Fourth Wave Feminism

[Uma]

This is meant to be a sort of reference thread or info thread:

Fourth Wave Feminism has been described as the new "spiritual" feminism, women in first world countries seeking to help opressed women and girls in third world countries, helping causes like world peace... I've just begun researching this and would like more information, links...whatever you can share put it here.

Just for some background:







This introductory paper traces a century of 4 waves of feminism from a psychoanalytic perspective. The first phase focused on political change as the suffragette movement was undertaken at the turn of the 20th century by feminist activists who lobbied successfully for women’s right to vote; the second phase, a broad sociopolitical-cultural movement located in the 1960s and 1970s, focused on consciousness-raising around gender issues, women’s liberation (Betty Friedan, Kate Millet, Simone de Beauvoir, Bela Abzug, Gloria Steinem), and job and economic parity. With sexual freedom and job opportunities more established for women, the third phase evolved in the 1980s and 1990s, emphasizing women exploring gender pluralities; ‘‘having it all’’; and juggling career, sex, and motherhood. The fourth wave moved into the 21st century as women turned toward spiritual concerns about the planet and all its beings, putting themselves in the service of the world, ecology, and the downtrodden.







And some links I found (I'll just keep adding to it here rather than post elsewhere):
http://www.evolvewomen.com/resources/a-new-womens-liberation/
http://www.gatherthewomen.org/ (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatherthewomen.org %2F)
http://pluralism.org/news/view/13981 (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fpluralism.org%2Fnews%2 Fview%2F13981)

My favorite feminist journals:
http://msmagazine.com (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiritualforums.co m%2Fvb%2Fredir.php%3Flink%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww .spiritualforums.com%252Fvb%252Fredir.php%253Flink %253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fmsmagazine.com)
http://www.herizons.ca/home (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiritualforums.co m%2Fvb%2Fredir.php%3Flink%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww .herizons.ca%252Fhome)
http://www.utne.com/2005-03-01/feminisms-fourth-wave.aspx (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiritualforums.co m%2Fvb%2Fredir.php%3Flink%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww .utne.com%252F2005-03-01%252Ffeminisms-fourth-wave.aspx)

:female: :wav:

[pre-dawn]

The first 3 waves are all focused towards self, improving one's standing, effectiveness and freedom.
What benefit for themselves is there for the woman of the 4th wave?

[Uma]

The first 3 waves are all focused towards self, improving one's standing, effectiveness and freedom.
What benefit for themselves is there for the woman of the 4th wave?

pre-dawn, are you asking what is the benefit for the person who is being selfless and trying to help others?

[supernova]

Feminism is a divisive ideology and you can rescue those in troubles and torments in some different name.

Some feminists are activists. Activism is more for popularity.

I doubt this ideology has worked or will work

[Uma]

Feminism is a divisive ideology and you can rescue those in troubles and torments in some different name.

Some feminists are activists. Activism is more for popularity.

I doubt this ideology has worked or will work

Hi supernova,

I'm interested in exploring fourth wave feminism, a new and emerging branch of feminism that draws from the divine feminine in all of us (see Feminism - a definition (http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Feminism#Subtypes_of_feminism)).

I feel that like any religion, the word feminism conjures up the idea of a "divisive ideology" but like any noble religion, at its heart, its essence, is a core of truth that's worth preserving. Feminism was born out of suffering - oppression and pain and a longing for freedom. This is a spiritual longing in its essence and eventually it will (and is) returning to its core truth.

However I respect your point of view.

[sound]

Activism is more for popularity.


Hi supernova
Can I ask how do you draw this conclusion? It has not been my experience/observation in the field I work in ...

[pre-dawn]

pre-dawn, are you asking what is the benefit for the person who is being selfless and trying to help others?
Yes, and how is it different to the self-sacrificial attitude which so many woman seem to be prone to?
What has happened during the other 3 stages, or what strategies are now used which will prevent this from happening?

[Summerkat]

Feminism to me was political, not religious. But an outgrowth of it was the Womens Spirituality Movement which brought light to the Goddess for really the first time. For many of us that word "Goddess" was one we never heard before and we claimed it. Thats when it became spiritual.

[supernova]

Hi supernova,

I'm interested in exploring fourth wave feminism, a new and emerging branch of feminism that draws from the divine feminine in all of us (see Feminism - a definition (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wordiq.com%2Fdefin ition%2FFeminism%23Subtypes_of_feminism)).

I feel that like any religion, the word feminism conjures up the idea of a "divisive ideology" but like any noble religion, at its heart, its essence, is a core of truth that's worth preserving. Feminism was born out of suffering - oppression and pain and a longing for freedom. This is a spiritual longing in its essence and eventually it will (and is) returning to its core truth.

However I respect your point of view.

Feminism is rebellion and of course it is against oppression. Against man's chauvanism. It is against men, the opprssors. It is the roar of the women who are waging a series of wars against males' domination.

But we are spiritually inclined and most of males are here I suppose are subjugatigng women.

We males here open our hearts to you; we listen to you; we share with you and grow with you. We are in sync and do not beleive in retaliation?

Why you want a force, a unity that drives you against oppression? When there is understanding and goodwill.

[Silver]

Feminism is rebellion and of course it is against oppression. Against man's chauvanism. It is against men, the opprssors. It is the roar of the women who are waging a series of wars against males' domination.

But we are spiritually inclined and most of males are here I suppose are subjugatigng women.

We males here open our hearts to you; we listen to you; we share with you and grow with you. We are in sync and do not beleive in retaliation?

Why you want a force, a unity that drives you against oppression? When there is understanding and goodwill.

But women are still being raped en masse especially in certain places, like Africa, by not just native men, but troups from other lands, destroying young women's and girls' lives, tearing them apart like so much meat. Women are having their clitorises cut off, deranging them and damaging them to the nth degree. Lucky for some, there are surgeons and doctors from here and elsewhere who volunteer to come and give them surgical and medical care, but their lives are inexorably changed, they cannot live amongst their own kind, they are kicked out of their own villages, to survive on their own, OR NOT.

Having the vote in this country is a wonderful luxury that I deeply appreciate. But it is a worldwide thing. women exist in other countries too? They do not have it so good. The good will has not reached them yet? Those females are not worried so much about the glass ceiling as here? My heart breaks every second of every day over what my sisters are going through over there. The children in foreign countries who are made into sex slaves / prostitutes. Does that do anything for your understanding? These are the thoughts that keep me awake at night, obviously I couldn't live if I forced myself to think on these things nightly, but they do go on whether I think on them nightly, or not.

All those women everywhere who suffer from domestic violence. I've seen the newspapers, I've typed the court reports, I've seen some of the pictures. I've read the true stories in books. We've barely made a dent. I won't ask why. You do that.

We have taken only tiny baby steps to improve things for women and it is spotty, at best. My heart breaks daily.

[LightBearer]

you make some very good and valid points, however my feeling is that encapsulating all of this suffering in a battle of the sexes is as has been said above devisive and 3 dimensional. women do not need to stand and applaud women for their abilities or attack men for their inability to applaud womens strengths as any of these policies eventually ends up in the utter discrimination of that group i.e. positive discrimination, where the said group is not judged on individual merits but in the need to appease the group by acceptance. would you not rather be applauded for excelling in your field rather than not being sure whether you are there to fill the feminist quota?

as for the atrociaties that were mentioned. these are terrible offences and should not be tollerated, but by creating the victim the female, you create and enemy, the male. you have indoctrinated an out group, as hitler indoctrinated an out group. can we not all work together with love to ensure the safety and security of all people, rather than allow a doctrine of hate to prosper in response to individual (albeit a lot of individual offences) offences. (femenism)

humans do wicked things, regardless of sex, colour or creed, and any doctrine which creates an out group due to sweeping generalisations does nothing to deter the status quo.

[Silver]

It is only due to the ability of those with more power from the start to feel comfortable in abusing it, AND the meanies/bullies give all good guys a bad name. I'm sure the good guys are masculine, wonderful beings, but they too are afraid of the bullies in their midst and can only do so much to counteract the seeming consensus so it's hard to not lump them together, considering what atrocities still go on in this world. I myself can separate most if not all of the issues inherent in this problem, so I think it behooves you, LightBearer to return the favor???

[LightBearer]

im sorry silvergirl i dont really understand what you are asking me to do. am i appearing to be an abusive male?

i do however agree with the points you raise, i just dont agree with the methodology, i believe we should all stand together rather than creating out groups and in groups.