Feminism Flashcards
What is feminism?
Focus on gender inequalities
and womens experiences of society based on impacts of patriarchy
When did feminism start?
mid 1800s
When did feminism begin to influence society?
1970s
How many ‘waves’ of feminism are there?
4
What is the main argument in feminism?
women are disadvantaged compared to men and men often control key institutions making an unfair gender gap
What are patricarchal ideologies?
Ideas that justify male dominance and womens inferiority
When did the first wave of feminism start?
mid 1800s
What was the aim of the first wave?
reforming social and legal inequalities affecting women and particularly to achieve universal female suffarage
What is female suffrage?
the right to vote
Who led the first wave and what were their concerns?
mainly middle class women known as suffragettes concerned with poor education for girls and professions to become more equal
What were the marriage laws in the first wave?
once married the man owned all teh womens assets, she wasnt allowed a divorce unless he agreed and if a divorce happened the woman would never be allowed contact with her children
When was the right to vote granted?
1928
Was the first wave a success?
Yes, because they acheived many goals in relation to education and proffesions. No, because significant ineualities still existed in terms of expectations of women and pay gap
When was the Second wave ?
1960s/70s
What other campaigns was this wave linked to?
- civil rigths movement
- gay rights
- anti war protests
What was the slogan of the second wave?
‘the personal is political’
meaning inequalities women faced were often political matters as well as personal
What was the aim of the second wave?
to acheive less discrimination and equal rights. Raising womens consciousness about the problems with society
What was the the significant UK conference in the second wave?
National woemns Liberation conference 1970
What were the four demands of the conference?
- equal pay for equal work
- equal education and job opportunities
- free contraception and abortion on demand
- free 24 hour nurseries
What were the further demands added in 1978?
- legal and financial independence for women
- end to discrimination against lesbians
- freedom from intimidation, threat or sexual coercion in marriage
- end all laws that perpetuate male dominance and aggression
Was the list a success?
No, the majority of demands were not met and it led to divison and loss of momentum