1. Teach-In 7: The Feminist Movement
A tale of sexism, racism, classism and oppression
Amanda Eisnor
Mark Kalb

2. Liz Lemon is Liberal

3. Discussion
What are some other examples of mass media (television, movies, celebrities) depictions of feminism or the feminist movement?

4. The Feminist Movement
A movement to combat sexual discrimination to gain full legal, economic, vocational, educational, and social rights and opportunities for women, equal to those of men
Amanda

5. History
The feminist movement is broken into three waves based on continuities and disruptions
Three Waves of Feminism
The First Wave: Votes for Women
The Second Wave: “The Personal Is Political”
The Third Wave: Transversal Politics
Mark

6. The First Wave Middle 19th to early 20th century
Seneca Falls Convention in 1848
The nation’s first women’s rights convention
The Seneca Falls Declaration outlined by Elizabeth Cady Stanton:
“Claiming natural equality of women and outlining political strategy for equal access and opportunity”
A form of intervention that challenged to the “cult of domesticity”
Equal opportunity feminism
Enfranchisement (Suffragists)
The abolitionist movement
Linkage of racism and sexism with Black women abolitionists
Mark

8. Sister Suffragette

9. The Second Wave Late 1960s and early 1970s “The Personal Is Political”
Women lack social power and political influence
Women collectively empower one another
Women’s liberation (Redstockings)
Focused on the notion and interests of the “oppressed”
Other movements: Civil Rights, Black Power, Anti-Vietnam, Gay and Lesbian
Sexual difference in more fundamental than class and race differences
Lead to standpoint feminism, identity feminism, black feminism
Mark – Redstockings: bluestockings – term for educated and strong-minded; red for social revolution

11. Equal Pay

12. The Third Wave Mid-1990s onward Grrl (New) feminism Transfeminism
Characterized by activism in causes, such as violence against women, trafficking, body surgery and “pornofication” of the media
Empowerment and Do It Yourself
Seen as capable, strong and assertive
Flaunt femininity
Reclaim formerly derogatory labels
Transfeminism
A right to define one’s own identity
Make decisions regarding one’s own body
Transversal Politics
Recognize differences (nationality, religion ethnicity), listen and participate
Mark

14. Women’s Liberation
bell hooks (2000) definition:
A dismissal of race and class as factors that, in conjunction with sexism, determine the extent to which an individual will be discriminated against, exploited, or oppressed.
Amanda

15. Feminism as a Movement
To end sexist oppression is crucial for the development of theory because it is a starting point indicating the direction of exploration and analysis.
It is necessary for advocates of feminism to collectively acknowledge that the struggle can not be defined with terms like “liberal feminist” and “bourgeois feminist” because hey represent contradictions that must be resolved so that feminism will not be continually co-opted to serve the opportunistic ends of special interest groups.
Amanda

16. A Form Oppression Men as the oppressor
All women are subject to male domination
Inability to see and describe one’s own reality
All women do not share a common social status
Mark

17. Significance
Brought attention to the exploitation and oppression of women globally
Marginalized feminism by appearing only relevant to women who joined the cause
Challenged sexist oppression as a means to eliminate all forms of oppression
Focused on transforming family relationships
Amanda

18. Levels of Feminism Radical feminism Liberal feminism Militant
Working for eradication of domination
Aims to grant women greater equality of opportunity through political action
Privilege women over men
Liberal feminism
Contradictory
Working for social reform
Reinforced capitalist, materialist values without liberating women economically
Social equality for primarily white, middle- and upper-class women
Mark

19. Sexism
Sexism is both discrimination on gender and the attitudes, stereotypes, and cultural elements that promote discrimination
Given the historical and continued imbalance of power, where men as a class are privileged over women as a class important, but often overlook, part of the term that sexism is prejudice plus power
Amanda

20. Racism
The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability, and that a particular race is superior to others
Example: White supremacists

21. Classism
The differential treatment based on a social class or perceived social class.
The systematic oppression of subordinated class groups to advantage and strengthen the dominant class groups.
The systematic assignment of characteristics of worth and ability based on a social class.
Amanda

22. “Common Oppression” Racism and classism stem from sexism
Universalizing experiences
“The primary contradiction” – superior should control the inferior
Challenging sexist oppression is crucial
Mark

23. Negative Connotations and Failures
A notion of feminism as a reform to help women attain social equality as an unattainable goal
A radical movement to eradicate domination and transform society
Women deflect attention away from engagement in the feminist movement for fear of isolation
Feminism is seen as synonymous with lesbianism
A lack of organization of the movement marginalized feminism
Mark

24. Importance The feminist movement:
Called attention to exploitation and oppression of women globally
Became a political struggle to end sexist oppression and an effort to end all oppression
Affirmed the kinship structure of family while challenging the dominant structure
Helped maintain the cultural basis of group oppression