Feminism

Perspective
Table of contents

01 03
Introduction Feminism and social work

02 04
Types of feminism Conclusion
 “
“Feminism isn’t about making
women stronger. Women are
already strong, it’s about
changing the way the world
perceives that strength

G.D. Anderson
“ I am not free while any woman is
unfree, even when her shackles are
very different from my own."

—Audrey Laurde
01 Introduction
What is feminism?
feminism is about all genders having equal
rights and opportunities. It's about respecting
diverse women's experiences, identities,
knowledge and strengths, and striving to
empower all women to realise their full rights.
A brief history of feminism

2nd wave 4th wave

1st wave
3rd wave
1st wave 2nd wave 3rd wave
Intersexuality
Social and economic
equality
women’s suffrage
movement
 4th wave
Empowerment of women, digital
femenism
Go!!
Go!!
Go!!
Girls!!
02
Types of Feminism
 Conservative
Cultural feminism
feminism
there are Conservative feminism is based on
differences in the nature of men
the assumption that the nature of
and women, and that female traits
are superior to male men and women are different for
traits. biological and religious reasons.

Womanist/Women of
Liberal Feminism Radical Feminism
Color Feminism there are no
came about as a critique of the basic differences in the nature of that there are
white woman’s feminist men and women and that people
movement. of both genders have
differences in the nature of
the same potential for achievement men and women
 Socialist Feminism
the human nature of men and
women is reflected in their human needs
(both physical and social) and how these
needs
are met
 03
Feminism and
social work
Feminist social workers shift the focus of
personal problems to the outer
world, where so often the cause lies.
They place the structures and
processes affecting clients at the
centre of social work practice.
Feminist social workers emphasise
that people are both victims and
survivors of wider influences, and
through political and communal
strategies, change can be achieved
(Alston, 2018; Harms, 2007).
The feminist approach to social work is
based on the assumption that
problems of clients are within our
societal structure, which is
patriarchal and oppressive to
women, whereby women become
less equal. The goal of this
perspective is to create a society that
is equal for both men and women.
Feminist social workers link
women’s personal experiences to
expected sex-role norms, oppressive
social structures and discriminatory
practices (Enge, 2013).
Feminism has a dynamic and central
role in contemporary social work.
Feminism has moved away from
assumptions of women as a
relatively uniform and unified
group with similar interests and
problems. Instead, feminism now
theorises difference and the
contextualised experiences of
women, men, and children.
There is no singular feminism and no
common feminist identity
(Seymour, 2012). Without solid
understanding of a broad range of
feminist theories, social workers
will be poorly equipped to solve
the social problems of women
(Saulnier, 2000).
04
Principles
common to
feminist
approach
The personal is Both process and product Feminism is a world
political are valued: view:

: An individual’s unique The way that people go People committed to

experience can only be
understood by referencing
the political, social,
cultural and economic
contexts in which it
occurred.
about their daily living, the feminism tend to allow
tasks they engage in and feminist thinking to impact
the approach they take, is on all aspects of their lives.
just as (if not more)
important than the end
product or goal.