Feminism plays a very important role in the modern world and society, allowing for equal opportunities and rights for both sexes. But what exactly is feminism? What does it revolve around?

Feminism is a belief in the economic, political, and cultural equality of women, and has roots that trace back to the earliest records of human civilization. The history of feminism is very fascinating, involving people who are worthy of being admired when we realize the contributions made to a long and difficult fight that continues to this day.

The idea of feminism is separated into three waves, which focus on a specific issue or topic: first wave feminism, which deals with property rights and the right to vote, second wave feminism, which focuses on anti-discrimination and equality, and third wave feminism, which started in the 1990s as a form of retaliation to the second wave’s supposed privileging of white, straight women.  

The earliest feminists can be traced back to Ancient Greece, with Plato being one of them. In his book Republic, he advocated for women, defending that they possessed “natural capacities” that were equal to men in terms of governing and defending a country, in this case Ancient Greece. Naturally, there were some people that did not agree with this statement, causing controversy, especially from Roman consul Marcus Porcius Cato, who argued that, as soon women began to be your equals, they would want to be your superiors.

The Women’s Suffrage and the Seneca Falls Convention were very important factors in the first wave of feminism, which took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Abolitionists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott were an essential part of the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, where they proclaimed the Declaration of Sentiments which stated, “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal.”

One of the main demands of feminists was the right to vote, which sparked the women’s suffrage movement that would dominate feminism for several decades.

Eventually the suffragettes would become successful in their efforts, as countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Finland and the UK specifically granted suffrage to women over 30 in the year 1918. Meanwhile, in the United States, women played a critical role in World War I, which proved that they deserved equal representation as well.

The 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, was passed in 1920, thanks to figures like Susan B. Anthony and Carrie Chapman Catt.

The second wave of feminism, known as the “women’s liberation movement,” began in the 1960s and continued until the 90s. In the 1963 publication of The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan argued that women were still relegated to maternal, caretaking, and household roles, which she deemed as unfulfilling. Feminist Gloria Steinem joined Betty Friedan and Bella Azbug in founding the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971.

The third wave of feminism began in the 1990s, as a response to mainstream second wave feminism. This wave had a strong focus towards women of color, lesbians, immigrants, and women of different classes and religious minorities, due to the fact that historical feminism failed to address these groups. Feminist scholars began to publish new literature that would help the general public understand feminist theory, which involves women’s social and political identities. It is debated as to how exactly the wave began, but one of the main factors that sparked it was the Anita Hill Hearings.

Starting from the 2010s, feminists began to focus more on prominent cases of sexual assault and “rape culture” as well as keeping in mind their mission to combat misogyny and ensure equal rights for women. In October 2017, the #MeToo movement gained importance and prominence, and from that point on, multiple demonstrations have taken place all over the country and world, giving feminists a high-profile platform to advocate for equal rights, on behalf of women worldwide who seek change and enlightenment.

Nowadays, there are many celebrities who are feminists like Emma Watson, Beyoncé, Viola Davis, Jennifer Lawrence, and Angelina Jolie. But there are male celebrities to add to the list, too, like Mark Ruffalo, Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Harry Styles, and Antonio Banderas. One thing for sure is that the fight for equality still continues and won’t stop until this is achieved.