Feminism is a body of social theory and a political movement primarily based on, and motivated by, the experiences of women. While generally providing a critique of social relations, many proponents of feminism also focus on analyzing gender inequality and the promotion of women's rights, interests, and issues. This page needs attention and peer review. ... Politics is the process and method of decision-making for groups of human beings. ... Image of a woman on the Pioneer plaque sent to outer space. ... The adjective social implies that the verb or noun to which it is applied is somehow more communicative, cooperative, and moderated by contact with human beings, than if it were omitted. ... Gender, for the purposes of this article, is the perceived or projected (self-identified) masculinity or femininity of a person or characteristic. ... For the socioeconomic meaning, see social inequality. ... For the direction right, see left and right or starboard. ...

Feminist theory aims to understand the nature of gender inequality and focuses on gender politics, power relations and sexuality. Feminist political activism campaigns on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, sexual harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence. Themes explored in feminism include stereotyping, objectification, sexual objectification, oppression, and patriarchy. The concept of power occurs in multiple areas. ... Human sexuality is the expression of sexual feelings. ... Activism, in a general sense, can be described as involvement in action to bring about change, be it social, political, environmental, or other change. ... Reproductive rights refer to rights in the areas of abortion, birth control, and family planning. ... Domestic violence, by barest definition, is violence within a home. ... Parental leave is the right to take time off work, paid or unpaid, to care for your child or make arrangements for your childs welfare. ... Equal pay for women is an issue involving pay inequality between men and women. ... Sexual harassment is harassment of a sexual nature, typically in the workplace or other setting where raising objections or refusing may have negative consequences. ... To discriminate is to make a distinction. ... For the domesticated crop plant called rape, see rapeseed. ... In modern usage, a stereotype is a simplified mental picture of an individual or group of people who share a certain characteristic (or stereotypical) qualities. ... Objectification refers to the way in which one person treats another person as an object and not as a human being. ... Sexual objectification is, in some circumstances, the fetishistic act of regarding a person as an object for erotic purposes. ... Oppression is the arbitrary and cruel exercise of power. ... A patriarch (from Greek: patria means father; arché means rule, beginning, origin) is a male head of an extended family exercising autocratic authority, or, by extension, a member of the ruling class or government of a society controlled by senior men. ...

Modern feminist theory has been criticized as being predominantly, but not exclusively, associated with Western middle-class academia. Feminist activism, however, is a grass-roots movement that seeks to cross boundaries based on social class, race, culture, and religion. It is culturally specific and addresses issues relevant to the women of that society: for example female circumcision in Sudan, or the glass ceiling in developed economies. Some issues, such as rape, incest, and mothering, are universal. Plato is credited with the inception of academia: the body of knowledge, its development and transmission across generations. ... Grassroots democracy is the political processes which are driven by groups of ordinary citizens, as opposed to larger organisations or wealthy individuals with concentrated vested interests in particular policies. ... A social class is a group that shares the same or similar social status. ... A race is a distinct population of humans distinguished in some way from other humans. ... The word culture comes from the Latin root colere (to inhabit, to cultivate, or to honor). ... This article is in need of attention. ... Female circumcision (including excision) loosely refers to a number of procedures performed on the female genitalia and which are generally of a cultural, rather than medical, nature. ... A glass ceiling is an unofficial barrier to an upper management or such prominent position within a company or other organization which certain groups, particularly women, are perceived to be unable to cross. ... Incest among humans is sexual activity between close family members. ... Mother with her child (Sculpture) A mother is typically the biological or social female parent of a child or offspring while the male parent is the father. ...

Origins

Main article: History of feminism. Suffrage parade in New York City on May 6, 1912 The history of feminism reaches far back before the 18th century, but the seeds of modern feminism were planted during the late part of that century. ...

First International Convention of Women in Washington D.C. Susan B. Anthony is third from the left, front row.

Feminism began during The Enlightenment with such thinkers as Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and the Marquis de Condorcet championing women's education. The first scientific society for women was founded in Middleberg, a city in the south of the Dutch republic, in 1785. Journals for women which focused on issues like science became popular during this period as well. Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) is one of the first works that can unambiguously be called feminist. Early Feminists. ... Early Feminists. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... Susan Brownell Anthony, aged 28 Susan Brownell Anthony Susan Brownell Anthony, (February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was an American civil rights leader who, along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, led the effort to grant women the right to vote in the United States. ... The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in European philosophy, and is often thought of as part of a larger period which includes the Age of Reason. ... The Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (May 26, 1689 - August 21, 1762), was an English woman of letters. ... Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas Caritat, marquis de Condorcet (September 17, 1743 - March 28, 1794) was a French philosopher, mathematician, and early political scientist who devised the concept of a Condorcet method. ... This article is about the Dutch United Provinces. ... 1785 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Mary Wollstonecraft; stipple engraving by James Heath, ca. ... Written in 1792, Mary Wollstonecrafts A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is one of the earliest works on the woman question and influenced the earliest feminists in England and America in the 19th century. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Feminism became an organized movement in the 19th century as people increasingly came to believe that women were being treated unfairly. The feminist movement was rooted in the progressive movement and especially in the reform movement of the 19th century. The organized movement was dated from the first women's rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. In 1869, John Stuart Mill published The Subjection of Women to demonstrate that "the legal subordination of one sex to the other is wrong...and...one of the chief hindrances to human improvement." Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Reform movement is a kind of social movement that aims to make a change in certain aspects of the society rather than fundamental changes. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Seneca Falls Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19 - July 20, 1848, was the first womens rights convention held in the United States, and as a result is often called the birthplace of the feminist movement. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... John Stuart Mill (May 20, 1806 – May 8, 1873), aka JS Mill, an English philosopher and political economist, was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century. ...

Many countries began to grant women the vote in the early years of the 20th century, especially in the final years of the First World War and the first years after the war. The reasons for this varied, but included a desire to recognise the contributions of women during the war, and were also influenced by rhetoric used by both sides at the time to justify their war efforts. For example, since Wilson's Fourteen Points recognised self determination as a vital component of society, the hypocrisy of denying half the population of modern nations the vote became difficult for men to ignore. (See: Women's suffrage) Suffrage is the civil right to vote, or the exercise of that right. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Missing image Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... United States President Woodrow Wilson delivered a speech to Congress on January 8, 1918, outlining Fourteen Points for reconstructing a new Europe following World War I. While many of the points were specific, others were more general, including freedom of the seas, abolishing secret treaties, disarmament, restored sovereignty of some... The international movement for womens suffrage, led by suffragists (commonly called suffragettes), was a social, economic and political reform movement aimed at extending the suffrage (i. ...

Feminism in many forms

Feminism is not a single ideology. Over-time several sub-types of Feminist ideology have developed. Early feminists and primary feminist movements are often called the first-wave feminists, and feminists after about 1960 the second-wave feminists. More recently, a new generation of feminists have started third-wave feminism. Whether this will be a lasting evolution remains to be seen as the second-wave has by no means ended nor has it ceded to the third-wave feminists. Moreover, some commentators have asserted that the silent majority of modern feminists have more in common ideologically with the first-wave feminists than the second-wave. For example, many of the ideas arising from Radical feminism and Gender feminism (prominent second-wave movements) have yet to gain traction within the broader community and outside of Gender Studies departments within the academy. First-wave feminism refers to the feminist movement in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, which primarily focused on gaining the right of womens suffrage. ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Second-wave feminism refers to a period of feminist thought that originated around the 1960s and was mainly concerned with independence and greater political action to improve womens rights. ... Third-wave feminism is a feminist movement that arguably began in the early 1990s. ... Radical feminism views womens oppression as a fundamental element in human society and seeks to challenge that standard by broadly rejecting standard gender roles. ... Gender feminsim is a phrase coined by Christina Hoff Sommers in her book Who Stole Feminism (Simon & Schuster, 1994) to describe the mainstream of the contemporary feminist movement, which she felt was unduely gynocentric. ...

For example, Radical feminism argues for the existence of an oppressive patriarchy that is the root cause of the most serious social problems. Violence and oppression of women, because they are women, is more fundamental than oppressions related to class, ethnicity, religion, etc. Radical feminisms have been very vocal and active in influencing attitudes and state-wide school curiculum standards. Thus, it is not unusual for feminism to be equated with the ideas proposed by Radical feminism. Some find that the prioritization of oppression and the universalization of the idea of "Woman," which was part of traditional Radical feminist thinking, too generic, and that women in other countries would never experience the same experience of being "woman" than women in Western countries did. Radical feminism views womens oppression as a fundamental element in human society and seeks to challenge that standard by broadly rejecting standard gender roles. ... A patriarch (from Greek: patria means father; arché means rule, beginning, origin) is a male head of an extended family exercising autocratic authority, or, by extension, a member of the ruling class or government of a society controlled by senior men. ...

Some radical feminists advocate separatism—a complete separation of male and female in society and culture—while others question not only the relationship between men and women, but the very meaning of "man" and "woman" as well (see Queer theory). Some argue that gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are themselves social constructs (see also heteronormativity). For these feminists, feminism is a primary means to human liberation (i.e., the liberation of men as well as women, and men and women from other social problems). Political separatism is a movement to obtain sovereignty and split a territory or group of people (usually a people with a distinctive national consciousness) from one another (or one nation from another; a colony from the metropolis). ... Queer theory is a theory about sex and gender within the larger field of Queer studies. ... A bagpiper in Scottish military uniform. ... In sociology, gender identity describes the gender with which a person identifies (i. ... Social constructionism is a school of thought introduced into sociology by Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann with their 1966 book on The Social Construction of Reality. ... Heteronormativity is a term used in the discussion of gender and society, mostly, but not exclusively within the field of critical theory. ...

Other feminists believe that there may be social problems separate from or prior to patriarchy (e.g., racism or class divisions); they see feminism as one movement of liberation among many, each affecting the others.

• Egalitarian forms: equity feminism individualist feminism (also known as libertarian feminism) liberal feminism
• Gynoccentric forms: cultural feminism gender feminism pop feminism radical feminism
• Belief in oppression by patriarchy: anarcha-feminism French feminism radical feminism
• Belief in oppression by capitalism: Marxist feminism socialist feminism
• Differences are solely cultural, not biological: Amazon feminism psychoanalytic feminism
• Segregationalist: lesbian feminism (Lesbian separatism) separatist feminism
• anti-Western: third-world feminism post-colonial feminism
• pro-sex feminism (also known as sexually liberal feminism, sex-positive feminism)

Egalitarianism is the moral doctrine that equality ought to prevail among some group along some dimension. ... Equity feminism is a phrase coined by Christina Hoff Sommers in her book Who Stole Feminism (Simon & Schuster, 1994). ... Individualist feminism, or ifeminism, advocates the equal treatment of men and women as individuals under just law. ... Individualist feminism, or ifeminism, advocates the equal treatment of men and women as individuals under just law. ... Liberal feminism is a form of feminism that argues that equality for women can be achieved through legal means and social reform, and that men as a group need not be challenged. ... Gynocentrism (Greek γυνο, gyno-, woman, χεντρον, kentron, center) is the practice, often consciously adopted, of placing female human beings or the female point of view at the center of ones view of the world and its culture and history. ... Cultural Feminism is the theory that there are fundamental personality differences between men and women, and that womens differences are special and should be celebrated. ... Gender feminsim is a phrase coined by Christina Hoff Sommers in her book Who Stole Feminism (Simon & Schuster, 1994) to describe the mainstream of the contemporary feminist movement, which she felt was unduely gynocentric. ... Pop feminism is a variety of feminism related to misandry. ... Radical feminism views womens oppression as a fundamental element in human society and seeks to challenge that standard by broadly rejecting standard gender roles. ... Anarchism is a generic term describing various political philosophies and social movements that advocate the elimination of hierarchy and imposed authority. ... French feminism (which is a phrase mostly used in English-speaking countries) refers to the work of a group of feminists in France from the 1970s to the early 1990s. ... Radical feminism views womens oppression as a fundamental element in human society and seeks to challenge that standard by broadly rejecting standard gender roles. ... Marxist feminism is a sub-type of feminist theory which focuses on the dismantaling of capitalism as a way to liberate women and states that capitalism, which gives rise to economic inequality, dependence, political confusion and ultimately unhealthy social relations between men and women, is the root of womens... A request has been made on Wikipedia for this article to be deleted in accordance with the deletion policy. ... Amazon feminism is dedicated to the image of the female hero in fiction and in fact, as it is expressed in art and literature in the physiques and feats of female athletes, martial artists, and other powerfully built women, and in gender-related and sexual orientations. ... Psychoanalytical Feminists believe that gender inequality comes from early childhood experiences, which lead the men to believe themselves as masculine, and the women to believe themselves feminine. ... Lesbian feminism is a feminist ideology, popular in the 1970s and 1980s, that advocated the view that feminism and lesbianism were linked. ... Lesbian separatism refers to a range of extreme positions within the feminist and gay liberation movements. ... A separatist feminist does not believe in the ability to have a heterosexual relationship due to gender status differences inherited from society. ... Third-World Feminism is also known and understood as Postcolonial Feminism. Third-World feminists would argue that as a result of capitalisation, women in the Third World would be oppressed by some other factors than patriarchy. ... Postcolonial feminism often criticizes Western forms of feminism, notably radical feminism and its universalization of female experience. ... Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, is a movement that was formed in the 1980s. ...

Subtypes of feminism

• Amazon feminism
• Anarcha-Feminism
• cultural feminism
• ecofeminism
• equity feminism
• existentialist feminism
• individualist feminism (also known as libertarian feminism)
• French feminism
• gender feminism
• lesbian feminism
• liberal feminism
• male feminism or men's feminism
• Marxist feminism (also known as socialist feminism)
• material feminism
• multi-cultural feminism
• pop feminism
• post-colonial feminism
• postmodern feminism which includes queer theory
• pro-sex feminism (also known as sexually liberal feminism, sex-positive feminism)
• psychoanalytic feminism
• radical feminism
• separatist feminism
• socially constructed feminism
• socialist feminism
• spiritual feminism
• standpoint feminism
• third-world feminism
• transnational feminism
• transfeminism
• womanism
• Certain actions, approaches and people can also be described as proto-feminist or post-feminist.

Although many leaders of feminism have been women, not all feminists are women. Some feminists argue that men should not take positions of leadership in the movement, because men, having been socialized to aggressively seek positions of power or direct the agendas within a leadership hierarchy, would apply this tendency to feminist organizations; or that women, having been socialized to defer to men, would be hindered in developing or expressing their own self-leadership in working too closely with men. However, most feminists do accept and seek the support of men. Compare pro-feminist, humanism, masculism. Amazon feminism is dedicated to the image of the female hero in fiction and in fact, as it is expressed in art and literature in the physiques and feats of female athletes, martial artists, and other powerfully built women, and in gender-related and sexual orientations. ... This article describes a political philosophy that opposes the state, capitalism, and all forms of social hierarchy. ... Cultural Feminism is the theory that there are fundamental personality differences between men and women, and that womens differences are special and should be celebrated. ... Ecofeminism is a biocentric environmental movement with cultural and social concerns. ... Equity feminism is a phrase coined by Christina Hoff Sommers in her book Who Stole Feminism (Simon & Schuster, 1994). ... The beginning of existentialist feminism is usually attributed to the publication of the translation of Simone de Beauvoirs The Second Sex in the U.S. This book incidentally is considered to have started the second wave of feminism. ... Individualist feminism, or ifeminism, advocates the equal treatment of men and women as individuals under just law. ... French feminism (which is a phrase mostly used in English-speaking countries) refers to the work of a group of feminists in France from the 1970s to the early 1990s. ... Gender feminsim is a phrase coined by Christina Hoff Sommers in her book Who Stole Feminism (Simon & Schuster, 1994) to describe the mainstream of the contemporary feminist movement, which she felt was unduely gynocentric. ... Lesbian feminism is a feminist ideology, popular in the 1970s and 1980s, that advocated the view that feminism and lesbianism were linked. ... Liberal feminism is a form of feminism that argues that equality for women can be achieved through legal means and social reform, and that men as a group need not be challenged. ... Marxist feminism is a sub-type of feminist theory which focuses on the dismantaling of capitalism as a way to liberate women and states that capitalism, which gives rise to economic inequality, dependence, political confusion and ultimately unhealthy social relations between men and women, is the root of womens... Material feminism was a movement in the late 19th century to liberate women by improving their material condition. ... Pop feminism is a variety of feminism related to misandry. ... Postcolonial feminism often criticizes Western forms of feminism, notably radical feminism and its universalization of female experience. ... Queer theory is a theory about sex and gender within the larger field of Queer studies. ... Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, is a movement that was formed in the 1980s. ... Psychoanalytical Feminists believe that gender inequality comes from early childhood experiences, which lead the men to believe themselves as masculine, and the women to believe themselves feminine. ... Radical feminism views womens oppression as a fundamental element in human society and seeks to challenge that standard by broadly rejecting standard gender roles. ... A separatist feminist does not believe in the ability to have a heterosexual relationship due to gender status differences inherited from society. ... A request has been made on Wikipedia for this article to be deleted in accordance with the deletion policy. ... Spiritual feminism is a branch of feminism that focuses on: Goddess, or the Divine Feminine womens religions women in religious leadership religious thought from a feminist perspective the religious and spiritual needs of women See Also God and gender Categories: Stub ... Third-World Feminism is also known and understood as Postcolonial Feminism. Third-World feminists would argue that as a result of capitalisation, women in the Third World would be oppressed by some other factors than patriarchy. ... Transfeminism is a form of feminism that includes transgender and transexual rights and issues, especially those of transwomen. ... Defined by feminist author, Alice Walker, Womanism is a commonly used term that was coined to mean specifically African American Feminism, but it has developed into a more encompassing version of feminism that crosses lines of race and class. ... ... A pro-feminist supports the views and goals of feminism. ... Humanism is a general term for many different lines of thought that focus on humanity and issues that are common to human beings. ... Masculism is a body of social theory and political movement primarily based on the experiences of men. ...

Relationship to other movements

Most feminists take a holistic approach to politics, believing the saying of Martin Luther King Jr., "A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". In that belief, some feminists usually support other movements such as the civil rights movement, the gay rights movement and, more recently Fathers' rights. At the same time many black feminists such as bell hooks criticise the movement for being dominated by white women. Feminist claims about the disadvantages women face in Western society are often less relevant to the lives of black women. This idea is the key in postcolonial feminism. Many black feminist women prefer the term womanism for their views. Martin Luther King Jr. ... Civil Rights Movement in the United States, political, legal, and social struggle to gain full citizenship rights for African American and to achieve racial equality. ... The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also... The Fathers rights movement is a loose network of interest groups, primarily in western countries, established to campaign for equal treatment by the courts in family law issues such as child custody after divorce, child support, and paternity determinations. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Postcolonial feminism often criticizes Western forms of feminism, notably radical feminism and its universalization of female experience. ... Defined by feminist author, Alice Walker, Womanism is a commonly used term that was coined to mean specifically African American Feminism, but it has developed into a more encompassing version of feminism that crosses lines of race and class. ...

However, feminists are sometimes wary of the transgender movement because it challenges the distinctions between men and women. Transgender and transsexual women are excluded from some "women-only" gatherings and events and are rejected by some feminists who say that no one born male can truly understand the oppression women face. This is criticized as transphobic by transwomen who assert that the discrimination and various struggles (such as that for legal recognitions) that they face due to asserting their gender identity, more than makes up for any they may have "missed out on" growing up, and that discrimination against gender-variant people is another face of heterosexism and patriarchy. See transfeminism and gender studies. Transgender is generally used as a catch-all umbrella term for a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups centered around the full or partial reversal of gender roles; however, compare other definitions below. ... A transsexual (sometimes transexual) person establishes a permanent identity with the opposite gender to their assigned (usually at birth) sex. ... Transphobia (by analogy with homophobia) can entail any of an irrational fear, hatred of, discrimination against, or disapproval and refusal to accept transsexual and transgender people. ... In sociology, gender identity describes the gender with which a person identifies (i. ... A belief or argument that male-female sexuality is the only natural or moral mode of sexual behavior. ... A patriarch (from Greek: patria means father; arché means rule, beginning, origin) is a male head of an extended family exercising autocratic authority, or, by extension, a member of the ruling class or government of a society controlled by senior men. ... Transfeminism is a form of feminism that includes transgender and transexual rights and issues, especially those of transwomen. ... Gender studies is a theoretical work in the social sciences or humanities that focuses on issues of sex and gender in language and society, and often addresses related issues including racial and ethnic oppression, postcolonial societies, and globalization. ...

Effects of feminism in the West

Some feminists would argue that there is still much to be done on these fronts, while third-wave feminists would disagree and claim that the battle has basically been won.

Effects on civil rights

Feminism has effected many changes in Western society, including women's suffrage; broad employment for women at more equitable wages ("equal pay for equal work"); the right to initiate divorce proceedings and the introduction of "no fault" divorce; the right of women in almost all countries to exercise a degree of control over their own bodies and medical decisions, including obtaining contraception and safe abortions; and many others. The international movement for womens suffrage, led by suffragists (commonly called suffragettes), was a social, economic and political reform movement aimed at extending the suffrage (i. ... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage, which can be contrasted with an annulment which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support, child custody and distribution of property. ...

As Western society has become increasingly accepting of feminist principles, many of these issues, perceived as radical in the 19th century, are now part of mainstream political thought, such as the right of women to vote, own land, and choose their own marital partners, or decide not to marry. Almost no one in Western societies today questions the rights.

Effect on language

English-speaking feminists are often proponents of using non-sexist language, using "Ms." to refer to both married and unmarried women, for example, or the ironic use of the term "herstory" instead of "history". Feminists are also often proponents of using gender-inclusive language, such as "humanity" instead of "mankind", or "he or she" in place of "he" where the gender is unknown. Feminists in most cases advance their desired use of language either to promote an equal and respectful treatment of women or to affect the tone of political discourse. This can be seen as a move to change language which has been viewed by some feminists as imbued with sexism - providing for example the case in the English language the word for the general pronoun is "he" or "his" (The child should have his paper and pencils), which is the same as the masculine pronoun (The boy and his truck). These feminists purport that language then directly affects perception of reality (compare Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis). However, to take a postcolonial analysis of this point, many languages other than English may not have such a gendered pronoun instance and thus changing language may not be as important to some feminists as others. Yet, English is becoming more and more universal, and the issue of language may be seen to be of growing importance. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Gender-neutral language (gender-generic, gender-inclusive, non-sexist, or sex-neutral language) is language that attempts to refer neither to males nor females when discussing an abstract or hypothetical person whose sex cannot otherwise be determined, as opposed to more traditional language forms, which may use male or female... For alternative uses, see Ms Ms. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... In linguistics, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (SWH) states that there is a systematic relationship between the grammatical categories of the language a person speaks and how that person both understands the world and behaves in it. ...

On the other hand, quite a different tendency can be seen in French. Gender, as a grammatical concept, is much more pervasive in French than in English, and as a result, it has been virtually impossible to create inclusive language. Instead, nouns that originally had only a masculine form have had feminine counterparts created for them. "Professeur" ("teacher"), once always masculine regardless of the teacher's sex, now has a parallel feminine form "Professeure". In cases where separate masculine and feminine forms have always existed, it was once standard practice for a group containing both men and women to be referred to using the masculine plural, but nowadays, forms such as "Toutes les Canadiennes et tous les Canadiens" ("all Canadians", or literally "all the female Canadians and all the male Canadians") are becoming more common.

Effect on heterosexual relationships

The feminist movements have certainly affected the nature of heterosexual relationships in Western and other societies affected by feminism. While these effects have generally been seen as positive, there have been some consequences that can be catalogued as negative from the traditional point of view on morals.

In some of these relationships, there has been a change in the power relationship between men and women. In these circumstances, women and men have had to adapt to relatively new situations, sometimes causing confusions about role and identity. Women can now avail themselves more to new opportunities, but some have suffered with the demands of trying to live up to the so-called "superwomen" identity, and have struggled to 'have it all', i.e. manage to happily balance a career and family. In response to the family issue, many Socialist feminists blame this on the lack of state-provided child-care facilities. Others have advocated instead that the onus of child-care not rest solely on the female, but rather that men partake in the responsibility of managing family matters.

There have been changes also in attitudes towards sexual morality and behaviour with the onset of second wave feminism and "the Pill": women are then more in control of their body, and are able to experience sex with more freedom than was previously socially accepted for them. This sexual revolution that women were then able to experience was seen as positive (especially by sex-positive feminists) as it enabled women and men to experience sex in a free and equal manner. However, some feminists felt that the results of the sexual revolution only was beneficial to men. Whether Marriage is an institution that oppresses women and men, or not, has generated discussion. Those that do view it as oppressive sometimes opt for cohabitation or more recently to live independently reverting to casual sex to fulfill their sexual needs. Oral contraceptives are contraceptives which are taken orally and inhibit the bodys fertility by chemical means. ... The sexual revolution was a substantial change in sexual morality and sexual behaviour throughout the West and other wealthy countries in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ... Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, is a movement formed in the 1980s in response to efforts by some in the feminist movement, including Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin, to censor pornography and otherwise restrict various forms of sexual expression that they felt were oppressive to women. ... Marriage is a relationship and bond, most commonly between a man and a woman, that plays a key role in the definition of many families. ... Cohabitation is a situation in a semi_presidential system of government, in which the President and Prime Minister are of different political parties. ... Casual sex refers to promiscuous sexual activity, consisting of a range of informal sexual encounters. ...

Effect on religion

Feminism has had a great effect on many aspects of religion. In liberal branches of Protestant Christianity, women are now ordained as clergy, and in Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Judaism, women are now ordained as rabbis and cantors. Within these Christian and Jewish groups, women have gradually become more nearly equal to men by obtaining positions of power; their perspectives are now sought out in developing new statements of belief. In Islam women have historically contributed to all aspects of Islamic life, from religious edicts to aide on the battlefield. Around half of the sayings of the prophet Mohammed (pbuh) are taken from his wife Aisha, whom men often consulted on religious matters. In this day you will often see many women scholars on arabic satellite television answering Islam-related questions, asked by both genders. One matter remains debatable nowadays, which is whether or not a woman can lead men in prayers. These trends, however, have been resisted within Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism has historically excluded women from entering the main Church hierarchy and does not allow women to hold any positions as clergy except as nuns. Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... Reform Judaism (also known as: Progressive Judaism, while in the U.K. Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism, together, make up Progressive Judaism) is a branch of Judaism characterized by: The belief that an individuals personal autonomy overrides traditional Jewish law and custom. ... Conservative Judaism (or Masorti Judaism) is a denomination of Judaism characterized by: A positive attitude toward modern culture The belief that traditional rabbinic modes of study, and modern scholarship and critical text study, are both valid ways to learn about and from Jewish religious texts. ... Reconstructionist Judaism is a denomination of Judaism characterized by: the belief that an individuals personal autonomy generally overrides traditional Jewish law and custom, yet also holding that ones practices must take into account communal consensus. ... The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. ... See Semicha for article about ordination of rabbis. ... The word Cantor can mean more than one thing: Cantor is another name for a Hazzan, a member of the Jewish clergy Cantor is the title of a member of a student society who is the main singer at a cantus Famous people named Cantor include: Eddie Cantor, singer & entertainer... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ...

Feminism also has had an important role in embracing new forms of religion. Neopagan religions especially tend to emphasise the importance of Goddess spirtuality, and question what they regard as traditonal religion's hostility to women and the sacred feminine. In particular Dianic Wicca is a religion whose origins lie within radical feminism. Among traditional religions, feminism has led to self examination, with reclaimed positive Christian and Islamic views and ideals of Mary, Islamic views of Fatima Zahra, and especially to the Catholic belief in the Coredemptrix, as counterexamples. However, criticism of these efforts as unable to salvage corrupt church structures and philosophies continues. Some argue that Mary, with her status as mother and virgin, and as traditionally the main role model for women, sets women up to aspire to an impossible ideal and also thus has negative consequences on human sense of identity and sexuality. Neopaganism (sometimes Neo-Paganism, meaning New Paganism) is a heterogeneous group of religions which attempt to revive ancient, mainly European pre-Christian religions. ... A goddess, a female deity, contrasts with male deities, known as gods. A great many cultures have their own goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both of the conventional genders and in some cases even hermaphroditic deities. ... Dianic Wicca, also known as Womens Spirituality, Feminist Spirituality, Feminist Witchcraft, and Feminist Wicca. ... Radical feminism views womens oppression as a fundamental element in human society and seeks to challenge that standard by broadly rejecting standard gender roles. ... Mary is a popular name worldwide, and the most popular name for a female in the United States. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

There is a separate article on God and gender; it discusses how monotheistic religions reconcile their theologies with contemporary gender issues, and how modern feminism has influenced the theology of many religions. This entry contains a discussion of how monotheistic religions deal with God and gender, and how modern feminism has influenced the theology of many religions. ...

Effect on moral education

Opponents of feminism claim that women's quest for external power, as opposed to the internal power to affect other people's ethics and values, has left a vacuum in the area of moral training, where women formerly held sway. Some feminists reply that the education, including the moral education, of children has never been, and should not be, seen as the exclusive responsibility of women. Paradoxically, it is also held by others that the moral education of children at home in the form of homeschooling is itself a women's movement. Such arguments are entangled within the larger disagreements of the Culture Wars, as well as within feminist (and anti-feminist) ideas regarding custodianship of societal morals and compassion. Morality is a complex of principles based on cultural, religious, and philosophical concepts and beliefs, by which an individual determines whether his or her actions are right or wrong. ... Homeschooling (also called home education and sometimes spelled home schooling) is the education of children at home and in the community, in contrast to education in an institution such as a public or parochial school. ... The term culture war has been used to describe ideologically-driven and often strident confrontations typical of American public culture and politics since at least the 1980s. ... Compassion is a sense of shared suffering, most often combined with a desire to alleviate or reduce such suffering. ...

Worldwide statistics

The following is a sampling of statistics related to the relative status of women worldwide. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

• Worldwide, women work more than men, when both paid employment and unpaid household tasks are accounted for, according to the United Nations Human Development Report 2004: Section 28, Gender, Work Burden, and Time Allocation (http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/pdf/hdr04_HDI.pdf). In rural areas of the developing countries surveyed, women perform an average of 20% more work than men, or an additional 98 minutes per day. In the OECD countries surveyed, on average women performed 5% more work than men, or 18 minutes per day.
• Women own only 1 percent of the world's wealth, and earn 10 percent of the world's income, despite making up 51 percent of the population.
• Women are underrepresented in all of the world's legislative bodies (see Women in National Parliaments, November 2004 (http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/world.htm)). In 1985, Finland had the largest percentage of women in national legislature at approximately 32 percent (P. Norris, Women's Legislative Participation in Western Europe, West European Politics). Currently, Sweden has the highest number of women at 45 percent. The United States has just 14 percent. The world average is just 9 percent. (Wales, while not an independent country has 50% of its members being women.)
• In some parts of the third world, women are considered as effectively property, and have no legal rights in practice. Millions of women are expected to undergo female circumcision. In some areas, rape is used as a sentence for a crime, even crimes not committed by the women themselves. (See, for example, the case of Mukhtaran Bibi.)

1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English and Welsh Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff First Minister Rhodri Morgan Area  - Total Ranked 3rd UK 20,779 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 3rd UK 2,903,085 140/km² NUTS... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ... Female circumcision (including excision) loosely refers to a number of procedures performed on the female genitalia and which are generally of a cultural, rather than medical, nature. ... Meerwala has challenged a local tribal councils injustice Mukhtaran Bibi is a woman in Meerwala, a small and very poor village of Jatoi, a rural Tehsil (county) in the Muzaffargarh district of Pakistan. ...

Perspective: the nature of the modern movement

Most feminists believe discrimination against women still exists in North American and European nations, as well as worldwide. But there are many ideas within the movement regarding the severity of current problems, what the problems are, and how to confront them.

Extremes on the one hand include some radical feminists such as Mary Daly who argues that the world would be better off with dramatically fewer men. There are also dissidents, such as Christina Hoff Sommers or Camille Paglia, who identify themselves as feminist but who accuse the movement of anti-male prejudices. Mary Daly (born 1928) is a radical feminist theologian, a mother of modern feminist theology. ... Christina Hoff Sommers is an American author, best known for her questioning of mainstream feminism; a self-described feminist, many consider her to be anti-feminist. ... Camille Anna Paglia (born April 2, 1947 in Endicott, New York) is a social critic, author and avowed feminist. ...

On the other hand, many feminists question the use of the term feminist to groups or people who fail to recognize a fundamental equality between the sexes. Some feminists, like Katha Pollitt (see her book Reasonable Creatures) or Nadine Strossen (President of the ACLU and author of Defending Pornography [a treatise on freedom of speech]), consider feminism to be, solely, the view that "women are people." Views that separate the sexes rather than unite them are considered by these people to be sexist rather than feminist. Katha Pollitt is an American feminist writer. ... Professor Nadine Strossen is president of the American Civil Liberties Union. ... The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non_governmental organization devoted to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. ...

There are also debates between difference feminists such as Carol Gilligan on the one hand, who believe that there are important differences between the sexes (which may or may not be inherent, but which cannot be ignored), and those who believe that there are no essential differences between the sexes, and that the roles observed in society are due to conditioning. Modern scientists sometimes disagree on whether inborn differences exist between men and women (other than physical differences such as anatomy, chromosomes, and hormones). Difference feminism is a branch of feminism that stresses that men and women are essentially very different beings, instead of past feminisms of equality that stress a fundamental sameness between men and women in some way. ... Carol Gilligan is an American feminist ethicist best known for her work with and against Lawrence Kohlberg on ethical community and ethical relationships, and certain subject-object problems in ethics. ...

Criticisms of feminism

Feminism has attracted attention due to the social changes it has effected in Western society. While feminism in some forms and to varying degrees is generally accepted, dissenting voices do exist.

Some critics (both male and female) find that some feminists are effectively preaching hate against males or claiming male inferiority, citing that if the words "male" and "female" were replaced by "black" and "white" respectively in some feminist writings, the texts could be viewed as racist propaganda. While some feminists generally disagree with the view that men are equally oppressed under patriarchy, other feminists, especially third-wave feminists agree that men are similarly oppressed and that gender equality means oppression of neither gender. Third-wave feminism is a feminist movement that arguably began in the early 1990s. ...

Many feel that while feminists claim to believe in equality of the sexes, the ideology of present-day feminism is inherently gynocentric (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Gynocentric). These critics cite both the etymology and symbology of the contemporary feminist movement, and the constant focus of its work on issues that affect women. They feel that followers of this ideology tend to see the world through a certain lens, leading them to be prejudiced. These critics say that the feminists start with the assumption that women are widely oppressed in contemporary America, and never stray from that assumption – leading to observations that are clouded by confirmation bias. This group of critics would like to see a new non gender-biased term replace “feminism,” such as “gender egalitarianism." This term would then replace “feminism” when used in reference to the belief, close to universal now in contemporary Western culture, in basic equal rights and opportunities for both sexes. Gender egalitarianism is the belief in the equality of the sexes. ...

Some argue that because of feminism, males are beginning to be oppressed. Those who make this claim often note that males die from suicide 4 times more frequently than females attempting suicide in the USA; rates climbed dramatically during the 1980s and early 1990s; 72% of all suicides are white males; slightly over half of all suicides are adult men, aged 25-65; critics conclude that the USA is becoming a country where males especially white males are severely oppressed. (See statistics here (http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/374.pdf)) The global statistics are similar (See statistics for [1] (http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/global_campaign/en/selfdirectedviolfacts.pdf)). According to sociologists, there are various reasons for these suicide rate increases, and they do not indicate a greater level of male oppression. Some studies of the 20 year increase in male suicide rates (ending in 1998, when the rate began to decrease) have found only a correlation between it and: local economic health and employment rates, suicide methods preferred by men, male isolation if divorced, women seeking treatment for depression in far greater numbers than do men, and (especially) aging populations. It should be noted that during the same approximate period (1952 to 1995) the rates for teen and elder suicide nearly tripled.

Many people object to the feminist movement as trying to destroy traditional gender roles. They say that men and women have many natural differences and that everyone benefits from recognizing those differences. For example, children are thought to benefit from having a masculine father and a feminine mother; in this view, divorce, single parenthood, or non-traditional gender roles are all seen as harming children more than do conflict in the home, dual but poor role models, or new definitions of masculinity, femininity, or family. The traditional nuclear family is now an exceptional background in the US, and has been the subject of many critiques characterizing it as a racist or culturally ignorant or nostalgic idealized model. Opposed to Womens Suffrage. ...

Criticism has been made that social change and legal reform have gone too far and now negatively affect men and families with children. For example, it has been suggested that custody hearings in divorces are biased towards the mother, and several organizations have formed to fight for fathers' rights. The Fathers rights movement is a loose network of interest groups, primarily in western countries, established to campaign for equal treatment by the courts in family law issues such as child custody after divorce, child support, and paternity determinations. ...

Some men also express worry that a belief in the glass ceiling for women has led to women being promoted more than men for the purpose of public relations than for their merit. This could be compared to affirmative action; thus, feminists who favour such a method of reform usually present arguments similar to those used for defending affirmative action (i.e. that such a system is required to offset the results of previous discrimination). A glass ceiling is an unofficial barrier to an upper management or such prominent position within a company or other organization which certain groups, particularly women, are perceived to be unable to cross. ... Public relations (PR) is the aspect of mass-marketing that deals with the control or manipulation of public opinion, through processes that control the presentation of the image and message presented by a client. ... Affirmative action (US English), or positive discrimination (British English), is a policy or a program providing advantages for people of a minority group who are seen to have traditionally been discriminated against, with the aim of creating a more egalitarian society. ...

There is also a group of Paleoconservatives including George Gilder and Pat Buchanan that have argued that feminism has produced a fundamentally unworkable, self-destructive, stagnant society. These authors have noted that all of the societies in which feminism has developed the most have below replacement rates of fertility, high rates of immigration (frequently from countries with cultures and religions extremely hostile to feminism). In the US, the "liberal" religious groups most accepting of feminism have had noted decline-in both conversions and natural increase. The most rapidly growing major religion in the US is Islam, some forms of which are extremely hostile to feminism. The term paleoconservative (sometimes shortened to paleo or paleocon when the context is clear) refers to an American branch of conservative Old Right thought that stands against both the mainstream tradition of the National Review magazine and the neoconservatives. ... George Gilder (born 1939, in New York City) is a libertarian, right-wing, American philosopher, futurologist and author. ... Patrick Buchanan Patrick Joseph Buchanan (born November 2, 1938), is an American author, syndicated columnist, and television commentator. ... Islam (Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

Although efforts to curb sexual harassment against women in the workplace are normally applauded, there are those who note that the situation is such that the concern directed towards women in resolving disputes of sexual harassment is indirect discrimination, in that less concern is given to men when they are the subject of the claims, or when they are claiming a case of sexual harassment. Since the 1990s, proving sexual harassment in the United States (by either men or women) has been made much more difficult by Supreme Court decisions. Sexual harassment is harassment of a sexual nature, typically in the workplace or other setting where raising objections or refusing may have negative consequences. ...

Postcolonial feminists criticise Western forms of feminism, notably radical feminism and its most basic assumption, universalization of female experience. These feminists argue that the assumption of a global experience as a woman is based on a white middle-class experience in which gender oppression is primary, and cannot apply to women for whom gender oppression may come second to racial or class oppression. Postcolonial feminism often criticizes Western forms of feminism, notably radical feminism and its universalization of female experience. ... Radical feminism views womens oppression as a fundamental element in human society and seeks to challenge that standard by broadly rejecting standard gender roles. ...

Today, young women most commonly associate "feminism" with radical and gender feminism, and this has put off a lot of these women from being active in feminism, spurring a move away from second-wave labels. However, the basic values of feminism (gender equality of rights and opportunities) have become so integrated into Western culture as to be accepted over-whelmingly as valid, and non-conformity to those values characterized as unacceptable, by the same men and women who reject the label "feminist". Second-wave feminism refers to a period of feminist thought that originated around the 1960s and was mainly concerned with independence and greater political action to improve womens rights. ...

See also

• Anarcha-feminism
• Anti-racist math
• Equal pay for women
• Female roles in the world wars
• Feminazi
• Feminist history in the United States
• Feminist history in the United Kingdom
• Feminist history in Latin America
• Lesbianism
• List of feminism topics
• List of notable feminists
• Marriage strike
• Misogyny
• Misandry
• Non-sexist language
• Sex in advertising

Anarchism is a generic term describing various political philosophies and social movements that advocate the elimination of hierarchy and imposed authority. ... Anti-racist mathematics refers to recent education reform theory in countries such as the US and the UK, which emphasizes the social context of teaching mathematics, suggesting the study of mathematics as its traditionally known in western societies may exhibit racial or cultural bias. ... Equal pay for women is an issue involving pay inequality between men and women. ... Rosie the Riveter: We Can Do It! - Many women first found economic strength in World War II-era manufacturing jobs. ... Feminazi is a pejorative term used to describe any feminist who is intolerant of points of view that challenge militant feminism. ... This is a history of feminism and the role of women throughout the history of the United States. ... Feminist history in the United Kingdom covers part of the Feminism movement in the UK from 1800 to the present day. ... The Feminist movement in Latin American countries began only in the 1920s after inspirations from outside influences. ... This article is about homosexual women, not inhabitants of the Greek island of Lesbos A lesbian (lowercase L) is a homosexual woman. ... This is a list of topics related to the issue of feminism, womens rights and womens liberation: All-women band Coeducation Eco-feminism Erotophobia Female superiority (or male inferiority) Feminazi Feminist censorship Feminist history in the United States Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Feminist history in... This is a list of important participants in the development of feminism, listed by feminist ideology. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Misogyny is an exaggerated aversion towards women. ... Misandry, sometimes called Androphobia, is the hatred of men, for being men. ... Gender-neutral language (gender-generic, gender-inclusive, non-sexist, or sex-neutral language) is language that attempts to refer neither to males nor females when discussing an abstract or hypothetical person whose sex cannot otherwise be determined, as opposed to more traditional language forms, which may use male or female... Sex in advertising is the use of sexual interest as a tool of persuasion to draw interest to a particular product, for purpose of sale. ...

Books

• Antrobus, Peggy, The global women's movement - Origins, issues and strategies, London, Zed Books 2004
• Butler, Judith (1994). "Feminism in Any Other Name", differences 6:2-3: 44-45.
• Echols, Alice., Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America, 1967-1975, University of Minnesota Press 1990
• Farrell, Warren, PhD., Why Men Earn More 2005 (ISBN: 0-8144-7210-9)
• Kampwirth, Karen., Feminism and the Legacy of Revolution: Nicaragua, El Salvador, Chiapas, Ohio UP 2004
• Lerner, Gerda., The Creation of Feminist Consciousness: From the Middle Ages to Eighteen-Seventy, Oxford University Press 1994
• Mead, Margaret, entitled Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies (1935)
• Silverman, Kaja., Male Subjectivity at the Margins, p.2-3. New York: Routledge 1992
• Thomas, Calvin., ed., "Introduction: Identification, Appropriation, Proliferation", Straight with a Twist: Queer Theory and the Subject of Heterosexuality, p.39n. University of Illinois Press (2000)
• Sommers, Christina Hoff "Who Stole Feminism? - How women have betrayed women" (1996)

Judith Butler (b. ... Margaret Mead Margaret Mead (December 16, 1901 - November 15, 1978) was an American cultural anthropologist. ...

External links

File links The following pages link to this file: Abraham Lincoln Aristotle Ayn Rand Adolf Hitler Al Gore Animal Farm Aldous Huxley Arthur Koestler Arthur Schopenhauer Animal Albert Einstein Art Abortion Apocalypse Now Alfred Hitchcock Alexander Graham Bell Andy Warhol Afrika Bambaataa Arthur C. Clarke Atheism Arthur Conan Doyle A... Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ...

Feminist organizations

• Feminist Majority (http://feminist.org)
• NARAL Pro-Choice America (http://naral.org)
• National Organization for Women (http://now.org)
• Planned Parenthood Federation of America (http://ppfa.org)
• Women living under muslim laws (http://www.wluml.org/english/)
• Committee for Asian Women (http://www.cawinfo.org/)

Supportive of feminism

• Directory of Women's Media (http://www.wifp.org/DWM/DirectoryWomensMedia.html)
• Feminist support pages (Australia) (http://www.iinet.net.au/~rabbit/femsup.htm)
• Don't Be Scared By Feminist Theory (http://www.womenorganizingwomen.com/wgs3150/index.html)
• Donna Haraway - Bibliography (http://www.egs.edu/faculty/donnaharaway.html)
• "I Had an Abortion" (http://montages.blogspot.com/2004/07/i-had-abortion.html)
• Islam from Patriarchy to Feminism (http://www.liberalislam.net/women.html) from LiberalIslam.net
• Judith Butler - Bibliography (http://www.egs.edu/faculty/judithbutler.html)
• Naomi Wolf - Resources (http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/wolf.html)
• FemBio - Notable Women International (http://www.fembio.org/default.shtml)
• Susan Faludi - Resources (http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/faludi.html)
• The SCUM Manifesto (http://www.ai.mit.edu/%7Eshivers/rants/scum.html)
• The Personal Is Political (http://personalispolitical.tripod.com/)
• Famous Quotes on Feminism (http://www.yourquotations.net/Feminism.html)
• LadyWiki - open site for discussion & exchange (http://www.ladywiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl/LadyWiki)
• The Seneca Falls Convention: Teaching about the Rights of Women and the Heritage of the Declaration of Independence (http://www.ericdigests.org/2002-1/women.html)
• The Sophie Treadwell Collection (http://www.library.arizona.edu/branches/spc/treadwell/)
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  • Approaches to Feminism (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-approaches/)
  • Feminism and Analytic Philosophy (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/femapproach-analytic/)
  • Pragmatism and Feminism (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/femapproach-pragmatism/)
  • Topics in Feminism (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-topics/)

Critical of feminism

• Independent Women's Forum (http://www.shethinks.org/)
• Ladies Against Feminism (http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com)
• SaveTheMale.com by Henry Makow Ph.D. (http://www.savethemales.ca/)
• ifeminists (http://www.ifeminists.net)
• Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute (http://www.cblpolicyinstitute.org/)
• NVSH (http://www.nvsh.nl/Website_Engels/Texts/Issues/Feminism_Frameset.htm)
• The Domain of Patriarchy (http://www.debunker.com/patriarchy.html)
• Against feminist sexism: A balanced view of male and female power (http://www.users.bigpond.com/sarcasmo/femo.html)
• Turnabout: Sex and Gender (http://jkalb.org/book/view/2)
• Equity feminism (http://www.equityfeminism.com)
• Equal Justice Foundation: Domestic Violence (http://www.ejfi.org/DV/dv.htm)
• Eagle Forum (http://www.eagleforum.org)
• The Noble Lie (http://www.debunker.com/texts/noblelie.html)
• The Masculist Perspective: Response to Feminist Claims (http://www.ukmm.org.uk/issues/masc.htm)

Feminism and Religion

• Riffat Hasan on RELIGIOUS CONSERVATISM: FEMINIST THEOLOGY AS A MEANS OF COMBATING INJUSTICE TOWARD WOMEN IN MUSLIM COMMUNITIES/CULTURE (http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_101_150/religious_conservatism.htm)