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First-wave feminism was a period of feminist activity and thought that occurred during the 19th and early 20th century throughout the Western world. It focused on legal issues, primarily on securing women's right to vote.
- First Wave: 1848 - 1920
- Second Wave: 1963 - 1980s
- Third Wave: 1990s -
- Fourth Wave: Present Day
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The first organized movement aimed at gaining rights for American women effectively began in July 1848, with the convention organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott at Seneca Falls, New York. Attendees signed the Declaration of Sentiments, which affirmed women’s equality with men, and passed a dozen resolutions calling for various spec...
In 1963, Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, which argued that women were chafing against the confines of their roles as wives and mothers. The book was a massive success, selling 3 million copies in three years and launching what became known as the second wave of feminism. Inspired by the civil rights movement and protests against the ...
While the advances of second-wave feminism had undoubtedly achieved more equality and rights for women, the movement that emerged in the early 1990s focused on tackling problems that still existed, including sexual harassment in the workplace and a shortage of women in positions of power. Rebecca Walker, the mixed-race daughter of second-wave leade...
Though fourth wave feminism is relatively difficult to define—as some people argue it’s simply a continuation of the third wave—the emergence of the Internet has certainly led to a new brand of social media-fueled activism. Launched by Tarana Burke in 2007, the #MeToo movement took off in 2017 in the wake of revelationsabout the sexual misconduct o...
Learn how feminism has evolved over time, from the first wave of suffrage in the 19th century to the fourth wave of social media activism today. Explore the key events, leaders and movements that shaped each wave of feminism and its goals for women's rights.
- Sarah Pruitt
- 5 min
Apr 5, 2021 · The first wave of the feminist movement is usually tied to the first formal Women’s Rights Convention that was held in 1848. However, first wave feminists were influenced by the collective activism of women in various other reform movements.
Feb 13, 2024 · Learn about the first wave of feminism, a period of the feminist movement that occurred from 1848 to 1920 in Western countries. Find out how women advocated for social and constitutional equal rights, such as the right to vote, education, property, and citizenship.
Sep 21, 2021 · First wave feminism was critical in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in giving women the right to vote and basic rights such as property. While the roots of this feminism are not clear, new movements from the Enlightenment and industrialization began to focus on female rights and individuality.
- 6 min
Learn about the first wave of the feminist movement in the US, which focused on women's suffrage, education, and employment. Explore how white middle-class feminists, abolitionists, and black activists interacted and clashed over race and class issues.
Jul 15, 2023 · Late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century feminism is referred to by historians as “first-wave” feminism (there have been three “waves” so far). Its defining characteristic was the battle against legally-mandated discrimination against women in terms of property laws, control over children within the family, and the right to vote.
