FIMINIST THEORY

Chapter 4
WHAT IS
FIMINIST?
Is a political, cultural, or economic movement that endeavors to
establish equal rights and legal protection for women; and a
person who supports this endeavor is a feminist. Although the
term feminism and feminist did not gain widespread use until the
1970s, the movement for equality and legal rights for women
started much earlier.
HISTORY OF
FIMINISM
Scholars grouped various feminist movement into three waves:
1.) First Wave
a) Originally focused on the right to equal contact and property rights.
b) Called for the Abolition of chattel owned his wife and any child in their union,
as with slavery.
c) By the end of the 19th century, feminist movement focused on gaining political
rights, especially yhe right to vote.
d) Other campaigns included sexual, reproductive, and economic rights.
2.) Second wave
a) Largely concerned with equality issues, especially on ending discrimination of
women.
b) The second wave slogan “Personal is Political” was coined by Carol Hanisch.
3.) Third Wave
a) Emerged in the mid-1990s due to the perceived unfinished work of second-wave
feminism.
b) The third wave feminists sought to challenge and avoid what it deemed as the
second waves view on femininity that was said to depict experience only those of upper-
middle class white women.
c) The movement asserted that womans experience vary in form in discussing womens
issues and sought to examine women issues on an international level.
 BASIC FEMINIST
IDEAS
1.) Push for change towards equality among men and women, and not just
talk about it.
2.) Have freedom to choose.
3.) Oppose laws and traditions that limit education, job, and income
opportunities for women.
4.) Ending sexual violence and give women control over their sexuality
and reproduction.
FEMINIST
THEORY
Feminist theory – Is a major theoretical branch of
sociology that moved its assumptions, analysis, and
focus away traditional view points that were mainly
produced by men and instead studies women issues
as experienced by women themselves.
FEMINISM THEORY IS GROUNDED
ON THE THREE MAIN PRINCIPLES:
1.) Women have something valuable to contribute in the society.
2.) Women have been unable to achieve their potential, receive
rewards, or gain full participation in society.
3.) Feminist research should go toward social transformation.
TYPES OF FEMINIST THEORY
1.) Liberal Feminism- argues that society has a false belief that
women by nature are intellectual and physically incapable
compared to men. This perspective allows women to seek the
same opportunities as men, especially the opportunity to excel in
different areas. Liberal Feminism asserted equality among men
and women through political and legal reforms, arguing that
women are as capable and rational as men .
2.) Radical Feminism – asserts that defining feature of women oppression is the male-
controlled capitalist hierarchy. It views that the oppression of women cuts across
boundaries of race, culture, and economic class. Radical Feminism asks why women
must adopt roles based on their biology. This can be divided into two sub-types,
namely:
a) Radical-libertarian feminism- it argues that a womans capacity to give birth as
well as her sexual roles and responsibilities limits her ability to achieve her full
potential as these factors are used in a patriarchal society to oppress women.
b) Radical-cultural feminism- embraces everything about being a woman as well as
the values and importance of female qualities, asserting that these are the very qualities
that not only differentiates women from men but make her superior as well.
3.) Marxist/Socialist feminism- incorporated the views of social
justice as well as socio-economic disparties. Women were
perceived as mens property and a key component in the capitalist
machine from a comodities perspective for many centuries
already. Marxist feminist claim that the only way to gender
equality is to destroy the capitalist society. Socialist feminist
believed that women could only achieve true freedom when
working to end both economic and cultural oppression.
4.) Existential feminism – is derived from Simone de
Beauvoir’s view that women are not powerless and does not
need to depend on male-female relationship. Its puts forth idea
that prostitution empowers women as it allows an avenue of
escape from their dependency on men.
5.) Multicultural feminism – suggests that every women has
different intersecting identities and therefore, is not alike with
any other woman. This lens on feminism considers several
different interconnected identities and influences. It is
sometimes applied as interconnected identities and influences.
6.) Cultural feminism- argues that there are fundamental
personality differences theory of feminism supports the notion
that there are biological differences between men and women.
This theory also wants to overcome sexism by celebrating
womens experience.
7.) Eco-feminism – argues that there is a connection between the
destruction of the environment and the exploitation of women by
patriarchy. Thus, as a way of repairing the injustices done by men
against women and the environment, eco-feminist encourage all women
to create a healthy environment and end the destruction environment
resources that women mostly depend on to provide for their families.
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