We are wrapping up Women’s History Month with one last post, this one about the third-wave of feminism and what lies beyond. But first, as Ms. Yarborough shows us, we need a basic understanding of the “swells” that came before:
The “First Wave” of Feminism is defined as the fight for women’s suffrage. Many historians date the wave as beginning at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 (though this was hardly the first meeting where women convened to advocate for their rights!) and ending with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 (Sonneborn).
The “Second Wave” of Feminism, most active during the 1960s and 1970s, fought for “women’s liberation”. Second Wave feminists had a broader focus than their predecessors, which makes sense as having the vote meant women finally had a political voice with power behind it and could push for greater reforms. Second Wave feminists battled paternalism and campaigned for women’s access to education, women’s healthcare and abortion rights, women’s financial independence and equality in the workplace, and greater representation for women in the United State’s political system (Neumann).
So when did the Third Wave begin and what was its focus?
Following the 1991 testimony of Anita Hill during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Rebecca Walker, daughter of Alice Walker, published the article “I Am the Third Wave” in Ms. magazine. While there is no definitive start to this wave, Anita Hill’s titanium backbone and integrity and Rebecca Walker’s response to the misogynist spectacle the senators made of Hill’s testimony was a wake up call for viewers and readers that we are not living in a postfeminist world. Over the course of the last 40-50 years, the Third Wave has challenged sexism and misogyny, raised awareness of domestic and sexual violence, played with and confronted socially-constructed ideas of gender, advocated body and sex positivity, explored Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality, and become more inclusive of people with previously marginalized identities (Sonneborn).
Are we still riding the Third Wave?
While some academics argue that a Fourth Wave of Feminism began with the #MeToo movement, it could also be argued that today’s feminists are still surfing the same swell as Hill and Walker. Certainly, we have yet to see a social sea change with equitable treatment for women and gender non-conforming folks. As Rebecca Walker said, we are not “postfeminism feminist[s],” but, regardless of what breaker we are riding, the movement will continue to erode obstacles beneath its waves.
Interested in exploring beyond the Third Wave? For a longer list of “Books & eBooks” and “Other [Online] Resources” on feminist history, check out these links to pages of the library research guide for the HUM Elective, “Feminist Literature.”
Cover photo credit: https://naeye.net/15200/features/feminism-a-look-back/
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