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Charles, KendraWise History 202April 6, 2012Dr. UnderwoodResearch Paper: The Feminist Movement The Feminist MovementDuring the 19th century, Feminism had a massive effect on the females' role in society and in everyday life. After a while women got sick of living the “strict” lifestyle. The females were getting bored with staying in the house and not being able to do what they wanted. They decide that they had enough and needed to make a change. They wanted equality between men and women and wanted the same opportunities that men received. Feminism had a huge effect on the everyday role of women. It is a well-known fact that men were granted with rights; which in essence mean that women had little to none. The women, fighting for what they believed in or sought to happen in the future was in essence the beginning of the Feminist movement also known as the Women’s movement. Motivated by the quest for social justice, feminist inquiry provides a wide range of perspectives on social, cultural, economic, and political phenomena. There are typically thought to be three waves of feminism, each of which concerned themselves with particular issues related to women. In what ways did the Feminist Movement help mode and shape the lives of women of present times? Due to the uprising of the Feminist Movement, women today have more rights, privileges and are given equal rights to that of a man.The Feminist Movement consists of three waves. The first wave of feminism known as the Suffrage Movement, took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, emerging out of an atmosphere of urban industrialism and liberal, socialist, and politics. The goal of the first wave was to open up opportunities for women, with a focus on suffrage. The wave formally began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 when 300 men and women rallied to the cause of equality for women. The Seneca Falls Declaration was outlined by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, requesting the natural equity of women and outlining the political strategy of equal access and opportunity. The first wave of feminism in the United States was linked with other reform movements, such as abolition and temperance, and primarily closely involved women of the working classes. However, it was also supported by black women abolitionists, such as Maria Stewart, Sojourner Truth, and Frances E. W. Harper, who agitated for the rights of women of color. There were many people during this time who were considered to be feminists, Mary Wollstonecraft, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Olympia Brown, and Helen Pitts; there are countless more. The first-wave was said to have end when the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed, granting women the right to vote. This major victory of the movement also included reforms in education, in the workplace and professions, and in healthcare.The first-wave of feminism was immense to the movement, however, without the ongoing second-wave, there would be no hope for feminism in current times, for each wave is connected and dependent on the other's history. The second wave of feminism known as the Women’s Liberation Movement began in the 1960s and continued into the 90's. The Second Wave Feminism was a powerful, political and social movement that bettered the lives of women. This wave prolonged in the perspective of the anti-war and civil rights movements and the growing self-consciousness of a variety of minority groups around the world. Like the anti-slavery movement of the nineteenth century, the modern civil rights movement encouraged activism of all sorts. The rise of feminism in the mid- to late 1960s, especially the locally organized, community-based forms of women’s liberation, was based in part on young women’s recognition of sexism within “the movement,” made up of male-dominated groups like Students for a Democratic Society, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and others. The voice of the second wave was increasingly drastic. In this phase, sexuality and reproductive rights were leading concerns, and an ample amount of the movement's energy was concentrated on passing the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution assuring social equality regardless of gender. The 1960’s was a year of change. People became more vocal and strived for equality among all people. The Food and Drug Administration approved the first oral contraceptive for women. They were available to women the following year. This became the first step in the liberation movement. This now allowed women to take a stand on their reproductive rights. This wave encouraged women to understand aspects of their personal lives and deeply politicized, and reflective of a sexists structure of power. The key word of this wave was education, of women and of men. In 1963, the Federal Government amended the Equal Rights Act. This was to ensure that sex-based wage discrimination between men and women in the same work establishment was prohibited. The following year, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This was to protect women from being discriminated against in the work environment. In 1965, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioners (EEOC) was appointed to enforce the Civil Rights Act. As membership grew, so did the demonstrations, rallies, petitions and such that were designed to facilitate the spread of information on the purpose of the group. They boycotted the 1968 Miss America Beauty Contest in Atlantic City to let it be known that women’s worth wasn’t about their appearance. Second Wave Feminism became a potent political and social force during the 1970s, advocating for the equality of women in all walks of life. There were several major moments during this wave, such as, The Feminine Mystique hitting the shelves, this book explored the dissatisfaction that many upper and middle class women felt at their limited options in life., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, Formation of National Organization for Women (NOW), the rise of radical feminism during the 1970's, Title IX in the Education Amendments of 1972 passed, allowed women equal access to education, especially college and professional schools, the Feminist Sex Wars of the late 1970's and 1980's, and the Roe vs. Wade decision decided. Second Wave Feminism has been succeeded by the movement known as Third Wave Feminism; its effects can still be seen in the lives of everyday women. As a result of the political actions Second Wave Feminists, women have begun to attain equality in all aspects of society, including education, employment, health, and many more.The final and third wave known as the Third Wave Feminism, it began in the mid-90’s and was informed by post-colonial and post-modern thinking. In this phase many conceptions have been weakened, including the ideas of "universal womanhood," body, gender, and sexuality. Third-wave feminism manifests itself in “grrl” rhetoric, which seeks to overcome the theoretical question of equity or difference and the political question of evolution or revolution, while it challenges the notion of “universal womanhood” and embraces ambiguity, diversity, and multiplicity in transversal theory and politics. An feature of third phase feminism that puzzles the mothers of the earlier feminist movement is the re-adoption by young feminists of the lip-stick, high-heels, and cleavage conceitedly visible by low cut necklines that the first two phases of the movement identified with male oppression. The Third Wave is sustained by the confidence of having more opportunities and less sexism. Third Wave feminism is characterized by an interest in various groups of women, including women of color; lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered women; and low income women. Ultimately, the ongoing analyses and activism of feminist women of color — and lesbian feminists, radical feminists, and young women from all backgrounds raised with expectations of equality — challenged and broadened the contemporary women’s liberation movement, strengthening it as it moved into the 21st century and a new “third wave.” A common American term for third-wave feminism is “grrl feminism.” The third wave feminism challenges previously accepted definitions of beauty and femininity, and continues to fight for equal rights. Through the development of the PC, third wave feminists are more able to keep tabs on important political and social issues debasing their gender worldwide. This particular wave is defined as the feminist activity and study from the 1990s to present times.Today, the feminist movement continues to grow. Women and men around the world join together for equal rights and fair treatment. Although much has changed, feminists, regardless of which wave they claim to belong to, still fight for the equality of women everywhere. The movement has come a long way since the 18th Century, and it has only to grow. As it is probably clear from our history many of our demands have still not been met. Women and men were never thought of as “equals.” When compared to the strong, dominant male, females were often thought of as inferior and not nearly as important. Even now, as we enter into the twenty-first century, and the thought that Hilary Clinton might become the first woman president. Political parties are beginning to recognize the importance of female voters, more and more and the labor movements are pushing for a minimum wage. When the women’s movements linked up with other groups such as the Trade Union movement and other oppressed groups, we have achieved masses, like winning the vote. It took 70 years for women to get voting rights, some even gave their lives for it and in many countries it is still being fought for. These movements have granted women like you as well as I to be who we are today. The feminist movement brought about many equal rights for women as well as a common bond for the entire female race. They have allowed us to act opening and think broadly. They have given opportunities that were once not there. They have allowed me to voice my opinion and speak how I feel. They have allowed me to issue a ballot in whose going to be the next city official, or, mayor, or even president of the United States. It has allowed me to get a job and work. Take your opportunities to vote. These movements has granted access so that I or any other women who wanted too, to run for president, to be the next mayor , either way I now have bodily integrity and liberation . I can now hold a position in a public office. I can own my own property. I can go to school and receive an education. And last but not least I now have marital, parental and religious rights. So with that being said the Feminist Movement has granted women today more rights, privileges and we also were given equal rights to that of a man.In conclusion, Feminism deals with challenging rather than accommodating to what individuals are told by society is the right or wrong way. It is standing up for yourselves and individuals taking pride in what they do. The women and men seen and understood their relation to the world rather to just go along with what they thought was wrong. Feminism is a movement away from historically conventional norms to a more exposed and equal way of living. Feminism is a movement which has been incredibly important to the success and failures of the United States and has been a necessary journey for the women in our country to travel upon so that they can discover and create their own unique place in society.Bibliography Page.Dubois, Ellen. Feminism and Suffrage: The Emergence of an Independent Women’s Movement in America, 1848-1869. Ithaca: Cornell University Press Feminism: Issues and Arguments, Oxford University Press 2003Freeman, Jo. “From Suffrage to Women’s Liberation: Feminism in Twentieth Century America.” Women: A Feminist Perspective, no. 5 (1995):509-528.Hannam, June . Feminism / J. Hannam.. New York: Harlow, England; New York: Pearson, 2007Napikoski, Linda. “Goals of Feminist Movement.” About. August 10, 2009. nd_70s.htm.Ruthsdotter, Mary. “Living the Legacy: The Women’s Rights Movement.” Legacy 98. 1997. ................
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