Published 2002-04-10T00:00:00Z”/>

Loryll Nicolaisen<br>Staff Writer

Third-wave feminism has yet to be clearly defined, but on Saturday the definition was the focus of much discussion.

At the Associated Students Women’s Center’s fourth annual conference, entitled “Third Wave? Feminism, Diversity, Activism,” 85 Chico State University students, faculty and community members came together to get a better grasp on young women and third-wave feminism, which is roughly defined as the wave of feminism involving 18-35 year old women.

“It really stimulated a lot of thought, if there is third-wave feminism,” Reagan Schaplow, director of the Women’s Center, said. “It was an infusion of new ideas and thoughts that brought awareness of third wave to our campus.”

Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner, co-authors of “Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future,” started the day off with a discussion on young women’s roles in activism and feminism, using their book as a tool and a reference for others.

“Feminism is an evolution, and to evolve from a book to these settings allows us to explore new ideas, to expand on these ideas and show people in the community what other people share their values,” Richards said.

Richards said speaking to high school and college campuses is important because it is the age group of the next wave of feminism and because it gives communities a sense of who else is interested in feminist activism.

“It’s great because it shows that people care about issues,” Richards said. “In many ways it confirms what we’re saying in Manifesta, that people do care about feminism. They do want to contribute to a feminist movement.”

In addition to the discussion, panels were held during the day on the relationships between feminism and rape crisis and prevention, the changing roles of Hmong women, Stonewall Alliance, activism, and women and the environment, and were led by Chico State students and faculty, among others.