Feminism

Question 1

How many waves of Feminism are there?

Answer 1

Four

Question 2

Name the four waves of feminism?

Answer 2

first wave
second wave
third wave
fourth wave

Question 3

Date the four waves of Feminism

Answer 3

First Wave – Mid 1800’s

Second Wave – 1960’s and 1970’s
After the second world war but before your parents were born.

Third Wave – 1990’s
Modernising the thought of equality

Fourth Wave – 2010 onwards

Question 4

What were the main principles of the first wave of Feminism?

Answer 4

• Focussed on social and legal reform (especially to allow women to vote).
• Fought to allow women to be better educated.
• Led mainly by middle class women called suffragettes.
• Successful in the vote, education, access to professional jobs, women’s rights to property

Question 5

What were the main principles of the second wave of Feminism?

Answer 5

• Linked to several other key movements such as civil rights, gay rights, anti-war.
• Argued that personal and public life is inherently patriarchal (male dominated).
• Focussed on women raising awareness of their oppression and offering each other support.
• Focussed on equal pay, access to contraception, equal rights in jobs and education, free childcare, freedom from domestic violence, reducing discrimination against lesbianism.
• Different types of feminism emerged including; liberal, radical, Marxist.

Question 6

What were the main principles of the third wave of Feminism?

Answer 6

• Focus on individual desires and wishes, rather than seeing all women as sharing the same experiences.
• Focus on being able to express your identity in unique and personal ways.
• Focus on challenging traditional ideas about sexuality and gender as well as abolishing gender roles and stereotypes in the media for example

Question 7

What were the main principles of the fourth wave of Feminism?

Answer 7

• Some debate about if there is a fourth wave.
• Tackling sexism globally using new forms of technology that are available.
• Creating online networks of support, giving voice to women who were previously unable to speak.
• Everyday Sexism Project was highly successful in highlighting day to day examples of engrained sexism.
• Mumsnet – support network for women online now very popular and influential.