“Women’s History Month” is already here again and it is safe to say how tired women are of the romanticization that surrounds March 8th. So what is the real meaning behind this celebratory date?
For so many years, women have been fighting for basic rights and equality and were excluded from society for not being men. March 8th is a day when we should celebrate our victories, but never forget the struggles we have been facing. And it is also a day to demand respect, not flowers (unless you can give us both things).
In order to recognize this day for women’s strength and battles, talking about feminism is an inevitable thing, since it is an absolutely essential part of this fight. For several years, the word “feminism” has scared a lot of men, and even women, who don’t necessarily know what it means. So without further ado, here are some of the many types of feminism that exist and have been cultivated in our society.
Liberal Feminism
To understand this branch of the feminist movement, it is important to know that Liberalism emphasizes the value of freedom and believes that the state should ensure freedom for individuals. Therefore, it is logical that liberal feminists embrace this value and insist on freedom for women.
This variety of feminism also has to do with the structure of the mainstream. That is, it recognizes how sexist our society is and works in order to integrate women into that structure. Its roots stretch back to the American Revolution, more specifically to the social contract theory of government instituted by it.
Liberals often work hard within the system and end up doing little in practical terms, until more radical movements show up and are able to do more by pulling compromises. This is how it operated during Women’s Suffrage, a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States, and with the unfolding of radical feminists.
Radical Feminism
This type of feminism is often taken as a stereotype that represents the whole movement and feminists. “Raging and angry women”, seen by many as the “undesirable” element of feminism, is actually the root ground for many of the ideas that come up from feminism, with its principles presented in various ways by many branches of the movement, though it does not provide a basis for Cultural Feminism.
Radical Feminism originated out of the civil rights and peace movements in 1967-1968 and is labeled as “radical” because of the way they viewed oppression of women as the most expressive form of oppression, putting it in front of every other boundary such as race, culture, and economic class. This movement speaks about social change before anything else.
Another important point brought up by this kind of feminism is the roots of inequality between men and women, especially the ones expressed in our patriarchal society. It views patriarchy by itself as a separation of basic rights that, as a result, oppresses women and privileges men. For example, if a woman tried to explain these concepts to a man, he might tell her she is “wrong” as if she didn’t have any authority only because she is not a man.
Cultural Feminism
Over time, radical feminism began to die out as a movement. That was when cultural feminism started to emerge, bringing many of the same people into this new branch of the movement. They carried with them the name “radical feminism”, and some cultural feminists still use it.
Even though both branches have similarities, the difference between them is very prominent. That is because while radical feminism focused on transforming society, cultural feminism, as the name implies, puts the emphasis upon the cultural values of women rather than purely biological differences, building a new “women’s culture”.
To put it simply, cultural feminism seeks to fight against the notions of what should be “feminine” according to a patriarchal society that validates stereotypes that reduce all women to certain characteristics. Those “ideal” attributes include intuitive awareness, nurturing, kindness, gentleness, and the way women are perceived as being more emotional, either more “dramatic” or sensitive.
Black Feminism
Although not a very well-known type of feminism, it is really important to learn about this one. Black feminist philosophy focuses especially on shining a light on black women in African migration contexts. Its main goal is to understand problems faced by black women. But don’t think it only covers oppression and struggles. This movement also discusses the conquests, lives, and work of black women.
This old tradition grows out of the condition of being both black and a woman. It is characterized especially by its multi-dimensional approach to liberation. That said, black feminism does not fit into the “waves” of feminist history. This is because black women and other women of color, race, and gender are inseparable, and they resist all movements that ignore this as a reality.
In contrast with the beliefs cemented during the late 19th century, by the end of the 20th and into the 21st century, radical black feminisms started to embrace not only heterosexual black women but also queer and trans ones, in addition to including gender-nonconforming people to their ideals as well. Black feminism is an intellectual, artistic, philosophical, and activist practice grounded in black women’s lived experiences.
Don’t forget: we should all be feminists, women and men should join this fight in order to bring equality to the table. If a woman tells you something you did was sexist, listen to her. Remember you don’t know how it feels to be in her shoes. And it is also extremely important to understand your place when it comes to these delicate issues. If you are a man willing to fight with women, keep in mind that you don’t really know the struggles and difficulties we have to go through and, therefore, understand that you will be fighting with us but never for us.
The article above was edited by Giulia Lozano Pacini.
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