Waves of Feminism: Chapter Fourth
Waves of Feminism: Chapter Fourth
Waves of Feminism: Chapter Fourth
Chapter Fourth
Waves of Feminism
This concept of wave originated with the Irish activist Frances Power Cobbe in 1884. Marie
Shear 1986 ‘women are people’
THE FIRST WAVE (1830’S – EARLY 1900’S):
1) Introduction
a. Organized activity from 2nd half of 19th century
b. USA and Britain
c. Origin:
i. The wave formally began at the Seneca Falls Convention in N.Y 1848, when
300 men and women rallied to the cause of equality for women. Elizabeth
Cady Stanton (d.1902) drafted the Seneca Falls Declaration outlining the
new movement's ideology and political strategies followed by the passage
of 12 resolutions relating to women’s rights. Advent of bloomers and dress
reforms.
ii. At that convention a Declaration of Sentiments was issued, objecting to the
following:**
1. Women were not allowed to vote.
2. Women had to submit to laws when they had no voice in their formation.
3. Married women had no property rights (and 90% of women over 25 were
married at that time.)
4. Husbands had legal power over and responsibility for their wives to the
extent that they could imprison or beat them with impunity.
5. Divorce and child custody laws favored men, giving no rights to women.
6. Women had to pay property taxes although they had no representation in
the levying of these taxes.
7. Most occupations were closed to women and when women did work they
were paid only a fraction of what men earned.
8. Women were not allowed to enter professions such as medicine or law.
9. Women had no means to gain an education since no college or university
would accept women students.
10. With only a few exceptions, women were not allowed to participate in
the affairs of the church.
11. Women were robbed of their self-confidence and self-respect, and were
made totally dependent on men.
d. They were not primarily concerned with the problems of working-class women,
nor did they necessarily see themselves as feminists in the modern sense (the
term was not coined until 1895).
e. They realized that they must first gain political power (including the right to
vote) to bring about change.
f. Many British feminists during this time were fighting against a specific ideal--
the angel in the house.
g. Their political agenda expanded to issues concerning sexual, reproductive and
economic matters, education and legal (marriage laws). Main issues were
property rights and suffrage.
within feminism. Feminism has become not just a political movement, but also an
ideology with unique distinctions possible. To make it even more complicated, it is
possible for one to be an ideological feminist, but not politically a feminist.