In the 1960s, the second wave of feminism was spreading across the country. Much like the first wave of feminism, it focused on equality between men and women in America. However, it now focuses on female gender roles in society and seeks to establish justice to ensure that women are treated equally with men. This has not been an easy task given that the patriarchal system has been embedded in society for so long, not only in American history but in many other cultures as well. Patriarchy is defined as "a social system in which men are the primary central authority figures in social organization, occupying roles of political leadership, moral authority, and control of property, and where fathers exercise authority over women and children. It involves institutions of male domination and privilege, and involves the subordination of women,” according to the collective knowledge of the Wikimedia Foundation. Although women have the capacity to change the patriarchal system, it has been in power for so long that it has been recognized as a social normality. Before the first wave of feminism, women could not obtain property or vote in America. This was due to the unspoken law that men were placed in a higher position of authority and could thus deprive an entire population of certain rights because of their gender. Such obstacles, which date back to the hierarchical system of kings and princes, leave little room for feminism to allow its ideals to be accepted by the society around them. This also indicates that the environment around them is true to traditional ideals in which women would rarely hold a role in society and thus limit their influence in the world around them. A French writer, Simone de Beauvo... middle of paper ......troversy. Second wave feminism was no exception to these criticisms leveled at the movement. In his article "Feminism," Bryant stated that "critics argue that there is too much focus on the negative and that feminists sometimes ignore recent social changes." Critics say feminists portray women as “passive” victims, as if they are incapable of taking action against discrimination. The same critics believe that feminists focus on a specific group, ignoring women of other cultures and ethnicities (such as black feminism). » This means that critics of feminism have said that much of the feminist movement focuses on the negative aspects it brings. The ignorance shown towards current issues and the diversity of characteristics of each woman, often used by the feminist movement, indicated that there were still aspects of the movement that needed improvement..