Women's & Gender Studies: Core Concepts

What was the primary goal of the first wave of feminism in the United States and the United Kingdom?

The primary goal was women's suffrage, or the legal right to vote, alongside efforts to address property rights and legal standing.

What is the main distinction between 'sex' and 'gender' in feminist theory?

Sex refers to biological characteristics such as anatomy and chromosomes, while gender refers to the social and cultural roles, behaviors, and identities assigned to people.

Who wrote the 1963 book 'The Feminine Mystique,' which is often credited with sparking second-wave feminism?

Betty Friedan.

What 1972 U.S. federal law prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program receiving federal money?

Title IX (Title 9).

What term describes a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership and social privilege?

Patriarchy.

Which wave of feminism is most closely associated with the use of social media and the #MeToo movement?

Fourth-wave feminism.

How does Simone de Beauvoir define the status of women in her seminal work 'The Second Sex'?

She argues that 'one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman,' defining woman as the 'Other' in relation to man, who is the 'Subject.'

What is Kimberlé Crenshaw's concept of 'intersectionality'?

It is a framework for understanding how various social identities—such as race, gender, and class—overlap to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege.

According to Judith Butler, what does it mean that gender is 'performative'?

Gender is not an internal essence but is produced through the stylized repetition of acts, gestures, and behaviors that create the illusion of a stable identity.

What was the central focus of the second wave of feminism during the 1960s and 1970s?

It focused on 'women's liberation,' including reproductive rights, workplace equality, domestic violence, and the dismantling of traditional domestic roles.