Chart of feminist tendencies

Amanda Sebestyen talks about making a chart of all the different feminist philosophies that she was able to perceive in 1979. She was partly motivated to create this still-illuminating chart because she felt that insufficient attention was being paid to the ‘radical’ end of a feminist political spectrum, which included a large number of ‘socialist’ allegiances and heritages. However, she did not anticipate the anger with which some feminists would receive the chart. There were many groups and subgroups within the movement, as in all social movements, and passions ran high about the way to do politics and who to do them with.

Do you recognise any of what Sebestyen identified as ‘tendencies’ on her chart? Are there others that you would add on today?

Could you draw a chart of the political and social beliefs of your friendship group?

Image details

Tendencies in the Women’s Liberation Movement chart © Amanda Sebestyen