Feminism: the push for absolute gender equality.
American feminism, as we now know it, is believed to have come in three waves. The first wave took place between the 1830’s to the early 1900’s. During this era, women fought for equal contract, voting, and property rights. By fighting for political power, women would be able to fuel their own fire when fighting for equality by being able to vote on laws that would benefit them.
The second wave (1960’s-1980’s) broadened the debate of a woman’s place in the in the world as it focused on women’s civil rights. Feminists of the time focused on rights in the workplace and rights to their own bodies and sexuality.
The third wave started in the 1990’s and continues through present day. This wave is largely based on the two previous waves, though focuses more on what has been described as “nitpicky politics”, such as the Free the Nipple or Free the Shoulder movements. It has also spread globally, as women are reaching out to help oppressed women worldwide.
A common misconception is that we are now in a fourth wave or that we are entering a world of “post-feminism”. This is a kind of “feminism” which encourages women to continue engaging in practices of feminism (like voting and playing in sports), but at the same time being “reassuringly feminine”. It tells women to continue to have these civil rights that the second and first waves fought for, but to also be aware of their femininity and emphasize it.
Post-feminism basically speculates that we have achieved complete equality between men and women in America and women now must find a comfortable place in American culture. It is a “normalizing discourse”, telling women to stop fighting and begin stabilizing a position in American society as traditionally feminine women. It is the practice of keeping women in a static position.
An example of post-feminism is the famous television show, Sex in the City. Each woman in this show is presented as a professional in some form or another. However, at the same time, these women spend the majority of their time thinking and talking about men, makeup, and clothing. They personify this concept of women being economically and professionally equal, while also being extremely feminine.
Post-feminism does not consider that the fight for equality is not over. It recognizes the vast strides women have made, however does not acknowledge that women are still paid 70 cents to the dollar and stereotyped as the homemaker in the kitchen, which implies that women are secondary to men. Therefore, there is not true equality in America yet.