November 22, 2009
UTNE READER

Feminism's Fourth Wave

(Page 3 of 3)

March / April 2005
By Pythia Peay 
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At gatherings big and small, many are realizing that putting themselves in the service of the world is feminism's next step. At a time when the United States is viewed with increasing distrust by other countries, feminism's shift toward cultivating a spiritually informed activism may help to repair our diplomatic ties. No less important is the depth that comes from quiet reflection closer to home. As Carol Lee Flinders notes, a "serious spiritual life with a strong inward dimension" is crucial in itself, releasing the energy that can turn visionary feminist theory into action.

Meanwhile, as feminism allows more women to reach positions of power in American culture, increasing numbers have discovered that material success does not satisfy their hunger for meaning and connection. Women are becoming increasingly clear and vocal about the need to integrate an emerging set of feminine-based values into the culture. As the Democratic Party searches for a guiding set of values, it might consider turning to the women's spirituality movement for inspiration.

Pythia Peay serves on the organizing committee of Sacred Circles in Washington, D.C. She is the author of Mercury Retrograde (Tarcher/Penguin, 2004) and Soul Sisters: The Five Sacred Qualities of a Woman's Soul (Tarcher/Penguin, 2002). For more information on women and spirituality, visit Feminism's Fourth Wave: Spirituality Rituals.

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  • Antony 4/30/2009 7:00:17 PM

    This seems very New Agey, in that it seems to support a generic, superficial interpretation of spirituality, which is never well-defined. Also, it tends to make broad assumptions about women as a whole, ie that women are inherently spiritually-minded and share a "feminine spirituality." For these two reasons, and because New Age women tend to be white and upper class, this seems like less of a 4th wave of feminism than a throw-back to 2nd wave feminism with a New Agey twist. It is completely unresponsive to 3rd wave criticism.

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