POSTMODERN FEMINISM

• Postmodern feminism might have began

somewhere in the early 1980s with the
coinage of the term post-feminism which in
fact looks critically at the various feminist
theories of the past especially from the
second wave of feminism.
• The largest departure from other branches of
feminism is the argument that sex is itself
contructed through language, a view most notably
propounded in Judith Buthler’s 1990 book,
Gender Trouble. She draws on and critiques the
work of Simone de Beaevour, Micher Foucult, and
Jacques Lacan. Butler criticises the distinction
drawn by previous feminisms between (biological)
sex and (socially constructed) gender.
• Modern feminism worked with the
existentialist view on women which
establishes the argument that “one is not born
a woman, but becomes one" and thus here
the focus is on the social and cultural
construction of women by the system.
• Postmodern feminism cannot be considered as
some sort of monolithic entity which is purely
based on generalizations. Postmodern feminist
thought is highly individual oriented and it relates
to specific issues of women in a particular culture
and society. Today women might broadly agree to
the goals of feminism that is gender equality and
end of gender discrimination but they might not
identify themselves as traditional feminists.
• Postmodern feminism should look at issues
from the principle that “women are people”
and in this context it should propagate views
that unite the sexes with equality of gender
and liberation of the individual rather than
accept views that separate the sexes.
Postmodern feminist thought should move
away from being labelled as misandrist in
disposition.
• Judith Butler
• Mary Joe Frug
• Helene Cixoux
• Catherine Clement
• Julia Kristeva