Celebrating Women's History Month: A Reflection on the Feminist Movement
Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” While this quote can be applied to a variety of contexts, in honour of Women’s History Month, I’m going to use it to talk about the history of feminism and how what our ancestors have done has influenced who we, as women, are at present. The word “feminism” was first coined by French philosopher Charles Fourier, originally used to refer to “female/feminine traits.” The first wave of feminism occurred in the 19th and early 20th century, focusing on legal issues, notably questions of universal adult franchise and women’s suffrage. This wave saw the works of many well-known authors, such as Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and Louisa May Alcott, depicting various aspects of being a woman in the 19th century. The 19th century introduced certain educational reforms that enabled education for women; Elizabeth Blackwell was one of the first American women to graduate in medicine in 1849.