Fourth Wave Foresight

Contributed by Cathy Medici, 2015

American feminists are at a crossroads of debate. Discussion about defining waves as segments in time can be intriguing. That debate is interesting to both adherents to feminist persuasions, and those not persuaded. The first wave had as its primary focus, eventual suffrage.

That achievement in 1920, after a century long struggle, ushered in an ironic extended nap, until a reawakening some forty years later. Recognizing the significance of acquiring the vote has fallen away, in the consciousness of present-day feminists.

Awareness within American feminism of the now commonly articulated waves came to popular acceptance, with the generational shift from the second to the third wave. The second wave’s inception is tied in time to a beginning in the late 1960s, and an ending in the early 90’s. The third wave, beginning at the end of the second, has now surpassed the roughly twenty year duration of the second. That raises the question of the possibility that it is time for a progressive fourth wave.

The adage that hindsight is better than foresight is relevant. Questions raised by younger participants in the third wave, about the circumstances and role model personalities from the past, contain some interesting challenges.

It may be quite constructive to look back further in time, before the 19th century initial wave and integrate feminism with principles of global multiculturalism. Consideration starts with the impact of European Imperialism on the participation of women, in absorbed societies.

Any multiculturalist will assert that Western influences eroded local cultures in deleterious ways. An obvious example was the absorption of India into the British Empire. Fourth wave feminism could instill awareness of cultural preservation and diversity.

The popularity of yoga in the West came from both Hindu and Buddhist meditation practices. Its broad western acceptance originated in the 60s counter culture. The closely related practice of sati or sutti, articulated in Sanskrit, was drastically abridged by British intrusion into India’s culture.

The human rights of India’s women were subjected to Western disruption. No longer were women allowed to exercise their cultural persuasion, and climb atop their husband’s funeral pyre for cremation. Women in India had their identity changed through male chauvinist imperialistic dictation, forcing widow status upon them.

Is it time to foster a reinstatement of the right of India’s women to display their complete, absolute identification as extensions of their husband’s life? That aspect of an Indian woman’s liberation could become globally accepted. Is it time for feminists in the West to affirm the multicultural, cosmopolitan revival of female sati by way of yoga? Should they demonstrate solidarity with Hindu women by completely merging their identity with their husbands, and be cremated alive? Was Joan of Arc way ahead of her time as a feminist statement?

It adds perspective to cultural diversity to make multiple queries along the same lines. It is generally accepted in academia, that European Imperialism had draconian, degenerating, exploitative disregard, as per Marx, for the people subjugated outside the West. When multiple European powers colonized China in the 19th century, prior to the advent of feminism, they forced an end to the crushing and binding of the feet of aristocratic girls.

Is it time for a renaissance revival of the identity of women in Chinese culture, reversing the domineering, diluting influence of the West? Can China be persuaded to value cultural diversity, revert to pristine, preindustrial, sustainable mud huts and let females once again choose to have their feet crushed? Perhaps, like being incinerated with their husbands, it would add to cultural diversity amongst western feminists, if they would join in global, female liberation from masculine, western dominance and have their feet crushed.

A dialogue over fashion accessories behind burkhas might now be in order, in the transition into the fourth wave. Can burkhas be recognized for their gender neutral influence on Zorro and Darth Vader? Would considering Mata Hari’s vocal range and dance movements, contribute to a broader debate of women’s issues, shifting focus from current pop culture preoccupation beyond Kardashian derrières?

Can questions of political significance be debated, drawing on prominent women from the past like Catherine De Medici? While ruling in Paris, did she manage bimbo eruptions any differently, than current prominent political women? Further back in time, we could ask what of Cleopatra’s contribution to feminine political development, through notable seductions. Was it an early example of male chauvinism, when Marc Antony outlived her? He couldn’t have been preoccupied with eating Doritos, so why did he neglect addressing her untenable political circumstance?

When Plato wrote The Republic and admonished women to take a greater role in society in both government and business, did he have any idea how wealthy he would make lawyers in that process? If his masculine advice has not been implemented to the satisfaction of feminists in the past 24 centuries, is it all because of a vast, masculine wing conspiracy, including head bonking on invisible ceilings?

Why did a man, Plato, first articulate the core within feminism, framing the debate, and not a woman? Will that realization lead to Dudeology Studies departments for masculinist meninists in universities, with motorcycles, beer, and fishing in the syllabus? Can gender identification in language ever get past word processors trying to change “meninist” to “feminist?” What a stride forward for gender equality that would be, richly deserving celebration!

Did Albert Einstein die without completing his cosmological constant theory, because he did not take into consideration the causation for the constant, cyclical movement of matter through time and space, in terms of living room furniture? Is the current circumstance anything more than a nihilistic, past tense, abandonment of the core of western culture?