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Feminismis a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economical, and social rights for women. In addition, feminism seeks to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment. A Feministis “a person whose beliefs and behaviour are based on feminism.”
Feminist activists campaign for women’s rights. These campaigns have changed societies, particularly in the West, by achieving women’s suffrage, equal pay for women, and the right to enter into contracts and own property. Feminists have worked to protect women and girls from domestic violence, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.
Feminism is mainly focused on women's issues, but because feminism seeks gender equality, some feminists argue that men’s liberation is a necessary part of feminism, and that men are also harmed by sexism and gender roles.
History: The history of the modern western feminist movements is divided into three "waves". Each wave dealt with different aspects of the same feminist issues.
First Wave FeminismThis term refers to the first concerted movement working for the reform of women's social and legal inequalities in the nineteenth century. The key concerns of the First Wave Feminists were education, employment, the marriage laws, and the plight of intelligent middle-class single women.
Second Wave FeminismThe term 'Second Wave' was coined by Marsha Lear, and refers to the increase in feminist activity which occurred in America, Britain, and Europe from the late sixties onwards. Second Wave Feminism did not just make an impact upon western societies, but has also continued to inspire the struggle for women's rights across the world.
Third Wave FeminismWhen Rebecca Walker, daughter of author Alice Walker and godchild of activist Gloria Steinem, published an article in Ms. entitled "I Am The Third Wave," it drew a surprising response. Young women from all over the country wrote letters informing the magazine of the activist work they were quietly engaged in and encouraging older feminists and leaders of the women's movement not to write them off.
