Feminism

Feminism became a global movement in the 20th century, although the end of the 19th century marked the beginning of the spreading of feminism [Page 560]as a movement worldwide. The first international congress to use the word feminist in its title took place in Paris in 1892. From its outset, feminism was more a Western phenomenon, and the links between feminists in Europe and North America were crucial for its diffusion. Feminism is defined in several dictionaries as a doctrine that aims to improve the position of women. If equality of the sexes is central to this objective, attempts to categorize feminism must take into account the idea that it embraces both equality and difference.

Over time there have been various isolated acts of feminism, of which two examples are Christine de Pizan's 1405 work La cité des dames and Olympe de Gouges' Déclaration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne (1791). However, it is only in the late 19th century that an organized feminist movement emerged. From the outset, and due to the different forms it has taken, it is more accurate to describe it as “feminisms” to indicate the varieties of feminisms and the fact many feminisms can be identified.

The majority of feminists used lobbying strategies in their attempts to secure reforms. Their demands were characterized by cross-national activities that would today be called a transnational strategy. Consequently, since the earliest days feminisms were intrinsically transnational, organizing themselves in transnational associations with intercontinental dimensions.

This entry on feminism focuses on the multiple connections existing between feminists across the world and illuminates the transnational aspects of their cooperation. It analyzes the diversities and complexities of feminisms in the world and shows the pertinence of speaking of feminisms in relation to globalization. Writing about feminisms is not describing a linear process; on the contrary, this entry shows the advances and reversals where no right is permanently acquired. Despite this nonlinearity, it is important to delineate a chronology that can clarify the general framework.