Wave of Feminism Took Place

¶ … wave of feminism took place beginning in 1848 with the ratification of the 19th amendment which afforded women the right to vote (Frederick, 2004). The social and theoretical concerns were largely scattered, and the emphasis was working on a variety of issues including child labor protection, peace and care for women in general (Frederick, 2004). The movement was more geared toward generalities. In the second wave however, during the 1960s, was a revival of the first wave, further defining some of the issues that were critical to feminist thinking. The third wave was more responsible for defining the new issues that were important for women to fight for, as many accomplishments had been realized during the first two waves (Bailey, 1997; Frederick, 2004).

Kate Millet is a well-known feminist of the second wave who claimed that "the first wave of feminism in the early twentieth century was reborn as a second wave in the early 1960s" (Frederick, 2004).

Cathryn Bailey is well-known for supporting the third wave of feminism describing it as "a means of distancing itself from earlier feminism" and further describes it as a mechanism for emphasizing what might be described as the discontinuities that existed within the first and second waves (Bailey, 1997: 18).

Betty Friedan is well-known for her work "The Feminist Mystique" which characterizes the second wave of feminism as well, known as a time when women fought for equality and questioned among other things gender assignment and roles (Rosen, 2001). The idea of democracy for women was expanded during the second wave and equality was seen with regard to all of American culture (Frederick, 2004).

Third wave feminism is characterized by many well-known individuals including Krista Jacobs, editor of Sexing the Political who believed that during the third wave women "Are celebrating their pluralities, embracing their personal and political contradictions" (Frederick, 2004).

The third wave of feminism is characterized as "a movement of young feminists who no only confront but embrace contradiction and ambiguity" (Frederick, 2004). The primary ideology of this movement is the notion that inevitably in society there "exist contradictions and compromises" that must be made in the movement toward feminism, and that feminism in and of itself is filled with complexity and fighting within a still predominately patriarchichal society (Frederick, 2004).

Third wave feminism is often considered very similar to postmodern feminism but also very different. Postmodern feminists generally tend to believe that there are many different ways that women can be oppressed rather than one way, and that feminists need to think from a dualistic perspective when considering self-identity (Frederick, 2004:18).

This is similar to third wave thinking; however, post modern feminists tend to embrace academic writing and academic feminism, and third wave feminists generally reject academic feminism (Frederick, 2004). In addition, postmodern feminists are considered more grounded in theory, and very specific with regard to their intent and vocalizations, whereas third wave are also seen as appealing more to the masses (Frederick, 2004; Tong, 1998). Postmodern feminism is also viewed as embracing the idea of 'disruptive sexuality' without analysis (Frederick, 2004).

People say that Feminism is messier today (third wave) than in the first and second wave because feminists have complicated the very nature of feminism. In the second wave women were dealing with traditional things such as basic human rights, but now most women don't know what is happening. Women already have many basic freedoms thus don't know where to turn. Feminists in the third wave still attempt to appeal to the masses, but many have different views of what feminism is and what it is not.

In addition, during the third wave it is often difficult for women to categorize themselves, as in modern society men and women are no longer characterized as they have been in times of old. Before for example, people could say that women were the care givers, but now women are considered many different things. You can't treat gender by itself without looking at class.