女權主義是一系列政治運動、意識形態和社會運動，它們有一個共同的目標:定義、確立和實現性別的政治、經濟、個人和社會平等。這包括消除對性別的刻板印象，尋求為女性創造與男性平等的教育和職業機會。女權運動已經并繼續為婦女的權利而運動，包括投票權、擔任公職的權利、工作的權利、獲得公平工資或同工同酬的權利、擁有財產的權利、接受教育的權利、簽訂合同的權利、婚姻中享有平等權利和產假的權利。女權主義者還努力確保合法墮胎和社會融合，保護婦女和女孩免受強奸、性騷擾和家庭暴力。改變衣著和可接受的體育活動常常是女權運動的一部分一些學者認為女權主義運動是一個重大歷史背后的主要力量為婦女權利的社會變化,尤其是在西方,他們普遍認為,實現婦女選舉權,性別中立的英語,對女性生育權(包括節育和墮胎),和進入合同和擁有財產的權利。[6]中國英語學習網雖然女權主義的倡導現在和過去主要集中在婦女的權利上，但是一些女權主義者，包括貝爾·胡克斯在內，主張將男性解放納入其目標，因為他們認為男性也受到傳統性別角色的傷害。[7]女性主義理論起源于女權主義運動，旨在通過考察女性的社會角色和生活經歷來理解性別不平等的本質;它發展了各種學科的理論，以回應有關性別的問題許多女權主義運動和意識形態的發展，代表了不同的觀點和目標。一些女權主義形式被批評只考慮白人、中產階級和受過大學教育的人的觀點。這種批判導致了特定種族或多元文化形式的女權主義的產生，包括黑人女權主義和跨部門的女權主義。

Feminism is a range of political movements, ideologies, and social movements that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the genders.[1][2][3] This includes fighting gender stereotypes and seeking to establish educational and professional opportunities for women that are equal to those for men.Feminist movements have campaigned and continue to campaign for women's rights, including the right to vote, to hold public office, to work, to earn fair wages or equal pay, to own property, to receive education, to enter contracts, to have equal rights within marriage, and to have maternity leave. Feminists have also worked to ensure access to legal abortions and social integration, and to protect women and girls from rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence.[4] Changes in dress and acceptable physical activity have often been part of feminist movements.[5]Some scholars consider feminist campaigns to be a main force behind major historical societal changes for women's rights, particularly in the West, where they are near-universally credited with achieving women's suffrage, gender neutrality in English, reproductive rights for women (including access to contraceptives and abortion), and the right to enter into contracts and own property.[6] Although feminist advocacy is, and has been, mainly focused on women's rights, some feminists, including bell hooks, argue for the inclusion of men's liberation within its aims because they believe that men are also harmed by traditional gender roles.[7] Feminist theory, which emerged from feminist movements, aims to understand the nature of gender inequality by examining women's social roles and lived experience; it has developed theories in a variety of disciplines in order to respond to issues concerning gender.[8][9]Numerous feminist movements and ideologies have developed over the years and represent different viewpoints and aims. Some forms of feminism have been criticized for taking into account only white, middle class, and college-educated perspectives. This criticism led to the creation of ethnically specific or multicultural forms of feminism, including black feminism and intersectional feminism.