Waves of feminism

The history of feminism, particularly in Britain and the USA, can be divided into multiple key periods characterized by varying levels of feminist thought and activism.
- Key Characteristics:
- Periods of significant public mobilization contrasted with times of dormancy.
- The wave analogy serves to illustrate the cyclical nature of feminist movements, akin to tidal waves.
The ‘wave’ analogy became prominent during the feminist resurgence in the 1960s, following a phase of dormancy.
- Second-Wave Feminism: Originated in the 1960s, characterized by a resurgence of feminist activism and thought.
- Coined by Martha Lear in a 1968 article regarding the US women’s movement.

Spanned from the mid-late nineteenth century to the 1920s.
Key focus: Women’s equality with men;
- Central issues included:
- Legislative Change: Campaigns for the vote, access to education, professional rights, property ownership, marriage equality, and divorce rights.
- Unity and Fragmentation:
- Banks (1981) notes that the struggle for suffrage created the illusion of unity among feminists, masking the underlying differences which later surfaced.
Post-1918 Context:
- After women gained partial voting rights in 1918, organizations evolved:
- The National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies rebranded to National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship.
- This shift reflected a belief that equality had been achieved, allowing focus on women's specific issues: family allowances, birth control, and protective legislation.
Divergence:
- Middle-class feminists favored broader horizons beyond domestic roles, while working-class feminists supported protective legislation.
- This class division marked the decline of first-wave feminism by the late 1930s.

Flourished in the late 1960s, influenced by the achievements of suffragists yet disillusioned by the lack of substantive societal change.
- Key areas of focus:
- Reproductive rights, mothering, sexual violence, expressions of sexuality, and domestic labor.
- Key Activism Characteristics:
- Emphasis on liberation from a patriarchal society, focusing on the female body as a site of struggle.
- Activists came from or were influenced by New Left and civil rights movements.
- Organization in small groups, engaging in consciousness-raising, direct action, and theatrical demonstrations.
- Inclusivity:
- The movement encouraged sub-group formations allowing representation for lesbians, women of color, and working-class women.
- Acknowledged that the mainstream narrative often prioritized white, middle-class, heterosexual women.
Decline of Dynamism:
- By the late 1980s, the Women’s Liberation Movement had lost much of its momentum, leading to concentration in academic circles and women’s studies.

The wave analogy, while helpful in conceptualizing the history of feminism, warrants caution:
- Limitations:
- Can lead to an overemphasis on periods of growth at the expense of recognizing achievements during quieter phases.
- Risk of adopting a Western-centric perspective that underrepresents women of color and working-class activists.
- Simplifies diverse feminist concerns and activism associated with each wave.
Alternative Perspectives:
- Budgeon (2011) suggests a non-linear historical understanding of feminist theory and practice.
- Baily (2013) argues for a move beyond metaphorical waves, advocating for more inclusive narratives of feminist history.

The wave analogy remains a prevalent framework for understanding the progression of feminism.
- While recognizing the cycle of rise and fall in activism, it does not encapsulate the complexity of feminist thought or recognize the contributions of diverse groups.