The advocacy of women's rights and gender equality through political, social, and economic means. A movement and ideology seeking to establish equal opportunities for women.
From French 'féminisme', coined in the 1830s from Latin 'femina' meaning 'woman' plus the suffix '-ism'. The term was first used by French socialist Charles Fourier and gained international usage throughout the 19th century women's suffrage movements.
Feminism has evolved through distinct 'waves' - first wave focused on legal rights like voting, second wave on workplace equality, and third wave on intersectionality and diversity. The movement has paradoxically been both celebrated and controversial, with many people supporting feminist goals while hesitating to adopt the label.
Feminism as organized movement emerged formally in the late 19th century. The term was often weaponized against women activists, portrayed as unfeminine or man-hating, particularly in 1960s-70s coverage by male-dominated media.
Use 'feminism' descriptively and factually. Acknowledge its diversity: liberal feminism, intersectional feminism, etc. Avoid stereotypes (militant, anti-men) that served to delegitimize.
["gender equity advocacy","women's liberation","feminist theory"]
Feminism's intellectual architecture was built by women: Simone de Beauvoir, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Gloria Steinem. It remains a primary framework for naming and dismantling systemic inequality.
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