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WHO IS FEMINISM FOR? CAROLINA MORALES Under the current political climate, it is more important than ever to continue the conversation on feminism and to circulate an accurate definition of what feminism is. Feminist bell hooks posits in her novel feminism is for everybody that “feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” [1]. See, it is not just bra-burning, ball-busting lesbians secretly plotting the eradication of the male species. But even with groundbreaking publications, such as bell hooks’ feminism is for everyone, that raise the public consciousness of the movement, there is still a large majority of women and men because of the media’s negative portrayal of the issue who fear association with the word “feminist.” We, the students of the Intro to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, scream a message of tolerance and inclusion. We are the warriors of tongue that slay terms like “femi-nazi” out of the political arena as means of dismantling society’s damaging messages about feminism. We wish to reorganize the movement to include the experiences of all women, and because of this, we, the editors, have compiled a list that clearly states who we are writing this publication for.
For those around the world who are labeled “deviant” by the dominant culture.
For the middle school girl who cries into her bathroom mirror as she carves a new tally mark into her skin.
For the women who see themselves as competitors, giving into the notion that women are natural-born enemies rather than each others safeguards.
For the women in the Middle East, stationed tirelessly on the front lines of a real war waged against women.
For the young scientists or mathematicians who fear that their role in their respective fields will be limited by the expectations of what a woman can achieve within the framework of institutionalized sexism.
For the women and forgotten men who were unable to the say “no” to the advancements of their predators, and for those who did.
For those unable to use the restroom of their choice because their elected leaders privilege the rights of others over theirs. For the scholars whose works are left of out of university curriculums because of their race and gender.
For the men and women who are threatened with incarceration but then offered leniency in exchange for sexual favors.
For the little boy who faced societal rejection because he expressed an interest in dancing, an art form he later abandoned for a sport that better fit the mold of masculinity.
For the men and women who are attacked on the streets because of their gender and sexual identity because of systems of oppression reinforce the binaries of identity.
For the stolen islands who fell victim to modern day imperialism – a forced participation in a capitalist society that desires to erase the identities of indigenous groups while imposing onto them American ideals.
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For the black mothers who fear that their child’s cellphone will be mistaken for a gun, and that an officer with hands much quicker than their mind will pull the trigger.
For those whose existence is denied by mainstream culture; their experiences appropriated to fall under the false narrative of American freedom.
For the survivors of transphobic and homophobic violence who are told by police officers that “they brought it upon themselves” for simply being who they are.
For the ‘he’ living as a ‘she.’
For the women of color who suffer because of Western medical violence – a system put in place to serve the antiquated interests of colonial slavery, capitalism and racism.
For the five newborn babies who were operated on today to alter the appearance of their genitals.
For the freshman female college student trying to fit into the social norm of undergraduate culture, sentencing her body to eternal starvation for the approval of one frat brother whose sole claim to fame is his ability to display empty beer bottles as drunken trophies.
For the individual whose genitals are the topic of conversation amongst acquaintances.
For the woman who plays Russian roulette with death every time she walks home with keys squeezed between her fingers because her male friends simply do not understand why she is terrified to walk the streets of Boston alone at night.
For the women who believe their voices will be unheard or ignored in the professional setting because the pursuit of power is labelled as solely a masculine pursuit.
For the unnamed victims of racialized violence at the hands of law enforcement agencies.
For the teenage girls, who live under the scrutinization of a social media culture that trains young women that a woman’s self-worth, identity, and value is measured by the number inside her jeans or the number on the scale; that her sense of self hails from her looks and vanity, not from her intelligence or integrity.
For all the young boys and girls searching for a role model that shares the same skin.
For the fair-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed teenage girl who doesn’t believe she needs feminism because she fails to see how she is a “victim.”
For the fathers who have to go into the woman’s bathroom to use a changing table.
For the women who don’t just want to simply survive within the system that oppresses them but are determined to destroy it altogether.
This is for you. Feminism is for all of you and the millions of our brothers and sisters who hold their tongues for fear of social persecution. We use our words as weapons, ripping apart the hands wrapped around throats that aim to silence us. But let us be clear, we will not be silenced anymore. Feminists are committed to the destruction of institutionalized sexism and racism, and will not back down until change is made.
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THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A FEMINISTÂ Â JOSIE AHLBERG I was not born a feminist. Rather, the process of socialization and my education shaped me into the young feminist I am today. If you do not identify with feminism yet, do not worry. In this how-to guide, you will be able to learn the basic definitions, principles, and ideas that will make feminism more approachable than it might seem. Let's begin with the definitions, then debunk the myths surrounding feminism, and then learn how to become a feminist yourself.
What stereotypes about feminists exist? Stereotypes seek to discourage feminism and negate the successes of earlier feminist movements. The most common misconception about feminists is that many assume all feminist are radical and go to absurd extremes to achieve equality. But in reality, it is the idea that is radical, not necessarily the person behind it. Feminism is the "radical notion that women are people, too" [5]. Additionally, other stereotypes include the assumption that only women are feminists and that these women are lesbians. Many also believe that all
What is feminism? The textbook definition is: "the theory of the political,
feminists are career-oriented women who want no part in sex,
economic, and social equality of the sexes" [1]. Before studying feminism at the
marriage, or having children. Adichie highlights some more of the
collegiate level, this was the only definition I knew. As a teenager, I always had
stereotypes of feminists: "you hate men, you hate bras‌ you think
this definition at the tip of my tongue, ready to correct anyone with
women should always be in charge, you don't wear make-up, you
misconceptions about feminism. To me, feminism was simple, easy to understand,
don't shave, you're always angry, you don't have a sense of humor,
but feminism is much more than this basic principle of equality between the two
you don't use deodorant" [4]. These stereotypes do not speak for
genders. Feminism as defined by bell hooks is "a movement to end sexism, sexist
every single feminist; there is no way for them to represent the
exploitation, and oppression" [2]. By describing it as a movement, it instills action;
entire movement. The core principle of feminism is the equality of
it implies progress and change. It encompasses the basic idea of equality
the sexes, in leveling the playing field between men and women.
between the sexes, but also orients itself to fight the systems that have enabled
Stereotypes like these intimidate individuals from becoming
various forms of oppression to spread throughout our world. Colonialism,
feminists as they only consider the movement to be pro-women at
imperialism, patriarchy, and various systems of power and privilege have
the expense of men, when in reality it is pro-equality. Many are
perpetuated the exploitation of women, and especially women of color.
turned off by strong, powerful feminist female leaders as
It seems each scholar and each individual have a different idea of what the term
leadership has been typically associated with agency and
feminism really entails. While each definition may contain some of the right
masculinity. However, if women never are given the power to lead
elements, if we do not consider the intersections of race, gender, and class, we
their own movement towards equality, nothing will ever change.
will never get the full picture of the feminist movement in our society [3]. The
Women deserve to fight for their own rights without being
different ways in which women identify with various levels of oppression speak
discredited by the stereotypes that surround feminism.
volumes to the impact of sexism on their lived experiences, and when we look through this intersectional lens it is clear that the feminist movement still has progress to be made. The Nigerian feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of We Should All Be Feminists notes that "[for] centuries, the world divided human beings into two groups and then proceeded to exclude and oppress one group" [4]. The solution to this problem of exclusion and oppression is feminism.
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How did I become a feminist? "Feminists are made, not born" [2]. People are not born to believe in equality, it is a learned behavior.
How should one go about becoming a feminist? Learn about equality and the feminist movement by recognizing when inequalities
When growing up, people begin to experience inequality and
occur in your environment. Take action to remedy the inequalities
understand movements of exploitation and discrimination that are not explained by just existing. I grew up in a family where the women did
around you, whether they appear at home, at work, in the media, in politics. If we allow these inequalities to happen over and over
most of the housework and the men were off the hook. Seldom did I
again, "it becomes normal" [4]. It is 2018. Sexism, sexist exploitation,
see these roles switch when visiting relatives, friends' houses, or in
and oppression should not still be the norm. The feminist movement is
popular culture. Having a brother my age allowed me to witness the
the solution to eliminate inequalities and oppression against all
ways in which our gendered childhood shaped my perspective of what
people. Support strong women and feminists in your community,
role each gender should play. As young children, both my brother and I
especially in the polls. If you do not see feminists represented at your
had an equal number of tasks to do on our chore chart and
local, state, or federal levels of government, run for those offices
contributed equally to the cleaning, cooking, etc. However, my mother
yourself. March at rallies like the Women's March and let your voice
and my father did not pull the same weight in this regard. Mothers like
be heard. Look within yourself and reexamine the relationships you
mine found themselves tasked with an unequal amount of
have with men and women in your life. Look for a partner who cares
responsibilities considered to be 'women's work' while their husbands
that you have a brain, intellect, and wit and does not see you as an
shied away from these responsibilities. I grew angry and resentful that my father and my now older brother need reminders to do their fair
object or possession [6]. Study feminism by reading texts by feminist authors, scholars, and critics. Most importantly, call yourself a
share. My experiences as a young girl instilled in me that this belief in
feminist and enlighten those who judge you for it.
equality between traditionally feminine roles and masculine roles should extend into all aspects of life.
Maybe you were a feminist before you read this guide. Maybe you have believed in feminism for a long time but never had the words to describe how you felt. Maybe you will never be a feminist. At the very least, I hope you walk away with a greater understanding of feminism. I hope that the stereotypes and myths surrounding the term will not keep you from the true intentions of feminism. I hope that one day you will call yourself a feminist.
Work Cited [1] Merriam-Webster. 2018. Feminism. February 28. Accessed March 11, 2018. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism. [2] Hooks, Bell. 2000. Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. Cambridge: South End Press. [3] Crenshaw, Kimberle. 1991. "Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color." Stanford Law Review 1241-1299. [4] Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. 2015. We Should All Be Feminists. New York: Anchor Books. [5] Thaler-Carter, Ruth E. n.d. Editorial Freelancers Association. Accessed April 4, 2018. https://www.the-efa.org/marie-shear/. [6] Ginsburg, Ruth Bader. 2016. My Own Words. New York: Simon & Schuster.
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WHAT IS FEMINISM? HOW DO I FIND MY WAY THERE? JULIA NAUGHTON “What is feminism to you?” I was asked this question on the first day of my Women Gender Studies course. It's often a question that many people don't have a clear answer for, either from lack of education or because they haven’t actually thought about it. I considered myself somewhat educated in this field, but I sat there wondering, “is my answer right?”
I soon learned that “intersectionality” is a key concept today in any discussion. This term reminds me of an intersection, in turn reminding me of a map. Okay, so feminism: “I’ll meet you at the intersection of sex and race… Or is it class? Or sexual orientation?” It really is very easy to get lost.
Currently, feminism is a large movement that's become increasingly more popular, but to those that aren't as involved, the movement’s meaning can be seen as a confusing and often overwhelming place. Many people do not know what it means to be a feminist and why one would choose to “live there”. As stated by Bell Hooks in her book Feminism is For Everybody she defines feminism as, “a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” [3]. This is a definition that implies that all sexist thinking and actions are problems with no differentiation to who they are coming from. The thing is though, while this is the overarching definition of what a feminist’s goal is, it looks different for everyone, hence the beginning question where there actually isn't a right or wrong answer. And this can be attributed to intersectionality.
Intersectional feminism emphasizes that women of different class, race, sexuality and age all have their own experiences. To give an example, an African American woman not only faces sexism but is also confronted with racism in her daily life. These discriminatory acts will shape a person and how they view the world. On the other hand, white feminism, in the words of Cate Young, the creator of the pop culture blog BattyMamzelle, is “a set of beliefs that allows for the exclusion of issues that specifically affect women of color” by terming it a “one-size fits all” mold [1, 2]. Centering around common themes involving the pay gap, “Free the Nipple,” abortion, rape culture and domestic violence, these campaigns discount many significant issues other women face [1]. In no way am I saying this to discredit these legitimate problems that need to be addressed; these are great objectives for the movement. But while these issues are important, it is a filtered view on the problems that burden women of color, women with disabilities, immigrant women, and LGBTQ+ women. Personally, I don’t think these white women are purposefully trying to exclude other groups of women; instead they are naive to the issues they haven't learned about. Relating to the pay gap, yes, it is a problem that white women earn 80 cents for every dollar a man earns, but it doesnt recognize that a black woman and hispanic woman earn 64 and 54 cents respectively to every dollar a white man earns [1]. Additionally, another example of this can be shown through reproductive justice. While reproductive rights are universal, within mainstream feminism it has been narrowed down to focus on abortion and birth control, failing to acknowledge a lack of reproductive rights disproportionately affects the working class and those with children. This issue is often looked at as the right to not have children but leaves no room for discussion about indigenous women being forcibly sterilized, how childcare services have continually been cut, or how the working class can be oppressed by trying to control their family size [5]. As such, certain women may not recognize their built in privilege. By defining a woman simply through her own personal experiences, it leaves all the other women, whose experiences are different, feeling as though they are less important. Simply put, to ignore the differences among women and how they deeply affect perspective, presents a gap where women have been separated from each other, when instead we need to be banding together [4].
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Recognizing an intersectional approach to feminism is incredibly important, should we as women want to end to sexist exploitation for ALL women. Hearing from celebrities who have media platforms like Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson, is valuable and can provide support for the movement, but let’s not forget the feminists and their stories that don't fit the white, cisgendered, straight woman category [2]. The ideal for the movement should revolve around problems women face not just based on sex, but based on class, race, age, religion and sexuality.
And see the thing is, many women are quite frankly unaware of their limited view of the movement. They’re hanging out at the intersection of sex and class. Hell, they may even have pulled over on “Sex Road” without even making it to any intersection. As I wrote this article, I mentioned my topic to my mom and how I wanted to highlight intersectional feminism. Simply talking to my mom she goes, “I don’t even know that intersectionality means”. So of course, I explained, and she understood, but therein lies part of the main problem- how people have tunnel vision and are uneducated about how the feminist movement now is not totally representational of all women. I am in no way trying to target white women or accuse them of wrongdoing. I am a white woman, who 3 months ago also had never heard of the term intersectionality. A woman who wants to stand up for her rights is fantastic and should do so, but it's important that we as women stand up for the rights of all of us- not just the ones that affect us personally. And that's where it gets tricky. People say politics are local, people only care about something unless it personally affects them. I don’t know how to fix this, I’m not sure how to make people really care about others. But I would suggest that feminists cultivate a curiosity about their sisters who live on different streets or in different neighborhoods. This would help in bridging the divides that currently plague our movement and strengthen the separation between groups of women. It is not ‘me OR you’ who is being marginalized and who needs to be stood up for - it is ‘me AND you’. Together, we can better the lives of all of us.
Work Cited [1]Duarte, Valentina. “Why Intersectional Feminism Must Replace White Feminism.” The Odyssey Online, 18 July 2017, www.theodysseyonline.com/intersectional-feminism-must-replace-white-feminism. [2]Olvera, Carlos. “White Feminism Is Toxic To The Actual Feminist Movement.” The Odyssey Online, 12 Dec. 2016, www.theodysseyonline.com/white-feminism-toxic. [3]Hooks, Bell. Feminism Is For Everybody. South End Press, 2000. [4]“Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference.” Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches, by Audre Lorde, Crossing Press, 1984, pp. 114–123. [5]McCrayer, Jenika. “My Feminism Is Black, Intersectional, and Womanist – And I Refuse to Be Left Out of the Movement.” Everyday Feminism, 6 May 2015, everydayfeminism.com/2015/05/black-womanist-feminism/.
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WHAT IS FEMINISM? WHY I’VE BEEN CONFUSED ABOUT IT MY ENTIRE LIFE Emma Metzger On the first day of 8th grade, my teacher had us make observations about the 5th century painting “School of Athens” by Raphael, which showed mathematicians in ancient Greece. My classmates made profound contributions like “the sky is in the background” or “there are squares on the floor”. When it was my turn, I commented on the fact that all of the people in the painting were men, to which my teacher promptly responded with “Looks like we have a feminist in the class”. He and my classmates began to laugh, and I immediately became embarrassed. I felt like I had just been labeled as something “weird” for the rest of the year, which is not exactly what an insecure 13 year old wants. The worst part was that I had absolutely no idea what feminism was, and why it warranted laughter from a grown man. So, my introduction to the concept of feminism was accompanied with a link between being feminist and being different and ashamed. Fast forward, my “education” on feminism after that point was limited to seeing the word once in a while in Facebook article titles that I would never read, and my mother once saying that she supported feminism, but wasn’t a “man-basher”. Needless to say, when I took this class on Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and the first thing the professor asks is to define feminism, I was a bit lost. think that feminism is something that confuses a lot of people, mainly due to the lack of consistent reminders of what the term actually means. Whether it be self-proclaimed feminist celebrities like Emma Watson, Mindy Kaling, and Beyonce, or trending hashtags, feminism often gets a lot of buzz in the media. However, while this buzz brings a lot of awareness to important issues such as sexual harassment and reproductive rights, it does nothing to make the public understand what feminism actually is. Google searching “feminism definition” yields a result that completely the problem at hand. 13
The first Google definition is a decent one- “the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes” [1]. After that, the next definition is from Urban Dictionary: the satirical and definitely not politically-correct dictionary with input from the general public. The definition begins with “The biggest disgrace to my gender...feminism is a movement full of women who seem to think that their ability to push a baby out of their vagina entitles them to bigger and better everything” [1]. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but it doesn’t help the feminist movement that the second definition of the term is written by someone who does not support, and even mocks, the idea of feminism. Perhaps if the author of this definition had more information on the actual goals of the feminist movement, she would be more understanding of why feminism is necessary, and not as “radical” as some make it out to be. So, what is a better definition of feminism? Bell Hooks, American author and activist, defines feminism in “Feminism is for Everybody” as "a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression" [3]. This definition is fantastic as it makes it clear that sexism is the problem at hand, not just men who propel the patriarchy.
And this is where a majority of feminist critics (including my mom), get it wrong. Feminism isn’t “man-bashing”, but rather a movement to end sexism, which is something that impacts every man, woman and child. To further decompose this definition of feminism, Audre Lorde defines sexism as “the belief in the inherent superiority of one sex over the other and thereby the right to dominance” [4]. I think that the ignorance of what sexism is, as well as feminism contributes to people being critical to the feminist movement. Sexism isn’t always as explicit as the pay gap, or discouraging women from pursuing STEM careers. It is built into the society as we know it, and requires a great deal of work to expose. Historically, feminism has been solely developed through specific lenses, without recognizing the wide scope of people who are affected by sexism, which leads to another way that people are ignorant about the movement. Recently, intersectional feminism is being brought to the forefront of this movement, as people are starting to realize the groups of people left out of the spotlight of traditional feminism. Intersectionality is a term popularized by lawyer and scholar Kimberle Crenshaw, whose goal was to identify the ways in which gender, race and class intersect and further marginalize people who are part of several oppressed groups. A direct example of how intersectionality further serves the purpose of feminism is in how we view sexual assault and racism. The law tends to protect rapists more often when they assault women of color, indicating that the bodies women of color are less important than their white counterparts. These women are at the intersection of race and gender and are clearly negatively impacted.
Understanding intersectionality is essential to understanding feminism, as the overall goal of modern feminism should be to support all people, regardless of any of their identities. As you read the articles written by my classmates, keep in mind this definition of feminism; Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression, equalling the playing field for all people on the basis of sex, race, class, religion, age, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, and others. It is important to recognize how many societal issues are feminist issues, from colonization, to descriptions of sex cells in biology textbooks. The more open you are to the different ways feminist and sexism works in your life, the more receptive you can be to different ways other people express their anger and hurt against a sexist world.
Work Cited [1] “Feminism.” Dictionary.com. Accessed March 8, 2018. [2] “Feminism.” Urban Dictionary. Accessed March 8, 2018. [3] Hooks, Bell. Feminism is for Everybody. Cambridge: South End Press, 2000. [4] Crenshaw, Kimberle. Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color. Stanford Law Review: Vol. 43, No. 6, 1991. 14
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