When thinking about different waves of feminism, many immediately think about the first, second, and third waves that took place during the late 19th and mid 20th centuries. However, for the purpose of my study, I looked specifically at the third wave of feminism and the emergence of a fourth wave. Additionally, it is critical to understand important social movements that occurred in regard to women’s rights in the 21st century.
Beginning in the 1990s, the third wave of feminism was largely led by Generation X women born in the 60s/70s who focused more on reclaiming individuality and less on civil rights as was focused on during the second wave. During the third wave of feminism is when different forms of feminism were talked about, including, intersectionality, postmodern feminism, and sex-positivity (Gillis, Howie & Munford 2004).
The fourth wave of feminism that emerged during the 2010s has been characterized largely by a presence on different forms of social media. The movement largely uses social media as a means to easily spread information and encourage women to speak out by creating a safe platform to do so.
“The movement will also tackle issues such as the gender pay gap, neoliberal policies, maternity leave, and cultural sexism. Moreover, the internet-based movement is striving to bring to the fore the topic of intersectionality, that is, the intersection of oppressive institutions, and the attempt to rectify the failings of past waves by representing those oppressed by multiple institutions such as sexism, classism, and racism,”
Shiva (2019)
This large online presence has only been growing and is what fueled the #MeToo movement. The #MeToo phrase was first coined in 2006 by Tarana Burke, an African American activist who wanted a way to empower other women who had endured sexual violence. However, it was popularized in 2017 by Alyssa Milano who reintroduced the hashtag during the Harvey Weinstein harassment allegations. The hashtag went viral as more and more women in Hollywood started sharing stories about sexualization and abuse in the film industry. By understanding the different forms of feminism and how feminism has evolved over the past 20 years, one will be able to further analyze the shifts in the characterization of women on Disney channel shows over time.
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