Feminism needs its final wave after the previous three waves in the last 200 years. The final wave should be focused to transcend the gender and bring about a balance in the feminine and masculine principles of nature in the evolutionary cycle of humanity. Time has come for the rise of womanhood and the feminine for the creation of a matriarchal society which is based on creative and generative action. Such a society will be guided by the forces of love, compassion, nurturing and a unifying and inclusive model of growth as opposed to reductionism.

The feminist movement should now address issues which are broader and which cover the role of women in the society and the world in a holistic manner. It should now become a movement which is inclusive in nature and which should readdress the relationship between man and woman in every sphere of life. The feminist movement should ask questions regarding an alternative model of society where social and economic development takes into consideration the balance that has to be achieved with nature. Progress and development should not be at the cost of destruction of the nature or at the cost of marginalization and deprivation of certain sections of the society.

Women are still marginalized and exploited in many ways around the world and feminism should address these issues aggressively. The feminist movement should advocate and work for the breaking of glass ceiling for women in the existing social, economic, religious and political structures.

But more than that, the feminist movement should show a new path of creative, generative and constructive freedom. The new wave of the feminist movement should transcend the gender and should focus on creating new structures in the society whether it is in the social, economic, religious or political spheres of life. This can be achieved based on the practice of balance between the feminine and masculine principles of nature.

Such structures created should be path-breaking, innovative and revolutionary in nature and they should aim towards creation of a new order based on matriarchy. Here the structures created should usher in a new way of thinking and doing things and they should strive for the forward movement of humanity in a holistic manner. Therefore the final wave of the feminist movement should give birth to a new age where humanity progresses towards understanding and opening up of the many mysteries of nature.

To make a giant leap in this direction it is also important for us to understand what is feminism, what has been the history of the feminist movement, what is the definition of feminism as applicable in different parts of the world, how is religion and the feminist movement associated, what is the rationale of the feminist theory, feminist philosophy and feminist theology and how is the modern, liberal and global feminist movements taking shape?

An in-depth study of the above questions and a re-synthesis based on the practice of balance between the feminine and masculine forces of nature will give genesis to the final wave of feminism. The final wave will revolutionize human thinking and way of doing things.

Sanjay Nair