Name: Ayesha Ahmad
Class: 12-A
Roll Number: 4
Topic: Feminism In The
United States of America.
''Feminism in the United States of
America''
~1EANING: It is the belief in and advocacy of the political, economic and
social equality of the genders, expressed especially through organized activity
on behalf of women's right
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ORIGJN:
1792-1\la_ry Wollstonecraft \ Ts the European Enlightenment
In the 18th century, European political philosophy was based on a
struggle behveen two prominent, affluent men: Edmund Burke and
Thomas Paine. Burke rejected tlhe idea of natural rights as a
justification for violent revolt in Reflections on the Revolution in France
(1790), whereas Paine defended it in The Rights of l\1an (1792). Both
naturally concentrated on men's relati,,e rights. In her rejoinder to
Burke, English philosopher l\1ary \Vollstonecraft beat Paine to the
punch. In 1790, she published A Vindication of the Rights of 1\Ien, but
in 1792, she published A \ ' indication of the Rights of " 7oman, ·which
ended her relationship with both of them. Despite the fact that the book
was published and distributed in the U nited Kingdom, it is often
regarded as the start of first-wave American feminism.
1 1\lary Wollstonecraft
Ain' t I a woman?
The abolitionist movement gave birth to the feminist movement in the
nineteenth cenhn-y. The organizer's of the Seneca Falls conference
acquired their idea for a convention during a global abolitionists'
meeting. Despite their efforts, 19th-century feminism's core dilemma
was whether it was ethical to prioritize Black civil rights over women's
right. This distinction clearly excludes Black women, whose basic rights
were violated both because of their race and because they were women.
"I think that 'hvixt the negroes of the South and the women of the
North, all clamoring about rights, the white men ,vill be in a fix pretty
soon," Sojourner Truth, an abolitionist and early feminist, remarked in
her famous 1851 address
Sojourner Truth
1896- The Hierarchy of Oppression
While men remained in control, partly because Black civil rights and
women's rights ,vere set against each other.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton complained about the prospect of Black voting
rights in 1865.
"Now," she ,vrote, "it becomes a serious question ,vhether ,ve had
better stand aside and see 'Sambo' walk in the kingdom first."
In 1896, a group of Black " ·omen, led by l\lary C hurch Terrell and
including such luminaries as Harriet Tubman and Ida B. Wells-Barnett,
" 'as created out of a merger of smaller organizations.
But despite the efforts of the National Association of Coloured \''omen
and similar groups, the national feminist movement became identified
primarily and enduringly as \Vhite and upper class.
Because Black civil rights and ,vomen 's rights " 'ere pitted against each
other, \\'hite males remained in power.
In 1865, Elizabeth Cady Stanton e1.1>ressed ber dissatisfaction ,vith the
prospect of Black voting rights.
"Now it becomes a real question if ,ve should step aside and watch
'Sambo' stroll into the kingdom first," she wrote. A group of Black
" 'omen led by l\lary Church Terrell and comprising luminaries like
B.a rriet Tubman and Ida B. \Velis-Barnett ,vas formed in 1896 when
lesser organisations merged. Despite the efforts of organisations like the
National Association of Coloured \Vomen and others, the national
feminist movement became predominantly and permanently associated
"ith " 'hlte and upper-class " 'omen.
l\lary
C hurch
Terrell
Feminism in The United States of America is divided into four waves,
namelv:
1. The First ,vave (mid 19th to Early 20' h Centurv, ie. 1850-1910)
2. The Second Wa,•e ( 1960's)
3. The Third Wave (mid 1990' s)
4. The Fourth Wave (2005)
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RACE ~
THE FIRST WAVE OF FEl\1INISl\1 (1850-1910)
The basic idea that the first wave of feminism gave us was the Fundamental
and Political Rights.
• Girls were not provided with education
• \Vomen cannot get employment, they were only supposed to do manual
work like cooking, stitching etc.
• There were problems in marriage like, rape was considered NOR.l\IAL
in marriage, women had no right to property, divorce can be filed only
by the husband, no custody of the children.
l\1OVE~IENTS
The French Revolution: "The French Revolution heralded the beginnings of
organized women's political participation." "Feminism, '\Vomen, and the
French R evolution," by historian RB. Rose. " romeo were typically on the
front lines arguing for their rights when the French Revolution began in 1789.
Despite being labelled "passive citizens," these ladies were active participa nts
in their country's political climate. Thousands of armed French women
marched from Paris marketplaces to the Palace of Versailles on October S,
1789. They asked that the King address their econ,o mic issues as well as the
country's severe food shortages. R egrettably, their battle was far from ended.
A few months prior, reformers were able to persuade the French National
Constituent Assembly to adopt the "Declaration of the Rights of l\1an and of
the Citizen.» This document provided citizenship rights to , 1arious members of
the population. Unfortunately, it still excluded women and other minority
groups from citizenship.
The Temperance l\Iovement: The broad acmism of women during the
temperance movement affected first wave feminists as well. ~lany citizens in
the United States began to advocate for "moral r eform" in the earl~'
nineteenth century. The temperance moYement began in the 1820s as a means
of combating immorality by limiting or prohibiting alcohol usage. Drinking
was seen as a threat to the stability of many middle-class white women who
were called the "moral authorities of their households." These women, along
·with male temperance enthusiasts, began to make cartoons, booklets, songs,
and speeches denouncing the dangers of alcohol consumption.
"The temperance moYement, in fact, gave women the opportuni~• to be
engaged in public political life for the fi.rst time." -Tara Isabella Burton in
" The Feminist History of Prohibition"
The Abolitionist l\lovement: Women of many nationalities and backgrounds
were also battling for basic human rights as many of those women began to
campaign for their political voice. ~Iucb of the African American population
in the United States " 'as slaves in the early nineteenth century. For
generations, African American men a nd ·women have fought for (reed om and
citizenship since the first group of enslaved Africans arrived .in the early
l600s. The abolitionist movement was founded on their collaborative activism,
which advocated for the abolition of slavery. African American women " ere
central to early nineteenth century abolitionism. During the 1820s and 1830s,
these women established social and literary organizations, as well as religious
groups to challenge slavery and support their communities. African American
woman embarked on large lecture tours around the country and wrote letters,
poetry, and slave narratives to fight for the abolition of slavery, in addition to
their work forming organizations. Maria Stewart, Jarena Lee, Sarah Louise
Forten, and Sarah Mapps Douglass all spoke out against slavery and fought for
women's education and citizenship rights.
1
I Sara ~lapps Douglass
THE SECOND \VAVE OF FEl\UNISl\1 (1960's)
The second wave of feminism focused more on cultural and social areas,
namely,
• R eproductive Right
• Employment Right
(work1>lace right like same position+ same efficiency + same
experience= same wage of men and women)
• l\Iovement against domestic violence ( it was also criticized as it was
started for upper class white women)
~tOVEl\lENT
The Chil Rif hts l\1ovement; The Chi.l Rights l\lovement was already in
full swing when the second wave of feminism began. African American
men and women bad to fight racism, Yiolence, and segregation to
exercise their basic human rights after independence. Furthermore,
even after the 19th Amendment was ratified, which guaranteed that
both men and women could vote, African American men amd women
were still barred from voting due to Jim Crow laws, literacy tests, and
grandfather clauses. African American women were once again battling
for their rights as women, alongside their fight for emancipation from
racial oppression, as the second wave of feminism grew.
''Double J eopardv: to b e Black and Female" : "Double J eopardy: To Be Black
and Female," written by Frances 1\1. Beal in 1969, detailed the experiences of
African American women throughout the feminist movement. H er essay
focused on the societal exploitation of black women and the differences in
feminist fights between white and "non-white" feminists.
" Feminine l\lvstigue" and NOW: The protest movements of the 1960s
inspired many white and middle-class women to form their own organized
movement for greater rights, known as second-wave feminism, just as the
Abolitionist l\lovement made nineteenth-century women more aware of their
lack of power and encouraged them to form the first women's rights
movement, sometimes called first-wave feminism . l\1any of the ladies were
older, married women who were dissatisfied with their usual duties as
housewife and mother . B e~ ~Friedan, a writer and feminist, released The
Feminine l\lystique in 1963, a nonfiction book in which she challenged the
post-,var belief that it was women 's destiny to marry and bear children .
Friedan's book was a best -seller , and it helped to elevate the awareness of
many women who believed that suburban homemaking sapped their
individualism.
IBetty Friedan
The Pill: l\fedical science has also contributed a tool to aid in the liberation of
women. The birth control pill was approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration in 1960, liberating women from the constraints of pregnancy
and childbearing. Women who could limit, delay, or halt reproduction had
more time to work, go to college, and postpone marriage. Six million women
had taken the pill within five years of its approval. The pill was the first
medicine ever intended to be taken by people who were not sick. Even
conservatives saw it as a possible means of making marriages stronger by
removing the fear of an unwanted pregnancy and improving the health of
women .
THE TIDRD " 'AVE OF FREl\flNISl\I (1990)
• Addressed rthe limitations of the second wa"e • Attention ,vas given to the
non-white ethnic group
• Globalization and Technology
• l\Iatter of Choice
l\IOVEl\1ENT
Anita Hill Hearines: The world watched as attorney Anita Rill testified
against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas for sexual harassment on
October 11, 1991. Hill claimed that Thomas harassed her while she worked
for him at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission in televised hearings before the Senate Judiciary
Committee. Thomas, according to Hill, repeatedly urged her t,o go on dates
when she was his aide and made sexually inappropriate comments during
their work talks. After the three-day hearings, Thomas was confirmed as a
Supreme Court Justice notwithstanding Hill's testimony.
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Anita Bill
The Year of the Women: For many mainstream feminists, the Hill case
marked a turning point in women's activism. Not only were women speaking
publicly about sexual assault, but the ·visibility of the case also caused women
to question the male-dominated leadership in Congress. Before the bearings,
seven democratic women from the Bouse of Representatives marched over to
the Senate to demand a furth er investiga tion of the accusations against
Thomas. Although be was still confirmed as a justice, feminists began to push
for a more active role in political leadership. The very next year, more women
were elected to Congress on voting day than in any previou.s decade. T hat
year ll>ecame known as " The Year of the ,Yoman," and 27 women were elected
to Congress.
~'.1usic: ~1any women flocked to the punk rock groups that valued slef
e1.1>ression and collective revolt. Kathleen Hanna was known for empowering
women at her concerts by shouting "Revolution Girl Style Now! " or " Girls to
the front!" to encourage her female attendees to come to the front of the
audience. Not only clid this provide a safe space for women at rock concerts,
I Kathleen Hanna
but this practice also became a symbol of the call for women to be brought to
the forefront in all areas of life. As the movement grew, other Riot Girl bands
developed across the country and established nationwide chapters. 1\Iany of
these feminists played their music during pro-choice rallies and advocated for
the reproductive rights of women
THE FOURTH WAVE OF FEl\IINISl\I (2005- Present)
• The Fourth Wave of Feminism can also be refereed to as the wave of
social media.
• Justice for Women
• Fight against several harassment
• Fight against body shaming
• Powerful book that were written✓",Tisual Pleasure and ~arrative Cinema" by Laura l\1ulvey
✓"
Cyborg l\1anifesto" by Donna Haraway.
l\IOVEl\IENT
l\Ie Too: Tarana Burke bad an interaction with a young ,voman in 1996
that she would remember for the rest of her life. 'While Burke was
working as the director of a youth camp, a young " ·oman came forward
to say she bad been sexually abused. Burke, " 'ho " ·as also a victim of
sexual assault, recognized her right away and all she ,vanted to say " 'as
"me too." Despite Burke's inability to reply as she desired at the time,
this experience " 'ould serve as the inspiration for the 'me too' campaign
she would launch a decadeJater. Burke founded ' me too' in 2007 as a
platform for young " ·omen of color to discuss their experiences. To
begin, she began using the slogan "me too" to promote the concept of
"empowerment through diversity."
Time' s Up: Another campaign was preparing to debut in Hollywood at
the same time, in order to add to the global wave of women's action.
Tll\lE'S UP publically started on January 1st, 2018 with their own open
letter signed by over 300 women in the entertainment business in
response to the letter of support from 700,000 women farm workers. The
farmworkers were praised in this letter, which was published in the
New York Times, and they vowed that they will use their network and
positions to advocate for sun1ivors of harassment and injustice.
nEnough is enough," the TThlE'S Up women proclaimed, and fo111nded
a movement that "insists upon a ,world where work is safe, fair, and
dignified for women of all kinds. " In an effort to raise awareness for the
cause, n1any attendees of the 75th Golden Globe Awards wore black
,vith #1\IeToo and TThlE' S UP pins to support the movement. A few
activists including Tarana Burke and l\Ionika Ramirez (Board
President of Alianza Nacional de Campinas) were invited as guests of
various actresses. l\Iany other a,"·ard shows followed suit including the
2018 Grammys and the 2018 BAFTA Film Awards in London.
The l\Iarch: \Vhile fourth-wave feminists were experimenting with new
approaches to advance women's rights, they continued to organise in
"conventional" ways. Women were already acth·ely rallying against sexual
assault around the country prior to the 2017 incidents. Following President
Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017, the Women's l\larch on
\Vashington drew an estimated 1,500,000 people. " 'ith Women's l\Iarches
taking place across the country on the same day, it became the greatest
singleday demonstration in US history. Between 3.3 and 4.6 million people
marched in support of women's rights and other social justice causes such as
racial equity, immigration reform, reproductive rights, the environment, and
LGBTQ rights. Angela Davis and Gloria Steinem, both second-wave
feminists, spoke during the march.
HO"' IS FE1\DNIS1\I IN UNITED STATES OF Al\lERICAN DIFFERENT
FROl\I TBAT OF INDIA?
The feminist movement in India differs greatly from that in the United States.
The fight for gender equality in India was intermined with the nationalist
struggle for independence. l\1ale reformers like Raja Ram l\1ohan Roy,
Jyotiba Phu.le etc. fought for legaJ safeguards against sociaJ evils like child
marriage and sati during the nineteenth century, and made significant
progress. The desire to escape the prejudice perpetrated by the British was
linked to a rise in awareness of women's oppression and societal standing. In
pre-Independent India, women's groups such as the All India \Vomen's
Conference and the National Federation for Indian Women gre,v in the
(l\'entieth century.
Jyotiba Phule and
Savitribai Phule
HOW INDIAN ~11NISl\I lNSPIRED FEl\11NISl\1 IN THE UNITED
STATES
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In the 1960s and 1970s, African Americans also looked to India as they
campaigned against racial segregation. While civil rights leader l\1artin
Luther King, Jr. famously made Gandhian civil disobedience central to his
work, India provided additional foans of inspiration to African-American
women. Angela Davis, a radical black feminist and civil rights activist,
recognized a natural bond between African Americans and Dalits in their
fight against slavery. While Davis recognized the ftrmdamental disparities
between caste and race, she also recognized that Dalli women faced gender
discrimination in addition to other types of oppression, much like African
American women have historically faced racial and sexual discrimination.
Furthermore, Dalit women continued to inspire Americans: after leading a
month-long Self-Respect l\'larch across India in 2014, Dalit women moved
their activism to the United States, organizing a wave of marches and
partnering "ith Americans in their battle against violence against women.
Conclusion
This generation, millennial women and men, who belie,·e that women have
essentially won equality, is a major concern for feminism in 2016. True,
enormous progress has been done as a result of the efforts of all activists who
ha,1e come before us. ~Iortgages and business loans are now available to
women. Women make up half of medical and law students in the United
States, but there is still more work to be done. Sexual assault is rampant, and
we still have a long way to go in our culture to combat it. There is also much
that has to be addressed in popular culture, such as the normalising of
violence against women in popular music. the high concentration of women
among the world's lowest-paid and most mistreated employees, and the tiny
proportion of women in positions of political influence As a result, the next
generation of feminists has a lot of work ahead of them.