What is Feminism, Equality or Superiority?
Every so often, someone will ask me, “Are you a feminist?” And every time, I will answer with the same question.
“What does that word mean to you?”
I ask this because nowadays, there are two separate definitions. Some feminists believe that men and women should simply be treated equally. No more, no less. However, other feminists believe that women are superior to men. But my question is, who’s correct?
The feminist movement is split into four waves. First wave feminism began in the late 19th century, focusing largely on the right to vote as well as reproductive rights. At the time, to be a feminist was to simply recognise women as humans rather than property.
Second wave feminism emerged in the 1960’s, and was a more sceptical version of the first wave. Traditional gender roles were questioned, and feminists began to make men and women completely equal.
In the 1990’s, the third wave of feminism was created, and it was often contradictory of the values shared by second wave feminists. For example, third wave feminism encouraged women to embrace their femininity rather than rejecting it, this movement caused frustration among many second wave feminists who advocated for the opposite.
The fourth wave of feminism is what we’re seeing now, from protests against the US Supreme Court overturning Roe V Wade, to critics of “white feminism” that overlooks the struggles of women of colour. Trans women are a commonly debated topic in the movement. The fourth wave is also a home for radical feminists, as in those who believe in female supremacy, and yet still call people sexist for no valid reason. After just a few minutes of scrolling through feminist social media, you should be able to find a so called ‘feminist’ claiming that men are not needed at any level of society. This reflects poorly on the movement as a whole and discourages people from associating with feminism.
Personally, I resinate with feminism to the extent of treating people equally, and in my eyes, if you treat women above men, or believe in a matriarchy, then you’re not a feminist.
