Feminism in the 1990s

By: Jennifer Baumgardner, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Jennifer Baumgardner

Feminism in the 1990s was a movement unique to its time but also deeply connected to earlier movements for women’s rights and gender equality. Often referred to as the “third wave”, the feminism of the '90s was a reaction to both the incomplete accomplishments of earlier waves and the contradictory - yet popular - belief that feminism was no longer necessary.

Beginning with a brief overview of the various goals and phases of feminism from the early 19th century onward, writer and feminist theorist Jennifer Baumgardner takes you on a tour of a tumultuous decade full of complex issues and contradictions through the lens of the feminist movement and the ways it shaped - and was shaped by - the closing years of the 20th century. From abortion rights to ‘zines, Feminism in the 1990s explores the ways third-wave feminism reacted to popular culture while simultaneously being co-opted by it.

As you will see, feminism in the 1990s was about more than “girl power”. It was about politics on scales both personal and global as well as a reaction to the rising power of commodification and persistent sexism in everything from film and music to sports and education. These lectures also look closely at the weaknesses that plagued feminism’s attempts at inclusivity and the many ways the movement has branched off to address these issues, including the vital concept of intersectionality and the power of anger to inspire change.

Every wave of feminism encountered derision and backlash from those devoted to preserving the status quo, and the feminism of the 1990s was no different. Despite opposition from politicians, traditionalists, and even earlier feminists, you will discover how the movement for women’s equality became stronger and louder than ever before, often led by a new generation raised with feminist ideals who wanted to build a better, more equitable world.

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entertaining and deeply informative

even more entertaining if you were an 80s or 90s teen. author really captures and unpacks all the nuance with this period of feminism which is, in my opinion, far more complex than the earlier waves.

Detailed history of Feminist movements

Outstanding listen! I will start it over to catch things I may have missed when tuned in to a critical point. If doing research on the topic, I recommend this as a foundation.

Enlightening

I truly enjoyed an Audiobook from Audible Feminism in the 1990s by Jennifer Baumgardner, The Great Courses, narrated by Jennifer Baumgartner.
Enlightening, inspiring, factual.

good survey, exepectedly self-congratulatory

An easy listening history of recent American feminism by an infotmed feminist activist. Don't expect a deep discussion of theory. It was a bit jarring to hear abortions almost celebrated as a feminist rite of passage rather than as a medical procedure that deals with problems more happily avoided to begin with.

Feminism is not dead.

Enlightening and comprehensive. Worth a listen if you ever wondered why we have Women and Gender Studies.

Informative

I enjoyed learning things I didn't know. I'd always considered myself a feminist because I believed women were equal to men. I had no idea there were so many levels to it and such a wide swatch of women who considered themselves to be so. Good listen, great narration/course.

Pretty much what I expected l, good overview of theory

I have had very little exposure to feminist thought and wanted to understand better the thinking that is influencing so much of this increasingly “woke” world. Baumgardner did a very good job of providing an overview of the 3 feminist “waves” and how they related to one another and evolved over time.

An interesting take on feminism

I was interested in digging into the history of the feminism, the movement and also just what it means now and how it slowly morphed into what we see together.

Important historical take

This is an insightful look at the history of the feminist movement, especially in the 1990s. It was insightful to explain the different "waves" of feminism, how they were affected by events of the time, and what they changed - including the effects more women in congress started to have. It's ridiculously short, so it seems strange to include in The Great Courses series, but it's still though provoking. Seems like it should be a couple chapters in a much larger work though.

Worthy addition to a feminist bookshelf

I enjoyed this book very much, in as far as you can enjoy hearing about the oppression of any group of people. As usual when i read about feminism I am upset, but hearing about the struggles and fights of our sisters from previous generations is always eye opening and relevant. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about the rriot girls. I was a child in the 90s so a lot of the topics covered helped me put stuff i vaguely remembered in context. Highly recommend listening to this. The author narrates her book very well too, which is always a treat