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Hi all! So I was researching feminism and was thinking about the fact that some feminists are different than others. I found that there are apparently six different types of feminists which include, liberal feminists, radical feminists, socialist feminists, cultural feminists, eco-feminists, and Marxist feminists. After researching this, I believe I am a liberal feminist which is someone who is someone who believes in gender equality and believes that change must happen legally, but I don't think I fall into this category perfectly just like anyone else would because we are all unique in our beliefs. What do you think about these 'categories'?

What type of feminist are you and why? Are you a combination of several types? Also if any of your guys know more about the different types of feminists that would be great as I am still young and don't know much. Thank you! And here is the link for the different types of feminists.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-di...

What exactly is the distinction between socialist feminist and Marxist feminist? Generally speaking they argue for similar things; common ownership over (otherwise) privately owned property, either via a state or via grassroots action. Marxism argues that capitalism must be overthrown and state power must be used as a means to keep capitalism away, so that the said state could (at a certain point) dismantle itself so that the proletariat would be completely free. Besides, there is a specific term known as "anarcha-feminism" which I identify with, although I presume that falls under the category of "socialist feminism", considering that anarchism is inherently a form of socialism (the difference with Marxism being that anarchists seek to overthrow both capitalism and the state at the same time).

To answer the question though, I'm an anarcha-feminist because I believe that having more women in governments and/or business is no good way to achieve equality because these institutions (governments and businesses) are inherently unequal and do not justify themselves. It's generally possible to have gender equality under a state capitalist system (although we've never really had a gender equal state capitalist society as of yet) but you'd still have general inequality under such a system so why not be thorough, right?

I do want ti ask though: can't you be a combination of the above? Why should you have to choose just one?

I don't actually think those six categories make a lot of sense.

Emma wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Hi all! So I was researching feminism and was thinking about the fact that some feminists are different than others. I found that there are apparently six different types of feminist..."

Interesting!

Tim wrote: "What exactly is the distinction between socialist feminist and Marxist feminist? Generally speaking they argue for similar things; common ownership over (otherwise) privately owned property, either..."

I don't think you have to. I think feminists can be a combination of anything really.

That's why I don't think those categories make so much sense. You could combine feminism with any political or social movement or theory and have a new category. Marxist feminists, Catholic feminists, Democratic feminists, Non Binary feminists, Reform Jewish Vegan feminists, Evangelical Eco feminists, Anarcho-syndicalist Atheist feminists. Wouldn't it make more sense to say that there are many flavors of feminism depending on the other political, social and cultural positions held by a particular feminist?

I mean we all agree that women should and currently do not have equal political rights. But we don't necessarily all agree on other things and I agree with Amanda that we don't actually have to.

Bunny wrote: "That's why I don't think those categories make so much sense. You could combine feminism with any political or social movement or theory and have a new category. Marxist feminists, Catholic feminis..."

This makes sense. Everyone has their own personal "brand" of feminism that is unique to them. But the label can be helpful in identifying yourself to others who agree with you.

Hannah wrote: "Bunny wrote: "That's why I don't think those categories make so much sense. You could combine feminism with any political or social movement or theory and have a new category. Marxist feminists, Ca..."

Yes I agree! I don't think I perfectly fall into any of these categories but these help identity myself. I don't know if any person can perfectly fall into a category. All feminists are unique.

Yes, I didn't see myself on that list at all.

One of the things that bothered me about this list is that I think in reference to Radical Feminism they got sex and gender mixed up. Gender is a social construct and doesn't really have anything to do with whether or not your body can get pregnant. I think what the concept of Radical Feminism is more about separating the concept of "woman" from "has a vagina and ovaries" and "man" from "has a penis and testicles". For a good book on the subject (definitely a scientific read, but enlightening) is Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality. I think that the idea is that if we stop relating gender to genitals, behavior to hormones, psychology to biology, then we will get to a place where personality attributes and potential for success are not related to gender at all.

Emma wrote: "Maybe these six types of feminism are useful for those who want to identify themselves and their personal type of feminism, but are less helpful for those who find their own type of feminism to be ..."
Yes! I agree

Audrey wrote: "One of the things that bothered me about this list is that I think in reference to Radical Feminism they got sex and gender mixed up. Gender is a social construct and doesn't really have anything t..."

Thanks for the information as I am new to this subject matter.

As far as I can tell the person who answered the question on Quora isn't any particular authority on feminism, just a person giving their opinion for what its worth. I expect if you asked five other people you'd get five other opinions. There are some organized movements within feminism, some schools of scholarship, some political parties in different countries, some membership organizations that have platforms or statements of purpose that can be looked at. But on the whole I think its a lot more diffuse than there are six kinds and here's what they are. More like there are hundreds of different groups and organizations all with differences ranging from slight to major, but pretty much everyone agrees on the basic thing I said before, women do not have equal rights in society and that should change.

Bunny wrote: "As far as I can tell the person who answered the question on Quora isn't any particular authority on feminism, just a person giving their opinion for what its worth. I expect if you asked five othe..."

Yes, I don't think anyone is a particular expert but I may agree with the person. And yes, no one is wrong or right in their beliefs, everyone is different,

Amanda wrote: "Yes, I don't think anyone is a particular expert but I may agree with them or like the fact that someone has information written by someone with a different opinion. ..."

Sure, that makes sense.

This list of types of feminists has existed at least since the early 1990s, when I was pursuing my degree in Women's Studies. At the time the goal was to compartmentalize different types of beliefs feminists held in order to . . . I have no idea. But I remember having to write a paper about which type of feminist I was. After much soul searching and rolling of eyes, I came up with my thesis: I am all of these women.

Two people enter a park. One enters through the north gate and walks south, the other through the south gate and walks north. They proceed along their chosen paths until, somewhere within the center of the park; they inevitably meet. The northbound walker notices the southbound walker is wearing a shirt which reads ‘This is what a feminist looks like.” The reason this is significant, is because the northbound walking is wearing the same shirt.
“Excuse me,” the northbound walker politely says, stopping the southbound walker. “I see you are a feminist, well, I’m a feminist too.”
“Well, that’s wonderful,” the southbound walker replied. “Actually, I’m a conservative feminist.”
“Amazing, what a coincidence, I’m also a conservative feminist, well, actually, I’m a polyterran conservative feminist.”
“You’re kidding,” The southbound walker grins. “I’m a polyterran conservative feminist. In fact, I’m a corsik polyterran conservative feminist.”
The northbound walker laughs.
“This is so great. I’m a corsik polyterran conservative feminist. Really, I’m a natural corsik polyterran conservative feminist, to tell you the truth.”
“Oh,” The southbound walker replies with a look of disappointment. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m a neo-natural corsik polyterran conservative feminist.”
“Oh, what a shame.” The northbound walker says with a shrug. “I guess we have nothing in common, sorry I bothered you.”
The two walkers proceed along their chosen paths.

Labels can divide us as well as unite us.

Jenny wrote: "This list of types of feminists has existed at least since the early 1990s, when I was pursuing my degree in Women's Studies. At the time the goal was to compartmentalize different types of beliefs..."

That's awesome!