feminist critical thinking

  1. Feminist = a political position
  2. Female = a matter of biology
  3. Feminine = a set of culturally defined characteristics

1st wave feminism –

It included the Suffragette and Suffragists movements where women campaigned for basic rights such as an education.

‘… sexism refers to the systematic ways in which men and women are brought up to view each other antagonistically, on the assumption that the male is always superior to the female‘

2nd wave feminism –

Puritanical. Women were being told what they can and more so what they can’t do.

3rd wave feminism –

It is more plural and is different to feminism from the 60s. It is similar but still different. It tries to embrace plural identities – pluralism (CSP – Maybelline). This is also labelled as intersectionality. 3rd wave was to redefine feminism. More willing to use power in media to make differences.

According to Barker and Jane (2016), third wave feminism, which is regarded as having begun in the mid-90’s has following recognisable characteristics:

  • an emphasis on the differences among women due to race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion
  • individual and do-it-yourself (DIY) tactics
  • fluid and multiple subject positions and identities
  • cyberactivism
  • the reappropriation of derogatory terms such as ‘slut’ and ‘bitch’ for liberatory purposes
  • sex positivity

4th wave feminism – (similar to 3rd)

Raunch culture is the sexualised performance of women in the media that can play into male stereotypes of women as highly sexually available, where its performers believe they are powerful owners of their own sexuality’

Hendry & Stephenson (2018:50)

According to Ariel Levy, in her book Female Chauvinist Pigs raunch culture is on the one hand, the idea of liberation involves new freedoms for sexual exhibition, experimentation and presentation.

4th wave is similar to 3rd but it is a little more advanced in ways that how they use modern technology. Examples of this is:  #MeToo to the Free the Nipple campaign.

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