Millenni Medearis

Ms. Dewey

ENG 101

11 November, 2018

Experiences as Women are Not a One Size Fits All

“Feminazi”, “Man-Hater”, “Social Justice Warrior”. These are all terms used to describe

feminists, whether they were the women and girls fighting for women’s choice to work in the

1960’s through the 1980’s or the new modern more inclusive intersectional feminism we have

today. Of course the first women to fight for women's rights were the most rejected and attacked.

Feminism is the “advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of equality of the sexes” (“​New

Words: Feminism”)​.First Wave Feminism (1900’s - ), second wave feminism (1960’s - 1980’s),

third wave feminism (1990’s - 2012), fourth wave feminism (2012- present) all these different

period of heightened feminist activity had one specific purpose for their marches and events

(​Feminism p​ ar 3). First wave suffragettes wanted women to have the right to vote and the second

wave feminists wanted to be allowed to work and leave the kitchen. The Feminist movement is a

very powerful one. Whether you’re looking at the second wave of feminists in the 1960’s to the

1980’s or the intersectional feminism we have today. They influence outlooks and sometimes

laws that have to do with the betterment of women’s health and their environments.

These “waves” of feminism are referred to as so because they derive from the feminist

eras in the past. Even though these two periods of time have different goals they both still fought

for the equality of the sexes with a focus on the struggles of women. Where they tend to differ

however is whose struggles they represent across the board. Second wave feminism did not
display all women’s experience as women, they did not fight for all womens struggle they fought

for those of middle class white women. As the IWD Coalition members said in their article

“white feminists cling to the false assumption that the womens movement is a homogenous

group, made up of people who experience the same forms and degree of oppression” ( “Meryl

Streep’s Divisive Feminism” par 1) . Many lower class women of color in the 1960’s through

the 1980’s were not fighting for the chance to work and leave the kitchen. They’d already been

forced to work, the narrative the feminists were pushing at that time did not fit them. In

intersectional feminism all women rights are considered. “..gender is just one element of a

women’s identity..” [“Changes Feminism “ Par 4] Intersectionality is “​the interconnected nature

of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or

group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or

disadvantage.” [ “New Words: Intersectionality” ]. Of course intersectional feminism is a

subcategory in the big umbrella feminism looks over, however this sub-group fights for the

rights of ​all​ women, black, mexican, disabled, transgender, whether they are 90 years old or 5

years old, this category fights for them all.

The feminist movement both second wave and intersectional have brought on important

changes to our legislators by influencing the way women are thought of in society. Second wave

feminism made it possible for women to choose whether or not they want to reproduce by

challenging the thinking of society and bring female voices to the forefront of this conversation

rather than letting old white men choose it for them. Intersectional feminism has fought for

gender neutral bathrooms for trans-women who face the brunt of all transphobia because of the
heinous actions actions men in power deflect on others, trans women are women at the end of the

day. They deserve to feel safe in any place not even because they’re women but because they are

humans too. Intersectional feminism acknowledges the increased danger black women and their

babies face when they give birth to their children in hospital (Villarosa par 12). It was shown that

black mothers who lived in low income neighborhoods had a higher rate of dying. This study

brought on a conversation in the feminist community and opened eyes to the unusual treatment

black women receive from those who are supposed to watch out for their health.

Feminism is very much necessary in today’s world, which in a way is kind of sad.

However, the growth presented in each wave demonstrates that feminism will ultimately grow to

have the necessary effects on all aspect of society. Second wave feminism made it possible for

intersectional feminism to come about. It made it possible for women to be included in the

corporate setting, to be able to choose whether or not they want to have children. Intersectional

feminism could not have existed had it not been for the very first feminists. It’s important to

grow in each era.

 Works Cited

Hanagan,​ Nora A., and Mary Lyndon Shanley. "Feminism." ​American Governance,​ edited

by Stephen Schechter, et al., vol. 2, Macmillan Reference USA, 2016, pp. 221-226.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3629100260/OVIC?u=mcc_glendale&sid=OVIC

&xid=432d2b3d. Accessed 14 Oct. 2018.

​"CHANGES​'Feminism North American-style is steered by white middle-class women at the

expense of everyone else, say five members of the International Women's Day coalition

it's time for a new agenda, taking race, class, sexual orientation and disability into

account Gender isn't everything - all issues are women's issues."​ ​Globe & Mail​ [Toronto,

Canada], 14 May 1991, p. A17. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A164249933/OVIC?u=mcc_glendale&sid=OVIC&xi

d=8f8b80f9. Accessed 15 Oct. 2018.

"Meryl​ Streep's Divisive Feminism: How White Feminists Silence People of Color." ​Daily

Beast,​ 13 Feb. 2016. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A449349074/OVIC?u=mcc_glendale&sid=O

VIC&xi

d=72fdb315. Accessed 15 Oct. 2018.

Villarosa, Linda.​ “Why America's Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death

Crisis.” ​The New York Times​, The New York Times, 11 Apr. 2018,

www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/magazine/black-mothers-babies-death-maternal-m

Ortality.html​.

“New Words: Intersectionality.”​ ​Merriam-Webster​, Merriam-Webster, 2018,

www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/intersectionality-meaning​.

“New Words: Feminism.” ​Merriam-Webster​, Merriam-Webster, 2018,

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism.