| Feminism is concerned with gender inequalities in | | | | North America. |
| society and the equal rights for women. This encases | | | | Thus alienating women of different colours and races, |
| social, cultural and political movements, theories and | | | | which was stated in a speech given to US Feminists |
| moral philosophies that affect women in everyday | | | | by ex black slave "Sojourner Truth" in 1851. Sojourner |
| life. Feminism also takes up the fight against other | | | | purports that as a black woman she is viewed as |
| forms of discrimination. | | | | even lower than white woman. |
| Some feminists argue that "gendered and sexed | | | | Women of other races set up alternative feminist |
| identities, such as 'man' and 'woman' are social | | | | groups which gained more followers in the 1960's civil |
| constructs, meaning that some gender roles are | | | | rights movement in the United States. |
| socially conditioned rather than innate." | | | | Post-colonial and Third World feminism proposed |
| For many people the feminist movement came in | | | | alternatives, with the post-colonial feminist slamming |
| three waves starting from the 19th century to the | | | | western feminism for being ethnocentric. The |
| present day. | | | | definition of ethnocentrism will be discussed in a later |
| The first wave occurred between the 19th and early | | | | article. |
| 20th centuries, starting in the United Kingdom and | | | | In the 1980's feminists realised that an understanding |
| United States. Their main concerns were with equal | | | | of global issues that also effect women of different |
| contract and property rights for women. | | | | races, colours and cultural was essential to |
| The Suffrage movement began at the end of the | | | | understanding gender inequality. In turn this would |
| 19th century, with the main focus being on gaining | | | | show that racism, homophobia and classis are intrinsic |
| political power and the right for women to vote. | | | | in society and how they control women. |
| The second was during the 1960's and 1970's were | | | | The Feminist political activists have challenged and |
| cultural and political inequalities were bound together | | | | brought women issues to the forefront of people's |
| as problem faced by women. | | | | concentions while also creating debate. They changed |
| The beginning of the third wave started in the early | | | | laws in women right to contract and property and |
| 1990's to the present day and slams the failure of | | | | the right to bodily integrity and autonomy. This |
| the second wave. They deem the previous wave to | | | | includes the right for a woman to have an abortion |
| be too focused on the upper middle class white | | | | and the right to take and access contraception. |
| women's views and experiences. | | | | Furthermore they are advocates for the protection |
| It was argued and still is that through the history of | | | | of women from domestic violence, rape and sexual |
| feminism the majority of the leaders have been | | | | harassment. Also rights for women in the workplace |
| white middle class women from Western Europe or | | | | and the legal right for maternity leave and equal pay. |