Okay let me share how I actually figured out this whole feminism wave thing. It started because honestly, I kept hearing “fourth wave” this and “second wave” that online, and I was like, wait, what does that even mean? Time to finally sort it out for myself.
First Stop: The Book Pile Challenge
My go-to move is hitting the books. Grabbed a couple off my shelf and one from the library with boring titles like “History of Women” or whatever. Cracked them open on my desk. First problem? Nobody used the word “wave” back in the day! That came later. So it was kinda messy finding clear breaks. Kept skimming chapters, looking for when the main goals shifted. It wasn’t quick. My coffee got cold.
Untangling the First Wave (Mostly Voting!)
This one felt pretty focused once I dug in. Zoomed in on late 1800s up to the 1920s. The big battle cry? We want the vote! Like, seriously, basic citizenship stuff. Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton – those names kept popping up. Pictures of marches with giant banners demanding “Suffrage”. Also saw stuff about property rights, like women not being able to own their own things? Wild. Summarized it in my head: It’s about basic legal rights and getting that vote officially.
Hitting the Second Wave Wall
This is where it got… noisy. Jumped ahead to the 60s, 70s. Suddenly it wasn’t just about laws anymore. Flipping through pages, reading old manifestos (some sounded super intense!). The vibe was huge: “The Personal is Political.” They pushed hard on workplace equality (equal pay? duh!), reproductive rights (body autonomy!), and tearing down ideas about how women “should” act. Betty Friedan talking about “the problem with no name”… that resonated. Kept notes: This wave went beyond laws to fight culture, work, and personal life stuff head-on.
Third Wave: Confusion Central (& Finding the Point)
Started looking at the 90s, early 2000s. My initial reaction? “Wait, what is this?” Articles and books felt all over the place. Less giant marches, more focus on individuals. Kept seeing words like “intersectionality” (thank you Kimberlé Crenshaw!), “diversity,” and critiques of the second wave. Realized it was about questioning old ideas – like celebrating femininity and toughness? Recognizing experiences weren’t one-size-fits-all. Women of color, queer women pushed to the front. Punk rock vibes, Riot Grrrl bands… it clicked: This wave embraced difference, rejected strict boxes, and used pop culture.
Fourth Wave: My Feed is Full of It!
This felt immediate. Looked no further than my damn phone. #MeToo. Everyday sexism call-outs. Massive women’s marches globally – seeing those crowds online was huge. Body positivity, trans inclusion debates… it’s happening now. The sheer speed of it, powered by social media. Anger is palpable. Documenting harassment, organizing fast online. Noticed a strong focus on consent, LGBTQ+ rights woven deep into it. My takeaway: Digital tools are king. Calling out harassment/systems loudly & immediately is key. Huge push for inclusivity across identities.
Putting My Messy Notes Together
Sat back with my scribbled papers. Tried to see the pattern through my own research journey:
- First Wave: Grind for legal basics, especially the vote.
- Second Wave: Breaking free – equal jobs, own your body, smash gender expectations.
- Third Wave: Chill, we’re not all the same! Celebrate differences, use your voice your way.
- Fourth Wave: Online fury! Call out abuse fast, demand total respect for every woman, harness social media power.
Done! It wasn’t a neat textbook journey for me. Lots of flipping back and forth, getting confused by the third wave chaos, seeing the fourth wave unfold live online. But by going through the actual work of reading different sources and seeing how the fights changed over time, it finally stuck. Now I kinda get why people argue about which wave matters more – they tackled different monsters!
