Third wave women and men are concerned about equal rights, but tend to think the genders have achieved parity or that society is well on its way to delivering it to them. This wave supports equal rights, but does not have a term like feminism to articulate that notion.
But the times are changing, and a fourth wave is in the air. Well, perhaps that is the way to view the fourth wave of feminism. The aims of the second feminist movement were never cemented to the extent that they could survive the complacency of third wavers.
The fourth wave of feminism is emerging because mostly young women and men realize that the third wave is either overly optimistic or hampered by blinders. Feminism is now moving from the academy and back into the realm of public discourse. Yet the word is winning the day. Feminism no longer just refers to the struggles of women; it is a clarion call for gender equity. The emerging fourth wavers are not just reincarnations of their second wave grandmothers; they bring to the discussion important perspectives taught by third wave feminism.
The beauty of the fourth wave is that there is a place in it for all —together. The academic and theoretical apparatus is extensive and well-honed in the academy, ready to support a new broad-based activism in the home, in the workplace, in the sphere of social media, and in the streets.
At this point we are still not sure how feminism will mutate. Will the fourth wave fully materialize and in what direction? There have always been many feminisms in the movement, not just one ideology, and there have always been tensions, points and counter-points.
The political, social and intellectual feminist movements have always been chaotic, multivalenced, and disconcerting; and let's hope they continue to be so; it's a sign that they are thriving. This story first appeared in the Fall issue of Pacific magazine. For more stories, visit pacificu. Education Health Professions Optometry. The American Humanist Association AHA takes an intersectional view of social justice issues, working to liberate all marginalized communities.
While the arguments about the various incarnations of feminism continue into , we should consider what feminism means in conjunction to equality for all. A major through-line in the history of feminism has been the power white women seek among white men, not the power they seek to dismantle in pursuit of equality.
If your feminism does not include and support trans people, people of color, non-gender conforming people, people with disabilities and ALL marginalized groups then you are not seeking equality for all.
Photo by Giacomo Ferroni on Unsplash. Tags: Women's History Month. Wade in , and other Supreme Court cases. Mainstream feminism focused on institutional reforms, which meant reducing gender discrimination, giving women access to male-dominated spaces, and promoting equality.
Radical feminism wanted to reshape society entirely, saying that the system was inherently patriarchal and only an overhaul would bring liberation. It resisted the belief that men and women were basically the same. Thanks to the institutional victories of second-wave feminism, women enjoyed more rights and power going into the s.
They were able to think about other aspects of their identity, welcoming individuality and rebellion. This was an era of reclaiming. Many women more freely expressed their sexuality in how they spoke, dressed, and acted.
This sometimes bewildered 2nd-wave feminists, many of whom had resisted traditional femininity. A woman should choose how she lived her life. Third-wave feminism also became more conscious of race. The term refers to how different kinds of oppression — like those based on gender and race — intersect with each other. This leads many to believe that there aren't any younger feminists, but contrary to that, I see tons, I just see them doing more than majoring in women's studies, working at NOW, Ms.
All of that said, however, I don't really think there is much difference between Second and Third Wave feminism. The First Wave ended up having the goal of earning rights of citizenship for women -- most symbolic through women winning the right to vote. The Second Wave has been identified as the current movement struggling for formal equality, which would be most synonymous through women being included in the Constitution, but also included other legal rights.
It's still ongoing and thus premature to be really calling for a Third Wave. Third Wave thus is about lending new proposals for reaching this same goal. Also, though I say that Third Wave is about giving attention to younger women, it's also a mentality more than a strict age requirement. There is tons more on this subject already posted at www.
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