TeachIn 7 The Feminist Movement A tale of

Teach-In 7: The Feminist Movement A tale of sexism, racism, classism and oppression Amanda Eisnor Mark Kalb

Liz Lemon is Liberal

Discussion What are some other examples of mass media (television, movies, celebrities) depictions of feminism or the feminist movement?

The Feminist Movement A movement to combat sexual discrimination to gain full legal, economic, vocational, educational, and social rights and opportunities for women, equal to those of men

History The feminist movement is broken into three waves based on continuities and disruptions Three Waves of Feminism The First Wave: Votes for Women The Second Wave: “The Personal Is Political” The Third Wave: Transversal Politics

The First Wave Middle 19 th to early 20 th century • Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 The nation’s first women’s rights convention The Seneca Falls Declaration outlined by Elizabeth Cady Stanton: “Claiming natural equality of women and outlining political strategy for equal access and opportunity” • A form of intervention that challenged to the “cult of domesticity” Equal opportunity feminism Enfranchisement (Suffragists) • The abolitionist movement Linkage of racism and sexism with Black women abolitionists

Sister Suffragette

The Second Wave Late 1960 s and early 1970 s “The Personal Is Political” • • Women lack social power and political influence Women collectively empower one another Women’s liberation (Redstockings) • Focused on the notion and interests of the “oppressed” Other movements: Civil Rights, Black Power, Anti-Vietnam, Gay and Lesbian Sexual difference in more fundamental than class and race differences • Lead to standpoint feminism, identity feminism, black feminism

Equal Pay

The Third Wave Mid-1990 s onward Grrl (New) feminism • • Characterized by activism in causes, such as violence against women, trafficking, body surgery and “pornofication” of the media Empowerment and Do It Yourself Seen as capable, strong and assertive Flaunt femininity Reclaim formerly derogatory labels Transfeminism • • A right to define one’s own identity Make decisions regarding one’s own body Transversal Politics • Recognize differences (nationality, religion ethnicity), listen and participate

Women’s Liberation bell hooks (2000) definition: A dismissal of race and class as factors that, in conjunction with sexism, determine the extent to which an individual will be discriminated against, exploited, or oppressed.

Feminism as a Movement To end sexist oppression is crucial for the development of theory because it is a starting point indicating the direction of exploration and analysis. It is necessary for advocates of feminism to collectively acknowledge that the struggle can not be defined with terms like “liberal feminist” and “bourgeois feminist” because hey represent contradictions that must be resolved so that feminism will not be continually co-opted to serve the opportunistic ends of special interest groups.

A Form Oppression Men as the oppressor • All women are subject to male domination Inability to see and describe one’s own reality All women do not share a common social status

Significance Brought attention to the exploitation and oppression of women globally Marginalized feminism by appearing only relevant to women who joined the cause Challenged sexist oppression as a means to eliminate all forms of oppression Focused on transforming family relationships

Levels of Feminism Radical feminism • • Militant Working for eradication of domination Aims to grant women greater equality of opportunity through political action Privilege women over men Liberal feminism • • Contradictory Working for social reform Reinforced capitalist, materialist values without liberating women economically Social equality for primarily white, middle- and upper-class women

Sexism is both discrimination on gender and the attitudes, stereotypes, and cultural elements that promote discrimination Given the historical and continued imbalance of power, where men as a class are privileged over women as a class important, but often overlook, part of the term that sexism is prejudice plus power

Racism The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability, and that a particular race is superior to others Example: White supremacists

Classism The differential treatment based on a social class or perceived social class. The systematic oppression of subordinated class groups to advantage and strengthen the dominant class groups. The systematic assignment of characteristics of worth and ability based on a social class.

“Common Oppression” Racism and classism stem from sexism Universalizing experiences “The primary contradiction” – superior should control the inferior Challenging sexist oppression is crucial

Negative Connotations and Failures A notion of feminism as a reform to help women attain social equality as an unattainable goal A radical movement to eradicate domination and transform society Women deflect attention away from engagement in the feminist movement for fear of isolation Feminism is seen as synonymous with lesbianism A lack of organization of the movement marginalized feminism

Importance The feminist movement: Called attention to exploitation and oppression of women globally • Became a political struggle to end sexist oppression and an effort to end all oppression • Affirmed the kinship structure of family while challenging the dominant structure • Helped maintain the cultural basis of group oppression •