What Is a Feminist? Meaning and History Explained

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1. Key Points

The word "feminist" is not a new coinage, but it has been widely used for the past several years. While many people have a rough idea of what it means, some may not know the precise definition. In this article, we will take a closer look at the meaning of "feminist."

What Does "Feminist" Mean?

The word "feminist" is said to derive from the term "feminism." To understand it, we first need to understand feminism. Feminism is generally described as the quality or nature of being feminine, and appears to derive from the Latin word "femina." It is widely understood as an ideology of women's liberation that resists the oppression of women caused by sexist, male-centered perspectives throughout history.

A feminist is understood to be a person who follows and advocates feminism. In other words, a feminist is someone who seeks to put feminist principles into practice in real life.

Feminism encompasses a movement that aims to provide a correct perspective by focusing on women's issues that arise when women are regarded not as women in their own right, but as non-male or as defective males.

2. Detailed Explanation

In short, feminism is understood as recognizing the objective reality that oppresses women and seeking solutions to it, and as the effort to eliminate the attitude of standardizing male-specific social experiences and ways of perception as universal norms. It also includes systematically understanding the concerns of women who feel oppressed, as well as establishing the particularity and legitimate differences of what is considered feminine — all of which are considered goals of feminism.

It is also worth noting that feminism addresses not biological sex, but social gender (gender as a social construct).

The First Wave of Feminism

Feminism is generally divided into several waves according to historical periods. The first stirring of feminist thought is traced back to 1792, and the women's suffrage movements in the United States and United Kingdom between 1890 and 1920 are considered the first wave of feminism. At the time, feminist arguments are understood to have grown from concerns about the cultural and political situation of women, which in turn is believed to have led to the opening of schools for women.

The Second Wave of Feminism

The feminist movement of this period is said to have

3. How It Developed

begun in the late 1960s. This era was also a time when feminist and anti-government movements, including those led by Black people and students, called for improvements in working conditions and higher wages, challenging social inequality. Thus, the second wave is seen as a period when race and class intersected with injustice, and the feminist movement's primary aim was social equality and rights.

The Third Wave of Feminism

Feminism from the 1990s onward is said to have encompassed wide-ranging interests including gender, race, cultural diversity, religion, and nationality. It is considered significant because it sought to supplement and revise the singular perspective of middle-class white women who had been at the center of the feminist movement. This period is also seen as a time of heightened awareness of diverse feminist identities.

Feminism in South Korea

While feminism has a long history abroad, South Korea also has its own feminist history. The domestic feminist movement is said to have begun during the Enlightenment period when women with new educational opportunities began organizing women's groups. The first Korean feminists can be traced to

4. Additional Information

Geunuhoe (the Korean Women's Association), a women's movement organization founded in 1927. Women who received new education during the Enlightenment period organized women's groups, and Korean feminists appear to have been divided across various ideological currents including liberalism, socialism, Christianity, and feminism.

Feminist Conflicts

Feminism originally emerged to address discrimination arising from gender inequality, and was created to advance women's rights. However, as some elements of female supremacism and misandry appeared, conflict between men and women began to grow, and today social polarization has become a notable side effect.

In particular, the tendency to view everything through the lens of gender conflict — driven by extreme self-interest rather than common sense — is seen as causing social division and strife. Building a healthy foundational society requires efforts toward harmony and reconciliation. Rather than dividing people by gender, it is hoped that mutual respect and fulfillment of one's own responsibilities will resolve these conflicts. We have now reviewed the meaning of the word "feminist," its characteristics across different historical periods, and the history of feminism in South Korea.