May 17th, 2012
Feminism is not a modern term nor is a particularly old one well vested in the history books. This term came into existence following the demand for changes in the way women were being treated in the late 17th century. It was around this time that newspapers started using this term quite regularly to describe any movement or any incident that remotely related to the rights for women. In fact, the word was used at par by Queen Victoria with the mad and wicked folly of woman’s rights. This term soon came to take on a larger meaning, than that provided by the newspapers and once women activist led movements took center stage, it was emboldened in the minds of one and all.
The term in modern context refers to speaking, acting, taking sides and advocating issues, problems and the needs of women in society whilst going against the status quo. The history of feminism is a long one that stretches back to the early 17th century however these are termed today by some historians as proto-feminism. The modern history is divided into three phases with the foremost belonging to the 19th and start of 20th century where women activists fought for the education rights of women and improvement in their employment standards.
The second wave is dated from the 60's through to the 80's where women activists fought for equality by law and social acceptance of women as equal of men. This struggle continues till date into what is now termed as the third phase where not only are the issues of the second phase still taken up but the failure of the chosen methods of feminism are evaluated and then reapplied.