Feminism: The Most Misunderstood and Misused Term

[Nahid Kaiser]

In Bangladesh Feminism is the most misunderstood and misused Term. This post is created to clarify the definition and classification as well as describing some terms so that we will not misunderstand and misuse the term.

[Nahid Kaiser]

According to the prestigious Merrium-Webster dictionary it is:
Definition of feminism
1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes
2 : organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
Thus, it is clear that the key concept is human rights to be shared equally by the sexes.
So, those who consider any superficial or rebellious conduct of women as feminism are in fact in misconception.

[Nahid Kaiser]

According to the Oxford dictionary:
Feminism refers to -  The issue of rights for women first became prominent during the French and American revolutions in the late 18th century. In Britain it was not until the emergence of the suffragette movement in the late 19th century that there was significant political change. A ‘second wave’ of feminism arose in the 1960s, with an emphasis on unity and sisterhood; seminal figures included Betty Friedan and Germaine Greer. A ‘third wave’ was identified in the late 1980s and 1990s, as a reaction against the perceived lack of focus on class and race issues in earlier movements.
Hope we get that this movement started as a political right. And again the key concept is equality which is very humanistic and holistic.

[rayhanul.bba]

Thanks for sharing.   

[Nahid Kaiser]

The history of modern feminist movements is divided into three ‘Waves’, each, dealing with different facets of feminist issues. The First Wave refers to a period of feminist activity during the 19th and early 20th centuries in Europe.

[Nahid Kaiser]

The Second Wave (1960s-1980s) initially focused on the family as the main site of women’s oppression, seeing familial affection and cooperation as masking the exploitation of women’s unpaid labor and sexuality. 

[Nahid Kaiser]

The Third Wave feminism (late 1980s – early first decade of the 21st century) emerged seeking to challenge or/and avoid the Second Wave’s tendency to over-emphasize the experience of upper-middle class white women. 

[Nahid Kaiser]

Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain is the pioneer of the practical feminist move among Bengali Muslim women

[Tapasy Rabeya]

Informative

[shipra]

Continue madam, so that we can learn something

[Anhar Sharif]

Thanks for sharing.

[Raihana Zannat]

Thanks for sharing.

[shamsi]

You are right. There is misconception regarding 'Feminism' in Bangladesh. Thanks for sharing the ideas.

Best Regards,

Shamsi

Shamsi Ara Huda
Assistant Professor
Department of English