What is gender justice?

Third Wave defines gender justice as a movement to end patriarchy, transphobia, and homophobia, and to create a world free from misogyny.

For Third Wave Fund, Gender Justice Movements are:

Multi-issue

because gender is connected to all aspects of our lives.

Community-led

Because it is led by those who are directly impacted by oppression.

Feminist, Queer, and Trans

Because queer and trans liberation is a feminist issue.

Gender justice is in every movement.

Gender justice is often talked about within the fight for women's liberation, reproductive justice, and queer and trans justice, however, we know it doesn’t stop there. Gender justice issues show up within immigration justice, education justice, racial justice, health and disability justice, and all efforts for justice and liberation.

Gender Justice is Reproductive Justice

As attacks on reproductive justice and trans people escalate, we follow the lead of our grantees who know this fight intimately, and who are not new to the criminalization of bodily autonomy.

Gender Justice is Racial Justice

Gender justice seeks to reverse the legacy of co-opting the leadership of women of color in histories of resistance by focusing on their leadership and recognizing gender as an important piece of all movements.

Gender Justice is Queer & Trans Justice

Gender justice isn't just about cisgender, heterosexual women and girls. Violence and oppression target all expressions of femininity, regardless of one's birth sex or gender identity.

We Fund Where It Matters Most

Third Wave resources youth-led gender justice activism to fill the major national funding gap.

We Prioritize Access and Liberation, Not Just Policy Wins

Civil rights and legal protections, though critically important, do not inherently end the marginalization of oppressed communities.

We Center the Leadership of Those Most Impacted

We believe that inclusion cannot be an afterthought, and that our diversity, personal experiences, and voices are our greatest strengths!