The Common Goals of Feminism Essay -- Feminist Theory

Feminism and all branches of feminism have a number of common goals. These goals include the analysis of gender inequalities and the effects of other systems of oppression such as race and class. In most cases, the analysis is intersectional, recognizing how each system can be inclusive to other systems resulting in different levels of oppression. In the case of a woman, who is black and lesbian, versus a woman, who is white and lesbian, there are different levels of oppression. Although together these two women experience gender inequalities with men and sexuality inequalities with heterosexuals, they still have different experiences with race inequalities and in that way are oppressed differently. The point of feminism would be to show that as a group, whichever group or should I say groups one may fall into, you experience privilege or you don’t, more or less. Care must be taken when using such a description of the term feminism because its many branches have many dis tinct characteristics of their own. Black feminism, western feminism, post colonial feminism, multicultural feminism, radical feminism, and social feminism were developed at different points in history and had main focuses that may or may not have been beneficial to the cause or successful in any way. Liberal and social feminism both began to emerge around the same time in pursuit of an analysis of those differences in legal rights received among men and women as well as those social differences that resulted in the roles that women have been taught to assume. Around the late 1700’s, the concern for rights such as property ownership, child custody, ability to sue for divorce, admission into colleges and universities, and employment opportunities that... ...le University Press, 1992 Hooks, Bell. â€Å"Black Women: Shaping Feminist Theory† Feminism and ‘Race’ Bhavani, Kum Kum, ed. Oxford University Press, 2001` Kimmel, Michael S. â€Å"From ‘ Conscience and Common Sense’ to ‘Feminism for Men’† Feminism and Men: Reconstructing Gender Relations. Schacht, Steven and Ewing, D, eds. New York University Press 1998 Messner, Michael A. â€Å"Radical Feminist and Socialist Feminist Men’s Movements in the United States† Feminism and Men: Reconstructing Gender Relations. Schacht, Steven and Ewing, D, eds. New York University Press 1998 Spelman, Elizabeth V. â€Å"Gender & Race: The Ampersand Problem in Feminist Thought† Feminism and ‘Race’ Bhavani, Kum Kum, ed. Oxford University Press, 2001 Wollstonecraft, Mary. â€Å"From A Vindication of the Rights of Woman† Feminist Theory: A Reader. Guy-Sheftall, Beverly, ed. South End Press, 1984