Feminism has been traditionally understood as occurring in three waves. Feminist critiques of patriarchal societies have been going on for centuries, but these critiques did not unify into a definite movement with a clearly articulated agenda until the late nineteenth century. At this time, the first wave of feminism swept across society. This movement fought for the recognition of the intelligence, dignity, and potential of women.

First-wave feminism focused primarily on women’s suffrage, or the right to vote. Women actually ended up getting the right to vote in America after African-Americans did, in 1920, when the nineteenth amendment was passed. This is an interesting indication of the status of women at this time in American history. Black men, who had been deemed less than human during the era of slavery, were given the right to participate in government before free white women.

The official beginning of first-wave feminism took place in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention in New York. Here, both men and women showed their support for female equality. Elisabeth Cady Stanton was one of the leaders of this rally. She wrote the Seneca Falls Declaration, which details the emerging movement’s ideological commitments and political tactics. Lucretia Mott and Susan B. Anthony were also key figures in first wave feminism.

Women involved in first-wave feminism challenged the stereotypes about their sex then prevailing by taking bold action. They spoke in public, demonstrated, and even endured imprisonment. This political activity forced society to question conventional conceptions of gender differences. One argument in this discussion was that women were the moral superiors of men, and therefore that their inclusion in political life would create a more just society.

First-wave feminism had close ties with the abolitionist movement, as well as the movement to allow black people the right to vote. They were both united by the belief that certain groups of people should not be categorized as unfit for leadership roles in society. Both groups probably drew strength from their cooperation, since it makes sense that first-wave feminism became a more formidable political force once it was united to political factions associated with the elevation of black people.

A key thinker associated with first-wave feminism is John Stuart Mill. In 1869, he wrote the document, ”On the Subjection of Women.” In this work, Mill flatly stated at the outset that the legal subordination of the female sex is wrong. Mill thought, though, that sexism was a deeply rooted position that was held with passionate conviction. Due to this intense emotional commitment to sexism, Mill felt that sexist practice was peculiarly immune to rational argument.

Mill foresaw a long uphill battle for the feminist movement. For him, a heavy burden of proof was laid upon the feminist movement. Feminism had to defend its goals, but the position of sexist males gained easy acceptance. Sexism is an entrenched social structure; uprooting it would require much more than merely demonstrating philosophically that it is immoral.  

Mill felt that, historically, a society in which women had equality with men had never been constructed. As a result, Mill felt that experience had yet to indicate whether such a society was a viable one. Mill also denied that rational methods validated a patriarchal society. Mill accounted for the prevalence of patriarchy in human social structures by noting that women’s inferior physical strength led them to be subjected to men, and the laws and governmental policies that early societies were mere outgrowths of social patterns, which involved the subjugation of women to men, that already existed. In other words, these laws just followed existing trends instead of being the fruit of rational reflection.

For Mill, there was thus no rational basis for patriarchy. He also felt that there was no empirical data that could undermine the cause of feminism, and so he believed firmly that the society envisioned by first-wave feminism ought to be considered. That women are not weaker than men in terms of the fortitude of their spirits was demonstrated by the success of first-wave feminism, in which women courageously confronted the well-established institution of patriarchy. Today we are able to gather empirical data about a society in which men and women have an equal right to political participation, because we live in one. Most would say that our society is better off because of the active involvement of women.