The Feminist Challenge:

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The Feminist Challenge

• Lecture 16 - The Second and Third Waves

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Outline

• I. Second Wave Feminism
• II. Third Wave Feminism
• III. Generation X/Y Third Wave Feminism

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• A. The Transition Simone de Beauvoir
• 1. Biography
• The Second Sex
• 2. First Wave dimension
• 3. Second Wave contributions
• a) Concept of gender
• b) Concept of 'otherness
• c) The 'Independent Woman
• 4. Critiques of deBeauvoir

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• B. Liberal Feminism
• 1. Basic Tenets of Liberal Feminism
• a) Women are equal to men
• b) Women should have equal rights
• c) Women should be included in public sphere men
  should increase role in private sphere.
• d) Women and men are socialized into gender
  roles.
• 2. Theoretical Foundation for 2nd Wave

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• 3. Betty Friedan The Feminine Mystique 1953
• a) 'The problem that has no name
• Womens role limited to home
• Historical Context
• Pseudo scientific support
• White appliance Industry
• Womens magazines
• Women deeply unhappy with feminine role
• b) The solution
• Women and men must share public/private spheres
• Education was key
• Collective organization - N.O.W.

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• C. Radical Feminism
• 1. Writers
• Kate Millett - Sexual Politics
• Mary Daly - Gyn/Ecology
• 2. Key Tenets
• a) 'Patriarchy' is key concept
• b) Women/Men fundamentally different
• c) Women must unite
• d) 'The personal is the political
• Sexuality and family are political power
  struggles
• Female body is site of power struggle
• e) Consciousness-raising

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• D. Common Elements in Second Wave
• 1. Women seen as unified group
• 2. Patriarchy is most fundamental oppression
• 3. Women seen as victims
• 4. Equality is goal
• Liberal Feminists - political equality with men
• Socialist Feminists - economic equality with men
• 5. How to achieve equality A debate
• Women should be treated the same way as men
• Womens differences need to be recognized

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• E. Second Wave Feminism in Canada
• 1. Royal Commission on the Status of Women 1970
• Women are free to seek employment outside home
• Childcare is shared responsibility b/w mothers,
  fathers and society
• Maternity needs special treatment
• Affirmative Action required to overcome
  historical discrimination
• 2. Womens Movement - National Action Committee
  on the Status of Women (1972)

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• E. Second Wave Feminism in Canada
• 3. Charter of Rights 1982
• Sections 15
• (1) equal before the law regardless of race, sex,
  etc.
• (2) Does not preclude affirmative action
• Section 28
• Rights guaranteed equally to both men and women
• 4. Violence Against Women Survey 1993
• Women more likely to be assaulted by intimate
• Men more likely to be assaulted by stranger
• State needs to intervene in private sphere

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I. Second Wave Feminism

• Has equality been achieved?

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Equality?

• Women in the House of Commons
• Plateau at 21 for last 4 elections

• Provincial MPs and Municipal Politicians also
  21

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Equality?

• Federal Cabinet Ministers
• Losing Ground

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II. Third Wave Feminism

• A. Tenets of Third Wave Feminism
• 1. No single universal view
• 2. Celebration of Difference
• a) Diversity amongst women
• b) Differences b/w men and women
• 3. Recognition of Contradictions in Identity
• a) Identity is fluid and multiple
• b) Power/victim
• c) Us/Them
• d) Ethnicity/Gender.

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II. Third Wave Feminism

• A. Tenets of Third Wave Feminism
• 4. Patriarchy revisited
• 5. Local politics rather than 'universal
  struggle'.
• 6. Recognition of politics of women's bodies.
• 7. Growing interest in 'masculinity' and men's
  studies

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III. Generation X/Y - The Young Third Wave

• e.g. Rebecca Walker To Be Real (1998)
• 1. To be real/to live with contradictions
• 2. Power and Victim Feminism
• 3. Personal and Individual
• 4. New forms/modes of communication
• a) Cyberspace - cybergrrls
• b) Music - Riotgrrrls
• Spice Girls. Girl Groups, Lilith Fair
• c) Art - Guerilla grrrls
• 5. Reassertion of 'feminine values'.

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