Feminism and Its Story

Nowadays, we can see so many women who fight for their rights.Their struggle usually are called as 'Feminism'.  Talking about feminism always involves the story of feminist movements and of feminist thinkers as well. Based on the era, the culture, and the country, the causes and the goals of feminism are different. Before knowing beyond feminist movements, we have to know about the history of feminism (When did it started?).

Protofeminist

Feminism and feminist first appeared in France and The Netherlands in 1872. Then Great Britain in the 1890s and The United States in the 1910s. While, people and activists who discussed about women's issues prior to the existence of feminist movement used to be called as protofeminist. Nevertheless, some people did not agree with the use of this term. Some of them argue that it diminishes the importance of the earlier movements.

Feminist movements have its own era. The history of modern western feminist movements is divided into three "waves". Every waves had different aspects to deal with. For the first wave, it occurred during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In this era, feminists dealt with suffrage that obviously much had been a struggle for women at that time. Other aspects beside suffrage are working conditions and educational rights for women and girls.Then for the second wave (1960s - 1980s), it dealt with the inequality of laws and of cultural and women's role in society. Betty Friedan (1963) brought forth her exposé The Feminine Mystique, it gave a voice to the discontent and disorientation many women who turned into homemaking positions after graduating from college. After many writings about women’s changes provoked by Betty, many feminists seemed to start over their thoughts more about politics, economics, and so on through writing such as Betty had done. Eventually, the third wave started in 1990s until the early 2000s. In this period, feminists seemed to continue the second wave. The movement also respond what young women thought as the perceived failures of the second wave.

Betty Friedan (1963)

Knowing a few stories about the struggle of feminists in the past make me feel that women is worthwhile to have the same rights as men. In addition, we have to be thankful that our path is easier now due to the struggle of feminists in the past. Thus, we have to work harder and make this world proud to have women.