waves of feminism

what was the main focus of the first wave of feminism

legal rights (e.g. voting)

what were the key aspects of society during the first wave of feminism

more women were working in towns and factories but had very few rights

victorian values included the expectation for women to stay at home and obey husbands

women couldn’t vote, own property or access most education or careers

what inspired the first wave of feminism

liberal ideas about equality and individual rights

what was the main focus of the second wave of feminism

social and cultural equality

what was the key aspect of society during the second wave of feminism

after WW2 many women had worked jobs but were expected to return to their traditional housework roles

what changes were seen during the 1960s and 70s as a part of second wave feminism

increased social changes such as civil rights, student protests and sexual revolution

women began to question gender roles, pay gaps and reproductive rights

feminists campaigned for equal pay, abortion rights and childcare access

what were the key achievements of the second wave in the UK

the equal pay act (1970) and sex discrimination act (1975)

what was the main focus of the third wave of feminism

female diversity

what was feminism criticised for at the time of the third wave

being mainly focused on the experiences of white, middle class women when society was becoming more aware of multiculturalism and LGBTQ+ rights

how did feminists solve these issues of diversity

they focused on choice, sexual empowerment and challenging media stereotypes

they also included the voices of black, queer and working class women

what was the main focus of the fourth wave of feminism

digital activism and violence

what were the main changes during the fourth wave

social media became a powerful activism tool (e.g. MeToo movement)

more awareness of issues like sexual harassment, online abuse and body image pressures

continued focus on intersectionality and inclusivity

global campaigns against catcalling, rape culture and media sexism

how has this affected the modern everyday

feminism is now a part of everyday conversation

but it’s still a heavily debated topic