Comprehensive Study Guide on Femininity and Feminist History

Conceptual Foundations of Femininity

Definition and Scope: * Femininity is defined as a set of characteristics and behaviors associated with women, girls, and female bodies. * According to Hurd, M. ( $2024$ ), femininity is a "cultural construct." It refers specifically to the qualities and ideals that societies attribute to women, which are shaped by historical, cultural, and ideological influences. * Evolutionary Nature: Ideas regarding femininity have shifted across different historical periods and specific events. * Influencing Factors: It is shaped by society, media, and various institutions. * Duality of Impact: Construction of femininity can function as a source of both limitations and empowerment for individuals.

Global History: The Waves of Feminism

Early Feminist Thought (Pre-Wave Era): * Concepts regarding women's equality existed long before formal movements. * Plato: Believed that women could be equal to men. * Key Writers: Christine de Pizan and Mary Wollstonecraft challenged social inequality. * Primary Demands: Women sought rights to education, property ownership, and active participation in society.
First Wave Feminism (19th Century - Early 20th Century): * Core Focus: Legal rights, with a specific emphasis on suffrage (the right to vote). * Origin Point: The Seneca Falls Convention. * Key Figures: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. * Major Achievement: The ratification of the $19^{\text{th}}$ Amendment in ( $1920$ ), which granted women in the United States the right to vote.
Second Wave Feminism ( $1960$ s - $1980$ s): * Core Focus: Equality in the workplace, education, and personal/domestic life. * Socio-Economic Context: Women entered the workforce in larger numbers, particularly following the Great Depression and World War I. * The Feminine Mystique: A seminal work by Betty Friedan that challenged the traditional role of women as strictly homemakers. * Key Issues: Addressed workplace discrimination and equal pay. * Legislative Landmark: The Equal Pay Act of ( $1963$ ).
Third Wave Feminism ( $1990$ s - $2000$ s): * Core Focus: Diversity, inclusion, and the rejection of narrow definitions of femininity. * Inclusivity: Highlighted the voices of women of color and other marginalized groups. * Individualism: Emphasized the unique and differing experiences of individual women.
Fourth Wave / Modern Feminism ( $2010$ s - Present): * Core Focus: Ending sexual harassment, gender-based violence, and systemic inequality. * Activism Style: Heavy reliance on social media and digital platforms for mobilization. * Key Examples: The #MeToo movement and global demonstrations such as the Women's March on Washington.

History of Feminism in the Philippines

The Bayan and Babaylan (Pre-colonial Period): * Role of Women: Held respected and influential roles. * The Babaylan: Acted as spiritual leaders, healers, and keepers of knowledge. They were experts in medicine, culture, astronomy, and rituals. * Governance: Worked alongside the Datu in governing communities, indicating that early Filipino women possessed inherent authority and leadership.
Chains of Chastity (Spanish Colonial Period): * Degradation of Status: The imposition of Catholic ideals suppressed the Babaylan system. * Control Mechanisms: The Church controlled women’s bodies, sexuality, and behavior through strict moral codes. * Redefinition: Women were framed as submissive and virtuous, reinforcing patriarchal control via social norms and religion.
Sisters in Arms: Revolutionaries and Suffragists (Revolution to Early 20th Century): * Military Participation: Women were active in the Philippine Revolution and the Filipino-American War as fighters, organizers, and writers. * Key Figures and Groups: Cruz Roja (Red Cross); fighters like Trinidad Tecson and Teresa Magbanua. * Organizational Growth: The Asociacion Feminista Filipina emerged to advocate for health, education, and rights. * Suffrage Milestone: Filipino women gained the right to vote in ( $1937$ ).
Women Comrades: Resistance and Martial Law ( $1960$ s - $1980$ s): * Militant Movements: Nationalist movements influenced by anti-imperialist and anti-dictatorship struggles. * Key Organizations: MAKIBAKA, KABAPA, PILIPINA, KALAYAAN, and GABRIELA. * Scope of Struggle: Linked women’s liberation to broader social issues like labor rights, patriarchy, and resistance against Martial Law.
Post-Marcos Democratization ( $1986$ - $1990$ s): * Institutionalization: Creation of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW). * Legal Protections: The ( $1987$ ) Constitution and reforms to the Family Code. * Frameworks: Gender planning through the Philippine Development Plan for Women (PDPW) and the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (PPGD).
Contemporary Period ( $1990$ s - Present): * Legislative Victories: Reproductive Health Law, Anti-Rape Law, Anti-VAWC (Violence Against Women and their Children) Law. * Modern Expansion: Includes LBT (Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) and intersectional struggles. * Ongoing Challenges: Political inequality, labor discrimination, and resistance from conservative institutions.

Feminism in Psychology

Early Psychological Views: * Sigmund Freud: Influenced by patriarchal views; framed women as passive and behaviorally inferior. * Karen Horney: Challenged Freud’s biological determinism. She argued that gender differences originate from society, not biology, and emphasized lifelong experiences over childhood-only models.
Modern Feminist Psychology: * Rejection of Neurosexism: Disproves the idea that behavioral differences between genders are purely brain-based. * Cognitive Similarities: Research indicates men and women possess similar cognitive abilities. * Focus Areas: Systemic sexism, gender inequality, and social roles (e.g., caregiving and workplace gaps). * Socialization: Personality traits (e.g., "alpha" vs. "beta") are not fixed categories but are shaped by socialization. * Therapeutic Approaches: Utilizes Feminist Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Interpersonal Therapy.

Modern Feminist Standpoints

Liberal Feminism (Egalitarian Feminism): * Origin: $17^{\text{th}}$ – $18^{\text{th}}$ centuries (French and American Revolutions). * Olympe de Gouges: Author of the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen ( $1791$ ). * Core Principle: Advocates for gender equality through reforms within current legal and institutional systems. * Philippine Example: The Magna Carta of Women (RA $9710$ ), which affirms the role of women in nation-building and ensures substantive equality. * Criticism: Often criticized for failing to address deep social structures and focusing on "white feminism" or formal equality only.
Radical Feminism: * Origin: Second wave ( $1960$ s). * Core Principle: Identifies patriarchy as the root source of oppression. It seeks to dismantle the system rather than reform it. * Key Concept: "The Private Sphere is Political." Domestic life, motherhood, and relationships are shaped by social power structures. * Objectification: Critiques the portrayal of women as objects in media, pornography, and prostitution. * Criticism: Can be seen as exclusionary toward transgender women and sometimes generalizes women's experiences.
Intersectionality: * Origin: Black feminist thought (Combahee River Collective) and the term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in legal scholarship. * Core Principle: Analyzes how overlapping identities (race, class, gender, sexuality) create unique experiences of oppression. * Dimensions: 1. Structural: Overlapping identities shaping unique oppression. 2. Political: How movements can marginalize those with multiple identities. 3. Representational: Stereotypes in media. * The Paradigm: Rejects single-axis analysis and highlights the irreducibility of social categories.

Conclusion and Key Quote

Femininity is a complex social construct shaped by history, culture, and power dynamics. * Simone de Beauvoir: ‐‐ "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman."