Feminism And The Second Wave Feminist Movement - 1473 Words

Intersectionality underscores that it is impossible to consider gender in isolation from other forms of difference. Critically discuss the significance of this, including its implications for feminism. Refer to at least 3 readings in the unit read from weeks 1-6. Intersectionality provides a key structure for analysing oppression and privilege in our modern and diverse society. Views of intersectionality have changed rapidly throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Many aspects of the third wave feminist movement are underpinned by notions of intersectionality, though its success of application may be varied. This marks a shift from the homogenous view of femininity and womanhood held by many, particularly white and middle†¦show more content†¦The intersection of race and gender has provoked a lot discussion, especially in the latter part of the twentieth century. The nature of feminism in the era made it difficult for women of colour to find a fitting place to benefit from the social advances being made for women. Disability oppression is an example of the way other forms of oppression interact with gender and both reflect and stand separate from gender oppression. As made clear in these examples, modern feminism must le arn to embrace intersectional ideas to combat issues on all axes of oppression, because there are many things which intersect and play off of gender, and these cannot be isolated to a single dichotomy of oppressed and privileged. Certain brands of feminism place gender as the key axis of oppression on which women are oppressed. This was a contributing factor in the united sisterhood and womanhood of the second wave, an ideal which led to the marginalisation and erasure of many women’s experience such as women of colour, women with disabilities, women of lower socioeconomic class and standing, and so on. When second wave feminists do embrace an intersectional view, they tend to employ an additive measure of intersectionality rather than a multiplicative view, which is detrimental and erasive because it often causes oppressions to be ranked in a hierarchy of perceived importance, and from a feminist point of view it is gender