 1848 (later conventions would continue to be held, including the 1883 convention where Sojourner Truth gave her moving “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech.
  • Main goals of this movement were basic legal equality such as the right to vote, own property and access higher education.
  • Considered to have ended with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920 which guaranteed women the right to vote.

2ND WAVE OF FEMINISM

  • 1950’s – 1980’s
  • Foundations emerged from women’s involvement in the workforce during World War II and a growing belief that women can and should be allowed to work outside the home.
  • Main focus was upon rights and laws related to sexuality, reproduction, marriage, equal employment opportunities, and equal pay for equal work.
  • Additional fuel came from the anti-war and civil rights movements in the 1960’s.
  • Emphasized the broader inclusion of women of color and women in developing nations in order to clarify that race, class, and gender oppression are all related.

3RD WAVE OF FEMINISM

  • 1990’s – 2010’s (?) (Note: whether we are still in the third wave or are in a fourth wave is under debate and will probably be unknown for some time).
  • Foundations emerged from the greater economic, professional and political power of women that was gained during the Second Wave.
  • Focus upon the rights of women to engage in the professional, political and economic world without being judged or limited by the fact that they are female. 
  • Emphasized the right for women to be assertively in control of and display their own sexuality; sex positive approach to the female experience.
  • Even stronger emphasis on inclusion of race, gender, sexual orientation, and social class. “Intersectionality” is developed as a term to emphasize that people carry multiple labels that can interact to increase or decrease the oppression one experiences.