Liberal Feminism:

Liberal feminists work within the structures of mainstream society to integrate women into that structure. Liberal feminists seek to reform structures, not remake them. Harkening back to John Locke and the social contract theory of government instituted by the American Revolution, early American liberal feminists include Abigail Adams and Mary Wollstonecraft.

By emphasizing women's treatment under the law and access to education, most 19th century feminists and most second-wave feminists were liberal feminists. Often liberal and radical feminists collude unknowingly in a good feminist-bad feminist routine which is like a good-cop, bad-cop routine. By appearing moderate and reasonable in comparison to radical feminists, liberal feminists often influence the system more than their radical sisters. But the liberal feminists couldn't make progress without the radicals.

Radical Feminism:

While liberal feminists are the "doers" of the women's movement, i.e., those active in creating and modifying existing organizations, radical feminists are the theoreticians of the movement. Many see radical feminists as the "undesirable" element of feminism, as in "I'm not one of those types of feminist."

During the early 1970s, radical feminism was the breeding ground for many of the ideas arising from feminism; ideas which get shaped and pounded out in various ways by other (but not all) branches of feminism. It has since been supplanted by the more moderate "cultural" feminists.

Radical feminists should not be confused with Marxist or socialist feminists. The label "radical" springs from the 1967-1968 civil rights and peace movements and comes not from an economic analysis of patriarchy. Rather, radical feminists hold the view that women's oppression cuts across boundaries of race, culture, and economic class. Radical feminists seek revolutionary social change, not modifications of the existing system. Because they do not want to become part of 'the system', they don't really have a permenant place in the woman's movement, which is both a source of weakness and strength. Always dynamic, always faction-ridden and always full of ideas, its influence has been felt in all of the other varieties of feminism, as well as in society at large .

Amazon Feminism:

Amazon feminism is dedicated to the image of the female hero in fiction and in fact, as it is expressed in art and literature, in the physiques and feats of female athletes, and in sexual values and practices.

Amazon feminism is concerned about physical equality and is opposed to gender role stereotypes and discrimination against women based on assumptions that women are supposed to be, look or behave as if they are passive, weak and physically helpless.

Amazon feminism rejects the idea that certain characteristics or interests are inherently masculine (or feminine), and upholds and explores a vision of heroic womanhood. Thus Amazon feminism advocates e.g., female strength athletes, martial artists, soldiers, etc.

Eco-Feminism:

More spiritual than political or theoretical in nature, eco-feminism's basic tenet is that a patriarchal society will exploit its resources without regard to the long term consequences as a direct result of the attitudes fostered in a patriarchal/hierarchical society.

Parallels are often drawn between society's treatment of the environment, animals, or resources and its treatment of women. In resisting patriarchal culture, eco-feminists feel that they also resist plundering and destroying the Earth. And vice-versa. It is sometimes wrapped up with Goddess worship and vegetarianism.

Some see this version of feminism as little more than a warmed over version of previously existing -isms. They believe that eco-feminism is actually a socially-conscious environmentalism with a tiny smattering of the radical and cultural feminist observation that exploitation of women and exploitation of the earth have some astonishing parallels with the rest of "eco-feminism" a variation on socialism. The Green movements of Europe have done a good job of formulating (if not implementing) an environmentally aware feminism; and while Green movements were not originally considered a part of eco-feminism, they are now recognized as a vital component.

So ... are eco-feminists true feminists or socially conscious environmentalists? Who knows. I'll take their support either way.

Cultural Feminism:

Some people believe cultural feminism gradually superceded radical feminism. Frustrated by their inability to transform society at large, 1960s radicals came to concentrate on transforming their little piece of the world. In this sense, cultural feminism is a mellowed-out version of radical feminism. <.p>

Indeed, many radical feminists gradually became cultural feminists. To others, cultural feminism and radical feminism are two quite different things.

While radical feminism was a movement to transform society, cultural feminism worked to build a women's culture. Some cultural feminists focused on art, music, religion and other forms of culture targeted at, created by and about women.

Others had more down-to-earth goals, such as the creation of rape crisis centers and child-care co-ops. Yet others tried to increase the status for what is traditionally considered feminine or woman's work.

Extreme cultural feminists can sometimes sound disturbingly Victorian and non-progressive. For example, to them women are inherently (biologically) "kinder and gentler" than men. Hence if all leaders were women, we wouldn't have wars.

Individual, or Libertarian, Feminism:

Individualist feminism is based upon libertarianism, a philosophy which emphasizes individual autonomy, rights, liberty, independence and diversity. Libertarians want to minimize government, sometimes being so extreme as to advocate an almost anarchist political system melded onto a capitalism economic system. These feminists believe there is little or no role for government in helping women, that left to its own devices the free market will eliminate firms which discriminate on account of race or sex resulting in a society free of discrimination.

Do not confuse libertarian feminism with liberal feminism - they are 2 very different philosophies.

Since the free market was unfettered in this regard until the middle 1960s, an era when sex and race discrimination were rampant, one wonders how libertarian feminists reconcile theory and data. Be that as it may, libertarian feminism is found most often among well-educated, white, powerful, politically connected, middle- and upper-class women. Many female television political commentators who label themselves feminists are libertarian feminists.

In October we celebrate Columbus Day, let us remember the original inhabitant of this land on that day.