The Evolution of Feminism: Waves of Change and Empowerment
- Historical Evolution: Feminism has progressed through four waves—suffrage rights, social equality, inclusivity, and digital activism—reflecting the evolving struggles and achievements of women across different eras.
- Intersectionality: The concept introduced in the third wave emphasized interconnected identities like gender, race, and class, challenging traditional hierarchies and broadening feminist narratives.
- Digital Activism: The fourth wave harnessed social media to amplify voices against issues like sexual harassment, promoting inclusivity, intersectionality, and cultural transformation beyond policy changes.
Feminism as a revolutionary and literary movement has become a controversial topic in the contemporary world, especially in developing regions like Pakistan, where there are several stereotypes associated with the mere concept of feminism. The concept is as broad and objective as Delmar quotes the movement of the women, by the women, for the women. But is contemporary feminism perceived that way? To trace down the real meanings of feminism, one has to go deeper into the historical background and voices that shaped the movement.
The term feminism first appeared in a French medical textbook concerning the impaired growth of sexual organs. However, the woman question was first raised by the French Revolutionists and then was carried on by the founding mother of the movement, Mary Wollstonecraft, in her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1972). She raised attention to the various aspects of women’s oppression that had previously been ignored or covered up by male chauvinists in her controversial book. For the very first time, women were provided a free, full-throated voice. Together with J. S. Mill, Wollstonecraft was successful in reversing the prevailing anti-feminist tendency in society. With the release of Subjection of Woman (1869), J. S. Mill entered the scene later, becoming one of the first male voices raised in favor of women’s rights, and continued the movement that would eventually be known as feminism. By sponsoring a law to grant women the right to vote, Mill gave his pro-woman sentiments a tangible form.
Because of these individual efforts, society underwent a paradigm shift in how it saw women throughout the course of the century that followed. Owing to women’s increasing legal, social, and political consciousness, the earlier-started mission of women’s suffrage was partially completed. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a revolt against the violation of rights and in favor of freedom. The long-suppressed complaints of women, who not only wished to speak but also to be heard, were the cause of this persistent struggle.
However, scholars and feminists have separated the movement into three distinct waves, each of which is important for the movement’s accomplishment of certain objectives. The first wave mostly relates to the women’s suffrage campaign, which focused on securing women the right to vote in the United States and the United Kingdom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first wave was initially centered on advocating for women’s equality and property rights, as well as resisting chattel marriage and husbands’ custody of married women and their children.
As Margaret Waters claims in her book Feminism: A Very Short Introduction, for a married woman, her home becomes a prison house. The house itself, as well as everything in it, belongs to the husband, and of all fixtures, the most abject is his breeding machine, the wife. Married women are slaves, their situation no better than that of Negroes in the West Indies. Several female authors and feminists contended that, in addition to equality, women also deserved to have their potential and distinctive qualities acknowledged. In what are undoubtedly the most famous passages of A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf makes her case for the inadequate utilization of women’s abilities. She contemplates several greatly talented women from the past, from the Duchess of Newcastle to George Eliot and Charlotte Brontë – who were deprived of experience, intercourse, and travel, and that is the reason they never wrote quite as powerfully and generously as they might have, Walters says in support of Woolf’s argument.
Woolf also argued that a woman needs a room of her own and money to write. Starting from the second half of the 19th century and continuing till the end of the century, there was a huge revolt in Great Britain. The movement advocated for women’s rights in education, opportunities to work outside their households, and, most importantly, reform in the laws concerning married women. Women, for the very first time, stood for their right to vote. Famous names like Barbara Leigh Smith, Emily Davies, and countless others fought for the basic rights of women. They remained persistent, though there was no remarkable victory during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Finally, the Representation of the People Act was passed in 1918, granting women the right to vote, and it was after World War 1 that women could sit in the parliament as dignified members.
Consequently, the second wave of feminism, known as the women’s liberation movement, emerged following World War II, centering on eradicating discrimination and securing women’s social and legal equality. This era was also seen as a continuation of the first wave of feminism; in fact, the phrase first wave was created following the emergence of the second wave. The second wave required a fresh label because its objective was somewhat different. Women were taught to perceive elements of their personal lives as profoundly politicized and as representing sexist power systems by second-wave feminists, who believed that women’s cultural and political injustices were inextricably linked.
One of the most significant feminists of the early 1900s was Simone de Beauvoir, the author of The Second Sex and the well-known quote, One is not born but rather becomes a woman. According to De Beauvoir, gender is an element of identity gradually acquired and separates sex from gender. Gender, she claims, is the cultural significance and form that the body acquires, the various ways that the body acculturates. Continuing from the 1990s to the 2000s, third-wave feminism was reflected in a variety of ways and to varying degrees. It highlights problems with body positivity and heteronormativity. American author, activist, and feminist Rebecca Walker—daughter of feminist Alice Walker—first used the term third-wave feminism in her well-known 1992 piece, Becoming the Third Wave. It was headed by Generation X scholars and activists, who were born in the developed world in the 1960s and 1970s. In actuality, a large number of third-wave feminists were the daughters of second-wavers.
The concept of intersectionality, introduced by Kimberle Crenshaw, was central to this wave, emphasizing the interconnected nature of gender, race, and other identities. Additionally, there was a significant shift in the feminist narratives, questioning fixed notions of identity and gender like Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble. The global feminist issues were addressed, and traditional literary hierarchies were challenged by several inclusive voices like Alice Walker, Bell Hooks, Audre Lorde, and countless others.
Following the revolutionary third wave, Fourth-wave feminism emerged around 2012, highlighting the use of digital platforms to amplify feminist voices. Sexual harassment, body shaming, and workplace inequality are the core issues raised in the movement. The feminism of hashtags like #MeToo, #TimesUp, and #EverydaySexism provided a voice to the long-silenced. Literature in this wave explores the messy realities of fighting for equality in a flawed world. Moreover, the diverse experiences of gender, race, sexuality, and identity were highlighted by focusing on inclusivity and intersectionality. The wave emphasizes not only changing laws or policies; it’s about molding hearts, minds, and narratives that shape ideologies.
In conclusion, feminism as a literary and revolutionary movement has progressed through several waves, each building on the triumphs and overcoming the limits of earlier waves. From the suffragist concerns of the first wave to the emphasis on social and legal equality in the second, inclusivity in the third, and digital activism in the fourth, the movement has constantly evolved to reflect the changing reality of women’s lives. Today, feminism is more than just a desire for equality; it is a powerful force that challenges established conventions, amplifies marginalized voices, and reshapes the narratives of culture. As the movement grows, its strength comes from its ability to stay creative, inclusive, and responsive to the complexities of contemporary gender politics.
The author is a lecturer in English Language and Literature at The University of Faisalabad with an MPhil from Forman Christian College University. She is passionate about sparking conversations, sharing ideas, and connecting with people—whether through teaching, research, or creative projects.
