Post-feminism describes a new way of thinking about gender identities and relationships. Its supporters are critical of the so-called ‘second-wave feminism’ of the 1960s to 1980s, and also of aspects of ‘third-wave feminism’, generally thought to cover the early 1990s to the present day. Post-feminists criticise earlier feminist movements for excluding some groups of women, such as women of colour and women in the developing world. In turn, post-feminism has itself been criticised for doing away with the idea of a ‘movement’ with which women could identify and from which they could gain support.
The term ‘feminism’ is complex and includes different ideologies. Following the advances made in some countries in terms of greater (though not complete) equality between the sexes in the spheres of paid work, domestic work and childcare, many younger women began to think that feminist ideology was irrelevant. Both third-wave and post-feminist proponents seek to show that this is far from the case, and that feminist ideologies remain extremely important to the lives of all women.
Your organisation does not have access to this article.
Sign up today to give your students the edge they need to achieve their best grades with subject expertise
Subscribe
