Feminism
Feminism is a social, political and theoretical perspective that seeks to
understand and challenge gender inequality while promoting equal rights,
opportunities and treatment for all people. Feminist theory argues that many
social institutions, cultural norms and power structures have historically
privileged men while disadvantaging women and other marginalised groups.
Rather than viewing gender inequality as the result of individual differences,
feminism emphasises the influence of structural and systemic factors such as
patriarchy, discrimination and unequal distributions of power. Within social work,
feminist theory provides a framework for understanding how gender influences
people's experiences and supports anti-oppressive, rights-based and socially just
practice (Payne, 2021).
The origins of feminism can be traced to the late eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries, when campaigners advocated for women's legal rights, education and
political participation. Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of
Woman argued that women should have equal access to education and
opportunities, challenging the belief that women were naturally inferior to men.
During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the first wave of feminism
focused primarily on securing legal rights, particularly women's suffrage and
access to education and employment (Wollstonecraft, 1792/2004).
The feminist movement continued to develop throughout the twentieth century.
The second wave of feminism, emerging during the 1960s and 1970s, expanded
attention to issues such as workplace inequality, domestic violence, reproductive
rights and gender roles. Feminist scholars argued that "the personal is political",
recognising that experiences within families and intimate relationships were
shaped by wider social structures and power inequalities. During this period,
feminist perspectives significantly influenced social policy, domestic abuse
services and social work practice (Tong & Botts, 2018).
More recently, intersectional feminism has broadened feminist theory by
recognising that experiences of inequality differ according to the interaction of
multiple aspects of identity, including race, disability, sexuality, age and
socioeconomic status. Kimberlé Crenshaw introduced the concept of
intersectionality, arguing that individuals may experience multiple forms of
discrimination simultaneously, creating unique experiences of oppression that
cannot be understood through gender alone. This perspective has strengthened
Feminism is a social, political and theoretical perspective that seeks to
understand and challenge gender inequality while promoting equal rights,
opportunities and treatment for all people. Feminist theory argues that many
social institutions, cultural norms and power structures have historically
privileged men while disadvantaging women and other marginalised groups.
Rather than viewing gender inequality as the result of individual differences,
feminism emphasises the influence of structural and systemic factors such as
patriarchy, discrimination and unequal distributions of power. Within social work,
feminist theory provides a framework for understanding how gender influences
people's experiences and supports anti-oppressive, rights-based and socially just
practice (Payne, 2021).
The origins of feminism can be traced to the late eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries, when campaigners advocated for women's legal rights, education and
political participation. Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of
Woman argued that women should have equal access to education and
opportunities, challenging the belief that women were naturally inferior to men.
During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the first wave of feminism
focused primarily on securing legal rights, particularly women's suffrage and
access to education and employment (Wollstonecraft, 1792/2004).
The feminist movement continued to develop throughout the twentieth century.
The second wave of feminism, emerging during the 1960s and 1970s, expanded
attention to issues such as workplace inequality, domestic violence, reproductive
rights and gender roles. Feminist scholars argued that "the personal is political",
recognising that experiences within families and intimate relationships were
shaped by wider social structures and power inequalities. During this period,
feminist perspectives significantly influenced social policy, domestic abuse
services and social work practice (Tong & Botts, 2018).
More recently, intersectional feminism has broadened feminist theory by
recognising that experiences of inequality differ according to the interaction of
multiple aspects of identity, including race, disability, sexuality, age and
socioeconomic status. Kimberlé Crenshaw introduced the concept of
intersectionality, arguing that individuals may experience multiple forms of
discrimination simultaneously, creating unique experiences of oppression that
cannot be understood through gender alone. This perspective has strengthened
