Eli5 the different waves of feminism
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First wave feminism was largely before the world wars. It focused on getting women the vote and some very basic human rights. This wave was also called the suffrage movement. Key figures included Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Davison.
Second wave feminism was the post-WW2 generation. Key figures include Germaine Greer and Gloria Steinem. This wave was focused on things like workplace equality, reproductive rights and dealing with sexual violence towards women.
Third wave feminism began in the 1990s and is really the current stage of feminism. In addition to continuing to fight for equality and a reduction in harms generally, third wave feminism talks about things like intersectionality, sex positivity and what it means to be a feminist in today’s world. Third wave feminism is mostly trans-inclusive, with the notable exception of the TERF movement.
There is some suggestion that we may be entering a fourth wave of feminism but I believe that’s a minority view at present.
First wave feminism was predominant in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was focused on legal equality for women, particularly with respect to suffrage (the right to vote).
Second wave feminism came about roughly in the mid-20th century. It built on the first wave’s fight for legal equality with a focus on social and economic equality. Think things like reproductive rights, domestic violence, etc.
Third wave feminism arose in the late 80s and early 90s, and attempts to address some of the perceived shortcomings of the second wave. The idea of intersectionality, that gender, race, and class all combine to oppress women (particularly women of color) came out of this wave.
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