Phases of Feminism

Just as society has changed over time, so has the Feminist Movement. Feminist Literary Criticism is no exception. What follows is the three major phases of the evolution of Feminism historically.

First-wave Feminism (1848-1968)

While it's arguable that the first-wave began with Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792, the movement is recognized as having formally begun with the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. Here, the first wave of Feminism was officially decreed with the Seneca Falls Declaration, penned by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The focus of this period was on equal rights for women culturally, with women's suffrage championed by such figures as Susan B. Anthony.

Second-wave Feminism (1968-mid 1990s)

This wave began with protests of the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City in 1968 and again in 1969. The ideology of this Feminism was much more aggressive and less formalized than its predecessor. This is due, in part, to the many cultural movements and social unrest occurring at the time. Documents such as The BITCH Manifesto (1968) and Sisterhood is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings from the Women's Liberation Movement (1970) came from this wave. The focus of this period had much more revolutionary undertones. It was also much more theoretical, analyzing the gender disparity psychoanalytically.

Elaine Showalter's Three Phases:

One work to come out of the second wave was Elaine Showalter's A Literature of Their Own (1977). In the work, she identified three phases of Feminism: Feminine, Feminist and Female.

The Feminist phase includes women imitating men with adopted pseudonyms.
The Feminist phase aligns with first and second wave, challenging patriarchal norms.
The Female phase is that of self-discovery. In this final phase, the writing does not seek to justify the female gender and simply portrays the characters as such.

Third-wave Feminism (Mid 1990s)

Unlike the first two waves, the third wave of Feminism did not have a direct catalyst. The "third wave" term was coined by Rebecca Walker in her 1992 essay. The third wave focused on multiple categories of women, such as homosexuals. This wave is also not as straightforward in scope as its predecessors. The literature resultant of this period is less aggressive in its message as well. Female protagonists in fictional literature have become more prevalent during this period with such literary series as The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Twilight by Stephenie Meyer meeting widespread success.