FIRST WAVE FEMINISM

To most, the roots of feminism appear to be the setting up of the suffragettes in 1903, a move made by Emmeline Pankhurst and one that changed the way women continue to live today, however the roots of feminism lie deeper than this, reaching back as far as 1832.

Feminism is often categorized in ‘waves’- time periods of which elevate women’s status within society, amplifying the need for equal rights. It describes the surge of activity at the beginning of a phase, the moments when it reaches its peak, usually in the form of a concrete accomplishment, and consequently, a struggle. First wave feminism links to the period of time between the end of the 19th century, and the beginning of the 20th, specifically the years 1832-1920. Covering almost 100 years, it is no surprise that the morals of feminists, what they were fighting for and evidently, the outcome of those fights changed drastically throughout this time period. First wave feminism evolved largely around the gaining of basic rights for women, rights that the majority of us take for granted today, and we cannot imagine a society without. Both business and politics were overrun by men, without a shadow of women alongside them. Women were not even considered a threat, rather they were confined to their households, unmarried women seen as property of their fathers, married women still restrained and limited, seen as possessions of their husbands. Women were unable to file for divorce, or gain custody of their children. It was a ‘man's world’ so to speak, women spent their lives simply living in the background. First wave feminism marginalized the voices of women of colour, who faced discrimination because of their race and gender. It was because of this that they formed separate organisations, with an aim to work towards black suffrage and raise awareness among the community members. “Lifting as we climb”, the slogan of the National Association of Coloured Women became a well known motto for black women's suffrage in the late 19th century. Political reform began through women's clubs, their project of racial uplift focussed on combating harmful stereotypes surrounding women of colours sexuality and gender.

First wave feminism became focused upon amplifying the voices of women, a time when women began to realise that they did not have to live in the background of this so called ‘man's world,’ opportunities began to arise and a new freedom for women was being discovered. The Seneca Falls Convention was the beginning of this amplification, held in July 1848; the meeting launched the women’s suffrage movement, which more than seven decades later ensured women the right to vote. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the meeting’s organisers , began with a speech on the convention’s goals and purpose: “We are assembled to protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed—to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraceful laws as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take the wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in case of separation, the children of her love.”

Suffrage, the right for women to vote in elections, is a term often associated often with the Suffragettes. The Pankhurst family is very closely associated with the militant campaign fighting for votes for women. In 1903, Emmeline Pankhurst and others, frustrated by the lack of progress, decided that more action was required, and so therefore founded the Women's Social and Political Union with the motto 'Deeds not words'.

When viewing these methods adopted to fight the police force, we can compare it to that of today.

Fourth wave feminism (2000-present day) focuses on the empowerment of women, using the power of the internet, alongside intersectionality. The fourth wave fights seeks greater gender equality, advocating for representation within both politics and business, with a focus on equal pay for equal work. In a self conducted study, I learnt that in a group of 457 people, 85.7% agree with equal pay for equal work. A spark for fourth wave feminism is the ‘reclaim these streets movement’, fighting for the fact that the streets should be safe for women regardless of what they are wearing, where they are walking, and what time of day it is. The current response to women experiencing violence on the streets is not enough, nor does it solve any issues and so therefore, reclaim these streets fights for education of men, to take responsibility for the problem of violence against women and girls, and works to challenge misogyny in the way our laws are written and enforced.

The hunger strikes of first wave feminism vs the arrests of women attending peaceful vigils to mourn Sarah Everard within fourth wave feminism align; women have always wanted freedom and safety, and both of these things have been suppressed by the metropolitan police force.