Feminism in Latin America

In Latin America, there is a diverse collection of feminist movements aimed at defining, establishing, and achieving equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and social rights for Latin American women. Feminism in Latin America is wide-ranging and refers to feminist movements across the region of South and Central America and the Caribbean. Latin American feminists, like their counterparts in other spheres, are individuals who practice feminism by advocating or supporting the rights and equality of women. Feminism in the Latin American context emerged to challenge gender inequalities and patriarchy against a backdrop of colonialism and a system of racial and class hierarchies. Feminists in Latin America have worked to prioritize region-specific movements with priorities distinct from those of feminists in Europe and North America, while also embracing transnational and intersectional thought.

Context and History

Latin American feminism exists in the context of centuries of colonialism, including the transportation and subjugation of enslaved people from Africa, and the mistreatment of indigenous people. The origins of modern Latin American feminism can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s social movements, where it encompasses the women's liberation movement, but prior feminist ideas had expanded before there were written records. While feminist movements in the region are often linked to the 1960s and 1970s, when women's liberation organizations began to gain prominence, the historical genealogy of Latin American feminism shows that feminist concepts are much older and more deeply rooted in the region's colonial past. Across various regions in Latin America and the Caribbean, the definition of feminism varies among groups, reflecting cultural, political, and social involvement. The expression of diversity and change from the viewpoint of those who have historically been marginalized, particularly through the experiences of colonialism and patriarchy, has consistently been a focus of feminist philosophy in Latin America.