By Shubhangi Dutta
As a writer and editor, Marie Shear famously wrote in 1986, “Feminism is a radical notion that women are people.” In other words, feminism is a commitment to achieving political, cultural, and economic equality and legal protection for women. Generally, feminists are people who acknowledge social inequality based on gender and stop it from continuing; however, there are still many people who misunderstand what the goal of feminism is. Some people imagine all feminists are angry, bitter women who want to subjugate men! A reason for this discrepancy is perhaps because there are too many different, specific types of feminism. Maybe you are a feminist and don’t even know it.
#1. Radical Feminism considers the male-controlled capitalist hierarchy which it describes as sexist. These feminists believe that women can free themselves only when they have done away with what they consider an inherently oppressive and dominating patriarchal system. Some of them believe there is no alternative than the total uprooting and reconstruction of society in order to achieve their goals. They are also known as the most extreme type of feminists.
#2. Liberal Feminists strive for sexual equality via down-to-earth political and legal reform. It is an individualistic form of feminism, which focuses on women’s ability to show and maintain their equality through their own actions and choices. Issues important to liberal feminists include reproductive and abortion rights, sexual harassment, voting, education, "equal pay for equal work", affordable childcare, affordable health care, and bringing to light the frequency of sexual and domestic violence against women.
#3. Cultural Feminism was birthed from Radical Feminism – while they carried many similar characteristics, the difference between the two is striking. Radical feminism was a movement to transform society, whereas cultural feminism related vanguardism, working instead to build a women’s culture.
#4. Eco Feminism is actually much more spiritual than political, cultural or theoretical in nature. Its basic tenet is that a patriarchal society will exploit its resources without regard to long term consequences as a direct result of the attitudes fostered in a patriarchal/hierarchical society. Parallels are drawn between man’s treatment of nature to their treatment to women.
#5. Black Feminism argues that sexism, class oppression and racism are inextricably bound together. It emerged after radical feminist movements were led by white middle class-women who ignored oppression based on racism and classism.
#6. Socialist Feminism is less extreme than Radical Feminism, yet calls for major social change and an end to capitalism through a socialist reformation of our economy. Basically, socialist feminism argues that capitalism strengthens and supports the sexist status quo because men are the ones who currently have power and money. Those men are more willing to share their power and money with other men, which means that women are continually given fewer opportunities and resources. This keeps women under the control of men.
Despite of so many different movements, society is still not perfectly equal. “The difference between a broken community and a thriving one is the presence of women that are valued.” Michelle Obama once rightly said. With time, hopefully, we can try our best to achieve the level of treatment and respect women rightly deserve.
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