Feminist Organisation

Feminism is the term used to describe the study of women’s rights. This includes the drive for gender and sexual equality, equality of opportunity in regard to education, employment and healthcare, and freedom from sexual harassment and domestic violence. This movement includes a range of theories, opinions and activities, which aim to ensure that women have the same access to all aspects of society as men do. This includes challenging notions of patriarchy and male attitudes in general towards women.

Within this movement, several organisations have been set up in order to promote these aims. This includes the National Organisation of Women (NOW), which was initiated in the USA in 1966 with the aim of ensuring equality for all women. This includes such issues as freedom of access to contraception and abortion, removing barriers to opportunities in the workplace and eradicating discriminatory attitudes towards women, for example in the case of rape and others forms of sexual violence.

There are many other organisations, in the UK and other countries, though the one that was the prime mover in many of today’s organisations was the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) which campaigned for women to have the vote. This movement originated in the early part of the 20th Century, and involved many acts of direct action before women were granted the vote in 1918. This was for women over the age of 30 though this was extended to all in 1928.