Feminism has many definitions, and the movement has evolved. Contemporary feminism has its roots in other important movements that took place in previous decades. And that history affects today’s modern views on women and gender roles.
Feminism means equality for all women, regardless of their backgrounds. Despite the progress in the feminist movement, women still face discrimination, such as pay inequity, limited access to gender-specific healthcare, and gender-based violence.
Although the feminist movement has existed for many decades, our generation has made progress in making feminism inclusive of everyone. Women of color are instrumental in moving towards intersectional feminism and continue to confidently push for change.
Black feminism, also known as Afro-feminism, extends beyond the United States. It concentrates on African-American women’s ventures and acknowledges how racism and sexism intersect. Black feminists also recognize how the women whom society marginalizes on multiple levels face additional difficulties. These differ from issues faced by white, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied, or otherwise privileged women.
In the late 1960s to 1970s, Black feminism emerged as the civil rights movement addressed the racism against black women — while mainstream feminism continued to ignore it. Alice Walker emerged as a prominent leader of this movement, and other influential women, like Bell Hooks, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, and Patricia Hill Collins, also quickly emerged as leading academics in Black feminism.
Their significant contributions encourage mainstream dialogue among scholars and Black celebrities in the present.
To what extent has the feminist movement progressed?
Feminist activists face many struggles, particularly with inclusivity. Even though women from all backgrounds contribute to the feminist movement, society only recently began recognizing them for their work. They have only recently been getting recognition for their contributions.
Thankfully, social media and technology allow the feminist movement to progress and reach new audiences. We now see women taking on directorial, scholarly, and activist roles and living more authentically than ever. Across the globe, women continue to connect, grow, and fight for their equality. Social media allows information to spread extremely rapidly, so it’s been instrumental in educating mainstream audiences about gender equity and intersectionality.
As with any movement, feminism receives its backlash from those who want to maintain the patriarchal status quo. However, we should not yield to the misogyny still present in our society. This movement will continue to break political ground, ensuring that all women, regardless of race, have the same opportunities as men do.
Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash
