Defining Feminism: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Meaning Women Assign to their Feminist Identities

Abstract

This study explored the meaning that women assign to their feminist identities. In particular, the study examined the lived experiences of fourteen women who were active in the women's movement during the 1970s. The definitions of feminism provided were organized into six categories: (1) Working Towards Justice, (2) Valuing Self and Other Women, (3) Women with Diverse Perspectives, (4) Relevancy in Personal Lives, (5) Future Orientation, and (6) Changing Understandings of Feminism. Major findings of the study included an understanding that women hold unique experiences as feminists in relation to the larger feminist movement, an insight into the centrality of equality to understanding feminist identities, and an awareness that the results of this study contrast with the leading model of feminist identity in the literature. The findings of this study provided important implications for family therapists as this study highlights the need to explore gender-based oppression with their clients.