howstuffworks:

How Feminism Works

At its core, feminism is the belief in equ­ality. It seeks to eliminate the social, cultural and legal barriers between men and women. Its goal is to create a truly egalitarian society. Beyond that, the waters grow murkier. Feminist factions disagree sometimes on what constitutes equality — whether it’s sexual freedom, career advancement or something else. Some people who label themselves feminists perceive that battle for equality as over and done with; others still view society as rife with patriarchal restrictions. Recently, a debate has stirred over whether feminism has become outdated as term and should even be used at all.

­So is feminism today a potent force for change? Or is it the “f-word,” spit out like a bitter seed? By examining its unifying philosophies and causes, as well as the schisms within the movement, we can properly evaluate and answer those questions.

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A nice Intro to Feminism 101. Besides the fact that they keep capitalizing bell hooks’ name, solid basics.