By Sunidhi Gupta

Abstract

Feminism is not just a definition but a socio-political movement. It has evolved with time as it encompasses diverse ideologies, with the idea of establishing gender equality and dismantling oppressive structures. There is one extreme of the spectrum which has liberal feminism while at the other end lies radical feminism and somewhere in the middle lies intersectional feminism, black feminism and queer feminism which focus on specifics of feminism and its intersectionality with other kinds of oppression. This article aims to explore and critique what is included in this wide spectrum. 

Introduction

Feminist thought has various perspectives of cultural, socio-political and economic diversity clubbed with struggles that women face being a different gender altogether. Critics have pointed out discrepancies in feminist thought, particularly about race, sexuality, and socioeconomic class, as it has developed through many waves. It has been stressed by academics like Chandra Mohanty how critical it is to oppose generalising conceptions of women, especially those from the Third World, and to promote historically and geographically focused research. Further, in his book Feminist Geography, Tim Cresswell explores the historical marginalisation of women in the field, the late 1960s birth of feminist geography, and the important contributions made by feminist geographers to the fight against gender inequality. Thus, it is important to differentiate between feminist theories because each is a sub-part of the same concept and has a different focal point. Following that it is important to study existing frameworks to fight gender inequality and oppression that women are facing, and further develop them. 

Spectrum of Feminism

Diverse feminisms cover a spectrum of viewpoints and strategies meant to confront gender inequality and advance gender equality. Feminism’s evolution can be divided into waves, which represent a different set of objectives and tactics. The first wave, which began in the late 1800s, concentrated on basic rights such as the ability to choose one’s reproductive path and the right to vote, though mostly for white women. This is evidence of how feminism evolved from the first which only focused on getting women recognised as humans. However, there was no intersectional aspect to including issues like caste, race, and colour which were only delved into, as years followed through. The second wave, which arose in the 1960s and 1970s, pushed for institutional changes and questioned conventional gender norms. Three primary forms of feminism emerged: radical, cultural, and mainstream/liberal. Radical feminism wanted to completely dismantle patriarchal systems, while liberal feminism focused on advancing equality and lessening gender discrimination within the framework of current structures. Cultural feminism highlighted distinctive qualities and stressed the fundamental distinctions between men and women. 

So, the temperament of feminism can be broadly categorised as liberal and radical. In contrast, the cultural aspect of feminism focuses on the intersectionality of gender with caste, class or colour like queer or black feminism apart from just differentiating the men from ‘female essence’. Since the prominent categorisation of feminism has been done into liberal and radical forms, the first focus would be on these extremes. The goal of liberal feminism is to achieve equality within the framework of the law and society using legislative and policy changes. It promotes gender equality in areas like education, employment, and reproductive rights while emphasising individual rights such as the freedom to choose and govern one’s life and body. Radical feminism, on the other hand, aims to topple the established patriarchal power structures that uphold gender inequality. Radical feminists believe that societal changes are necessary to achieve women’s emancipation and blame patriarchy as the primary source of gender inequality. They draw attention to problems including objectification, violence against women, and the necessity of structural adjustments in patriarchal systems. Radical feminism demands revolutionary change to overthrow patriarchal norms and power relations, while liberal feminism strives for equality within the existing framework.

Cultural Feminism & Intersectionality

Intersectionality is an important aspect of cultural feminism especially in the contemporary paradigm though there is a distinction. They try to address various dimensions of gender equality and social justice. Talking cultural feminism promotes women’s distinct roles by highlighting the significance of appreciating women’s traits, experiences, and contributions. It focuses on empowering women in cultural contexts, questioning conventional gender norms, and changing how society views women. Redefining women’s roles and ideals while emphasising the importance of women’s experiences and viewpoints in influencing cultural narratives and behaviours is the goal of cultural feminism. This is what was introduced to the feminist geographers. The primary goals of feminist geography are to better lives by identifying resistance tactics and analysing the causes, dynamics, and spatiality of women’s oppression. Feminist geographers’ work has brought inquiry into life events like migration, procreation, and disease, as well as common social activities like making a living, travelling, sustaining a family, and recreation. It has sparked discussions on fundamental human necessities like food, shelter, healthcare, and education, and it has led to fresh perspectives on government policies, settlement patterns, and global and regional economic transformations.

The term “intersectional feminism,” developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw, emphasises how different types of oppression based on race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other characteristics are interconnected. Intersectional feminists draw attention to how various oppressive, discriminatory, and power structures interact and affect people in different ways according to the multitude of identities they possess. This method recognises that when multiple types of oppression cross, people may face compounded forms of marginalisation. The goal of intersectionality is to improve our comprehension of disparities and the intricate connections between many oppressive and discriminatory institutions. Types like ‘queer’ or ‘black’ feminism is an example of intersectional feminism because they focus on not just inequalities women face based on gender but in addition to that the obstacles that come their way in the form of caste, race, colour or sexuality. Intersectionality plays an important role in the cultural aspect of feminism because of how it has been touched upon, while discussing the first phase of feminism, there was a focus on just the gender aspect, especially to the white women. “White feminism” downplays intersectionality and fails to acknowledge the oppression that non-white women face. It’s crucial to remember that not all white feminists engage in “white feminism.” It is simply incorrect for “white feminism” to portray the experiences of white women with gender inequity as representative of all women.

Adding to the intersectionality of feminism, it is important to touch a little more on queer and black feminism. Within the feminist movement, queer feminism is a dynamic and multifaceted approach that questions established structures and norms surrounding gender and sexuality. It focuses on the larger institutions that support injustice rather than just recognising and ending the oppression of women. To question social norms that determine gender and sexual identities and to support a variety of political, cultural, and economic initiatives that seek to create diversity and equality, queer feminism interacts with queer theory. Recognising the intricate intersections of race, gender, sexual orientation, and other societal boundaries that influence people’s lives and identities, this viewpoint is profoundly intersectional. Black feminism on the other hand though is an intersectional approach to feminism. But its origins lie somewhere in the dissatisfaction that persisted following the limited inclusivity of the white feminist movement. This movement emphasises the interdependence of race, gender, and class in comprehending the issues encountered by Black women, challenging the erasure of Black women’s voices and experiences within feminist and social justice movements. Black feminism promotes an intersectional perspective that acknowledges the nuanced interactions between racism, sexism, and classism that influence Black women’s everyday experiences.

Conclusion

Thus, it is conclusive to say that feminism as a concept has evolved with time and the current framework where it stands multifaceted, inclusive and intersectional to address the complex gender inequalities, social injustices or gender discrimination by dismantling oppressive structure without limiting representation contrary to how the movement of feminism began. However, at the same time, maintaining this inclusivity within the movement is a challenge because it involves addressing oppression taking place in various forms and expressing those can be a challenge in itself. 

Apart from that there are various other challenges like balancing out structural changes including overall societal transformation and individual rights, and questions on the interpretation of feminism which leads to a plurality of perceptions making it difficult to form a unified front and head the movement. There are also challenges in the form of globalisation and communalism. Due to its effects on many facets of society, globalisation is viewed as a challenge, and communalism endangers social cohesiveness and inclusivity, which hinders the feminist movement’s capacity to combat gender injustice.

Author’s Bio

Sunidhi Gupta is a Jindal Global Law School student in her fourth year of BA. LLB (Hons.).

Image Source: https://www.nebeep.com/how-literature-has-shaped-the-feminist-movement/