14-yr. old striker, Fola La Follette, and Rose Livingston. Glass negative from the George Grantham Bain Collection, 1913. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division. Photograph shows suffrage and labour activist Flora Dodge "Fola" La Follette (1882-1970), social reformer and missionary Rose Livingston, and a young striker during a garment strike in New York City in 1913. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ggbain.12397/
Feminism is a social, political, and cultural movement that seeks to promote the rights and equality of women. The history of feminism is a long and complex one, dating back centuries and encompassing a wide range of social and political movements.
One of the earliest forms of feminism can be traced back to the 18th century, when writers and thinkers such as Mary Wollstonecraft began to advocate for women's rights and equality. Wollstonecraft's 1792 book, "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," argued that women were capable of reason and should be afforded the same educational opportunities as men.
The first wave of feminism emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and focused on women's suffrage and political rights. In countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, women won the right to vote during this period. Key figures in the first wave of feminism include Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Emmeline Pankhurst.
The second wave of feminism emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, and focused on issues such as reproductive rights, workplace discrimination, and sexual violence. This period saw the rise of prominent feminist writers and activists such as Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, and Audre Lorde.
Since then, feminism has continued to evolve and expand, with new movements emerging to address a wide range of issues. Intersectional feminism, for example, seeks to address the ways in which race, class, and other factors intersect with gender to shape women's experiences.
Today, feminism remains an important force for social and political change, with women around the world continuing to fight for their rights and equality. As feminist writer and activist bell hooks has said, "Feminism is for everybody."
Top Global Moments in Feminism, to Date
Seneca Falls Convention (1848): The first women's rights convention held in the United States, where participants drafted the Declaration of Sentiments calling for gender equality.
Suffrage Movement (late 19th-early 20th century): A major campaign to secure women's right to vote, which ultimately led to the passage of the American 19th Amendment in 1920. The suffrage movements in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which led to women gaining the right to vote in these countries.
The publication of Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" in 1949, which is considered a seminal text in feminist theory.
Women's Liberation Movement (1960s-1970s): A social and political movement that sought to address gender inequality in all aspects of society, including the workplace, politics, and reproductive rights. The 1960s and 70s feminist movements in the United States and Europe, which focused on issues such as reproductive rights, workplace discrimination, and sexual liberation.
Title IX (1972): A federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
Roe v. Wade (1973): A landmark American Supreme Court case that legalised abortion nationwide, ensuring women's reproductive rights.
Anita Hill Testimony (1991): Hill's testimony during Clarence Thomas's American Supreme Court confirmation hearings shed light on sexual harassment in the workplace and sparked a national conversation about the issue.
Violence Against Women Act (1994): An American federal law that provides resources and support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted by the United Nations in 1995, which set out a comprehensive agenda for women's rights and empowerment.
#MeToo Movement (2017-present): A social movement that started with the hashtag #MeToo and brought attention to the widespread issue of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.
Women's March (2017-present): An annual protest march advocating for women's rights, equality, and social justice, held in cities across the world.
Kamala Harris as Vice President (2021): Kamala Harris's historic election as the first woman, first Black woman, and first person of South Asian descent to hold the position of Vice President of the United States.
The recent passage of laws legalising abortion in Argentina and Ireland, which had previously been heavily restricted.
The ongoing fight for gender equality and women's rights around the world, including efforts to close the gender pay gap, combat violence against women, and promote women's leadership in all areas of society.
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