A Short Review of Feminism

Extracted from http://www.hercampus.com/school/uprm/feminism-dummies

There is an erroneous belief that feminists think women are the superior sex. The
belief that women are better than men is known as hembrismo, which is the
opposite of machismo. As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once said, Feminist: a
person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.
Feminism is all about gender equality and wanting the same opportunities for
everyone regardless of their gender identity.

First-wave of feminism
The first wave of feminism took place in the 19th and 20th centuries and mainly
dealt with gaining womens suffrage or the right to vote. The National Woman
Suffrage Association was funded by feminists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth
Cady Stanton. It is often criticized that this movement did not include all women. It
is said to have been a movement for upper-class white women only.

Second-wave of feminism
The second wave of feminism began in the 1960s and focused on a broader range
of issues including civil rights movements, sexuality and reproductive rights, family,
and the workplace. Feminists sought to be freed from the traditional roles of being
a wife and mother. There were also protests against the Miss America pageant
where women threw bras, makeup, girdles, and other products into their very own
freedom trash can to criticize societys beauty standards. Important feminist
literature was published such as The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedman
and The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir.

Third-wave of feminism

The third wave of feminism is currently taking place! These modern day feminists
are beginning to include issues that involve women of different ethnicities, races,
sexual orientation, and backgrounds. Important issues that are being discussed
are reproductive rights, rape culture, the medias portrayal of women, gender
violence, and the workplace.

Basically, feminists want women to be themselves and do what they want! Even if
that means lipstick and high heels, being a stay-at-home mom, or being the second
female governor. We all have the right to do what makes us happy. It's time to say
goodbye to those gender stereotypes that hold us back so often.

Lets Go Down to Business

1. Hembrismo: Hembrismo is the counterpart to machismo. It describes the
moral
and
spiritual
superiority
of
the
woman
over
the man.
2. Machismo: A strong or exaggerated sense of manliness; an assumptive
attitude of virility, courage, strength and entitlement to dominate are
attributes of masculinity. It describes the moral and spiritual superiority of
the man over the woman.
3. Feminism: Feminism is the ideology that believes in the cultural, political
and economic equality of sexes.
4. Sexual Orientation: "Sexual orientation" is the preferred term used when
referring to an individual's physical and/or emotional attraction to the same
and/or opposite gender. "Gay," "lesbian," "bisexual" and "straight" are all
examples of sexual orientations. A person's sexual orientation is distinct
from a person's gender identity and expression
5. Gender Identity: The term "gender identity," distinct from the term "sexual
orientation," refers to a person's innate, deeply felt psychological
identification as a man, woman or some other gender, which may or may not
correspond to the sex assigned to them at birth
6. Biological Sex: Biological sex identifies a person as either female, male, or
intersex. It is determined by a persons sexual anatomy, chromosomes, and
hormones. Biological sex is often simply referred to as sex.
References:
- http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-info/sexual-orientationgender/female-male-intersex

http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/sexual-orientation-and-genderidentity-terminology-and-definitions
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/machismo
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.men/200604/msg01311.html
http://www.academia.edu/5488906/Patriarchy_Feminist_Theory_encyclo
pedia_essay_on_concept_of_patriarchy_