3.3.6 Feminism & Women's Rights

Feminism is the ideology that believes in women being equal to men. This ideology grew into a political movement throughout the 20th Century.

© 1848, Paris France. Courtesy: Musée Carnavalet
Look closely at the image. It is a picture of a women's rally in Paris, France, in 1848.

The caption of the poster is as follows:


Women's Club. We ask

  1. That the underskirt is replaced by trousers.
  2. That the husbands are home at least three times per week.
  3. Finally there shall be between the man and the woman no other distinction that that with which nature granted them.

Watch the following video to better understand how greater equality for women meant greater equality for all people in society.



"Women in the 19th Century: Crash Course US History #16, CrashCourse, You-tube 

 

 




Greater Equality for Women
Most people in liberal democracies today would say that all women should be equal to men. Some might say "equal but different", but most people believe that everyone is equal under the law and should be subject to the same laws and opportunities. However, this has not been the case throughout history.

It took centuries after the Enlightenment for women to obtain the right to be treated equally, including the right to vote. Women in many countries of the world today still do not have rights equal to men. From the perspective of some religions, women do not deserve equal rights, or they need a degree of protection that, in fact, limits their rights to the kind of full participation in society that women in Canada experience.

Think about the language used in many historic documents, including some of the key documents in the history of liberalism. Today, we sometimes think about the word "man" as a synonym for mankind, or all humanity, but in the days in which those historic documents were written, men did, in fact, have fundamental rights that were denied to women.

  •     The 1793 French Declaration of the Rights of Man refers to the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man.
  •     The 1776 US Declaration of Independence states, "... all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights."
  •     A British ruling in 1876 stated, "Women are persons in matters of pains and penalties, but are not persons in matters of rights and privileges."


Learn more about how the women's suffrage movement took shape in the United States from 1890-1920. To better understand this time period, revisit the progressive movement earlier in this unit.


"Women's Suffrage: Crash Course US History #31" CrashCourse, You-tube

 

 



Watch this Historica Minute to learn more how one suffragette in Canada fought for political equality. Canadian women gained the right to vote federally in 1918.


"Heritage Minutes: Nellie McClung", Historica Canada, You-tube

 

 


Historical Canadian Example: The Persons Case in 1928

In the 1920s, five Alberta women, Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, and Louise McKinney, fought to have women recognized as persons under the law. Although Emily Murphy had been appointed a magistrate, she was not considered to be a "person" under the law. Nor was any woman. The landmark decision to recognize women as "persons" was a milestone on the road to full rights for women in Canada. These women were some of the first feminists in Canada.

For more about the Persons Case, check the Famous Five Foundation website.


Read  "Equality Rights for Women in Western Democracies" on pages 158 to 159 of your text Perspectives on Ideology.


As you read about feminism, take notes on the following:
  • Explain how feminism, and the desire for greater equality, was a reaction to classical liberalism in many Western societies.
  • Can you think of contemporary issues that challenge equality rights today?
  • How do non-liberal societies view universal suffrage and feminism?