Ideology
Feminism
Feminists generally seek equal dignity, rights, safety, and opportunity for women and men.
01
Identity Card
- Name and etymology
- From Latin femina ("woman"); term coined in 19th c. French.
- Type
- Social, political, and intellectual movement.
- Founder or origin
- No single founder; key figures: Wollstonecraft, de Beauvoir, hooks, others.
- Date and place
- Late 18th c. Europe/North America; global movement today.
- Adherents
- Hundreds of millions identify with feminist principles globally.
02
Source of Authority
- Primary scripture
- No scripture; foundational works include Wollstonecraft's Vindication, de Beauvoir's The Second Sex.
- Source of truth
- Lived experience, critical theory, empirical research.
- Authority structure
- Decentralized; academic, activist, and political networks.
03
Core Beliefs
- Core idea
- Feminists generally believe societies have often treated women unfairly and that laws, culture, and institutions should correct this.
- View of God or ultimate reality
- Various — not inherently theological; ranges from religious feminism to secular.
- View of humanity
- Feminists generally hold that women and men have equal human dignity and should have fair opportunities.
- View of the world
- Socially constructed in part; structures can be reshaped.
04
Practical Implications
- Purpose of life
- Feminism is not a religion, so it does not define a final purpose of life; as a movement it aims to reduce gender-based injustice.
- Ethics
- Care ethics, equality, autonomy, intersectional justice.
- Afterlife
- Not a doctrinal claim.
- Key practices
- Activism, scholarship, policy advocacy, consciousness-raising.
05
Comparative Lenses
- Main branches
- Liberal, radical, socialist, intersectional, eco-, Islamic, post-modern feminisms.
- Relationship to others
- Engages with liberalism, Marxism, religion (in tension or alliance).
- Common critiques
- Debates over essentialism, inclusivity, Western framing.
- Modern adaptations
- #MeToo, intersectional feminism, online activism.
Simple educational summaries. For religions, claims are attributed to scripture or major source texts where possible; where no scripture exists, wording describes what followers/supporters generally hold. References are starting points, not exhaustive academic citations.