INTERSECTIONA

L FEMINISM
what is it? when did it begin? Why is it important? Does it
matter?
 HISTORY
1st wave of feminism
▪ Late 19th and early 20th ce.
▪ Emerging out of env of urban industrialism and liberal, socialist politics.
▪ Goal- open up opportunities for women
- equal contract and property rights
-end of the suffrage
-opposition to chattel marriage and ownership of married women
▪ ‘ain’t I a woman?’- african american Sojourner Truth
- acting in very un ladylike ways (public speaking,etc)
▪ Discussions about the vote and participation in politics (by the end)
 2nd wave of feminism
▪ 1960s to 90s
▪ Social equality
▪ Protests against ms america pageant – reduced women to objects of beauty
▪ Sex and gender were differentiated
▪ Drew in women of colour
▪ ‘women’s struggle is class struggle’
▪ ‘personal is political’- carol hanisch
▪ ‘identity politics’
▪ Coexisted with 3rd wave
▪ Ending discrimination
▪ Fight against cultural inequalities
 3rd wave of feminism
▪ Early 1990s
▪ Response to failures of 2nd wave
▪ Debates between feminists-who believe there are imp diff btw sexes
-who believe there arent and its all due to social conditioning
▪ Strong and empowered and“bold”
▪ Lipsticks and high heels and cleavage became a symbol – first two phases identified
them as male oppression
- defining feminine beauty for themselves and not as objects
of sexist patriarchy
▪ Fight against the derogatory terms like bitch and slut
▪ 4th wave of feminism
▪ 2nd wave-abortion rights
INTERSECTIONAL FEMINISM
Intersectionality, in simplest of words, is basically a framework expressing how
different identities of a person intersects which might lead them to be a part of any
minority. Feminism must always be intersectional. The way in which you take into
account the struggles and oppression of women of color, the LGBTQIA+ community,
different cultures and so forth, instead of focusing solely on the upper caste, able,
cis woman.
What does feminism mean to you?
 SEXISM IS EVERYWHERE
Feminism is IMPORTANT because we need to get rid of sexism, misogyny,
▪
homophobia, racism, ableism and all the isms and phobias that exist.
▪ For today’s discussion, let’s focus on sexism around us.
▪ At our house, workplace as well as our school – sexism is rampant.
▪ Few
help Instances:
to put up 1. Boys
charts, are
boys supposed
are called.to lift
2. the
Girls desks.
have Whenever
major uniform any teacher
restrictions.needs
3.
At our
cleaning, homes,
etc. sisters
Sisters are
oftenscolded
do all for
the not
work doing household
without having chores
anybody – like
pay sweeping,
attention to
it,4. Same
but when
with the
ourbrother does
parents, it –
usually. everyone
When appreciates
guests arrive, and
it’s cherishes
the ladies inhis
the presence.
kitchen
while the men sit & chat.
▪ Watch
better. this short film called ‘juice’ on YouTube to understand the 4 th example

▪ What are some instances where you’ve noticed rampant sexism around you?
SEXISM AGAINST MEN DOES
NOT EXIST
Not denying
called
against sexism
they can’tmen.
theagainst
be The
fact that
men men are prejudiced
because just the against
way as well.
reverese racismThatdoes
happens,
not it’s valid.
exist,
reason is because men have been the oppressors, since time immemorial, hence
oppressed.
sexismButcannot
it’s notbe

When men are prejudiced against, it’s plainly called discrimination or prejudice.
There’s also another term for this, benevolent sexism.
BS maintains
neatness or gender inequality
nurturing. By through
focusing on the idealization
qualities that hold oflesssubordinate
social qualities
power and in women
capital, BS such as
affords
men the means
hierarchies. — viaof seeming
psychology to offer
todaysupport to women, while still maintaining traditional gender
Anyway,
harder in simpler terms,
punishment than an example
women. This isofwhere
benevolent
people sexism
need canunderstand
to be when men
the are that
fact subjected
the to
problems men face
people to think that are
mennotarebecause
supposed of women – it’s because of the patriarchy that conditions
to be “tough”.
Do you think
harmful. Can BSweiseradicate
beneficialBS?for(Yes,
women? It might look
by smashing like it, but in the long run it’s extremely
the patriarchy)
HUMANISM ≠ FEMINISM
Feminism
not mean womenis the advocacy
> men orofmenwomen’ s rights on the grounds of equality of the sexes. It does
> women.
Humanism:
center of theanuniverse.
ideological doctrine
Although a that places
focus on human
human beings,
nature and as opposed
human life to be
can God,traced
at the
back ultimately
anthropocentric to ancient
belief Greek
inhuman thought,
the boundless humanism
potentiality in the modern
of unfettered sense,
human with its
reasonin and its
secular conviction that destiny is entirely in human hands,
Enlightenment of the eighteenth century. (From: The Encyclopedia of Philosophy)has its roots the
Itrights
is called feminism because
are needed to be revamped. it were the women who were oppressed & not men. Women’ s
Divyangana’ s videos
basic concept of feminism.were horrible. Her facts were unclear and she didn’t understand the
Do you think she should proceed to write a book?