By Bhumika Hooda

Abstract

The feminist movement has a long and rich history, fighting for women’s rights and equality globally. Feminism is both a movement and an ideology that tries to mitigate political, economic, societal, and opportunistic differences between the sexes. The movement strives to achieve its goals by diluting gender stereotypes and fighting for educational and professional platforms for women. 

Introduction

The feminist movement has evolved through waves over time. The first wave focused on voting and fundamental rights in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1960s, the second wave expanded to challenge gender roles and fight for equality in various aspects. Starting in the 1990s, the third wave aimed for inclusivity, addressing the experiences of women of colour, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others. It emphasised personal empowerment, redefining femininity, and used creative methods like music and media. There’s also discussion about a fourth wave, leveraging social media for feminist causes, exemplified by movements like #MeToo. Each wave was built upon the achievements and challenges of the previous ones, shaping a diverse and ongoing struggle for gender equality.

However, critiques have emerged, highlighting a potential bias. Most of the feminist movement focuses on Western experiences that don’t fully encompass the diverse realities of women across the globe. Since the North is the epicentre of these movements, the socioeconomic context of the global South may need addressing. It was also the primary pitfall of the second wave. The Global South has different societal structures and challenges, which requires a more inclusive feminist approach that incorporates women’s unique needs and perspectives in these regions. The post-colonial theory of feminism tries to solve the problem. 

The Divergence 

One key area where Western feminism and Global South feminism diverge is familial issues and communal values. Western feminist movements have often prioritised issues like reproductive rights and economic independence, which are undeniably crucial for women’s empowerment. While the Western outlook tends to be more individualistic, focusing on choice and freedom, the Eastern society is more “collectivist“, which tries to balance relationships holistically over individual elements. Thus, strong familial ties and community structures are central to women’s lives in Global South contexts. Here, feminist struggles may focus on issues like ensuring fair treatment within families, protecting women from domestic violence, and advocating for better access to education and healthcare within traditional family structures. 

There is an increasing need to overcome the narrow Eurocentric goals of feminism. Post-colonial feminism urges us to understand that the lived realities of the global north and global south are different. This theory makes you see that just because white Western women want to wear “short or revealing clothes”, it does not automatically become the benchmark of modernity. A perfect example is the FEMEN protest, where women went topless against Sharia Law mandating women to wear Burkha. The protesters shouted slogans like “Nudity is freedom!”. However, this movement faced opposition from some Muslim women who shared that wearing a Burkha is their active choice and not oppression imposed by their religion. It is what some authors have called the “White Saviour Complex”, where a white person presumes they are responsible for saving a person of colour from their assumed oppression. Still, it essentially ignores the autonomy of choice and universalising how a “modern” and “liberal” person is supposed to be. 

Gayatri Spivak discusses this in “Can the Subaltern Speak?”. Spivak argues that Western scholars and intellectuals often speak for the subaltern, representing them through colonial and patriarchal frameworks and thus reimposing colonial ideals on them. This act of representation silences the authentic voice and experience of the subaltern. She proposes an ethical engagement with the Subaltern. Give them a platform to raise their voice and opinions rather than making assumptions on their behalf. In the above FEMEN example, suppose wearing Burkha is oppressive because it is mandatorily institutionally enforced without taking into consideration the voice of women who have to wear the Burkha. What is, then, the difference between the religious institution forcing them to wear a Burkha and the feminist group forcing them not to wear a Burkha? The actual objective of feminism should be to give women the autonomy to choose whether they want to wear it or not rather than having an arbitrary assumption that the religious mandate is always regressive and undesirable. Feminism should provide autonomy to parties for making a choice rather than a third party imposing their views of “feminism”, devoid of cultural and religious context, on the pretext of saving the parties from “oppression”. 

Solution

A global feminist movement incorporating women’s experiences in the Global South would be inherently more inclusive and address the diverse challenges women face worldwide. It is done by increasing dialogue between women with different experiences. Additionally, the “master”-” student” relationship between the West and the East should be overcome, and we should strive to leave from each other’s experiences and techniques. West should also look at alternate models of feminism in the global south. 

The idea is to bridge the gap between feminisms. The proposal is to connect feminists across the globe despite cultural and economic differences. One idea is to encourage online networking between women’s NGOs. The internet creates a shared space where women can directly address their concerns. Women with rights can share knowledge and support those fighting for them within their cultures. Increased communication, facilitated by globalisation, can lead to a global discussion on women’s issues. It could pave the way for international mandates against violence and oppression. Sharing diverse stories is crucial for narrowing the gap between women and achieving global unity. 

Secondly, Cultural Consideration highlights the importance of acknowledging diverse cultural perspectives on gender within feminism. There is a need to acknowledge alternate feminism models offered in the global south. One such strategy is the grassroots feminist movements, which focus on area-specific concerns. An inspiring example of a local feminist movement is the Gulabi Gang, led by Sampat Pal Devi in Uttar Pradesh, which fights against things like domestic violence, dowry harassment, and sexual assault. They also work to help women get rights to land, education, and jobs. The gang does things like marches, street shows, and peaceful ways to stop violence at home. There are numerous other small-scale feminist movements in India, each addressing specific issues within their local context. With 400,000 members, it spans across 11 Uttar Pradesh districts.

Additionally, women have played a pivotal role in the ban on alcohol in many Indian states. The Anti-Arrack Movement serves as a powerful testament to the potential of grassroots activism, mainly when led by women. Women from rural areas were affected by the problems caused by drinking arrack. In a small village called Dubagunta in the Nellore district, women who had learned to read and write started protesting against the local shop selling arrack (alcohol). They saw how it caused problems in their families and communities, like domestic violence, and how it used up a lot of money for other essential things. After 18 months of protest, in 1995, the government of Andhra Pradesh made laws that banned the making and selling of arrack. In Bihar, women used their votes as bargains to urge the newly elected government to ban alcohol. Within two years, the government reported a significant decrease in violent crimes and increased funds spent on vehicles like cars and tractors. 

Conclusion

It’s essential to recognise that feminism is not a monolithic movement. Without the success of the first three feminist movements, we couldn’t be here, but it’s time to make feminism more inclusive and heterogenous. However, embracing women’s diverse perspectives and experiences in the Global South can only fully realise this potential. These examples show that women of the Global South face unique and different challenges. Thus, a linear approach cannot come up with a solution. Rather than being stuck on the singular idea of modernity or liberty, feminism should be about empowerment. Women of the global south should be emancipated to raise their specific concerns and given tools and support to fight against them in the manner best suited to the circumstance. 

Author’s Bio

Bhumika Hooda is pursuing her five-year B.A.LL.B. law degree at Jindal Global Law. 

Image Source: https://www.womankind.org.uk/building-a-feminist-movement-inclusive-of-deaf-women/