Hopefully, by now this term is somewhat familiar to people, but just in case: feminism can be defined as economic, social, political, and cultural equality for women, and the belief that women should receive the same opportunities and have the same rights as men. When thinking about this concept it almost seems like it should be a no-brainer but unfortunately, the struggle for equality that exists between men and women is still prevalent in society today.
You may have thought to yourself, well where did this idea of feminism even come from and how did the movement gain so much popularity? Well, like most movements, the fight for equality came in waves and did not happen all at once. The first wave of feminism began in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention, where women fought for the right to vote and by 1893 New Zealand became the first to give women the right to vote. By 1963 women achieved the signing of the Equal Pay Act, a law that prohibits gender-based discrimination pay. By March of 1972, the United States Senate approved the Equal Rights Amendments which had been proposed already in 1923.
Now this is just a brief overview of how feminism came to be, but there is more behind the Feminist Movement, how it started, and how it is going currently. There is equally as much backward thinking that is still prevalent around the world today when it comes to feminism and equal rights for women. We still need to unify, fight, and strive to empower women. Support and knowledge are extremely powerful and a difference can and is being made.
The Waves of Feminism: https://www.vox.com/2018/3/20/16955588/feminism-waves-explained-first-second-third-fourth