Feminism

Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies. Some versions are critical of past and present social relations. Many focus on analyzing what they believe to be the social construction of gender and sexuality. Many focus on studying gender inequality and promoting women's rights, interests, and issues.

Feminist theory aims to understand the nature of gender inequality and focuses on gender politics, power relations and sexuality. Feminism is also based on experiences of gender roles and relations. Feminist political activism commonly campaign on issues such as reproductive rights, violence within a domestic partnership, maternity leave, equal pay, sexual harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence. Themes explored in feminism include patriarchy, stereotyping, objectification, sexual objectification, and oppression.

Modern feminist theory has been criticized as being predominantly, but not exclusively, associated with Western middle-class academia. Proponents counter that feminist activism is a grass-roots movement that seeks to cross boundaries based on social class, race, culture, and religion; is culturally specific and addresses issues relevant to the women of that society: for example female circumcision in Sudan, or the glass ceiling in developed economies; and that some issues, such as rape, incest, and mothering, are universal.

Feminism within the BDSM community

Feminism is a powerful force with the BDSM community. Because people in the scene regularly explore the nature of power and control as part of their sexuality they tend to see through the stereotypes of women which feminism tries to overcome.

(This entry in the BDSM Dictionary incorporates text from the Feminism article in Wipipedia.)

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