feminism informative essay

Essay on Feminism

500 words essay on feminism.

Feminism is a social and political movement that advocates for the rights of women on the grounds of equality of sexes. It does not deny the biological differences between the sexes but demands equality in opportunities. It covers everything from social and political to economic arenas. In fact, feminist campaigns have been a crucial part of history in women empowerment. The feminist campaigns of the twentieth century made the right to vote, public property, work and education possible. Thus, an essay on feminism will discuss its importance and impact.

Importance of Feminism

Feminism is not just important for women but for every sex, gender, caste, creed and more. It empowers the people and society as a whole. A very common misconception is that only women can be feminists.

It is absolutely wrong but feminism does not just benefit women. It strives for equality of the sexes, not the superiority of women. Feminism takes the gender roles which have been around for many years and tries to deconstruct them.

This allows people to live freely and empower lives without getting tied down by traditional restrictions. In other words, it benefits women as well as men. For instance, while it advocates that women must be free to earn it also advocates that why should men be the sole breadwinner of the family? It tries to give freedom to all.

Most importantly, it is essential for young people to get involved in the feminist movement. This way, we can achieve faster results. It is no less than a dream to live in a world full of equality.

Thus, we must all look at our own cultures and communities for making this dream a reality. We have not yet reached the result but we are on the journey, so we must continue on this mission to achieve successful results.

Impact of Feminism

Feminism has had a life-changing impact on everyone, especially women. If we look at history, we see that it is what gave women the right to vote. It was no small feat but was achieved successfully by women.

Further, if we look at modern feminism, we see how feminism involves in life-altering campaigns. For instance, campaigns that support the abortion of unwanted pregnancy and reproductive rights allow women to have freedom of choice.

Moreover, feminism constantly questions patriarchy and strives to renounce gender roles. It allows men to be whoever they wish to be without getting judged. It is not taboo for men to cry anymore because they must be allowed to express themselves freely.

Similarly, it also helps the LGBTQ community greatly as it advocates for their right too. Feminism gives a place for everyone and it is best to practice intersectional feminism to understand everyone’s struggle.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Feminism

The key message of feminism must be to highlight the choice in bringing personal meaning to feminism. It is to recognize other’s right for doing the same thing. The sad part is that despite feminism being a strong movement, there are still parts of the world where inequality and exploitation of women take places. Thus, we must all try to practice intersectional feminism.

FAQ of Essay on Feminism

Question 1: What are feminist beliefs?

Answer 1: Feminist beliefs are the desire for equality between the sexes. It is the belief that men and women must have equal rights and opportunities. Thus, it covers everything from social and political to economic equality.

Question 2: What started feminism?

Answer 2: The first wave of feminism occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It emerged out of an environment of urban industrialism and liberal, socialist politics. This wave aimed to open up new doors for women with a focus on suffrage.

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✍️Essay on Feminism for Students: Samples 150, 250 Words

Updated on
Nov 2, 2023

In a society, men and women should be considered equal in every aspect. This thought is advocated by a social and political movement i.e. feminism . The word feminism was coined by the French Philosopher Charles Fourier in 1837. He was known for his strong belief in equal rights for women as men in every sector, be it the right to vote, right to work, right to decide, right to participate in public life, right to own property, etc. Feminism advocates the rights of women with respect to the equality of gender . There are different types of feminism i.e. liberal, radical, Marxist, cultural, and eco-feminism. Stay tuned and have a look at the following sample essay on feminism!

Also Read: Popular Struggles and Movements

Essay on Feminism 150 Words

India is a land of diversity of which 52.2% are women as per an estimate for the year 2023. This doesn’t mean that every woman is getting basic fundamental rights in society. We should not neglect the rights of women and treat them as a weaker sex. Women are equally strong and capable as men. To advocate this thought a movement called Feminism came into existence in 1837. Feminism is a movement that advocates the equality of women in social, political, and economic areas.

India is up eight notches in #WorldEconomicForum ’s annual gender ranking. And Iceland is #1 for women, again, for the 14th year in a row. @namitabhandare ’s newsletter, #HTMindtheGap looks at why. Plus the week’s other gender stories https://t.co/9Fen6TaEnb Subscribe here… pic.twitter.com/r6XfFMINO0 — Hindustan Times (@htTweets) June 25, 2023

Traditionally, women were believed to stay at home and there were severe restrictions imposed on them. They were not allowed to go out, study, work, vote, own property, etc. However, with the passage of time, people are becoming aware of the objective of feminism. Any person who supports feminism and is a proponent of equal human rights for women is considered a feminist.

Feminism is a challenge to the patriarchal systems existing in society. Despite this strong movement burning in high flames to burn the orthodox and dominant culture, there are still some parts of the world that are facing gender inequality. So, it is our duty to make a world free of any discrimination.

Essay on Feminism 250 Words

Talking about feminism in a broader sense, then, it is not restricted only to women. It refers to the equality of every sex or gender. Some people feel offended by the concept of feminism as they take it in the wrong way. There is a misconception that only women are feminists. But this is not the case. Feminists can be anyone who supports the noble cause of supporting the concept of providing equal rights to women.

Feminism is not restricted to single-sex i.e. women, but it advocates for every person irrespective of caste, creed, colour, sex, or gender. As an individual, it is our duty to help every person achieve equal status in society and eradicate any kind of gender discrimination .

Equality helps people to live freely without any traditional restrictions. At present, the Government of India is also contributing to providing equal rights to the female sector through various Government schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra, One Stop Center, and many more.

Apart from these Government policies, campaigns like reproductive rights or abortion of unwanted pregnancy also give women the right to choose and lead their life without any external authority of a male.

Feminism has also supported the LGBTIQA+ community so that people belonging to this community could come out and reveal their identity without any shame. The concept of feminism also helped them to ask for equal rights as men and women. Thus, it could be concluded that feminism is for all genders and a true feminist will support every person to achieve equal rights and hold a respectable position in society.

Check Out: Women Equality Day

Kajal Thareja

Hi, I am Kajal, a pharmacy graduate, currently pursuing management and is an experienced content writer. I have 2-years of writing experience in Ed-tech (digital marketing) company. I am passionate towards writing blogs and am on the path of discovering true potential professionally in the field of content marketing. I am engaged in writing creative content for students which is simple yet creative and engaging and leaves an impact on the reader's mind.

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5 Essays About Feminism

On the surface, the definition of feminism is simple. It’s the belief that women should be politically, socially, and economically equal to men. Over the years, the movement expanded from a focus on voting rights to worker rights, reproductive rights, gender roles, and beyond. Modern feminism is moving to a more inclusive and intersectional place. Here are five essays about feminism that tackle topics like trans activism, progress, and privilege:

“Trickle-Down Feminism” – Sarah Jaffe

Feminists celebrate successful women who have seemingly smashed through the glass ceiling, but the reality is that most women are still under it. Even in fast-growing fields where women dominate (retail sales, food service, etc), women make less money than men. In this essay from Dissent Magazine, author Sarah Jaffe argues that when the fastest-growing fields are low-wage, it isn’t a victory for women. At the same time, it does present an opportunity to change the way we value service work. It isn’t enough to focus only on “equal pay for equal work” as that argument mostly focuses on jobs where someone can negotiate their salary. This essay explores how feminism can’t succeed if only the concerns of the wealthiest, most privileged women are prioritized.

Sarah Jaffe writes about organizing, social movements, and the economy with publications like Dissent, the Nation, Jacobin, and others. She is the former labor editor at Alternet.

“What No One Else Will Tell You About Feminism” – Lindy West

Written in Lindy West’s distinct voice, this essay provides a clear, condensed history of feminism’s different “waves.” The first wave focused on the right to vote, which established women as equal citizens. In the second wave, after WWII, women began taking on issues that couldn’t be legally-challenged, like gender roles. As the third wave began, the scope of feminism began to encompass others besides middle-class white women. Women should be allowed to define their womanhood for themselves. West also points out that “waves” may not even exist since history is a continuum. She concludes the essay by declaring if you believe all people are equal, you are a feminist.

Jezebel reprinted this essay with permission from How To Be A Person, The Stranger’s Guide to College by Lindy West, Dan Savage, Christopher Frizelle, and Bethany Jean Clement. Lindy West is an activist, comedian, and writer who focuses on topics like feminism, pop culture, and fat acceptance.

“Toward a Trans* Feminism” – Jack Halberstam

The history of transactivsm and feminism is messy. This essay begins with the author’s personal experience with gender and terms like trans*, which Halberstam prefers. The asterisk serves to “open the meaning,” allowing people to choose their categorization as they see fit. The main body of the essay focuses on the less-known history of feminists and trans* folks. He references essays from the 1970s and other literature that help paint a more complete picture. In current times, the tension between radical feminism and trans* feminism remains, but changes that are good for trans* women are good for everyone.

This essay was adapted from Trans*: A Quick and Quirky Account of Gender Variability by Jack Halberstam. Halberstam is the Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, Gender Studies and Comparative Literature at the University of Southern California. He is also the author of several books.

“Rebecca Solnit: How Change Happens” – Rebecca Solnit

The world is changing. Rebecca Solnit describes this transformation as an assembly of ideas, visions, values, essays, books, protests, and more. It has many layers involving race, class, gender, power, climate, justice, etc, as well as many voices. This has led to more clarity about injustice. Solnit describes watching the transformation and how progress and “ wokeness ” are part of a historical process. Progress is hard work. Not exclusively about feminism, this essay takes a more intersectional look at how progress as a whole occurs.

“How Change Happens” was adapted from the introduction to Whose Story Is it? Rebecca Solnit is a writer, activist, and historian. She’s the author of over 20 books on art, politics, feminism, and more.

“Bad Feminist” extract – Roxane Gay

People are complicated and imperfect. In this excerpt from her book Bad Feminist: Essays , Roxane Gay explores her contradictions. The opening sentence is, “I am failing as a woman.” She goes on to describe how she wants to be independent, but also to be taken care of. She wants to be strong and in charge, but she also wants to surrender sometimes. For a long time, she denied that she was human and flawed. However, the work it took to deny her humanness is harder than accepting who she is. While Gay might be a “bad feminist,” she is also deeply committed to issues that are important to feminism. This is a must-read essay for any feminists who worry that they aren’t perfect.

Roxane Gay is a professor, speaker, editor, writer, and social commentator. She is the author of Bad Feminist , a New York Times bestseller, Hunger (a memoir), and works of fiction.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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Feminist persuasive speech topics

108 feminist persuasive speech topics

- the top current women's rights & feminist issues.

By: Susan Dugdale

There are 108 persuasive speech topics here covering many current feminist issues. For example:

that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap,
that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports body image insecurities to serve its own ends,
that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society...

They're provocative and challenging topics raising issues that I like to think should be of concern to us all!

Use the quick links to find a topic you want to explore

25 feminist persuasive speech topics about beauty and fashion
16 the media and feminism topics
8 the role of language and feminism speech ideas

8 feminist speech ideas about culture and arts

9 topics on education and gendered expectations, 27 feminist topics about society & social inequality, 8 business & work related feminist speech topics.

Resources for preparing persuasive speeches
References for feminism

What is 'feminism'?

Feminism is defined as belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes, expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests.

(See: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism )

Return to Top

25 feminist speech topics about beauty & fashion

that from puberty onward a woman is targeted by cosmetic companies
that the shape of woman’s body is valued over its health
that physical beauty in a woman is conferred by popular beliefs
that striving for what is regarded as the epitome of female physical perfection destroys women
that physical perfection is a myth
that compassion and collaboration is needed between women (and men) rather than competition and comparison
that beauty, fashion and feminism can co-exist
that clothing reflects social position or class
that the fashionable clothing of any era reflects its dominate cultural beliefs
that a modern feminist does not need to ban either the bra or the razor
that prescriptive beauty norms (PBNs) reinforce sexism, racism, colorism, classism, ableism, ageism, and gender norms
that western feminine beauty standards dominate globally
that there is no legitimate historical or biological justification for the ‘white’ beauty myth
that modern beauty standards were used as “political weapons" against women’s advancement (see Naomi Wolfe - The Beauty Myth )
that the beauty industry cynically and callously exploits women through “self-empowerment” campaigns – eg L'Oreal's “Because you're worth it”
that beauty shaming of any sort is shameful
that health and beauty need to work together for the empowerment of women
that beauty and fashion role models need to be independent of major brands
that fashion and cosmetic industries have a moral responsibility to use the immense power they have in shaping people’s lives for their betterment
that the unfair balance of power between the consumers of fashionable clothing and those who make it is a feminist issue
that copy-cat fast fashion reinforces the relentless consumer cycle and the poverty trap
that genuinely sustainable fashion is only responsible way forward
that clothing/fashion can make a feminist statement. For example: the 1850s “freedom” or “bloomer” dress named after women’s rights and temperance advocate Amelia Bloomer , the wearing of trousers, shorts, or mini skirts by women, or skirts and dresses by men
that boss dressing for women is unnecessary and toxic
that establishing superiority through wearing elitist fashion is an age old ploy

16 the media and feminism speech topics

that feminism in mainstream media is often misrepresented through lack of understanding
that some media deliberately encourages a narrow polarizing definition of feminism to whip up interest and drama for its own sake
that mainstream media plays a significant role in keeping women marginalized
that social media has created an independent level playing field for feminists globally
that the #metoo movement reaffirmed the need for community and solidarity amongst feminists
that the advertising industry deliberately manufactures and supports ongoing body image insecurities to serve its own ends
that the advertising industry decides and deifies what physical perfection looks like
that the ideal cover girl body/face is a myth
that eating disorders and negative body image problems are increased by the unrealistic beauty standards set by mainstream media
that women get media coverage for doing newsworthy things and being beautiful. Men get media coverage for doing newsworthy things.
that social media gives traditionally private issues a platform for discussion and change: abortion, domestic abuse, pay equity
that print media (broadsheets, magazines, newspapers...) have played and continue to play a vital role in feminist education
that ‘the women’s hour’ and similar radio programs or podcasts have been and are an important part in highlighting feminist issues
that ‘feminist wokeness’ has been hijacked by popular media
that social media reinforces prejudices rather than challenges them because the smart use of analytics means we mainly see posts aligned with our viewpoints
that social media has enabled and ‘normalized’ the spread of pornography: the use of bodies as a commodity to be traded

8 the role language and feminism speech ideas

that frequently repeated platitudes (eg. girls will be girls and boys will be boys) are stereotypical straitjackets stifling change
that the derogatory words for females and female genitalia frequently used to vent anger or frustration demonstrate the worth and value placed on women
that feminism is neither male nor female
that gendered language reinforces the patriarchal structure of society
that sexist language needs to be called out and changed
that gendered language limits women’s opportunities
that gendered languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi...) need to become more inclusive
that the real enemy of feminism is language
that limitations in any arena (work, sports, arts) placed on woman because they are women need challenging
that male bias in the organizations awarding major awards and grants needs to change
that the ideal woman in art is a figment of a male imagination
that historically art has objectified women
that heroic figures should be celebrated and honored for their deeds – not for what they look like or their gender
that strong feisty female characters in literature can inspire change eg. Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte’s novel of the same name, and Offred from Margaret Atwood’s The Hand Maiden’s Tale.
that the role of feminist art in any field: literature, film, theatre, dance, sculpture..., is to transform and challenge stereotypes. Examples of feminist artists: Judy Chicago, Miriam Shapiro, Barbara Kruger (More: feminist art )
that feminist musicians have used their influence as agents of change, and to inspire: Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Pussy Riot, Lorde, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Nina Simone
that there no subjects more suitable for boys than girls, or subjects more suitable for girls than boys
that toys, clothing, and colors should be gender neutral
that student achievement and behavioral expectations should be gender free
that feminism should be actively modelled in the classroom
that eligibility for educational institutions should be merit based
that boys should not ‘punished’ or blamed for our patriarchal history
that gendered performance is actively supported and encouraged by some educational philosophies and schools in order to maintain the status quo
that the belief that ‘male’ and ‘female’ intelligence are different and that male intelligence is superior is false
that education is vital for the advancement of black feminism
that rigidly adhered to gendered workplace and domestic roles sustain and support inequalities
that domestic violence is typically a male gendered crime
that patriarchal attitudes toward women make sexual harassment and rape inevitable
that a safe legal abortion is a fundamental right for every person who wants one
that humiliation and control either by fear and threat of rape, or rape itself, is an act toxic entitlement
that a person is never ever ‘asking for it’: to be sexually harassed, or to be raped
that safe methods of birth control should be freely available to whomever wants them
that full sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people is an essential precondition to achieving gender equality
that men should not have control over woman's sexual and reproductive decision-making
that the increase in sperm donation is a feminist victory
that a person can be a domestic goddess and a feminist
that there is a positive difference between assertive and aggressive feminism
that the shock tactics of feminist anarchists is justified
that powerful feminist role models open the way for others to follow
that intersectional feminism is essential to fully understand the deep ingrained inequalities of those experiencing overlapping forms of oppression
that a feminist’s belief and practices are shaped by the country they live in, its dominant religious and cultural practices
that female circumcision is an example of women’s oppression disguised as a cultural tradition
that honor crimes are never justifiable
that period poverty and stigma is a global feminist issue
that we need to accept that some women want to remain protected by patriarchal practices and beliefs
that environmental issues are feminist issues
that everybody benefits from feminism
that feminism works towards equality, not female superiority
that anti-feminist myths (that feminists are angry women who blame men for their problems, that feminists are anti marriage, that feminists have no sense of humor, that feminists are not ‘natural’ mothers, that feminists are anti religion, that feminists are actually all lesbians ...) are desperate attempts to maintain the patriarchal status quo
that toxic femininity is a by-product of fear and insecurity eg. The need to ridicule another woman in order to impress a man, shaming a man for not being ‘manly’, raging against a women for being seen to be powerful, competent and successful in a leadership position ...
that blaming the patriarchy is far too simple
that one can hold religious beliefs and be feminist
that gendered jobs and job titles belong in the past
that pay scales should be based on merit, not gender
that adequate maternity and child care plus parental leave provisions should be mandatory
that flexible working hours benefits both the business and its employees
that token feminism is not enough
that corporate feminism is for wealthy white women
that feminism and capitalism are in conflict
that women in power owe it to other women to work for their empowerment

Useful resources

The first three resources below provide an excellent starting point to get a broad overview of feminism: its history, development and current issues.

I've included the fourth link because I'm a New Zealander, and proud of what its women's suffrage movement achieved: the vote for women in 1893.

What’s the definition of feminism? 12 TED talks that explain it to you
An overview of feminist philosophy – Stanford University, USA
Britannica: an excellent over of the history and development of feminism
The symbolism of a white camellia and the Suffrage Movement in New Zealand

How to choose a good persuasive speech topic and preparing a great speech

For a more in-depth discussion about choosing a good persuasive topic, and crafting a persuasive speech please see:

persuasive speech ideas and read all the notes under the heading “What make a speech topic good?"
writing a persuasive speech . You’ll find notes covering:
setting a speech goal,
audience analysis,
evidence and empathy (the need for proof or evidence to back what you’re saying as well as showing you understand, or empathize with, the positions of those for and against your proposal),
balance and obstacles (to address points against your proposal, the obstacles, in a fair and balanced way),
varying structural patterns (ways to organize you material) and more. And click this link for hundreds more persuasive speech topic suggestions . ☺

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487 Feminism Essay Topics

Women make up half of the world’s population. How did it happen they were oppressed?

We are living in the era of the third wave of feminism, when women fight for equal rights in their professional and personal life. Public figures say that objectification and sexualization of women are not ok. Moreover, governments adopt laws that protect equal rights and possibilities for people of all genders, races, and physical abilities. Yes, it is also about feminism.

In this article, you will find 400+ feminism essay topics for students. Some raise the problems of feminism; others approach its merits. In addition, we have added a brief nuts-and-bolts course on the history and principal aspects of this social movement.

❗ Top 15 Feminism Essay Topics

💻 Feminism Research Topics
📜 History of Feminism Topics
🙋‍♀️ Topics on Feminism Movements

🔥 Famous Feminists Essay Topics

👩‍🎓 Topics on Women’s Rights in the World
👸 Antifeminism Essay Topics

📚 Topics on Feminism in Literature

🔗 references.

Compare and contrast liberal and radical feminism.
The problem of political representation of feminism.
Is Hillary Clinton the most prominent feminist?
How can feministic ideas improve our world?
What is the glass ceiling, and how does it hinder women from reaching top positions?
What can we do to combat domestic violence?
Unpaid domestic work: Voluntary slavery?
Why do women traditionally do social work?
What are the achievements of feminism?
Why is there no unity among the currents of feminism?
Pornographic content should be banned in a civilized society.
Does feminism threaten men?
What is intersectional feminism, and why is it the most comprehensive feminist movement?
Those who are not feminists are sexists.
Why are women the “second gender?”

💻 Feminism Research Topics & Areas

Feminism is the belief in the equality of the sexes in social, economic, and political spheres. This movement originated in the West, but it has become represented worldwide. Throughout human history, women have been confined to domestic labor. Meanwhile, public life has been men’s prerogative. Women were their husband’s property, like a house or a cow. Today this situation has vastly improved, but many problems remain unresolved.

A feminism research paper aims to analyze the existing problems of feminism through the example of famous personalities, literary works, historical events, and so on. Women’s rights essay topics dwell on one of the following issues:

Healthcare & Reproductive Rights of Women

Women should be able to decide whether they want to have children or not or whether they need an abortion or not. External pressure or disapprobation is unacceptable. In many countries, abortions are still illegal. It is a severe problem because the female population attempts abortions without medical assistance in unhygienic conditions.

Economic Rights of Women

Women’s job applications are often rejected because they are expected to become mothers and require maternity leave. Their work is underpaid on a gender basis. They are less likely to be promoted to managerial positions because of the so-called “ glass ceiling .” All these problems limit women’s economic rights.

Women’s Political Rights

Yes, women have voting rights in the majority of the world’s countries. Why isn’t that enough? Because they are still underrepresented in almost all the world’s governments. Only four countries have 50% of female parliamentarians. Laws are approved by men and for men.

Family & Parenting

The British Office for National Statistics has calculated that women spend 78% more time on childcare than men. They also perform most of the unpaid domestic work. Meanwhile, increasingly more mothers are employed or self-employed. It isn’t fair, is it?

Virginity is a myth. Still, women are encouraged to preserve it until a man decides to marry her. Any expression of female sexuality is criticized (or “ slut-shamed “). We live in the 21st century, but old fossilized prejudices persist.

📜 History of Feminism Essay Topics

First wave of feminism & earlier.

Ancient and medieval promoters of feminist ideas.
“Debate about women” in medieval literature and philosophy.
The emergence of feminism as an organized movement.
Enlightenment philosophers’ attitudes towards women.
The legal status of women in Renaissance.
Women’s Liberation Movement Evolution in the US.
Mary Wollstonecraft’s views on women’s rights.
Sociopolitical background of the suffrage movement.
The most prominent suffrage activists.
The Liberation Theme Concerning Women.
“Declaration of sentiments”: key points and drawbacks.
What was special about Sojourner Truth and her famous speech?
The significance of the first feminist convention in Seneca Falls.
The National Woman Suffrage Association: goals and tactics.
The influence of abolitionism on feminism ideas.
Why did some women prefer trade unions to feminism?
Radical feminists’ criticism of the suffrage movement.
The UK suffragists’ approach to gaining voting rights for women.
Alice Paul and Emmeline Pankhurst’s role in the suffrage movement.
The Nineteenth Amendment: the essence and significance.
Infighting in the post-suffrage era.

Second Wave of Feminism Essay Titles

How did second-wave feminism differ from the suffrage movement?
The roots of the second wave of feminism.
John Kennedy’s policies concerning women’s rights.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s contribution to feminism.
Debates on gender equality in the late 1960s.
Feminism activists’ achievements in 1960-1970.
What was the focus of second-wave feminist research?
Why was there no comprehensive feminist ideology?
Anarcho-, individualist, “Amazon,” and separatist feminism: key ideas.
The nature of liberal feminism.
How did liberal and radical feminism differ?
Why was cultural feminism also called “difference” feminism?
Liberal and Postmodernist Theories of Feminism.
What is the difference between liberal and radical feminism?
Black feminists’ challenges and input to the fight for equity.
Sociocultural differences in views on female liberation.
The globalization of feminism: positive and negative aspects.
Taliban’s oppression of Afghani women.
Women in the US Military: World War II.
What were the main concerns of feminists from developing countries?
Why did Third World women criticize Western feminists?
Feminism achievements to the end of the 20th century.

Third Wave of Feminism Research Topics

What was peculiar about the third wave of feminism?
Why did third-wave feminists consider their predecessors’ work unfinished?
Social, political, economic, and cultural premises of third-wave feminism.
How did the information revolution impact feminism?
Third Wave Foundation’s major goals.
Women’s Rights and Changes Over the 20th Century.
Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards’ views on feminism.
The impact of second wavers success on third-wave feminism.
New approaches in fighting discrimination, utilized by third-wave feminists.
The influence of the postmodern movement on feminism.
The concept of a gender continuum.
How did sexist symbols turn into female empowerment tools?
What was specific about third-wave feminist art?
Third-wavers’ redefinition of women as powerful and assertive figures.
“Girl power” in pop culture.
How did the Internet impact third-wave feminism?
Sexualized behavior: sexual liberation or oppression in disguise?
Why was third-wave feminism criticized?
The multifaceted nature of third-wave feminism.
Is multivocality a strength or weakness of third-wave feminism?
How did third wavers counter the criticism?

Fourth Wave of Feminism Essay Topics

The premises of fourth-wave feminism.
Feminism’s major goals after 2012.
Peculiarities of fourth-wave feminism.
What behavior is sexual harassment?
Gender Equality at the Heart of Development.
Sexual harassment: different gender-based perspectives.
Social media: a feminist tool.
Can social media deepen discrimination?
Gender discrimination in video games.
Musical Preferences: Race and Gender Influences.
GamerGate’s alleged “men’s rights campaign.”
Sexism in Donald Trump’s speech.
Women’s March: reasons and significance.
Main steps in MeToo’s development.
Tarana Burke’s fight for justice.
Gender Stereotypes of Superheroes.
MeToo’s contribution to women’s rights.
The most impactful MeToo stories.
Harvey Weinstein’s case: outcome’s implications.
Gender Roles in the Context of Religion.
Sexual harassment awareness after MeToo.
MeToo’s influence on Hollywood’s ethics.
Reasons for criticism of MeToo.
Social Change and the Environment.
Are sexual violence discussions necessary?

🙋‍ Argumentative Essay Topics on Feminism Movements

Mainstream feminism topics.

What is the focus of mainstream feminism?
Mainstream feminism predispositions in the 19th century.
The place of politics within mainstream feminism.
What is males’ place in mainstream feminism?
The correlation of mainstream feminism and social liberalism.
The correlation between mainstream feminism and state feminism.
Gender equality in the doctrine of mainstream feminism.
Why sunflower is the symbol of mainstream feminism?
Anthony Gidden’s ideas regarding liberal feminism.
Liberal feminism, according to Catherine Rottenberg.
Mary Wollstonecraft and her vision of liberal feminism.
Liberal feminism through John Stuart Mill’s perspective.
Interdependence of mainstream feminism and political liberalism.
NOW’s activities and mainstream feminism.
LWV’s activities and mainstream liberalism.
LGBT’s place in mainstream liberalism’s doctrine.
Discourse Analysis of the Me Too Movement’s Media Coverage.
Frances Wright’s role in establishing mainstream feminism.
Mainstream feminism and the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
Constitutional Equity Amendment and mainstream feminism.
International Woman Suffrage Alliance’s activities and mainstream feminism.
Mainstream feminism and Gina Krog’s works.
Betty Friedan’s understanding of mainstream feminism.
Gloria Steinem’s theoretical contribution to mainstream feminism.
Simone de Beauvoir’s ideas and the framework of mainstream feminism.
Rebecca Walker and her vision within the scope of mainstream feminism.
NWPC’s activities and mainstream feminism.
WEAL’s activities and mainstream feminism.
Catherine Mackinnon and mainstream feminism’s critique.
“White woman’s burden” and mainstream feminism’s critique.
The roots of mainstream feminism in Europe.

Radical Feminism Essay Titles

Society’s order according to radical feminism.
Sexual objectification and radical feminism.
Gender roles according to radical feminism.
Shulamith Firestone’s ideas regarding the feminist revolution.
Ti-Grace Atkinson’s ideas in Radical feminism.
The vision of radical feminism on patriarchy.
Radical feminism’s impact on the women’s liberation movement.
Radical feminism’s roots in the early 1960s.
Kathie Sarachild’s role in radical feminism movements.
Carol Hanisch’s contribution to radical feminism.
Roxanne Dunbar and her radical feminism.
Naomi Weisstein and her vision of radical feminism.
Judith Brown’s activities in terms of radical feminism.
UCLA Women’s Liberation Front role in radical feminism.
Why have women come to be viewed as the “other?”
Ellen Willis’s ideas regarding radical feminism.
Redstockings’ role in radical feminism.
The feminist’s role in radical feminism.
Differences between The Feminists’ and Restokings’ positions.
The protest against Miss America in 1968.
11-hour sit-in at the Ladies Home Journal headquarters.
Forms of direct action in radical feminism.
Protest of biased coverage of lesbians in 1972.
Lisa Tuttle’s vision of radical feminism.
Catharine MacKinnon’s position regarding pornography.
Peculiarities of radical lesbian feminism.
Recognition of trans women in radical feminism.
Radical feminism in the New Left.
Mary Daly’s vision of radical feminism.
Robin Morgan’s vision of radical feminism.

🎯 Persuasive Women’s Rights Essay Topics

Healthcare and reproductive rights of women.

Is abortion morally acceptable?
Why is the fight for child care not over?
Should government participate in birth control?
Researching of Maternity Care in Haiti.
Government’s moral right to cancel abortions.
Should the government allow abortions?
What are birth control and its meaning?
Abortion rights recently disappeared in the US.
Gender Disparity in Colorectal Cancer Screening.
Why are women’s rights becoming less vital?
Western world’s degradation in women’s rights issue.
Canceling abortion endangers women’s human rights.
Female access to healthcare in developing countries.
Developed countries’ role in improving women’s healthcare.
Media’s contribution to legalizing abortions.
Middle-Aged Women’s Health and Lifestyle Choices.
Female genital mutilation’s moral side.
Feminism’s impact on LGBTQ healthcare rights.
The reproductive rights of women are everyone’s problem.
Abortion rights’ impact on country’s economy.
Protection From Infringement and Discrimination.
Women’s reproductive rights in developing countries.
Abortion rights crisis and the UN’s failure in achieving SDG#4.
UN’s contribution to achieving equal healthcare rights.
IGO’s impact on women’s reproductive rights issue.
Report on the Speech by Gianna Jessen.
Is birth control already at risk?
Why should abortions not be allowed?
Meaning of reproductive justice.
Reproductive rights movement’s role in the country’s development.
Single Mothers, Poverty, and Mental Health Issues.
The reproductive rights movement, as all social movements’ drivers.
Abortion’s relation to healthcare rights.
Healthcare rights’ impact on a country’s economic development.
Political agenda behind abortion cancellation.
Feminism’s role in national healthcare.

Economic Rights, Salaries, and Access to Education for Women

Definition of women’s economic rights.
Female economic rights’ impact on the economy.
Female economic rights and education.
Gender Prevalence in Medical Roles.
Can women do “male jobs”?
Gender inequality in the workplace.
Women’s economic rights movements.
How Wealth Inequality Affects Democracy in America.
Barriers to gender-equal economic rights.
Gender inequality by social classes.
Female economic rights and poverty.
Can equal economic rights solve SDG#1?
Gender-Based Discrimination in the Workplace.
Why is it important to have equal access to education?
How did the gender pay gap appear?
Why does the gender pay gap exist?
Women’s economic rights and industrialization.
Characteristics of Mayo Clinic.
Female economic rights worldwide.
Legal rights of women workers.
Laws that protect women’s economic rights.
Women as leaders in the workplace.
The Future of Women at Work in the Age of Automation.
Why are companies against women workers?
Fertility’s impact on female economic rights.
Quiet revolution’s impact female workforce.
Reasons to monitor occupational dissimilarity index.
Women’s Roles in Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism.
Female economic rights in developing countries.
Democracy and female economic rights.
Gender pay gap as a global problem.
ILO’s role in the fight for equal economic rights?
Politics’ impact on female economic rights.
Health Disparities: Solving the Problem.
Female economic rights movement and the fight against racism.
The best practices in achieving gender-equal economic rights.
Democracy and gender pay gap.
Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value.

Women’s Political Rights Essay Topics

Women’s suffrage movement definition.
Female suffrage movement’s significance.
Causes of gender inequality in politics.
Women’s suffrage movement’s role today.
Female suffrage’s impact on democracy.
Women’s suffrage and economy.
Suffrage movement’s effect on politics in the US.
Do women need the right to vote?
Effects of gender inequality on politics.
Suffrage movement and politics in Britain.
Laws for gender-equal political rights.
The correlation between gender inequality in politics and authoritarianism.
The possible solutions to gender inequality in politics.
The role of IGOs in solving gender inequality in politics.
How has the UN participated in the women’s suffrage movement?
What is women’s role in politics in developing countries?
How can women improve politics in their countries?
What can men do for women’s equal political rights?
Why equal rights to vote are everyone’s problem?
The impact of Antoinette Louisa Brown on women’s suffrage.
The effect of equal rights to education on equal political rights.
Are western policies for equal rights applicable in developing countries?
The importance of equal rights to vote.
How to eliminate the gender pay gap?
Why had women not had equal rights in politics?
Is politics a “male job”?
Benefits of appearance of female leaders in politics.
Who created the women’s suffrage movement?
How does women’s suffrage impact racism?
Women’s suffrage contribution to LGBTQ communities’ equal political rights.

Family and Parenting Research Titles

Female and male roles in a family.
Sexism in families.
Eliminating sexism in families is the best solution to gender inequality.
Why is feminism a pro-family movement?
The Childbirth Process in Women’s Experiences.
The benefits of feminist upbringing.
The causes of sexism in families.
How does feminism help LGBTQ parents?
Why should sexism be legally banned?
Healthcare Resources and Equity in Their Distribution.
The effects of sexism in families.
The influence of sexist customs on society.
Why should every family be feminist?
How can feminism help solve the domestic violence issue?
Government’s role in creating feminist families.
What is feminist family value?
The relation of authoritarian parent-paradigm on politics.
Can feminist families bring democracy?
Teaching feminism at home vs. at school.
Traditional vs. Feminist parenting.
Why should women have the right to be child-free?
The impact of bringing up feminist daughters.
Can feminist parents bring up mentally healthy children?
Does the government have a moral right to endorse feminist values?
The role of media for feminist families.
How does feminism transform parent-child relationships?
Can feminism help families overcome poverty?
The role of feminist families in the economy.
The influence of hierarchal husband-wife relationships on children.
Do IGOs have moral rights to intervene in feminist families?
The movements endorsing feminism in families.
The effect of different views on feminism in parents on children.

Sexuality Essay Ideas

The views of radical feminists on women’s sexuality.
Who are sex-positive feminists, and their values?
Feminism’s impact on sexual orientation.
The role of feminism in sexual identity matters.
Gender-Based Violence Against Women and Girls.
How does feminism help eliminate sexual violence?
What is harassment, and why are feminists fighting it?
The role of media in women’s sexuality.
Traditional views on women’s sexuality.
How is feminism transforming sexuality?
Domestic Violence and COVID-19 Relation.
What are feminist sex wars?
Why are some feminists against pornography?
What are pro-pornography feminist arguments?
How is feminism protecting the rights of sex workers?
Rights of sex workers in developed vs. developing countries.
Media Promotion of Cosmetic Surgery in Women.
Feminist critique of censorship.
What is behind the issue of sex trafficking?
Children’s rape problem and feminism.
The role of feminism in solving the sex trafficking problem.
The Influence of the Women Image in the Media.
R v. Butler case discussion.
How is pornography enhancing sexual objectification?
How is poverty causing prostitution?
Can feminism eliminate prostitution by solving poverty?
Child Marriage in Egypt and Ways to Stop It.
Pro-sex worker feminists and their beliefs.
What are the perspectives of pro-sex workers?
The consequences of violence against women.
The role of feminism to LGBTQ sex workers.
Why are feminists trying to decriminalize prostitution?
Beauty Standards: “The Body Myth” by Rebecca Johnson.
Prostitution in developed vs. developing countries.
The effect of class and race differences on prostitution.
Short- and long-term impacts on sex workers.

👩‍🎓 Essay Topics on Women’s Rights in the World

Essay topics on feminism in developing countries.

Social taboos and abortion in Nigeria.
Access to sexual healthcare in Asia.
Human Papillomavirus Awareness in Saudi Women.
Sexual health and access to contraception in developing countries.
Coronavirus pandemic’s impact on gender inequalities.
Health and education access for women in Afghanistan.
Female Empowerment in the Islamic States.
Does poverty result in increased sexual violence?
Regulations on gender equality in developing countries.
Unsafe abortion, contraceptive use, and women’s health.
Female genital mutilation in the 21st century.
Practicing female genital mutation in Africa.
Gender Discrimination After the Reemergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Which countries have the highest gender gap?
Forced and child marriages in humanitarian settings.
The Taliban’s view: Is woman a property?
Feminism in Latin America.
Honor killing in Pakistan: 1000 women are killed annually.
Women’s access to healthcare in Somalia.

Feminism Essay Topics in Developed Countries

“Broken Rung” and the gender pay gap.
What are the obstacles to reaching gender equality?
Do gender stereotypes result in workplace discrimination?
Increased educational attainment of young women.
Culture: Women With Hijab in Western Countries.
Ending sexual harassment and violence against women.
Is sexual harassment a form of discrimination?
Cracking the glass ceiling: What are the barriers and challenges?
Domestic drama: The impact of sexual violence on women’s health.
Socio-cultural Factors That Affected Sport in Australian Society.
Feminism and the problem of misogyny.
The challenges faced by women in developed counties.
Female participation in the labor market.
Discrimination Against Girls in Canada.
Unequal pay for women in the workplace.
How do developed countries improve women’s rights?
Nations with strong women’s rights.
Women’s employment: Obstacles and challenges.

👸 Antifeminist Essay Topics

Antifeminism: The right to abortion.
Gender differences in suicide.
Manliness in American culture.
Antifeminism view: Men are in crisis.
The threats of society’s feminization.
The meaning of antifeminism across time and cultures.
Antifeminism attracts both men and women.
Gender and Science: Origin, History, and Politics.
Antifeminism: The opposition to women’s equality?
How do religious and cultural norms formulate antifeminism?
Saving masculinity or promoting gender equality?
Traditional gender division of labor: Fair or not?
Are feminist theories of patriarchy exaggerated?
Oppression of men in the 21st century.
Psychological sex differences and biological tendencies.
Does feminism make it harder for men to succeed?
The change of women’s roles: Impact on the family.
How were traditional gender roles challenged in modern culture?
History of antifeminism: The pro-family movement.
Religion and contemporary antifeminism.
Antifeminist on the rights of minorities.
Heterosexual and patriarchal family: Facts behind antifeminism.
Women against feminism in Western countries.
Feminism versus humanism: What is the difference?
Does feminism portray women as victims?
Same-sex marriage: The dispute between feminists and antifeminists.
Male-oriented values of religions and antifeminism.
Does antifeminism threaten the independence of women?
Men’s rights movement: Manosphere.
Does antifeminism refer to extremism?
The fear of being labeled as a feminist.
A Vindication of the Right of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft.
Jane Austen: Criticism of inequitable social rules.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley: Frankenstein and aborted creations.
Undercutting female stereotypes in Jane Eyre.
“Throwing Like a Girl: A Phenomenology of Feminine Body” by Marion.
Oppression of woman’s traditional roles in The Awakening.
Virginia Woolf and her feminism.
Orlando: A Biography. Evolving from man to woman.
Harriet Jacobs’s Experiences as an Enslaved Black Woman.
Feminist criticism: A Room of One’s Own.
Social oppression in Three Guineas by Woolf.
Rape, illegitimacy, and motherhood in The Judge by Rebecca West.
Feminist utopias of Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Women’s rights and societal reform views of Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Feminist critics in a culture dominated by men.
Black women’s aesthetic in Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Alice Walker’s ideas on Feminist women of color.
Female sexuality in Fear of Flying by Erica Jong.
How do feminist novels address race and ethnicity?
Social and emotional pressures in Love Medicine by Erdrich.
Feminist Parenting: The Fight for Equality at Home – Psychology Today
Feminist Parenting: An Introduction – Transformation Central Home
Women’s suffrage – Britannica
Only half of the women in the developing world are in charge of their own bodies – Reuters
Gender Equality for Development – The World Bank
How #MeToo revealed the central rift within feminism today – The Guardian
Feminist Novels and Novelists – Literary Theory and Criticism
Health Care & Reproductive Rights – National Women’s Law Center

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Topics in Feminism

Feminism is both an intellectual commitment and a political movement that seeks justice for women and the end of sexism in all forms. However, there are many different kinds of feminism. Feminists disagree about what sexism consists in, and what exactly ought to be done about it; they disagree about what it means to be a woman or a man and what social and political implications gender has or should have. Nonetheless, motivated by the quest for social justice, feminist inquiry provides a wide range of perspectives on social, cultural, economic, and political phenomena. Important topics for feminist theory and politics include: the body, class and work, disability, the family, globalization, human rights, popular culture, race and racism, reproduction, science, the self, sex work, human trafficking, and sexuality. Extended discussion of these topics is included in the sub-entries to feminism in this encyclopedia.

1. Introduction

2.1 feminist beliefs and feminist movements, 2.2 normative and descriptive components, 2.3 feminism and the diversity of women, 2.4 feminism as anti-sexism, 3. topics in feminism: overview of the encyclopedia sub-entries, feminism and class, feminism and disability, feminism, human rights, global feminism, and human trafficking, feminism and race/ethnicity.

Feminism, Sex, and Sexuality

Related Entries

Feminism brings many things to philosophy including not only a variety of particular moral and political claims, but ways of asking and answering questions, constructive and critical dialogue with mainstream philosophical views and methods, and new topics of inquiry. Feminist philosophers work within all the major traditions of philosophical scholarship including analytic philosophy, American Pragmatist philosophy, and Continential philosophy. Entries in this Encyclopedia appearing under the heading “feminism, approaches” discuss the impact of these traditions on feminist scholarship and examine the possibility and desirability of work that makes links between two traditions. Feminist contributions to and interventions in mainstream philosophical debates are covered in entries in this encyclopedia under “feminism, interventions”. Entries covered under the rubric “feminism, topics” concern philosophical issues that arise as feminists articulate accounts of sexism, critique sexist social and cultural practices, and develop alternative visions of a just world. In short, they are philosophical topics that arise within feminism.

Although there are many different and sometimes conflicting approaches to feminist philosophy, it is instructive to begin by asking what, if anything, feminists as a group are committed to. Considering some of the controversies over what feminism is provides a springboard for seeing how feminist commitments generate a host of philosophical topics, especially as those commitments confront the world as we know it.

2. What is Feminism?

The term ‘feminism’ has many different uses and its meanings are often contested. For example, some writers use the term ‘feminism’ to refer to a historically specific political movement in the US and Europe; other writers use it to refer to the belief that there are injustices against women, though there is no consensus on the exact list of these injustices. Although the term “feminism” has a history in English linked with women's activism from the late 19th century to the present, it is useful to distinguish feminist ideas or beliefs from feminist political movements, for even in periods where there has been no significant political activism around women's subordination, individuals have been concerned with and theorized about justice for women. So, for example, it makes sense to ask whether Plato was a feminist, given his view that women should be trained to rule ( Republic , Book V), even though he was an exception in his historical context. (See e.g., Tuana 1994.)

Our goal here is not to survey the history of feminism — as a set of ideas or as a series of political movements — but rather is to sketch some of the central uses of the term that are most relevant to those interested in contemporary feminist philosophy. The references we provide below are only a small sample of the work available on the topics in question; more complete bibliographies are available at the specific topical entries and also at the end of this entry.

In the mid-1800s the term ‘feminism’ was used to refer to “the qualities of females”, and it was not until after the First International Women's Conference in Paris in 1892 that the term, following the French term féministe, was used regularly in English for a belief in and advocacy of equal rights for women based on the idea of the equality of the sexes. Although the term “feminism” in English is rooted in the mobilization for woman suffrage in Europe and the US during the late 19th and early 20th century, of course efforts to obtain justice for women did not begin or end with this period of activism. So some have found it useful to think of the women's movement in the US as occurring in “waves”. On the wave model, the struggle to achieve basic political rights during the period from the mid-19th century until the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 counts as “First Wave” feminism. Feminism waned between the two world wars, to be “revived” in the late 1960's and early 1970's as “Second Wave” feminism. In this second wave, feminists pushed beyond the early quest for political rights to fight for greater equality across the board, e.g., in education, the workplace, and at home. More recent transformations of feminism have resulted in a “Third Wave”. Third Wave feminists often critique Second Wave feminism for its lack of attention to the differences among women due to race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion (see Section 2.3 below; also Breines 2002; Spring 2002), and emphasize “identity” as a site of gender struggle. (For more information on the “wave” model and each of the “waves”, see Other Internet Resources .)

However, some feminist scholars object to identifying feminism with these particular moments of political activism, on the grounds that doing so eclipses the fact that there has been resistance to male domination that should be considered “feminist” throughout history and across cultures: i.e., feminism is not confined to a few (White) women in the West over the past century or so. Moreover, even considering only relatively recent efforts to resist male domination in Europe and the US, the emphasis on “First” and “Second” Wave feminism ignores the ongoing resistance to male domination between the 1920's and 1960's and the resistance outside mainstream politics, particularly by women of color and working class women (Cott 1987).

One strategy for solving these problems would be to identify feminism in terms of a set of ideas or beliefs rather than participation in any particular political movement. As we saw above, this also has the advantage of allowing us to locate isolated feminists whose work was not understood or appreciated during their time. But how should we go about identifying a core set of feminist beliefs? Some would suggest that we should focus on the political ideas that the term was apparently coined to capture, viz., the commitment to women's equal rights. This acknowledges that commitment to and advocacy for women's rights has not been confined to the Women's Liberation Movement in the West. But this too raises controversy, for it frames feminism within a broadly Liberal approach to political and economic life. Although most feminists would probably agree that there is some sense of “rights” on which achieving equal rights for women is a necessary condition for feminism to succeed, most would also argue that this would not be sufficient. This is because women's oppression under male domination rarely if ever consists solely in depriving women of political and legal “rights”, but also extends into the structure of our society and the content of our culture, and permeates our consciousness (e.g., Bartky 1990).

Is there any point, then, to asking what feminism is? Given the controversies over the term and the politics of circumscribing the boundaries of a social movement, it is sometimes tempting to think that the best we can do is to articulate a set of disjuncts that capture a range of feminist beliefs. However, at the same time it can be both intellectually and politically valuable to have a schematic framework that enables us to map at least some of our points of agreement and disagreement. We'll begin here by considering some of the basic elements of feminism as a political position or set of beliefs. For a survey of different philosophical approaches to feminism, see “Feminism, approaches to”.

In many of its forms, feminism seems to involve at least two groups of claims, one normative and the other descriptive. The normative claims concern how women ought (or ought not) to be viewed and treated and draw on a background conception of justice or broad moral position; the descriptive claims concern how women are, as a matter of fact, viewed and treated, alleging that they are not being treated in accordance with the standards of justice or morality invoked in the normative claims. Together the normative and descriptive claims provide reasons for working to change the way things are; hence, feminism is not just an intellectual but also a political movement.

So, for example, a Liberal approach of the kind already mentioned might define feminism (rather simplistically here) in terms of two claims:

(Normative) Men and women are entitled to equal rights and respect.
(Descriptive) Women are currently disadvantaged with respect to rights and respect, compared with men […in such and such respects and due to such and such conditions…].

On this account, that women and men ought to have equal rights and respect is the normative claim; and that women are denied equal rights and respect functions here as the descriptive claim. Admittedly, the claim that women are disadvantaged with respect to rights and respect is not a “purely descriptive” claim since it plausibly involves an evaluative component. However, our point here is simply that claims of this sort concern what is the case not what ought to be the case. Moreover, as indicated by the ellipsis above, the descriptive component of a substantive feminist view will not be articulable in a single claim, but will involve an account of the specific social mechanisms that deprive women of, e.g., rights and respect. For example, is the primary source of women's subordination her role in the family? (Engels 1845; Okin 1989) Or is it her role in the labor market? (Bergmann 2002) Is the problem males' tendencies to sexual violence (and what is the source of these tendencies?)? (Brownmiller 1975; MacKinnon 1987) Or is it simply women's biological role in reproduction? (Firestone 1970)

Disagreements within feminism can occur with respect to either the descriptive or normative claims, e.g., feminists differ on what would count as justice or injustice for women (what counts as “equality,” “oppression,” “disadvantage”, what rights should everyone be accorded?) , and what sorts of injustice women in fact suffer (what aspects of women's current situation are harmful or unjust?). Disagreements may also lie in the explanations of the injustice: two feminists may agree that women are unjustly being denied proper rights and respect and yet substantively differ in their accounts of how or why the injustice occurs and what is required to end it (Jaggar 1994).

Disagreements between feminists and non-feminists can occur with respect to both the normative and descriptive claims as well, e.g., some non-feminists agree with feminists on the ways women ought to be viewed and treated, but don't see any problem with the way things currently are. Others disagree about the background moral or political views.

In an effort to suggest a schematic account of feminism, Susan James characterizes feminism as follows:

Feminism is grounded on the belief that women are oppressed or disadvantaged by comparison with men, and that their oppression is in some way illegitimate or unjustified. Under the umbrella of this general characterization there are, however, many interpretations of women and their oppression, so that it is a mistake to think of feminism as a single philosophical doctrine, or as implying an agreed political program. (James 1998, 576)

James seems here to be using the notions of “oppression” and “disadvantage” as placeholders for more substantive accounts of injustice (both normative and descriptive) over which feminists disagree.

Some might prefer to define feminism in terms of a normative claim alone: feminists are those who believe that women are entitled to equal rights, or equal respect, or…(fill in the blank with one's preferred account of injustice), and one is not required to believe that women are currently being treated unjustly. However, if we were to adopt this terminological convention, it would be harder to identify some of the interesting sources of disagreement both with and within feminism, and the term ‘feminism’ would lose much of its potential to unite those whose concerns and commitments extend beyond their moral beliefs to their social interpretations and political affiliations. Feminists are not simply those who are committed in principle to justice for women; feminists take themselves to have reasons to bring about social change on women's behalf.

Taking “feminism” to entail both normative and empirical commitments also helps make sense of some uses of the term ‘feminism’ in recent popular discourse. In everyday conversation it is not uncommon to find both men and women prefixing a comment they might make about women with the caveat, “I'm not a feminist, but…”. Of course this qualification might be (and is) used for various purposes, but one persistent usage seems to follow the qualification with some claim that is hard to distinguish from claims that feminists are wont to make. E.g., I'm not a feminist but I believe that women should earn equal pay for equal work; or I'm not a feminist but I'm delighted that first-rate women basketball players are finally getting some recognition in the WNBA. If we see the identification “feminist” as implicitly committing one to both a normative stance about how things should be and an interpretation of current conditions, it is easy to imagine someone being in the position of wanting to cancel his or her endorsement of either the normative or the descriptive claim. So, e.g., one might be willing to acknowledge that there are cases where women have been disadvantaged without wanting to buy any broad moral theory that takes a stance on such things (especially where it is unclear what that broad theory is). Or one might be willing to acknowledge in a very general way that equality for women is a good thing, without being committed to interpreting particular everyday situations as unjust (especially if is unclear how far these interpretations would have to extend). Feminists, however, at least according to popular discourse, are ready to both adopt a broad account of what justice for women would require and interpret everyday situations as unjust by the standards of that account. Those who explicitly cancel their commitment to feminism may then be happy to endorse some part of the view but are unwilling to endorse what they find to be a problematic package.

As mentioned above, there is considerable debate within feminism concerning the normative question: what would count as (full) justice for women? What is the nature of the wrong that feminism seeks to address? E.g., is the wrong that women have been deprived equal rights? Is it that women have been denied equal respect for their differences? Is it that women's experiences have been ignored and devalued? Is it all of the above and more? What framework should we employ to identify and address the issues? (See, e.g., Jaggar 1983; Young 1990a; Tuana and Tong 1995.) Feminist philosophers in particular have asked: Do the standard philosophical accounts of justice and morality provide us adequate resources to theorize male domination, or do we need distinctively feminist accounts? (E.g., Okin 1979; Hoagland 1989; Okin 1989; Ruddick 1989; Benhabib 1992; Hampton 1993; Held 1993; Tong 1993; Baier 1994; Moody-Adams 1997; Walker 1998; Kittay 1999; Robinson 1999; Young 2011; O'Connor 2008).

Note, however, that by phrasing the task as one of identifying the wrongs women suffer (and have suffered), there is an implicit suggestion that women as a group can be usefully compared against men as a group with respect to their standing or position in society; and this seems to suggest that women as a group are treated in the same way, or that they all suffer the same injustices, and men as a group all reap the same advantages. But of course this is not the case, or at least not straightforwardly so. As bell hooks so vividly pointed out, in 1963 when Betty Friedan urged women to reconsider the role of housewife and demanded greater opportunities for women to enter the workforce (Friedan 1963), Friedan was not speaking for working class women or most women of color (hooks 1984, 1-4). Neither was she speaking for lesbians. Women as a group experience many different forms of injustice, and the sexism they encounter interacts in complex ways with other systems of oppression. In contemporary terms, this is known as the problem of intersectionality (Crenshaw 1991). This critique has led some theorists to resist the label “feminism” and adopt a different name for their view. Earlier, during the 1860s–80s, the term ‘womanism’ had sometimes been used for such intellectual and political commitments; more recently, Alice Walker has proposed that “womanism” provides a contemporary alternative to “feminism” that better addresses the needs of Black women and women of color more generally (Walker 1990).

To consider some of the different strategies for responding to the phenomenon of intersectionality, let's return to the schematic claims that women are oppressed and this oppression is wrong or unjust. Very broadly, then, one might characterize the goal of feminism to be ending the oppression of women. But if we also acknowledge that women are oppressed not just by sexism, but in many ways, e.g., by classism, homophobia, racism, ageism, ableism, etc., then it might seem that the goal of feminism is to end all oppression that affects women. And some feminists have adopted this interpretation, e.g., (Ware 1970), quoted in (Crow 2000, 1).

Note, however, that not all agree with such an expansive definition of feminism. One might agree that feminists ought to work to end all forms of oppression — oppression is unjust and feminists, like everyone else, have a moral obligation to fight injustice — without maintaining that it is the mission of feminism to end all oppression. One might even believe that in order to accomplish feminism's goals it is necessary to combat racism and economic exploitation, but also think that there is a narrower set of specifically feminist objectives. In other words, opposing oppression in its many forms may be instrumental to, even a necessary means to, feminism, but not intrinsic to it. E.g., bell hooks argues:

Feminism, as liberation struggle, must exist apart from and as a part of the larger struggle to eradicate domination in all its forms. We must understand that patriarchal domination shares an ideological foundation with racism and other forms of group oppression, and that there is no hope that it can be eradicated while these systems remain intact. This knowledge should consistently inform the direction of feminist theory and practice. (hooks 1989, 22)

On hooks' account, the defining characteristic that distinguishes feminism from other liberation struggles is its concern with sexism:

Unlike many feminist comrades, I believe women and men must share a common understanding — a basic knowledge of what feminism is — if it is ever to be a powerful mass-based political movement. In Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center , I suggest that defining feminism broadly as “a movement to end sexism and sexist oppression” would enable us to have a common political goal…Sharing a common goal does not imply that women and men will not have radically divergent perspectives on how that goal might be reached. (hooks 1989, 23)

hooks' approach depends on the claim that sexism is a particular form of oppression that can be distinguished from other forms, e.g., racism and homophobia, even though it is currently (and virtually always) interlocked with other forms of oppression. Feminism's objective is to end sexism, though because of its relation to other forms of oppression, this will require efforts to end other forms of oppression as well. For example, feminists who themselves remain racists will not be able to fully appreciate the broad impact of sexism on the lives of women of color. Furthermore because sexist institutions are also, e.g., racist, classist and homophobic, dismantling sexist institutions will require that we dismantle the other forms of domination intertwined with them (Heldke and O'Connor 2004). Following hooks' lead, we might characterize feminism schematically (allowing the schema to be filled in differently by different accounts) as the view that women are subject to sexist oppression and that this is wrong. This move shifts the burden of our inquiry from a characterization of what feminism is to a characterization of what sexism, or sexist oppression is.

As mentioned above, there are a variety of interpretations — feminist and otherwise — of what exactly oppression consists in, but the leading idea is that oppression consists in “an enclosing structure of forces and barriers which tends to the immobilization and reduction of a group or category of people” (Frye 1983, 10-11). Not just any “enclosing structure” is oppressive, however, for plausibly any process of socialization will create a structure that both limits and enables all individuals who live within it. In the case of oppression, however, the “enclosing structures” in question are part of a broader system that asymmetrically and unjustly disadvantages one group and benefits another. So, e.g., although sexism restricts the opportunities available to — and so unquestionably harms — both men and women (and considering some pairwise comparisons may even have a greater negative impact on a man than a woman), overall, women as a group unjustly suffer the greater harm. It is a crucial feature of contemporary accounts, however, that one cannot assume that members of the privileged group have intentionally designed or maintained the system for their benefit. The oppressive structure may be the result of an historical process whose originators are long gone, or it may be the unintended result of complex cooperative strategies gone wrong.

Leaving aside (at least for the moment) further details in the account of oppression, the question remains: What makes a particular form of oppression sexist? If we just say that a form of oppression counts as sexist oppression if it harms women, or even primarily harms women, this is not enough to distinguish it from other forms of oppression. Virtually all forms of oppression harm women, and arguably some besides sexism harm women primarily (though not exclusively), e.g., body size oppression, age oppression. Besides, as we've noted before, sexism is not only harmful to women, but is harmful to all of us.

What makes a particular form of oppression sexist seems to be not just that it harms women, but that someone is subject to this form of oppression specifically because she is (or at least appears to be) a woman. Racial oppression harms women, but racial oppression (by itself) doesn't harm them because they are women, it harms them because they are (or appear to be) members of a particular race. The suggestion that sexist oppression consists in oppression to which one is subject by virtue of being or appearing to be a woman provides us at least the beginnings of an analytical tool for distinguishing subordinating structures that happen to affect some or even all women from those that are more specifically sexist (Haslanger 2004). But problems and unclarities remain.

First, we need to explicate further what it means to be oppressed “because you are a woman”. E.g., is the idea that there is a particular form of oppression that is specific to women? Is to be oppressed “as a woman” to be oppressed in a particular way? Or can we be pluralists about what sexist oppression consists in without fragmenting the notion beyond usefulness?

Two strategies for explicating sexist oppression have proven to be problematic. The first is to maintain that there is a form of oppression common to all women. For example, one might interpret Catharine MacKinnon's work as claiming that to be oppressed as a woman is to be viewed and treated as sexually subordinate, where this claim is grounded in the (alleged) universal fact of the eroticization of male dominance and female submission (MacKinnon 1987; MacKinnon 1989). Although MacKinnon allows that sexual subordination can happen in a myriad of ways, her account is monistic in its attempt to unite the different forms of sexist oppression around a single core account that makes sexual objectification the focus. Although MacKinnon's work provides a powerful resource for analyzing women's subordination, many have argued that it is too narrow, e.g., in some contexts (especially in developing countries) sexist oppression seems to concern more the local division of labor and economic exploitation. Although certainly sexual subordination is a factor in sexist oppression, it requires us to fabricate implausible explanations of social life to suppose that all divisions of labor that exploit women (as women) stem from the “eroticization of dominance and submission”. Moreover, it isn't obvious that in order to make sense of sexist oppression we need to seek a single form of oppression common to all women.

A second problematic strategy has been to consider as paradigms those who are oppressed only as women, with the thought that complex cases bringing in additional forms of oppression will obscure what is distinctive of sexist oppression. This strategy would have us focus in the U.S. on White, wealthy, young, beautiful, able-bodied, heterosexual women to determine what oppression, if any, they suffer, with the hope of finding sexism in its “purest” form, unmixed with racism or homophobia, etc. (see Spelman 1988, 52-54). This approach is not only flawed in its exclusion of all but the most elite women in its paradigm, but it assumes that privilege in other areas does not affect the phenomenon under consideration. As Elizabeth Spelman makes the point:

…no woman is subject to any form of oppression simply because she is a woman; which forms of oppression she is subject to depend on what “kind” of woman she is. In a world in which a woman might be subject to racism, classism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, if she is not so subject it is because of her race, class, religion, sexual orientation. So it can never be the case that the treatment of a woman has only to do with her gender and nothing to do with her class or race. (Spelman 1988, 52-3)

Recent accounts of oppression are designed to allow that oppression takes many forms, and refuse to identify one form as more basic or fundamental than the rest. For example, Iris Young describes five “faces” of oppression: exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and systematic violence (Young 1990c, Ch. 2). Plausibly others should be added to the list. Sexist or racist oppression, for example, will manifest itself in different ways in different contexts, e.g., in some contexts through systematic violence, in other contexts through economic exploitation. Acknowledging this does not go quite far enough, however, for monistic theorists such as MacKinnon could grant this much. Pluralist accounts of sexist oppression must also allow that there isn't an over-arching explanation of sexist oppression that applies to all its forms: in some cases it may be that women's oppression as women is due to the eroticization of male dominance, but in other cases it may be better explained by women's reproductive value in establishing kinship structures (Rubin 1975), or by the shifting demands of globalization within an ethnically stratified workplace. In other words, pluralists resist the temptation to “grand social theory,” “overarching metanarratives,” “monocausal explanations,” to allow that the explanation of sexism in a particular historical context will rely on economic, political, legal, and cultural factors that are specific to that context which would prevent the account from being generalized to all instances of sexism (Fraser and Nicholson 1990). It is still compatible with pluralist methods to seek out patterns in women's social positions and structural explanations within and across social contexts, but in doing so we must be highly sensitive to historical and cultural variation.

However, if we pursue a pluralist strategy in understanding sexist oppression, what unifies all the instances as instances of sexism? After all, we cannot assume that the oppression in question takes the same form in different contexts, and we cannot assume that there is an underlying explanation of the different ways it manifests itself. So can we even speak of there being a unified set of cases — something we can call “sexist oppression” — at all?

Some feminists would urge us to recognize that there isn't a systematic way to unify the different instances of sexism, and correspondingly, there is no systematic unity in what counts as feminism: instead we should see the basis for feminist unity in coalition building (Reagon 1983). Different groups work to combat different forms of oppression; some groups take oppression against women (as women) as a primary concern. If there is a basis for cooperation between some subset of these groups in a given context, then finding that basis is an accomplishment, but should not be taken for granted.

An alternative, however, would be to grant that in practice unity among feminists cannot be taken for granted, but to begin with a theoretical common-ground among feminist views that does not assume that sexism appears in the same form or for the same reasons in all contexts. We saw above that one promising strategy for distinguishing sexism from racism, classism, and other forms of injustice is to focus on the idea that if an individual is suffering sexist oppression, then an important part of the explanation why she is subject to the injustice is that she is or appears to be a woman. This includes cases in which women as a group are explicitly targeted by a policy or a practice, but also includes cases where the policy or practice affects women due to a history of sexism, even if they are not explicitly targeted. For example, if women are deprived an education and so are, on the whole, illiterate. And if under these circumstances only those who are literate are entitled to vote. Then we can say that women as a group are being disenfranchised and that this is a form of sexist oppression because part of the explanation of why women cannot vote is that they are women, and women are deprived an education. The commonality among the cases is to be found in the role of gender in the explanation of the injustice rather than the specific form the injustice takes. Building on this we could unify a broad range of feminist views by seeing them as committed to the (very abstract) claims that:

(Descriptive claim) Women, and those who appear to be women, are subjected to wrongs and/or injustice at least in part because they are or appear to be women.
(Normative claim) The wrongs/injustices in question in (i) ought not to occur and should be stopped when and where they do.

We have so far been using the term ‘oppression’ loosely to cover whatever form of wrong or injustice is at issue. Continuing with this intentional openness in the exact nature of the wrong, the question still remains what it means to say that women are subjected to injustice because they are women. To address this question, it may help to consider a familiar ambiguity in the notion “because”: are we concerned here with causal explanations or justifications? On one hand, the claim that someone is oppressed because she is a woman suggests that the best (causal) explanation of the subordination in question will make reference to her sex: e.g., Paula is subject to sexist oppression on the job because the best explanation of why she makes $1.00 less an hour for doing comparable work as Paul makes reference to her sex (possibly in addition to her race or other social classifications). On the other hand, the claim that someone is oppressed because she is a woman suggests that the rationale or basis for the oppressive structures requires that one be sensitive to someone's sex in determining how they should be viewed and treated, i.e., that the justification for someone's being subject to the structures in question depends on a representation of them as sexed male or female. E.g., Paula is subject to sexist oppression on the job because the pay scale for her job classification is justified within a framework that distinguishes and devalues women's work compared with men's.

Note, however, that in both sorts of cases the fact that one is or appears to be a woman need not be the only factor relevant in explaining the injustice. It might be, for example, that one stands out in a group because of one's race, or one's class, or one's sexuality, and because one stands out one becomes a target for injustice. But if the injustice takes a form that, e.g., is regarded as especially apt for a woman, then the injustice should be understood intersectionally, i.e., as a response to an intersectional category. For example, the practice of raping Bosnian women was an intersectional injustice: it targeted them both because they were Bosnian and because they were women.

Of course, these two understandings of being oppressed because you are a woman are not incompatible; in fact they typically support one another. Because human actions are often best explained by the framework employed for justifying them, one's sex may play a large role in determining how one is treated because the background understandings for what's appropriate treatment draw invidious distinctions between the sexes. In other words, the causal mechanism for sexism often passes through problematic representations of women and gender roles.

In each of the cases of being oppressed as a woman mentioned above, Paula suffers injustice, but a crucial factor in explaining the injustice is that Paula is a member of a particular group, viz., women (or females). This, we think, is crucial in understanding why sexism (and racism, and other -isms) are most often understood as kinds of oppression. Oppression is injustice that, first and foremost, concerns groups; individuals are oppressed just in case they are subjected to injustice because of their group membership. On this view, to claim that women as women suffer injustice is to claim that women are oppressed.

Where does this leave us? ‘Feminism’ is an umbrella term for a range of views about injustices against women. There are disagreements among feminists about the nature of justice in general and the nature of sexism, in particular, the specific kinds of injustice or wrong women suffer; and the group who should be the primary focus of feminist efforts. Nonetheless, feminists are committed to bringing about social change to end injustice against women, in particular, injustice against women as women.

Given a schematic framework for considering different forms of feminism, it should be clearer how philosophical issues arise in working out the details of a feminist position. The most straightforward philosophical commitment will be to a normative theory that articulates an account of justice and/or an account of the good. Feminists have been involved in critiquing existing normative theories and articulating alternatives for some time now. A survey of some of this work can be found under “Feminism, interventions”, in the sub-entries within “Feminist Political Philosophy”, viz., Liberal Feminism, Materialist Feminism, and Radical Feminism. (See also Hampton 1993; Jaggar 1983; Kittay 1999; MacKinnon 1989; Nussbaum 1999; Okin 1979; Okin 1989; Pateman 1988; Schneir 1972; Schneir 1994; Silvers 1999; Young 1990.)

However, there is also important philosophical work to be done in what we have been calling the “descriptive” component of feminism. Careful critical attention to our practices can reveal the inadequacy of dominant philosophical tropes. For example, feminists working from the perspective of women's lives have been influential in bringing philosophical attention to the phenomenon of care and care-giving (Ruddick 1989; Held 1995; Held 2007; Hamington 2006), dependency (Kittay 1999), disability (Wilkerson 2002; Carlson 2009) women's labor (Waring 1999; Delphy 1984; Harley 2007), scientific bias and objectivity (Longino 1990), and have revealed weaknesses in existing ethical, political, and epistemological theories. More generally, feminists have called for inquiry into what are typically considered “private” practices and personal concerns, such as the family, sexuality, the body, to balance what has seemed to be a masculine pre-occupation with “public” and impersonal matters. Philosophy presupposes interpretive tools for understanding our everyday lives; feminist work in articulating additional dimensions of experience and aspects of our practices is invaluable in demonstrating the bias in existing tools, and in the search for better ones.

Feminist explanations of sexism and accounts of sexist practices also raise issues that are within the domain of traditional philosophical inquiry. For example, in thinking about care, feminists have asked questions about the nature of the self; in thinking about gender, feminists have asked what the relationship is between the natural and the social; in thinking about sexism in science, feminists have asked what should count as knowledge. In some such cases mainstream philosophical accounts provide useful tools; in other cases, alternative proposals have seemed more promising.

In the sub-entries included under “feminism (topics)” in the Table of Contents to this Encyclopedia , authors survey some of the recent feminist work on a topic, highlighting the issues that are of particular relevance to philosophy. These entries are:

perspectives on autonomy
perspectives on class and work
perspectives on disability
perspectives on globalization
perspectives on objectification
perspectives on power
perspectives on rape
perspectives on reproduction and the family
perspectives on science
perspectives on sex and gender
perspectives on sex markets
perspectives on the body
perspectives on the self
perspectives on trans issues

See also the entries in the Related Entries section below.

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How to cite this entry . Preview the PDF version of this entry at the Friends of the SEP Society . Look up this entry topic at the Indiana Philosophy Ontology Project (InPhO). Enhanced bibliography for this entry at PhilPapers , with links to its database.

Other Internet Resources

Resources listed below have been chosen to provide only a springboard into the huge amount of feminist material available on the web. The emphasis here is on general resources useful for doing research in feminist philosophy or interdisciplinary feminist theory, e.g., the links connect to bibliographies and meta-sites, and resources concerning inclusion, exclusion, and feminist diversity. The list is incomplete and will be regularly revised and expanded. Further resources on topics in feminism such as popular culture, reproductive rights, sex work, are available within each sub-entry on that topic.

Feminist Theory Website
Women and Social Movements in the US: 1600–2000
The Path of the Women's Rights Movement: Detailed Timeline 1848–1997
Documents from the Women's Liberation Movement (Duke Univ. Archives)
Documenting Difference: An Illustrated & Annotated Anthology of Documents on Race, Class, Gender & Ethnicity in the United States
Race, Gender, and Affirmative Action Resource Page

“Waves” of Feminism

“Waves of Feminism” by Jo Freeman (1996).
Winning the Vote (Western NY Suffragists).
Amendments to the US Constitution: 13th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 19th, 21st
NOW's 1966 Statement of Purpose
“The Women's Liberation Movement: Its Origins, Structures, and Ideals” by Jo Freeman (1971).

Marxist, Socialist, and Materialist Feminisms

WMST-L discussion of how to define “marxist feminism” Aug 1994)
Marxist/Materialist Feminism (Feminist Theory Website)
A Marxist Feminist Critique
Marxist Feminism

Feminist Economics

Feminist Economics (Feminist Theory Website)
International Association for Feminist Economics
Re:Gender , formerly National Council for Research on Women
International Center for Research on Women

Women and Labor

Rights for Working Women
United States Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor: Audience – Women , a shortcut to information and services the Department of Labor (DOL) offers for women.
Center for Research on Women with Disabilities (CROWD)
Global Feminism (Feminist Majority Foundation)
NOW and Global Feminism
United Nations Development Fund for Women
Sisterhood is Global Institute (SIGI)
Polaris Project
Not For Sale Campaign
Human Trafficking Search Website

General Resources

Women's Studies Librarian's Office
Women of Color Resource Sites

African-American/Black Feminisms and Womanism

African-American/Black/Womanist Feminism on the Web
Black Feminist and Womanist Identity Bibliography (Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library)
Black Feminist/Womanist Works: A Beginning List (WMST-L)

Asian-American and Asian Feminisms

American Women's History: A Research Guide (Asian-American Women)
South Asian Women's Studies Bibliography (U.C. Berkeley)
Journal of South Asia Women's Studies

Chicana/Latina Feminisms

Bibliography on Chicana Feminism (Cal State, Long Beach Library)
Chicano/a Latino/a Movimientos

American Indian, Native, Indigenous Feminisms

Native American Studies Prgoram (Dartmouth College)

Feminism, Sex, Sexuality, Transgender, and Intersex

History of Sexuality Resources (Duke Special Collections)
Internet Resources: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (Stanford University Library)
QueerTheory.com

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Elizabeth Harman for research assistance in preparing this essay. Thanks also to Elizabeth Hackett, Ishani Maitra, and Ásta Sveinsdóttir for discussion and feedback. Thanks to Leslee Mahoney for the 2011 revisions.

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277 Feminism Topics & Women’s Rights Essay Topics

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Feminism topics encompass a comprehensive range of themes centered on advocating for gender equality. These themes critically address the social, political, and economic injustices primarily faced by females, aiming to dismantle patriarchal norms. Feminism topics may span from intersectional feminism, which underscores the diverse experiences of women across various intersections of race, class, and sexuality, to reproductive rights that advocate for women’s bodily autonomy and healthcare accessibility. They also involve the examination of workplace discrimination through concepts, such as the gender wage gap and the glass ceiling. Violence against women, including work and domestic abuse, sexual assault, and harassment, is a hot aspect, providing many discussions. In turn, one may explore the representation of women in media, politics, and STEM fields. Explorations of gender roles, gender identity, and the significance of male feminism are integral parts of these discussions. As society continues to evolve, feminism topics persistently adapt to confront and address emerging forms of gender inequality.

Best Feminism & Women’s Rights Topics

Achievements of Women in Politics: A Global Perspective
Emphasizing Gender Equality in the 21st-Century Workplace
Evolving Representation of Women in Media
Fight for Women’s Voting Rights: The Historical Analysis
Intersectionality: Examining its Role in Feminism
Unpacking Feminism in Third-World Countries
Dissecting Misogyny in Classical Literature
Influence of Religion on Women’s Rights Worldwide
Unveiling Bias in STEM Fields: Female Experiences
Gender Pay Gap: Global Comparisons and Solutions
Probing the Historical Evolution of Feminism
Reshaping Beauty Standards Through Feminist Discourse
Importance of Reproductive Rights in Women’s Health
Exploring Women’s Role in Environmental Activism
Glass Ceiling Phenomenon: Women in Corporate Leadership
Trans Women’s Struggles in Feminist Movements
Empowering Girls: The Role of Education
Intersection of Race, Class, and Feminism
Effects of Feminism on Modern Art
Impacts of Social Media on Women’s Rights Movements
Deconstructing Patriarchy in Traditional Societies
Single Mothers’ Challenges: A Feminist Perspective
Dynamics of Feminism in Post-Colonial Societies
Queer Women’s Struggles for Recognition and Rights
Women’s Contributions to Scientific Discovery: An Underrated History
Cybersecurity: Ensuring Women’s Safety in the Digital Age
Exploring the Misrepresentation of Feminism in Popular Culture
Repositioning Sexuality: The Role of Feminism in Health Discourse
Women’s Economic Empowerment: The Impact of Microfinance
Investigating Sexism in Video Gaming Industry
Female Leadership During Global Crises: Case Studies

Feminism Topics & Women’s Rights Essay Topics

Easy Feminism & Women’s Rights Topics

Power of Women’s Protest: A Historical Study
Feminist Movements’ Role in Shaping Public Policy
Body Autonomy: A Key Aspect of Feminist Ideology
Cyber Feminism: Women’s Rights in Digital Spaces
Violence Against Women: International Legal Measures
Feminist Pedagogy: Its Impact on Education
Depiction of Women in Graphic Novels: A Feminist Lens
Comparing Western and Eastern Feminist Movements
Men’s Roles in Supporting Feminist Movements
Impacts of Feminism on Marriage Institutions
Rural Women’s Rights: Challenges and Progress
Understanding Feminist Waves: From First to Fourth
Inclusion of Women in Peace Negotiation Processes
Influence of Feminism on Modern Advertising
Indigenous Women’s Movements and Rights
Reclaiming Public Spaces: Women’s Safety Concerns
Roles of Feminist Literature in Social Change
Women in Sports: Overcoming Stereotypes and Bias
Feminism in the Context of Refugee Rights
Media’s Roles in Shaping Feminist Narratives
Women’s Rights in Prisons: An Overlooked Issue
Motherhood Myths: A Feminist Examination
Subverting the Male Gaze in Film and Television
Feminist Critique of Traditional Masculinity Norms
Rise of Female Entrepreneurship: A Feminist View
Young Feminists: Shaping the Future of Women’s Rights

Interesting Feminism & Women’s Rights Topics

Roles of Feminism in Promoting Mental Health Awareness
Aging and Women’s Rights: An Overlooked Dimension
Feminist Perspectives on Climate Change Impacts
Women’s Rights in Military Service: Progress and Challenges
Achieving Gender Parity in Academic Publishing
Feminist Jurisprudence: Its Impact on Legal Structures
Masculinity in Crisis: Understanding the Feminist Perspective
Fashion Industry’s Evolution through Feminist Ideals
Unheard Stories: Women in the Global Space Race
Effects of Migration on Women’s Rights and Opportunities
Women’s Land Rights: A Global Issue
Intersection of Feminism and Disability Rights
Portrayal of Women in Science Fiction: A Feminist Review
Analyzing Post-Feminism: Its Origins and Implications
Cyberbullying and Its Impact on Women: Measures for Protection
Unveiling Gender Bias in Artificial Intelligence
Reimagining Domestic Work Through the Lens of Feminism
Black Women’s Hair Politics: A Feminist Perspective
Feminist Ethical Considerations in Biomedical Research
Promoting Gender Sensitivity in Children’s Literature
Understanding the Phenomenon of Toxic Femininity
Reconsidering Women’s Rights in the Context of Climate Migration
Advancing Women’s Participation in Political Activism

Feminism Argumentative Essay Topics

Intersectionality’s Impact on Modern Feminism
Evolution of Feminist Thought: From First-Wave to Fourth-Wave
Gender Wage Gap: Myths and Realities
Workplace Discrimination: Tackling Unconscious Bias
Feminist Theory’s Influence on Contemporary Art
Intersection of Feminism and Environmental Activism
Men’s Roles in the Feminist Movement
Objectification in Media: A Feminist Perspective
Misconceptions about Feminism: Addressing Stereotypes
Feminism in the Classroom: The Role of Education
Feminist Analysis of Reproductive Rights Policies
Transgender Rights: An Extension of Feminism
Intersection of Feminism and Racial Justice
Body Shaming Culture: A Feminist Viewpoint
Feminism’s Influence on Modern Advertising
Patriarchy and Religion: A Feminist Critique
Domestic Labor: Feminist Perspectives on Unpaid Work
Sexism in Sports: The Need for Feminist Intervention
The MeToo Movement’s Influence on Modern Feminism
Feminism and the Fight for Equal Representation in Politics
Women’s Rights in the Digital Age: A Feminist Examination
Feminist Critique of Traditional Beauty Standards
Globalization and Its Effects on Women’s Rights
The Role of Feminism in LGBTQ+ Rights Advocacy
Popular Culture and Its Reflection on Feminist Values

Controversial Feminist Research Paper Topics

Intersectionality in Modern Feminist Movements: An Analysis
Representation of Women in High-Powered Political Roles
Cultural Appropriation Within the Feminist Movement: An Inquiry
The Role of Feminism in Defining Beauty Standards
Women’s Reproductive Rights: A Debate of Autonomy
Feminism and Religion: The Question of Compatibility
Male Allies in the Feminist Movement: An Evaluation
Shift in Traditional Gender Roles: Feminist Perspective
Impacts of Media on Perceptions of Feminism
Dissecting the Wage Gap: A Feminist Examination
Menstrual Equity: A Battle for Feminist Activists
Feminism in Popular Music: Power or Appropriation?
Climate Change: The Unseen Feminist Issue
Education’s Role in Shaping Feminist Beliefs
Power Dynamics in the Workplace: A Feminist Scrutiny
Cyber-Feminism: Harnessing Digital Spaces for Activism
Healthcare Disparities Faced by Women: An Analysis
Transgender Women in Feminist Discourse: An Exploration
Feminist Perspectives on Monogamy and Polyamory
Feminist Analysis of Modern Advertising Campaigns
Exploring Sexism in the Film Industry through a Feminist Lens
Debunking Myths Surrounding the Feminist Movement
Childcare Responsibilities and Their Feminist Implications
Women’s Sports: Evaluating Equity and Feminist Advocacy

Feminist Research Paper Topics in Feminism Studies

Evaluating Feminist Theories: From Radical to Liberal
Women’s Health Care: Policies and Disparities
Maternal Mortality: A Global Women’s Rights Issue
Uncovering Sexism in the Tech Industry
Critique of Binary Gender Roles in Children’s Toys
Body Positivity Movement’s Influence on Feminism
Relevance of Feminism in the Fight Against Human Trafficking
Women in Coding: Breaking Stereotypes
The Role of Women in Sustainable Agriculture
Feminism in the Cosmetics Industry: A Dual-Edged Sword
The Influence of Feminism on Modern Architecture
Bridging the Gap: Women in Higher Education Leadership
The Role of Feminism in Advancing LGBTQ+ Rights
Menstrual Equity: A Key Women’s Rights Issue
Women in Classical Music: Breaking Barriers
Analyzing Gendered Language: A Feminist Approach
Women’s Rights and Humanitarian Aid: The Interconnection
Exploring the Role of Women in Graphic Design
Addressing the Lack of Women in Venture Capitalism
Impact of Feminism on Urban Planning and Design
Maternal Labor in the Informal Economy: A Feminist Analysis
Feminism’s Influence on Modern Dance Forms
Exploring the Role of Women in the Renewable Energy Sector
Women in Esports: An Emerging Frontier
Child Marriage: A Grave Violation of Women’s Rights

Feminist Topics for Discussion

Feminist Criticism of the Fashion Modelling Industry
Domestic Violence: Feminist Legal Responses
Analyzing the Success of Women-Only Workspaces
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Human Rights Issue
Women’s Role in the Evolution of Cryptocurrency
Women and the Right to Water: A Feminist Perspective
Gender Stereotypes in Comedy: A Feminist View
Intersection of Animal Rights and Feminist Theory
Roles of Feminism in the Fight Against Child Labor
Representation of Women in Folklore and Mythology
Women’s Rights in the Gig Economy: Issues and Solutions
Revisiting Feminism in Post-Soviet Countries
Women in the Space Industry: Present Status and Future Trends
The Influence of Feminism on Culinary Arts
Unraveling the Impact of Fast Fashion on Women Workers
Feminist Perspectives on Genetic Engineering and Reproduction
Assessing the Progress of Women’s Financial Literacy
Sex Work and Feminism: A Controversial Discourse
Women in Cybernetics: An Untapped Potential
Uncovering the Women Behind Major Historical Events
The Impact of the #MeToo Movement Globally
Women’s Rights in the Cannabis Industry: Challenges and Progress
Redefining Motherhood: The Intersection of Feminism and Adoption
Roles of Feminist Movements in Combatting Child Abuse

Women’s Rights Essay Topics for Feminism

Evolution of Women’s Rights in the 20th Century
Roles of Women in World War II: Catalyst for Change
Suffrage Movement: Driving Force Behind Women’s Empowerment
Cultural Differences in Women’s Rights: A Comparative Study
Feminist Movements and Their Global Impact
Women’s Rights in Islamic Societies: Perceptions and Realities
Glass Ceiling Phenomenon: Analysis and Impacts
Pioneering Women in Science: Trailblazers for Equality
Impacts of Media Portrayal on Women’s Rights
Economic Autonomy for Women: Pathway to Empowerment
Women’s Rights in Education: Global Perspective
Gender Equality in Politics: Global Progress
Intersectionality and Women’s Rights: Race, Class, and Gender
Legal Milestones in Women’s Rights History
Inequities in Healthcare: A Women’s Rights Issue
Modern-Day Slavery: Women and Human Trafficking
Climate Change: A Unique Threat to Women’s Rights
Body Autonomy and Reproductive Rights: A Feminist Analysis
Globalization’s Effect on Women’s Rights: Opportunities and Threats
Gender Violence: An Erosion of Women’s Rights
Indigenous Women’s Rights: Struggles and Triumphs
Women’s Rights Activists: Unsung Heroes of History
Empowerment Through Sports: Women’s Struggle and Success
Balancing Act: Motherhood and Career in the 21st Century
LGBTQ+ Women: Rights and Recognition in Different Societies

Women’s Rights Research Questions

Evolution of Feminism: How Has the Movement Shifted Over Time?
The Workplace and Gender Equality: How Effective Are Current Measures?
Intersectionality’s Influence: How Does It Shape Women’s Rights Advocacy?
Reproductive Rights: What Is the Global Impact on Women’s Health?
Media Representation: Does It Affect Women’s Rights Perception?
Gender Stereotypes: How Do They Impede Women’s Empowerment?
Global Disparities: Why Do Women’s Rights Vary So Widely?
Maternal Mortality: How Does It Reflect on Women’s Healthcare Rights?
Education for Girls: How Does It Contribute to Gender Equality?
Cultural Norms: How Do They Influence Women’s Rights?
Leadership Roles: Are Women Adequately Represented in Positions of Power?
Domestic Violence Laws: Are They Sufficient to Protect Women’s Rights?
Roles of Technology: How Does It Impact Women’s Rights?
Sexual Harassment Policies: How Effective Are They in Protecting Women?
Pay Equity: How Can It Be Ensured for Women Globally?
Politics and Gender: How Does Women’s Representation Shape Policy-Making?
Child Marriage: How Does It Violate Girls’ Rights?
Climate Change: How Does It Disproportionately Affect Women?
Trafficking Scourge: How Can Women’s Rights Combat This Issue?
Female Genital Mutilation: How Does It Contradict Women’s Rights?
Armed Conflicts: How Do They Impact Women’s Rights?
Body Autonomy: How Can It Be Safeguarded for Women?
Women’s Suffrage: How Did It Pave the Way for Modern Women’s Rights?
Men’s Role: How Can They Contribute to Women’s Rights Advocacy?
Legal Frameworks: How Do They Support or Hinder Women’s Rights?

History of Women’s Rights Topics

Emergence of Feminism in the 19th Century
Roles of Women in the Abolitionist Movement
Suffragette Movements: Triumphs and Challenges
Eleanor Roosevelt and Her Advocacy for Women’s Rights
Impacts of World War II on Women’s Liberation
Radical Feminism in the 1960s and 1970s
Pioneering Women in Politics: The First Female Senators
Inception of the Equal Rights Amendment
Revolutionary Women’s Health Activism
Struggle for Reproductive Freedom: Roe vs. Wade
Birth of the Women’s Liberation Movement
Challenges Women Faced in the Civil Rights Movement
Women’s Roles in the Trade Union Movement
Intersectionality and Feminism: Examining the Role of Women of Color
How Did the Women’s Rights Movement Impact Education?
Sexuality, Identity, and Feminism: Stonewall Riots’ Impact
Influence of Religion on Women’s Rights Activism
Women’s Empowerment: The UN Conferences
Impact of Globalization on Women’s Rights
Women’s Movements in Non-Western Countries
Women in Space: The Fight for Equality in NASA
Achievements of Feminist Literature and Arts
Evolution of the Women’s Sports Movement
Advancement of Women’s Rights in the Digital Age
Cultural Shifts: The Media’s Role in Promoting Women’s Rights

Feminism Essay Topics on Women’s Issues

Career Challenges: The Gender Wage Gap in Contemporary Society
Examining Microfinance: An Empowering Tool for Women in Developing Countries
Pioneers of Change: The Role of Women in the Space Industry
Exploring Beauty Standards: An Analysis of Global Perspectives
Impacts of Legislation: Progress in Women’s Health Policies
Maternity Leave Policies: A Comparative Study of Different Countries
Resilience Through Struggles: The Plight of Female Refugees
Technology’s Influence: Addressing the Digital Gender Divide
Dissecting Stereotypes: Gender Roles in Children’s Media
Influence of Female Leaders: A Look at Political Empowerment
Social Media and Women: Effects on Mental Health
Understanding Intersectionality: The Complexity of Women’s Rights
Single Mothers: Balancing Parenthood and Economic Challenges
Gaining Ground in Sports: A Look at Female Athletes’ Struggles
Maternal Mortality: The Hidden Health Crisis
Reproductive Rights: Women’s Control Over Their Bodies
Feminism in Literature: Portrayal of Women in Classic Novels
Deconstructing Patriarchy: The Impact of Gender Inequality
Body Autonomy: The Battle for Abortion Rights
Women in STEM: Barriers and Breakthroughs
Female Soldiers: Their Role in Military Conflicts
Human Trafficking: The Disproportionate Impact on Women
Silent Victims: Domestic Violence and Women’s Health

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Feminism and Support of Gender Equality Essay

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The word “feminism” is often perceived negatively nowadays because it is associated with multiple misconceptions. The unfavorable associations also make individuals want to detach themselves from the feminist movement even if they regard gender equality as an essential value. However, it is almost impossible to stay away from feminist principles if you want to promote equal rights among men and women, and, in this paper, I would like to discuss why.

The term “feminist” is very multisided and encompasses a lot of practices aimed to eliminate discrimination. According to Smith (2013), the movement started in the 19th and early 20th centuries to provide women with basic rights (that is, voting and education), which they could not enjoy at that time. However, the concept of feminism has evolved dramatically since then. Nowadays, it involves advocacy and a set of activities aimed to protect the rights of a plethora of discriminated groups, including LGBT community members and racial minorities (Smith, 2013). Besides, it has turned into a rigorous scholarly discipline aimed to detect the origins of inequality and develop new structures that would help to eliminate social injustice and promote a fairer view of gender (Smith, 2013). The latter feature is what makes feminism important to consider and practice for every person who supports gender equality and wants to achieve it.

It is impossible to eradicate any form of inequality without comprehending what causes it. Therefore, the right critical approach is required and, it is valid to presume that feminist epistemology can provide the right methods needed to develop such an understanding. In general, epistemology is an investigation of knowledge in terms of its validity. By using epistemological methods, a person can distinguish an unjustified belief from factual truth. As for feminist epistemology, it aims to identify whether certain sources of knowledge (for example, scientific and literary pieces) are products of male privilege and whether the claims they make about females are biased or not (Smith, 2013). One does not need to be a scholar, call himself or herself a feminist, or engage in active research of literature to employ epistemological principles in practice. A person can use them daily by evaluating the behaviors and words of others, as well as their own attitudes, to identify whether they are prejudiced and biased. Only through such a critical approach and awareness-raising practices, is it possible to obtain the knowledge needed to change individual behaviors, manners of interpersonal communication, and social practices in a way that fosters greater equality.

It is valid to say that the majority of people who hate feminists are convinced that they hate men and can do virtually anything to humiliate and reproach them. Besides, many individuals who dislike feminists consider that the latter pose a threat to traditional values and social norms. However, such views on feminism are wrongful and do not capture the essence of the term. The purpose of feminism is to promote equity among all genders and, when it comes to the new-wave feminism, to make sure that diverse individuals enjoy equal rights. Every person who wants to be active in the promotion of gender equality eventually commits to practices aimed to detect injustices and encourage a fairer treatment of people from disparate backgrounds. Thus, it does not matter whether a person calls themselves a feminist. If they support gender equality, they already act in accordance with the core values and principles of feminism.

Smith, B. G. (2013). Women’s studies: The basics (2nd ed.). London, UK: Routledge.

Feminism: Liberal, Black, Radical, and Lesbian
Feminism in “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
Humanities. Liberal Party of Canada
Epistemological Coherentism: Structure of Justification
"A New View of Society" by Robert Owen
Women and Law. Feminist Majority Foundation
Empowerment and Feminist Theory
Women’s Movement Connected to the Progressive Era
The F Word – Feminist: Why Does Feminism Have Such a Negative Connotation?
The Women's Suffrage Movement in England in 19th Century
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IvyPanda. (2021, August 1). Feminism and Support of Gender Equality. https://ivypanda.com/essays/feminism-and-support-of-gender-equality/

"Feminism and Support of Gender Equality." IvyPanda , 1 Aug. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/feminism-and-support-of-gender-equality/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Feminism and Support of Gender Equality'. 1 August.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Feminism and Support of Gender Equality." August 1, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/feminism-and-support-of-gender-equality/.

1. IvyPanda . "Feminism and Support of Gender Equality." August 1, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/feminism-and-support-of-gender-equality/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Feminism and Support of Gender Equality." August 1, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/feminism-and-support-of-gender-equality/.

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Documents from the Women's Liberation Movement "The materials in this on-line archival collection document various aspects of the Women's Liberation Movement in the United States, and focus specifically on the radical origins of this movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Items range from radical theoretical writings to humorous plays to the minutes of an actual grassroots group. The items in this on-line collection are scanned and transcribed from original documents held in Duke's Special Collections Library. We are making these documents available on-line in order to support current teaching and research interests related to this period in U.S. history."
Classic Feminist Writings This nice page, from the The Chicago Women's Liberation Union (CWLU) Herstory Website, provides a basic, browsable annotated list of a few primary documents. However, although the word "classic" appears in the title, all of these materials are from the 1960s and 1970s, so they are useful only in the study of the second wave. Note, too, that the group maintains files related to the "Jane" abortion activists. Click the Historical Archive link in the top frame to explore other web document options.
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Andrea Dworkin Web Site The late Andrea Dworkin was one of the most articulate, passionate and controversial voices from the second wave of American feminism. This webpage excerpts sections from a variety of her writings. Click on the large button for "Andrea Dworkin Online Library" to read selections from Intercourse, Right-Wing Women, Pornography: Men Possessing Women, Our Blood:Prophecies and Discourses on Sexual Politics, Woman Hating, and Life and Death. The site also includes many memorial statements by other feminist leaders posted after her Spring 2005 death.
Jo Freeman.com: Articles by Jo Freeman o Freeman is another feminist activist and scholar whose work has spanned the earliest days of the "women's movement" til today. This good-looking, well-organized website presents many of Ms. Freeman's writings, including several written under the pseudonym Joreen. (These classic pieces include "The BITCH Manifesto" and "The Tyranny of Structurelessness.")
No Turning Back: Feminist Resource Site Designed to support this book , which we have in both print and eBook, this webpage suggests other websites, recommends appropriate films, and even links to the full-text of few classic "Primary Source Documents from Feminist History."

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Women’s friendships and feminism, by roshni ray.

Research Paper | UWS 24a Conceptions of Friendship | Carey Slaeker | Fall 2020

Roshni examines the role of female friendship in feminism from the perspectives of historical events, academic articles, and the Amazon television series "Fleabag."

About this paper | This paper as PDF | MLA format

A Brandeis student at work in the Shapiro Campus Center.

American essayist Anaïs Nin once wrote: “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” What she so eloquently communicates is the profound effect friendships have on our individual character. In many ways, we are the amalgamation of our closest friends, since our shared experiences with these individuals shape our values and actions. Considering the important ways in which friendships influence our development as individuals, we can extrapolate how friends are instrumental in our ability to contribute to social, political, and technological innovation within broader settings. One example of this notion is the role of female-female friendships in the success of large-scale feminist movements. From the suffragette movement to equal pay to justice against sexual misconduct and the fight for reproductive rights, camaraderie amongst communities of women has been crucial in propagating social change.

In this paper, I argue how female-female friendships equip women with the necessary support and developmental experiences needed to challenge patriarchal structures, thereby contributing to social change. I will use psychology papers, observations from feminist leaders, and historical analyses to convey the specific ways in which friendships have played fundamental roles in women’s ability to participate in feminism. To evaluate the extent to which these ideas are corroborated today, I will examine the realistic depictions of female friendships and feminist thought in the British comedy written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge called Fleabag . Through the portrayal of female friendships in Fleabag , Waller-Bridge demonstrates how women’s interpersonal relationships catalyze social reform against oppressive patriarchal structures.

Starting from a short one-woman play in London, Fleabag has grown to become an internationally recognized, critically acclaimed Amazon Prime hit that is widely received by audiences as a feminist narrative. The show follows the life of an unnamed woman—externally referred to as Fleabag—residing in London. Her shared experiences with a mentor figure named Belinda, her sister Claire, her best friend Boo, and her mother Margaret, lead her to grapple with issues of self-worth, friendship, and love. Fleabag is relevant in the discussion of female friends and feminism as it portrays the interactions of multidimensional female characters who collectively evolve in their journey as feminists. While Fleabag is a work of fiction, Waller-Bridge’s storylines adhere to realistic accounts of women’s friendships and truthfully depict both degrading and empowering experiences. Closely studying scenes in Fleabag will therefore substantiate the claims made by experts in psychology, sociology, and history about the nature of female friendships and their impact in the real world.

As demonstrated in Fleabag , one theory proposed by psychologists suggests that female-female friendships support women by acting as a site of cognitive development. In a 1990s research study conducted by Ana M. Martínez Alemán, female undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds were surveyed on their views regarding their female friendships and the role that those friendships played in their moral and academic development. After graduating, they were once again asked the same questions. Data from interviews showed that during college, women discussed issues of academic anxiety, racial and ethnic self-image, politics, future aspirations, parenthood, sexuality, and romantic partners. Women associated qualities of their female-female friendships with the words “intellectually challenging,” “stimulating,” and “supportive” (561). Synthesizing the group of women’s thoughts, Alemán notes that “there is a constancy and reliability in the role that ... female friends continue to play in women’s cognitive development.” (563). By allowing women to reason through controversial issues in a low-stakes environment, female-female friendships not only push women to think critically about social and political issues, but also serve as a means for acquiring more information about these topics from multiple perspectives. Collectively considering issues of race, gender, and sexuality contribute to more progressive feminist thought by recognizing experiences that lie at the intersection of these societal issues. Participating in such conversations with female friends serves women well in their quest to eradicate gender inequalities because it encourages them to deviate from both explicitly and implicitly unjust practices that are ingrained in society.

Fleabag illustrates numerous instances of female relationships that have been crucial in a character’s ability to think critically and grow emotionally. One such example occurs in season two, episode three when Fleabag has an illuminating conversation with a poised, middle-aged mentor figure named Belinda. Belinda reflects on the notion of women-specific awards with Fleabag, articulating how women’s awards are “ghettoizing,” and a “subsection of success.” By labeling these awards as “women’s awards,” companies are conveying that they perceive women as undeserving of comparison to their male counterparts, assuming that their abilities are too inferior to be recognized at the level of male-dominated awards. Through her conversation with Belinda, Fleabag learns how a celebration one might initially perceive as empowering to women can actually be demeaning, and she leaves the conversation with this new realization that better promotes feminist thought. Moreover, Waller-Bridge characterizes Belinda as an extremely successful, self-aware, and experienced woman, thereby increasing Belinda’s legitimacy. The audience therefore senses the significance of the wisdom she imparts. By depicting how Fleabag’s friendship with Belinda left Fleabag enlightened on the topic of implicit workplace inequalities, Waller-Bridge demonstrates how female-female friendships facilitate the cognitive leap required to better comprehend nuanced social issues, thereby enabling women to recognize and amend gender-based inequities.

Furthermore, Fleabag’s closeness with her mother illustrates how female-female relationships are conducive to tremendous emotional growth. Although Fleabag’s mother Margaret has passed away and does not physically appear in the series, her presence is repeatedly alluded to through dialogue and symbolism. One prominent symbolic representation of Fleabag’s mother is a small golden statue of a woman. The statue motif appears in the last episode of season 2, where Fleabag makes an immensely difficult decision to part ways with an unnamed romantic partner, played by Andrew Scott, because of their incompatible circumstances. In the last scene, moments after Scott’s character leaves, Fleabag pulls out the golden statue from her coat, clutching it close to her. This frame depicts how she draws strength from her mother in moments of loss. She then gets up and walks the opposite direction, bidding farewell to the audience with a small smile and a wave, still holding the statue. The action captures Fleabag’s growth in her own self worth. In contrast, season one of the show saw her clinging to her relationships with men, seeking validation from her sexual desirability. Now at the end of the series, the audience senses that despite this profound loss of companionship from a man she loves, Fleabag will persevere and thrive on her own. Waller-Bridge uses the appearance of the golden statue as a beacon of hope and a reminder to Fleabag that she will be successful despite this loss. In redeeming Fleabag’s sense of confidence, the statue shows how the empowerment derived from other women is necessary in allowing them to make challenging decisions that will ultimately serve them well, thereby corroborating the role of female friendships in emotional growth.

Another way in which female friendships strengthen a woman’s ability to contribute to feminism is by promoting self-agency and assertiveness. Sara Ahmed, a distinguished scholar specializing in the intersection of race, queer, and feminist studies, addresses the power dynamics between men and women in her work. Ahmed describes the act of countering misogyny as a “feminist snap” in her book Living a Feminist Life , writing: “We could think of feminist history as a history of snappy women. Perhaps we would be thinking of how what comes out of our own mouths is speaking this history” (209). In other words, a crucial means of asserting a woman’s belonging in male-dominated spheres is through the use of voice. Silence can be equated with passivity that allows gender-based discrimination to persist. By vocalizing dissent—performing a “feminist snap”—women rebel against discrimination and inequality. Moreover, Ahmed’s analyses of feminist acts of rebellion in cinematic and literary media lead her to believe that accomplishing a “feminist snap” demands the support of other women, writing: “Snap is a collective impatience ... sisterhood is a snap” (212). Acts of rebellion are the foundation of major social change. Female-female friendships enable women to diverge from patriarchal norms by providing the necessary support and empathy to pursue an act of rebellion against oppression. This support may be achieved by validating one’s ideas or by opening up spaces in which a woman can assert her beliefs. Through “sisterhood” communities of women with similar morals and social agendas, women are encouraged to use their voices and carry out a “feminist snap,” thereby combatting patriarchal ideals.

Fleabag reflects the potency of “feminist snaps” through the characterization of the friendship between Fleabag and Claire. Fleabag recognizes that her sister is unhappy in her marriage with Martin; however, Claire refuses to leave him, convincing herself that supporting her husband’s life is more important than pursuing her own life goals. On the other hand, Fleabag speaks her mind readily and seldom subdues to the whims of others. Despite their differences, Fleabag and Claire have a loving and empathetic friendship. Over the course of the season, Claire grows tremendously and develops her own autonomy due to Fleabag’s continuous understanding of her struggles and unequivocal encouragement to pursue her career and relationship goals. At the end of season two, Claire confronts Martin, saying: “You’re an alcoholic, and you tried it on with my sister ... Please leave me.” In showing Claire’s determination to leave Martin, Waller-Bridge demonstrates how the empowerment derived from her friendship with Fleabag contributes to this act of rebellion. With this newfound liberation, Claire finally exercises self-agency as an independent woman by pursuing her career ambitions and choosing a different romantic partner who respects her aspirations. Her growth in self-worth reflects feminist ideals, thereby showing how female friendships are key in fortifying feminist belief systems.

Another way in which female-female friendships help women shape society into a more equal world is through the creation of exclusively female communities. Social science researcher Estelle Freedman examines the theory of separationism, or the distinction between male and female spheres of operation, and how the absence of female-only groups is detrimental to the propagation of feminism. Studying nineteenth-century American feminist movements, she argues that female-only communities contributed to the political leverage and feminist consciousness of women. In 1890, Women’s Clubs began forming as the Suffragette Movement picked up momentum. By 1914, women’s club membership had reached about a million and a half people. Initially, these clubs attracted women who desired to fill traditional gender roles and simply wanted to make friends. However, the clubs began shaping the political views of women, encouraging them not to perceive themselves as simply mothers and wives, but rather as citizens with a voice, ultimately leading the clubs to launch civic reform programs (Freedman 203). The prominence of women’s clubs in the 1890s contributed to the expansion of domains in which women could participate, thereby promoting feminist ideology. These communities of women facilitated the abolition of gender-based hierarchies in political and industrial settings by force of number; an alliance of a million women with the sole intention of attaining female rights in society had a tremendous effect on the social climate at the time.

However, after women’s voting rights were obtained, women’s clubs lost their influence. Women no longer felt the compulsion to participate and instead assimilated into formerly male-dominated spaces, taking on traditionally deferential roles in the workplace (Freedman 204). Freedman credits the sudden lack of radical feminist change after the women’s club movements to the relative absence of exclusively female communities. Without the backing of these communities, women struggled to challenge patriarchal obstacles that occluded their ambitions. By evaluating the temporary demise of feminism after the women’s club movement, one can deduce the importance of female-only communities in preserving feminist ideology. Although it is crucial for men and women to interact and hold power within the same industries and disciplines, it is equally important for female-only institutions to exist in order to empower women.

Fleabag reflects the power of exclusively female relationships in a woman’s empowerment through the portrayal of Fleabag’s friendship with Boo. The use of flashbacks throughout the series depicts shared experiences Fleabag has with Boo and the evolution of their friendship. In season one, the audience learns that they used to run a quirky café together before Boo tragically passed away. Throughout the first season, the café is portrayed as a failing business through the use of colder-tone-filtered camera shots of the barren tables and increasingly pressing bill notices by the counter. Despite the difficulties Fleabag faces in her attempt to run the café alone, and the discouragement from her family about not selling the space, she remembers the determination Boo had about preserving the café. In one particular memory in Episode 1, Boo and Fleabag drunkenly sing “we’re happy, so happy, to be modern women” before Boo has a moment of sobering determination about running the café together, telling Fleabag: “Let’s not ask anyone for anything. They don’t get it.” The café is a work of love and labor that they established together. By singing about being modern women, the two women rejoice at their business prowess in keeping the café afloat, diverging from the stereotype about women not being business-minded or being inferior to male-run businesses. In recognition of this, the characters wish to maintain their autonomy as proof that women-run businesses can succeed. Reminded of this moment, Fleabag resolves to revive the café. Thus, in season two, the café is always shot in warmer tones and bustling with satisfied customers. The determination Boo instills in Fleabag about running the café is testament to the effect that female-only communities have in establishing women-led achievements. By promoting self-efficacy in women, Boo and Fleabag’s friendship reflects the potency of exclusively female-communities.

While there are numerous ways in which female same-sex friendships are valuable to women, toxic female friendships also exist, and could be argued to deter women from feminist ideals. One prominent avenue of bullying amongst adolescents is insulting the physical appearances of their peers through various forms of social media. According to a 2010 study of middle schoolers in U.S. public schools, 25.8% of girls reported experiencing such cyberbullying in comparison to 12.8% of boys, and 21.1% of girls reported actively cyberbullying others in this manner while only 10.3% of boys report doing the same (Hinduja et. al. 2010). Both at the level of the perpetrator and the victim of online harassment directed at body image, females appear to be at the forefront of toxicity amongst their same-sex friends. However, the pressure to strive for a particular body shape and weight has been instilled by patriarchal beliefs. In fact, evolutionary psychology studies have shown that men have historically placed a higher premium on a woman’s physical attractiveness than other qualities (Lewis et. al.). Therefore, interpersonal tensions and competitiveness amongst heterosexual women can be attributed to seeking adoration from peers of the opposite sex and asserting dominance over same-sex peers. By illustrating how animosity within female-female friendships can be derived from degrading patriarchal ideals, one can sense the power of instilling feminist beliefs systems that support all women in overcoming unrealistic and misogynistic pressures on women.

All in all, female-female friendships hold immense significance in the lives of the participating women. Not only do women find comfort in their female friendships, but they also receive the necessary validation, empowerment, and educative experiences to contribute meaningfully to the cause of feminism. Oppressive patriarchal structures are not a new occurrence. In fact, women have been burdened with an inherent system of inequality across the world for centuries. But through the shared experience of frustration and anger, women are able to harness larger-scale social change. As a woman who believes deeply in the equality of all genders, I see tremendous potential in my shared experiences with my female friends in shaping my future contributions to social change. Armed with the knowledge of the profound effect friendships have on our world view and ability to contribute to our respective surroundings, I strongly believe that female friendships from a grassroots, interpersonal level, can develop into larger scale feminist movements, paving the way for an impartial future.

Works Cited

Ahmed, Sara. Living a Feminist Life . Duke University Press, 2017.

Alemán, Ana M. Martínez. “College Women’s Female Friendships: A Longitudinal View.” The Journal of Higher Education , vol. 81, no. 5, Taylor and Francis, 2010, pp. 553–82.

Freedman, Estelle. “Separatism as Strategy: Female Institution Building and American

Feminism, 1870-1930.” Feminist Studies , vol. 5, no. 3, Feminist Studies, Inc., 1979, pp. 512–29. JSTOR , doi:10.2307/3177511.

Hinduja, Sameer, and Justin W. Patchin. “Cyberbullying: An Exploratory Analysis of Factors Related to Offending and Victimization.” Deviant Behavior , vol. 29, no. 2, 2008, pp. 129–56.

Lewis, David M. G., et al. “Evolutionary Psychology: A How-to Guide.” American Psychologist ,

vol. 72, no. 4, May 2017, pp. 353–73. DOI.org (Crossref) , doi:10.1037/a0040409.

Waller-Bridge, Phoebe, creator. Fleabag . Two Brothers Pictures, 2016–2019.

About This Paper

Essay 2: research paper.

The research essay builds on the first essay because you will use multiple lenses and close reading to make an argument. For this essay, choose a story of friendship from the list below or find one on your own (but you must clear it with me first): this will be your primary text. Next, identify research questions about the reasons that friendship is portrayed in a particular way or ways: what does the author emphasize or omit? Finally, use your questions as a guide to make an argument about how the story reflects societal values and norms. For example, if the movie Tombstone was your primary text in which you wanted to evaluate the friendship between Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday, you might ask how a friendship in the Wild West might differ from one today. How is Wyatt Earp’s relationship with the ailing Doc Holiday different from his relationship with his ailing wife? What are the reasons that Doc Holiday stays by Wyatt Earp’s side and vice versa? What does the movie suggest about the values and norms of friendship among men on the American frontier, and is this different from contemporary friendships elsewhere? Is it different from the way we view friendship today, and if so, how?

Research into the answers to these questions might lead to an argument about the cultural values and norms on the American frontier regarding friendship. In other words, your research essay might be a close reading of the movie that uses multiple outside sources to support the argument.

I strongly encourage you to choose a text addressing an issue about which you have not yet formed an opinion. This essay should truly explore an area with which you are not familiar rather than use research to rubberstamp an opinion that you have already formed. Most importantly, you will be doing a close reading of your text that uses outside research to bolster your argument.

Possible options for your primary text are listed below. You are also welcome to find your own text if you clear it with me first. You can get any book or film from the library (use ILL if Brandeis doesn’t have it) but order the text now so you have time to read/watch/listen. Let me know right away if you are having difficulty getting your text.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: The friendship between members of a gang of tough, low-income working-class teens enables them to cope when tragedy strikes.
A Separate Peace by John Knowles: A complicated friendship between two boys in a prep-school pre-World War II.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson: A psychological thriller that features the unlikely friendship between a middle-aged publisher and a brilliant but deeply troubled young hacker [contains disturbing scenes].
Lord of the Flies by William Golding: A group of boys are stranded on an uninhabited island and seek to govern themselves with disastrous results.
Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon: Explores the complexities of a lifelong relationship between two women.
Beaches by Iris Rainier Dart: Follows the friendship of two women over a thirty- year period from adolescence into adulthood.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey: A new patient in a psychiatric hospital teaches his fellow inmates to stand up for themselves against an oppressive psychiatric administration.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: A story of good versus evil that centers on multiple different friendship relationships.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling: Three friends band together to fight against an evil force.
Toy Story (1995): A friendship between a toy and a human is complicated when a fancy new toy comes on the scene.
About A Boy (2002): A cynical, immature young man is taught how to act like a grown-up by a little boy.
Clueless (1995): A rich and beautiful high school student befriends a new student and decides to give her a makeover.
The Outsiders (1983): The friendship between members of a gang of tough, low- income working-class teens enables them to cope when tragedy strikes.
Stand By Me (1986): After the death of one of his friends, a writer recounts a boyhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.
A League of Their Own (1992): Two sisters join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amidst their own growing rivalry.
The Joy Luck Club (1993): The life histories of four Asian women and their daughters reflect and guide each other.
Ghost World (2001): Two anti-social teenage friends have plans to move in together after high school but are challenged when their lives start to diverge.
Waiting to Exhale (1995): Four friends support each other in their challenges with romantic relationships.

Podcasts, videos and blogs:

Friendshipping Podcast with Jenn and Trin: Weekly podcast with Jenn Bane and Trin Garritano who answer listeners’ questions about friendship.
Best Forevers: A Podcast for Kindred Spirits with the goal of starting a movement to love more on our best friends, bros, and bosom buddies through sharing stories of friendship and talking about the most important topics to keeping those friendships afloat.
Thought Catalog » Friendship: A blog about friendship.

Television/streaming episodes

(Choose an episode that will best allow you to evaluate its use of friendship.)

Friends : Six friends from New York who support each other in good times and bad.
Fleabag : A young woman tries to cope with life while coming to terms with a recent tragedy.
Sex and the City : Four female New Yorkers gossip about their sex lives (or lack thereof) and find new ways to deal with being a woman in the 1990s.
Stranger Things : Friends band together in search of their captive comrade.
Black Mirror-Nosedive : A woman desperate to boost here social media score hits the jackpot when she’s invited to an old best friend’s swanky wedding.

(You may evaluate a single painting or use more than one to compare and contrast on the theme of friendship)

“New Kids in the Neighborhood” (Norman Rockwell): A group of white children looking at two black children who are moving into the neighborhood.
“The Last Supper” (Leonardo Da Vinci): The last supper of Jesus and his apostles.
“Le caprice des belles” (Alice Bailly): Six nude women dance to music together.

You are welcome to use any of the texts listed above for your research topic, but please feel free to keep looking. You will spend a lot of time on this essay, so find something that truly interests you!

For your research you must use a minimum of four sources (your text does not count as a research source). Your research should come from reputable, peer-reviewed publications. This will be the longest and most time-consuming paper of the semester and will thus require significant preparation and thought. You will be developing your own interpretive framework based on the scholarly work of others. This resembles lens analysis—you’ll be using others’ ideas to produce an informed reading of your argument—but with an important difference: here, you’ll be creating a new lens of your own making, one that borrows elements from, reacts against, and synthesizes multiple lenses into an original critical stance. Be sure to locate sources that both agree and disagree with your claims so that you can anticipate counter-arguments in your paper. Your paper should follow MLA formatting guidelines.

Essay length: 10-12 pages

The first draft of the essay must be submitted electronically to your peers and me no later than 11:55 PM on Sunday, 11/29. Essays must use 1-inch margins and 12 point Times New Roman font. Essays must have a title, be double-spaced and have page numbers. Pre-drafts will be submitted in hard copy in class and must be typed and stapled.

GOALS OF THE ESSAY

In addition to continuing work on the goals of essay 1, this assignment asks you to:

Integrate primary and secondary source material. You should not simply report the findings of your research, as you would in a literature review or book report, but incorporate them into your argument as evidence or motive. Remember, a quotation never speaks for itself—you must spell out its implications and relevance for your reader.
Close with a conclusion that draws out the implications of your argument and shows where the process of the paper has taken us. Your essay should walk us through a developing process of thought, rather than offer an already-decided idea. Thus, your conclusion should show us where we end up after following the steps of your thought process—a different place than where you begin in your introduction. Remember: your motive brings you from the outside world into the writing space of your essay; it can help you find your way back out, too.
Transition logically and smoothly from paragraph to paragraph and idea to idea. A transitional topic sentence does the double duty of 1) encapsulating the main idea of its paragraph, and 2) smoothly transitioning from the last idea of the previous paragraph. A topic sentence will ensure that each paragraph proves a specific claim and that your paper has an overall logical flow. Remember that transition occurs not only on the rhetorical level but also on the content level. Use signposting and reflection to help move your reader from one idea to the next and to show the developing thought process your essay records.
Title your paper. Titles should be eye-catching—they’re the first opportunity you have to hook your reader—and informative, hinting at the overall focus and aim of your paper.

Video: Interview with the Author and her Instructor

Editor Doug Kirshen interviewed student author Roshni Ray and her instructor Carey Slaeker about her paper and the UWS, Conceptions of Friendship.

Interview Transcript

Doug Kirshen : I'm here with Roshni Ray and her instructor Carey Slaeker to talk about her paper on feminism and female friendship. Roshni, welcome.

Roshni Ray : Hi, thank you for having me.

Doug Kirshen : How did you come up with this topic, what was the genesis of it?

Roshni Ray : Carey was teaching a class on conceptions of friendship, and coming to Brandeis the friendships that I valued most were the friendships with my hallmates who are also female and the conversations that we were able to have very honestly about female struggles in a patriarchal society really inspired me to take a look at feminism but through the lens of female friendships.

Doug Kirshen : Nice! Carey, how did you come up with the idea for this UWS on friendship? I think you're the first to tackle something anywhere near this topic.

Carey Slaeker : It was really interesting for me and as a process of learning and growing as well. To be completely honest, I'm a Bible and Ancient Near East graduate student, and I was trying to find a way to showcase some of the material that I find interesting and hopefully that the class could find interesting. Friendship was a really good landing site for this, You have the epic of Gilgamesh, you have stories like Ruth, and David and Jonathan, in the Bible. For the first part of my course we delved into that, but I thought it was important, on a broader level as well, and that is, we have this really contentious [2020] political campaign, we're all locked up and isolated, and it felt like a really good thing to discuss relationships, connections that we make, what friendship really means in this dystopian environment that we're currently in.

Doug Kirshen : We sure are, and I should say that as we're talking right now we're still in the middle of the COVID pandemic and dealing with that. So Roshni, how did you get from the Bible and King David to Fleabag?

Roshni Ray : Yeah they seem sort of polar opposites.

Doug Kirshen : I'm not sure; I think David was not that good a friend. Maybe Carey can tell us about that later. Sorry, go ahead Roshni.

Roshni Ray : It’s funny that you brought that up, because Fleabag in the context of religion is where the second series goes, something unexpected in the character, because she's just so provocative. But I thought that Fleabag was a relevant TV show when considering female friendships because it seemed to me to be a very truthful depiction of taboos in the female experience. The relationships are very strong, in the sense that both empowering and degrading moments are depicted.

Doug Kirshen : Okay, so how do you find — this is a research paper — where do you find scholarly sources on friendship?

Roshni Ray : A good place to start, I would say, for friendship is reports about psychology and interpersonal relationships amongst female to female friendships. One source that I found particularly effective and really helpful in my writing process was a research paper concerning how college friendships and friendships amongst females as undergrads contributed to the cognitive development of the participant females. The idea of how talking to one another and going through shared experiences contributes to females' ability to participate in feminism was really intriguing and I think directly supported my claim.

Doug Kirshen : I had not thought about the relationship between friendship and feminism the way you talked about it, so reading your essay was a learning experience for me. Carey, what did you hope to get from this assignment from your students and what did people do well, maybe like Roshni, and what did people struggle with in your class?

Carey Slaeker : The assignment was originally to choose a book or a movie or TV show that deals with the complexities of friendship now. It's pretty broad and I meant it to be broad because I wanted the students to find something that they were interested in and familiar with in order to practice building an argument using secondary scholarship. I really hoped that students would see the steps that we take in scholarship and how they can be applied to just about anything. Having them choose media that they enjoyed for its entertainment value provided a fun way to practice some of the techniques that we learned in class and see that media in a different way. In the end, I think that's what good scholarship does. It changes how we perceive our world, even those things that we think are familiar.

You mentioned sources, and I think without exception, the students did very, very well in the end, but finding sources can be difficult. The Library did an extremely good job of coming in and showing the class how to strategize their searches and yield as many relevant sources as possible. But students still struggled with finding enough sources for their topic. I think this turned out to be a great learning experience, because these students had to think a little bit more broadly about their proposed theses and tweak them based on what the search engines were providing them. So they learn this fluidity of the research process where questions and hypotheses are sometimes tempered by available resources and where an unexpected article find can completely change the direction of your research.

Doug Kirshen : Tell us some more about what Roshni and some of your more successful students did well in this.

Carey Slaeker : Well Roshni did a lot of things well. She picked a great primary source, Fleabag , very funny, brutally honest, sometimes painfully real depiction of a young woman as she navigates her interpersonal relationships, and she utilized some really crucial scenes from that show to bring in her secondary source lenses to make a very significant, important argument. And that's not an easy thing to do, to juggle all of these elements, but Roshni really did a lot of good preparation with research that really helped her understand her subject and, ultimately, inform the direction that her paper would take.

From the very first assignments that you put out and receive back from students, you can gauge levels of writing, and it was very clear to me that Roshni was among the better writers in the class. Yet instead of resting on her previous skills and talents and what she had done before, she took every advantage of becoming a better writer. She took advantage of office hours, she consulted with the librarian to get sources. And you know she visited the Writing Center, and it was obvious to me that these efforts on Roshni's part took what would have been a very good paper and made it into a great one.

Doug Kirshen : Roshni, it sounds like you took advantage of the resources that were available to you. What was the process like from your point of view, going through that, writing the research paper in UWS? How did it evolve, for you?

Roshni Ray : This was my first experience writing a research paper of this length, and so I learned to really embrace the different avenues that you encounter as you go through the research process and being open to different ideas that come about as you learn more about a topic. I really appreciated the fact that I could write about something that I felt so passionately about but also expand my learning and sort of clarify any misconceptions about this topic. I invest a lot of time in the outline and the outline changes as the research process goes on.

Having people to talk to like Carey and my friends was also a great resource that I made use of. A sounding board is always very useful when you're trying to figure out if what you're trying to communicate is actually coming through in your writing. And then the revision process, of course, a big part of it was just clarifying awkward sentences and making sure that again the message is coming through.

Doug Kirshen : Roshni, you've given us a lot of good advice for future UWS students, so let me ask Carey one more question and then I'll finish with one more thought from you on advice to future students. So Carey, any last words about this experience, teaching this and doing this topic?

Carey Slaeker : Oh, it was it was a great experience. I have to say that Roshni's paper was fabulous but I received so many good papers in this class. The thing that I was most pleased about is the improvement across the board. I mentioned that everybody, you see those first papers come out, everybody's on different levels, we've all had different training, we've all had different experiences. What I was most pleased with is wherever anybody was, the whole class put in that effort and everyone was able to improve greatly in the semester, and that was very clear to me.

Doug Kirshen : It’s great when you see your students develop over the semester. Nothing is more gratifying to a teacher. Roshni, any final words, for your fellow students who will follow you in UWS and do the research paper?

Roshni Ray : Sure, 10 to 12 pages seems daunting but it's doable. I was certainly scared going into it, but you learn to sort of follow your instinct a lot in this class and I'm sure another UWS is as well, and I think that's really useful as you're developing your writing. So I just encourage people to embrace that.

Doug Kirshen : Write about something you're passionate about and trust yourself, that’s great advice for sure. Roshni Ray and Carey Slaeker, thank you so much for talking with me today about this project.

Roshni Ray : Thank you.

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500 Words Essay On Feminism. Feminism is a social and political movement that advocates for the rights of women on the grounds of equality of sexes. It does not deny the biological differences between the sexes but demands equality in opportunities. It covers everything from social and political to economic arenas.
️Essay on Feminism for Students: Samples 150, 250 Words
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The definition of liberal feminism is the following: "a particular approach to achieving equality between men and women that emphasizes the power of an individual person to alter discriminatory practices against women" ("Liberal Feminism: Definition & Theory" par. 2). In other words, it is based on the idea that in a democratic system ...
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The feminist critique is an aspect that seeks to explore the topic of men domination in the social, economic, and political sectors. Feminism in "Heart of Darkness" and "Apocalypse Now". However, one realizes that she is voiceless in the novel, which highlights the insignificance of role of women in Heart of Darkness.
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In conclusion, this essay has explored the multifaceted nature of feminism, highlighting key principles such as intersectionality, empowerment, and inclusivity. Through an analysis of these principles, it is evident that feminism is a necessary movement for challenging systemic oppression and advocating for the rights of marginalized groups.
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Informative Essay About Feminism. Sarah Ruwe. English 1001. Rebecca Reynolds. October 1, 2015. Feminism What is Feminism? Many people when asked, already have a misconstrued idea of what Feminism is all about. The top being that feminist are a group of women that despise all men, men can't be feminist or it's only focused on women's ...
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5 Essays About Feminism. On the surface, the definition of feminism is simple. It's the belief that women should be politically, socially, and economically equal to men. Over the years, the movement expanded from a focus on voting rights to worker rights, reproductive rights, gender roles, and beyond. Modern feminism is moving to a more ...
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25 feminist speech topics about beauty & fashion. that from puberty onward a woman is targeted by cosmetic companies. that the shape of woman's body is valued over its health. that physical beauty in a woman is conferred by popular beliefs. that striving for what is regarded as the epitome of female physical perfection destroys women.
How To Write a College Essay on Feminism
It is tricky, though, for a couple of reasons: 1) many people will be writing with this in mind and 2) your essay still has to be about you. It has to be your own and tell a story that reflects who you are and what you have experienced, not just a statement about something you believe. Feminism is a topic that many people feel very strongly about.
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The Future is Feminist: Radical, Funny, and Inspiring Writing by Women. Chronicle Books, 2019. 144 pages. $24.95, ISBN 978-1452168333. We've all heard the saying or seen the T-shirts: "The future is feminist!" Now we have the book to confirm it. Between these brightly colored cov-ers are 21 essays about feminism's past, present, and future.
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Important topics for feminist theory and politics include: the body, class and work, disability, the family, globalization, human rights, popular culture, race and racism, reproduction, science, the self, sex work, human trafficking, and sexuality. Extended discussion of these topics is included in the sub-entries to feminism in this ...
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277 Feminism Topics & Women's Rights Essay Topics. Feminism topics encompass a comprehensive range of themes centered on advocating for gender equality. These themes critically address the social, political, and economic injustices primarily faced by females, aiming to dismantle patriarchal norms.
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Informative Speech On Feminism
Informative Speech On Feminism; ... Rhetorical Analysis Essay "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). Emily Shire attempts to convince the audience that feminism is a misunderstood topic by using a concerned and determined tone ...
LibGuides: Women's Studies: Essential Writings of Feminism
Feminism: The Essential Historical Writings by Miriam Schneir. Call Number: HQ 1154 .S29 1994. ISBN: 0679753818. Publication Date: 1994. Included are more than forty selections, coveting 150 years of writings on women's struggle for freedom -- from the American Revolution to the first decades of the twentieth century.
Women's Friendships and Feminism
Women's Friendships and Feminism by Roshni Ray. ... The first draft of the essay must be submitted electronically to your peers and me no later than 11:55 PM on Sunday, 11/29. ... Titles should be eye-catching—they're the first opportunity you have to hook your reader—and informative, hinting at the overall focus and aim of your paper. ...
Essays on Feminism
Feminism essay topics normally analyze the importance of women's rights depicted in novels or the society, highlighting female characters, and particularly their roles in the story. You can focus on various aspects as you examine the author's perspective of women. You might want to check a few samples of feminism persuasive essay topics before you start jotting the introduction.
Informative Essay on Feminist Ethics
Based on the discussion about theory, I choose feminist ethics, because feminist ethics is focused… For full essay go to Edubirdie.Com.

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5 Essays About Feminism

“Trickle-Down Feminism” – Sarah Jaffe

“What No One Else Will Tell You About Feminism” – Lindy West

“Toward a Trans* Feminism” – Jack Halberstam

“Rebecca Solnit: How Change Happens” – Rebecca Solnit

“Bad Feminist” extract – Roxane Gay

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