It is common occurrence to see two feminists disagree on a range of theoretical or practical issues, like the extent of patriarchy, the nature of oppression, or even the very fundamental definition of what constitutes in being a woman. While some may assume that feminists themselves are not sure what they are fighting for, this merely reflects the rich diversity of feminists’ positions. In this essay, I will extrapolate on three of these positions, namely the radical, post-structural and liberal strands. While outlining each theory, I will explore the continuities or ruptures between them accordingly.
The thought of radical feminism usually conjures images of women burning bras, destroying make-up and being anti-men. But these theatrical gestures are only part of the radical feminism movement that emerged in the 1960s, during the second wave of feminism . At its core, radical feminism firmly believes in a patriarchy that is omnipresent and oppressive. In other words, they affirm patriarchy is the key divisor a society that all men benefit from, through the oppression of all women, regardless of class or colour. They feel that society is constructed by the patriarchy to satisfy their desires. Due to this, they believe only a radical overhaul of society can bring about equality between both genders.
Additionally, they preside that consciousness raising is the first step towards this end goal. In other words, radical feminists believe that some women are under a false