Feminism, American

Simply put, feminism is a political philosophy and practice centering on the concerns of women and opposing gender inequality. There is no one universally accepted way of conceptualizing feminism or of being a feminist; therefore, many contemporary feminists feel that the plural term feminisms best encompasses the great diversity among approaches to feminism. Generally speaking, the various contemporary approaches to feminism overlap in their dedication to opposing sexism, misogyny, and structural inequalities between women and men, as well as inequalities between girls and boys. Many types of feminism also emphasize the importance of women's personal experiences, arguing that “the personal is political.” Additionally, most contemporary feminisms share an intellectual and ethical commitment to addressing forms of structural inequality that intersect with gender, such as ...