Feminism

"Feminism, and feminist social movements, identify patriarchal power as a fundamental source of injustice and inequality, and hence call to transform gender power relations in all domains." -Rudo Chigudu, Beautiful Trouble

Effective and inclusive feminism adopts an intersectional analysis. It must therefore be anti-racist, decolonial, anti-homophobic, anti-transphobic and against other forms of oppressions that oppress persons, with a particular emphasis on those most negatively impacted by, and who do not benefit from, the patriarchy (this being those who do not identify as cisgender males).

"If feminism is about defending women's [and non-binary, intersex, two-spirit and many other gender identities that are not 'male'] rights and equality, intersectional feminism is about understanding how women's [and non-binary, intersex, two-spirit and many other gender identities that are not 'male'] overlapping identities - including race, class, ethnicity , religion and sexual orientation - influence how they experience oppression and discrimination.

In terms of privilege, a white woman is penalized by her gender, but has the advantage of her racialized identity. A black woman is disadvantaged by both her gender and her racialized identity. A Latino lesbian woman is discriminated against because of her ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation .” -Alia E. Dastagir, USA Today

Examples of Feminism

The miniskirt march

In response to violence, harassment, and stigmatization against women’s choice of clothing, women and human rights activists organized a march in 2014 wearing miniskirts and tight-fitting clothes and through the streets of Harare, Zimbabwe.

Iran protests for freedom

In 2022 Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman arrested by morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating Iran's rules requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf, was murdered by police. In protest, women across Iran cut their hair, set their headscarves on fire, and chanted phrases such as "Woman, life, freedom". In several areas, including in marriage, divorce, employment, and culture, Iranian women are restricted or need permission from their husbands or paternal guardians. Hundreds of people, most women and many children, have been murdered while protesting for their rights.

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