文化女权主义是一种多样的女权主义，它强调男女之间的本质区别，这是基于生殖能力的生理差异。文化女权主义归因于女性中那些与众不同且具有卓越美德的差异。从这个角度来看，妇女所共有的东西为“姐妹情谊”或团结，团结和共同认同提供了基础。因此，文化女权主义也鼓励建立共享的女性文化。 “基本差异”这一短语指的是性别差异是女性或男性本质的一部分，认为差异不是选择，而是女性或男性的一部分。文化女权主义者在这些差异是基于生物学还是文化适应方面存在差异。那些认为差异不是遗传或生物，而是文化差异的人认为，女性的“基本”品质是如此根深蒂固的文化根深蒂固。文化女权主义者也倾向于认为女性认同的品质优于或优于男性认同的品质，无论品质是自然产物还是文化品。用评论家Sheila Rowbotham的话来说，重点在于“过着自由的生活”。一些文化女权主义者作为个体积极参与社会和政治变革。许多早期的文化女权主义者都是激进的女权主义者，有些人继续使用这个名称，虽然超越了改造社会的模式。一种分离主义或先锋方向，建立替代社区和制度，是对20世纪60年代社会变革运动的反应而增长的，有些人认为社会变革是不可能的。文化女权主义与女同性恋身份意识的增长有关，借鉴女同性恋女性主义思想，包括重视女性关系，以女性为中心的关系，以及以女性为中心的文化。 “文化女权主义”一词至少可以追溯到1975年由Redstockings的布鲁克·威廉姆斯使用它，后者用它来谴责它并将其与激进女权主义的根源区分开来。其他女权主义者谴责文化女权主义背叛了女权主义的中心思想。 Alice Echols将此描述为激进女权主义的“非政治化”。 Mary Daly的作品，特别是她的Gyn / Ecology（1979），被认为是从激进女权主义到文化女权主义的运动。
Cultural feminism is a variety of feminism which emphasizes essential differences between men and women, based on biological differences in reproductive capacity. Cultural feminism attributes to those differences distinctive and superior virtues in women. What women share, in this perspective, provides a basis for “sisterhood,” or unity, solidarity and shared identity. Thus, cultural feminism also encourages building a shared women’s culture. The phrase “essential differences” refers to the belief that gender differences are part of the essence of females or males, that the differences are not chosen but are part of the nature of woman or man. Cultural feminists differ as to whether these differences are based on biology or enculturation. Those who believe differences are not genetic or biological, but are cultural, conclude that women’s “essential” qualities are so ingrained by culture that they are persistent. Cultural feminists also tend to value qualities identified with women as superior or and preferable to qualities identified with men, whether the qualities are products of nature or culture. The emphasis, in the words of critic Sheila Rowbotham, is on “living a liberated life.” Some cultural feminists as individuals are active in social and political change. Many of the early cultural feminists were first radical feminists, and some continue to use that name though moving beyond the model of transforming society. A kind of separatism or vanguard orientation, building alternative communities and institutions, grew in reaction to the 1960s movements for social change, with some concluding that social change was not possible. Cultural feminism has been linked with a growing consciousness of lesbian identity, borrowing from lesbian feminism ideas including the valuing of female connectedness, women-centered relationships, and a woman-centered culture. The term “cultural feminism” dates back at least to the use of it in 1975 by Brooke Williams of Redstockings, who used it to denounce it and distinguish it from its roots in radical feminism. Other feminists denounced cultural feminism as betraying feminist central ideas. Alice Echols describes this as the “depoliticization” of radical feminism. The work of Mary Daly, especially her Gyn/Ecology (1979), has been identified as a movement from radical feminism into cultural feminism.