Feminism

Feminism is the idea that women are equals to men and deserve the same rights. Feminists are people (male or female) that support this idea. Feminism took many forms in the late 1800's and early 1900's. In Britain, militant feminists such as Emmeline Pankhurst rioted in the streets, destroyed property and fought with police. That's a little extreme! The early feminist movement in western Canada was much more peaceful. Leading Canadian feminists, including the Famous 5, brought about significant improvements to women's lives without resorting to violence. Violence never solves anything! They also stood for ideas that today may seem backward and old fashioned. Among these ideas was the belief that marriage and motherhood were important women's roles. This was not to say that women should be denied the right to work outside the home or participate in politics. This social stance came to be known as maternal feminism.