Feminism emerged as a social and political movement at the end of the 18th century. However, the current consideration we have about feminism has varied over the years, as a result of its long trajectory in history. It is currently conceived as a movement that seeks to become aware of the situation of subordination of women within society and their oppression. From the general concept of making the figure of women more visible in society, various types of feminism have emerged.
To know what it is to be a feminist, as well as the trajectory of feminism from its origins and the types of feminism that have emerged, keep reading this article from Psychology-Online, types of feminism that exist today.
Index
- What is being a feminist
- Origin and history of feminism
- Types of feminism
What it is to be a feminist.
Currently, there is a lot of talk about feminism and feminists, but what exactly is being a feminist? To be a feminist is to be a person who seeks to unlink discrimination with
To this day, feminism does not conceive genders, both a man and a woman can be feminists. Therefore, being a feminist is being a person who believes in gender equality and assumes it in her life, executing it from personal and professional practice. In short, a feminist person seeks coexist with equal rights, opportunities and conditions.
Origin and history of feminism.
In this section we will delve into the origin of feminism by explaining events in the so-called waves of feminism.
First Wave of Feminism
The First Wave of Feminism is enlightened feminism and the French Revolution. At this point is the origin of feminism. The first expression of feminism was born in the French Revolution and the socialist revolutions, when observing that freedoms, Rights and legal equality had been the pillars of the liberal revolutions of the time, but they did not affect the woman. Faced with this, women began to claim their right to autonomy and equality.
This first approximation of feminism was governed by the principles of the illustration, its fundamental idea being the search for gender equality. Women fought for the right to legal and legal equality and for the possibility of practicing in other trades that were not merely administrative or domestic.
Second Wave of Feminism
The Second Wave of Feminism spans from the French Revolution to the mid-nineteenth century and consists of liberal suffragette feminism. Following with the history of feminismWe have the second wave of feminism, which was born in the United States, due to the struggle for the country's independence and the closure of slavery. Women fought for the cause, thereby becoming involved in political and social issues. As a result, women began to fight for suffrage, which consisted of two objectives: women's right to vote and educational rights. Faced with this, the solution put forward by said group was based on discarding all discriminatory legislation. However, it was not until after the First World War that the right to vote was accepted on equal terms. The First GM allowed women's access to the economy, industry and public administration, due to that men were at the forefront and before this, it was undeniable to recognize the demands of women suffragettes.
However, in Spain feminism appeared later, appearing in 1920 feminist associations that defended the right to education and to vote. It was not until the 1930s that most countries recognized the right to vote equality.
Subsequently, women raised the right to access to higher education and all occupations. On the other hand, they demanded equal civil rights and wished to share with the man the parental authority of the children. In addition to this, they sought equal pay, emphasizing the values of equality and democratic values. All these premises were based on a movement centered on liberal principles.
Third Wave of Feminism
Next, the Third Wave of Feminism consisting of contemporary feminism. Contemporary feminism was born as a result of the revolutions of the 60s, until today. One of the main objections was the diversity of women, in a feminism based on the criticism of the monolithic use of women, expressing the diversity of situations among women. Diversity was understood as gender, race, ethnicity, country, and sexual preference.
On the other hand, they wanted overthrow the sexualized stereotype of women in the media, advertising and even in art. Another premise was the abolition of patriarchy determining that, beyond the right in education and in the vote obtained years ago, it is the very structure of society, which compromises inequalities, configuring hierarchies that even today benefit the mens.
Finally, the debate was born with the slogan "the personal is political" where the abolition of violence against women, the right to abortion or conception and women's health. Starting in the eighties, the different currents of feminism that emerged as types of feminism entered into an intense debate, explained below. Finally, it is interesting to read some feminist phrases to better understand what feminism is and see how it has evolved in history.
Types of feminism.
Different feminist movements today separate different types of feminism. Some of the types of feminism that exist today are the following:
Philosophical feminism
One of the types of feminism whose objective is to reflect on the concept of women in the social order. It urges to carry out a historical revision of the philosophy, where the figure of the woman was erased. Throughout history, philosophical feminism has founded various types of feminism.
Feminist anarchism
One type of feminism is the anarchist. It begins at the end of the second feminist wave, in the 60s. It refers to a radical feminism, which defends that the patriarchal system of our society is the real problem because it imparts authoritarianism and oppression to men over the female gender. This current defends that if the function is to fight against patriarchy, they must oppose all its manifestations, because they are oppressive structures by themselves.
Liberal feminism
This type of feminism promotes the recognition of women's capabilities in the workplace or other activities that throughout history have been associated with men. Liberal feminism seeks to promote laws that favor the inclusion of women in the labor market and equal opportunities in all areas of social life.
Radical feminism
The radical feminism is based on social inequality stating that it has been caused by patriarchy, in the submission of women to men. On the other hand, they defend the initiative to establish a matriarchy, as a form of compensation or other people of this same movement defend the elaboration of egalitarian fraternities feminists. Discover the differences between radical and liberal feminism.
Abolitionist feminism
Among the different types of feminists, there are those who were part of abolitionist feminism. It shares the premises of radical feminism, also highlighting the fight against prostitution and pornography, classifying them as manifestations of the patriarchy.
Postcolonial feminism
One of the feminism classes. This, specifically, studies the figure of women in postcolonial geopolitical settings. In them, the dependency relations with the metropolis as a mode of social construction. It exposes traits such as the classism and machismo of the colonizing thought.
Marxist feminism
A type of feminism from the socialist side. Marxist feminism reflects on how power is established and built in society according to Marxist theory. It highlights the importance of how economic conditions can perpetuate oppression, that is, it analyzes how the capitalist system influences the perpetuation of patriarchy.
Black feminism
Specifically, central black feminism analyzes the situation of racial minorities. It highlights how discrimination is an obstacle to achieving gender equality. He defends that the racism and patriarchy influence gender roles.
Transfeminism
Another type of feminism that exists today is transfeminism. Like abolitionist feminism, this type of feminism shares the main premises of radical feminism, adding the non-conception of transsexuality, since they believe that aspects masculinity and femininity are constructions formulated by society, to which they oppose.
Equality feminism
One of the kinds of feminism is equality feminism. Share the idea of transfeminism of get rid of gender roles, which he interprets as influences from culture and education. Its main objective is that women can have the same status as men, differing from the others feminist currents in which it refers to the concept of male status, while the other not.
Difference feminism
Contrary to the current of equality, it emerged in the 90s, introducing the perspective of the difference between men and women. They started with the work of the criticism of language and his work on this. It vindicates the difference between men and women, with differences in values, indicating that women should not be treated as men. They establish a radical break with the patriarchal system, with the aim of changing the conception of the world, not just reducing the treatment of gender or rescuing some women. It seeks to extend the struggle to the political task.
Scientific feminism
It has its origin in evolutionary psychology. Scientific feminism recognizes biological differences between the sexes. Even so, point out that you are differences do not justify inequality between genders. Thus, it urges the construction of an inclusive society in terms of equal rights between men and women.
Ecofeminism
Another type of feminism that exists today is the ecofeminism. Ecofeminism appeared in Europe at the end of the 20th century, in response to the appropriation of the male gender of agriculture and reproduction, resulting in the overexploitation of land and the commercialization of the sexuality of the woman. Ecofeminism works together with the feminist and ecologist movement, establishing the opinion that together they should draw common goals of equal rights and abolition of hierarchies.
Separatist feminism
One of the branches of feminism. Specifically, the more extreme slope radical feminism. It does not lie in the principle of equality, since it supports the difference between both genders, noting that women must stay out of any relationship with men, defending lesbian sex as the only alternative for the correct development of the sexuality of the woman.
Intersectional feminism
The intersectional feminism, founded by Kimberlé Crenshaw, fights for the rights of all women. This fight takes into account that there are factors that also create inequality among women and aims to fight for the rights of all.
Male feminism
This type of feminism is a men's movement committed to gender equality. It makes known the effects and consequences of patriarchy as a mechanism to perpetuate machismo and the superiority of men within the social order.
Lesbian feminism
Lesbian feminism defends that naturalizing the heterosexuality as sexual norm in society favors the permanence of social roles by gender. She blames the principles known in lesbian feminism as heteronormative of gender inequality.
Cultural feminism
Cultural feminism defends that woman is morally superior to man. In addition, it promotes that women have a bond with nature due to her mother's condition. This is one of the branches of feminism that encompasses tendencies that go against the socially pre-established norm for women.
Cyberfeminism
This new concept is part of the fourth wave of feminism that we are living today. Through social networks and the internet he studies how gender concepts are built in the virtual community. The unique characteristics of these supports allow us to go beyond the traditionally established gender roles.
Pro-life feminism
It is one of the branches of feminism. She stands against abortion as well as against gender inequality and fights for equal opportunities for men and women. Pro-life feminism points out that principle of equality cannot be above life of the most vulnerable. In addition, it also questions the benefits of abortion.
Dissident feminism
Within the types of feminisms, women who are part of dissident feminism they do not defend some of the goals of the other kinds of feminism. This feminism is not unified, on the one hand, patriarchy is not considered as the source of oppression and inequality based on gender. On the other hand, dissident feminism expresses the need to adapt the civil code to achieve gender equality.
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Bibliography
- From Miguel, A. (2000). Feminisms.
- Fiss, O. (1993). What is feminism? THEMIS, 14, 211-220.
- Jaén, J. (2006). I am a feminist. Transversal, 2.
- Sánchez, P. Defining feminism: beginnings of the movement.
