Description

This article is from the Feminism References FAQ, by Cindy Tittle Moore tittle@netcom.com with numerous contributions by others.

Feminism Terminologies:

A variety of movements in feminism means that calling one's self a
feminist can mean many things. In general, members of the following
categories of feminism believe in the listed policies; however as with
any diverse movement, there are disagreements within each group and
overlap between others. This list is meant to illustrate the
diversity of feminist thought and belief. It does not mean that
feminism is fragmented (although it often seems that way!). Much of
the definitions presented here are inspired from _American Feminism_
by Ginette Castro; there is a definite American bias here. Other
sources were _Feminist Frameworks_ (2nd ed.) by Jaggar and Rothenberg
(which is a worthwhile but incomplete reader that tried to sort out
these various schools of feminist thought). Any additional, balancing
information from other countries and/or books is more than welcome
(and will be incorporated).

Defining various kinds of feminism is a tricky proposition. The
diversity of comment with most of the kinds presented here should
alert you to the dangers and difficulties in trying to "define"
feminism. Since feminism itself resists all kinds of definitions by
its very existence and aims, it is more accurate to say that there are
all kinds of "flavors" and these flavors are mixed up every which way;
there is no set of Baskin Robbins premixed flavors, as it were.