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Many believe that feminism is a simple movement that advocates for women’s rights, when in reality there are various kinds of feminism that have their own beliefs and approaches. Of course, to make any sort of progress in society, it is crucial to incorporate different methods of contrasting types of feminism into our approaches in feminism today. That being said, it is essential to study the types of feminisms and their approaches.
Radical Feminism
Radical feminism is not “hating men” at its core; the movement has contributed much more to feminism today and for women’s rights. This specific type of feminism is concerned with altering the structure of today’s society, which upholds a patriarchal structure that oppresses women. Here are some important issues that radical feminism addresses:
The right for a woman to have an abortion, to have access to birth control, and other basic reproductive rights
Criticizing our culture and understanding how much of it upholds patriarchy
Acknowledging that rape is only an expression of patriarchal power
Criticizing institutions in society such as religion and government for the patriarchal system they uphold
While radical feminism has made a fairly considerable amount of progress in society, it is crucial to note that it excludes trans women, women of color, and non-binary people, thus meaning it only primarily benefits cis white women. Additionally, this type of feminism primarily focuses on gender, failing to consider that women might face oppression from other sources such as race, identity, sexuality, and religion. Radical feminism ultimately fails to provide an intersectional lens to address the issues women of color, non-binary people, and trans folks face. Like various other forms of feminism in the past, it has been dominated by white women, thus favoring our white counterparts. Consequently, radical feminism is mainly concerned with the issues cis white women face.
Liberal Feminism
Liberal feminism can be dated back to 1759 where its first proponent, Mary Wollstone Craft, introduced the concept that all people are equal, and that they have the right to basic rights despite their sex, race, color, or religion. An instance of liberal feminism is the Suffrage Movement, in which women had to fight for equal voting rights; this stemmed from the basic philosophy that everyone is of equal worth. Unlike radical feminism which functions to change the structure of society, liberal feminism aims to work within the existing framework of society in order to achieve equality. In addition, liberal feminists do not challenge the system as much as radical feminists do. Also unlike radical feminism, liberal feminists are less concerned with personal bubbles.
Furthermore, liberal feminism tends to give in to the idea that women and men have different roles in society, thus meaning that women are more fitting for certain roles that others. Additionally, critics of this type of feminism state that it favors white women, as it is not concerned with the struggles black women and other women of color face. Similar to radical feminism, liberal feminism utterly fails to provide an intersectional lens, ignoring the struggles people of other demographic groups face.
Marxist Feminism
Marxist Feminism has a completely different take on the inequalities that women face compared to the other types of feminism. Those who are a part of the Marxist Feminism movement believe that women face oppression due to the capitalist system that people are a part of. As a result, they hold the belief that ending women’s oppression depends on whether or not the capitalist system is disestablished.
There is a far wider variety of feminism apart from the types listed above, but radical, liberal, and Marxist feminisms have all played major roles in molding other types of feminisms and influencing their approaches. Examining such feminisms will help us understand the best methods to incorporate in our own feminism, allowing us to make progress and continue our advocating for women’s rights.
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