Feminist Theory vol 1, issue 1 (F21 216)

Fall 2021

art & writing by the students of WOMS/PHIL 216

edited by Prof. Jenny Lobasz

He picks on you because he likes you

Girls wear pink boys, boys wear blue

Why do feminist hate men?

Is it that time of the month again?

You are really strong for a girl

You throw like a girl

You could smile more

You should marry by twenty-four

Your husband earns enough

You look like a cream puff

You were asking for it

You let your husband babysit?!

Make sure you shave your legs

He should wake up to eggs

WHY? –AA

To the forgotten ones,

Be strong and brave

Be smart and creative

Be independent and individualistic

Be feminine

Be masculine

Be whatever you want.

Ignore those who oppose you and

Embrace those who support you

Fight for yourself

Find your passions

Speak your mind and

Make a difference.

No one has the same heart as you

No one has the same wisdom as you

No one has the same drive as you

And with that no one else can be you.

Believe in yourself and

You can create the change you want to see

You can reconstruct the world around you

You are the key that our society needs.

Yours truly, s.s.

Being a Woman

I am tired

Of feeling this way

Of being scared to say no

Of being told it’s just horse play

Of being told I’m a ho

I want to live in a world

Where I am safe to roam Alone

Without concern without fear

In a place where no girl should hear It’s her fault

I hope they will soon understand

How scary it is to not be a man

I just want to be seen and heard Not for my body or curves

We want nothing more than to be equal And to be seen as people –DS

who are we?

what makes a woman

A woman is gentle, a woman is harsh She is meant to set an example, never fall apart

A woman backstabs, and she cries She fights for equality but is always telling lies

A woman is powerful, a woman is kind She can’t be both, are you out of your mind?

What makes a woman? Where to start? Is it defined by her body, or maybe her heart?

What makes a woman, not even they know She nurtures, they take, she drains, they grow

What makes a woman is deep in the soul It festers and builds and takes its toll

But what makes a woman is a beautiful thing A need to fight, to dream, and scream to be free

Foggy, the glass is foggy I try and see through, but, the dark clouds make me so groggy. I hear cries but, from who? Them.

They cry, hit the glass, hit the glass. I focus on the glass and one thought comes in mind, handprints. They spread from left to right. Fear shrinks me. The thoughts of I can’t, I must not plague me. But if not for me but for them.

When the glass broke, it rained red. The shattered glass pierced through my skin, but the tragedy does not lie with me but it lies with them.

One whispers softly with a smile, there is no more fog. Years later, I never had the heart to admit, there are bigger struggles than the glass and the fog.

–Madison Damian

So what’s with all this feminism? I saw it on the news

All these women hating men, and hoping that they lose They want to change our boys to girls and castrate all the guys They want to kill off all the dudes, that’s all I can surmise”

“Well that’s a shallow view, you don’t even know what’s going on We’re not trying to turn all men to women, all the dads to moms You’re only painting with broad strokes, and you should really stop Feminists aren’t demons, and they don’t want girls on top They just don’t want women at the bottom, they want to be the same They’re all just done with women having to play a rigged game Women deserve equal rights in everything, just the same as men Cause women are only getting eight when men are getting ten”

“Well, sure, they should get all those rights, but you’re asking for too much! If they take all the jobs from men, how can the bros buy lunch?

If women leave the kids at home, how are kids gonna learn to live? They need their mom to learn just how to care and love and give When all is said and done, I think, women have been doing just fine You’re making much ado ‘bout nothing, you’re wasting all our time”

“Do you even hear yourself? You say you need your jobs And if you didn’t have that work, the money flow would stop Well it’s the same for women, cause they eat and wear clothes too They need that cash to provide for families, just the same as you As for women staying home and bringing up their child

In how to be a human being who isn’t far too wild

That’s asking for a woman to be the always stabler sex

While men can basically be grown babies, if they can bring home the checks Women should be nice and quite, demure and reserved

But boys will be boys, you know how they are, their energy should be preserved! But that’s the problem, cause girls and boys should be demanded of the same If girls can’t punch and pick and scream, then boys as well are to blame If boys can speak over all their peers and cause the teacher stress

Then girls can pinch and jab their neighbor and make their class a mess

Or maybe we should ask of all the children that they behave That they be kind and gracious to others, from cradle to the grave Rather than excusing either sex, how about we hold them all To a higher standard of behavior? I think that’s not too far”

“But that’s just how each different sex is made, you can’t change that! Boys are boys and girls are girls, anything else is mad!”

“But what essentially makes a boy a boy or girl a girl?

Those standards differ everywhere, in all places ‘round the world

If every place has different standards for their gender roles, How can we so quickly say those roles are natural?

There may be some things that are how a sex is made, But that doesn’t mean the man’s the boss and the woman is the maid”

Feminism isn’t perfect, it has its warts and flaws

But you cannot spin it as some sort of unjust cause

Until our women aren’t raped and beaten, bruised and killed

Feminism is essential, a goal that must be fulfilled

It’s not easy to sort out every right from every wrong

But there are some things we should keep, and some things that should be gone

I’m gonna surely eat my foot sometimes while tackling these issues

I’m gonna keep talking about it though; how about you?

I had to spit it out, Mom, I didn’t have any other choice, and in a sour-mouthed frenzy I grabbed a Lovely Pear and sunk My teeth into it,

the older Woman, aghast, hastily walked away, Her heels violently clicking against the tile floors.

but oh, the sweetness and harmony of the Lovely Pear, Mom, it was unlike anything I had ever tasted before,

please forgive, Mom, but there was no other way it could have been. The Apple was so beautiful to look at, but I couldn’t eat it. if the older Woman must hate Me forever then so be it, I’ll always have my Lovely Pear

Dear Mom, i went to the store today. i was looking at the produce when i saw a Beautiful Red Apple.

i picked it up and marveled at the roundness and shine.

an older Woman, who startled me with her likeness to you, Mom, looked at my Beautiful Red Apple and said “that is a Beautiful Red Apple you have. you must take a bite.”

i looked down at my Beautiful Red Apple, now queasy, sick with anxiety.

the older Woman was still staring at me, Mom, waiting for me to bite into my Beautiful Red Apple.

i didn’t want to be rude, just like you taught me Mom, so i bit down on my Beautiful Red Apple, my tastebuds were overcome with acidity and rot.

A friend makes signs, marches loudly, and stands brave in her fight. She shares hard stories and knowledge, so other’s futures may be bright.

She is a feminist.

A professor provides a safe classroom, and powerful resources from which to learn. She shares the history of feminism, so we are ready when it is our turn.

She is a feminist.

A sister selflessly defends a victim, by putting her own life on the line. She holds accountable and demands change from men who choose to act like swine.

She is a feminist.

A mentor stands for equity, kindness, tolerance, and respect. He sees a future that is female, and tells us greatness is what we should expect.

He is a feminist.

A father teaches individuality, and how to be opinionated. He shows it’s ok to disagree, and speak up when you’re frustrated.

He is a feminist.

A feminist can be feminine, or masculine or neither or both. A feminist may have always been feminist, or might become one through self-growth.

Feminism is not exclusive, or specific to a certain political view. Feminism has endless meanings, and is likely different for me than you.

A feminist just needs a voice, or a paper and a pen. To fight the unequal treatment of women compared to men.

What Makes a Feminist?

I wake up each day

Searching for a way

To enjoy my womanhood

And not have to pay I wake up each day

“You are equal” they say But when I try to use my voice I am pushed away I wake up each day And in bed I lay Looking for a light When all I see is grey I wake up each day And wonder how to convey The pain of the women

You continuously betray I wake up each day

Searching for a way

To tell my younger self

That her gender affects the way she works and the way she plays How do I wake up each day

With something to say?

For the hope that one day I will wake up and me being a woman will make me equal And only then will everything be okay I wake up and wait for that moment each day

–Alex

Feminists

Brave, determined, tough, selfless Fights for all genders to have equal rights and opportunities Stands against gender patriarchy And fights for all who have been discriminated against –MKC Being Me

I’ve always been told that I was opinionated My brother has always been told he challenges thoughts

I’ve always been told that I am bossy My brother has always been told he is a leader

I’ve always been told that I am controlling My brother has always been told he is thorough

I am a woman who loves to express what she likes and dislikes

I am a woman who loves to be in charge I am a woman who loves to organize

I am a woman who loves to be me

–Mercado

Invisible

There becomes a point when a woman cannot be invisible anymore A woman must be herself and only herself Otherwise what’s the point of being different at the core? Besides, everyone only likes you for being yourself

There was a time when I thought being invisible was the answer, Back when I was so scared of being anything that broke the mold, When I thought I existed only to be just another in formation dancer I worried so much about being left out in the cold

They always say that to be the good Asian, you have to be invisible, You have to be smart, a good daughter, a good wife, a good mother, basically, you have to be invincible They want you to conform to the stereotype of being the “model minority” While that seems like a complement, it really just reinforces your inferiority

There is no reason for us to need to be invisible

We had the first civilizations, the first true inventions We have so much to be proud of since now it is integral To society, apparently we barely even deserve a mention

I’m proud to say I’m learning that being invisible is not the way I’m a Chinese American woman and I’m here to stay No one will force me to be anything lesser I will not kneel to my oppressor

–Tiffany J.

Menstruation is a cycle repeated for years, where ovulation occurs and a new chapter begins. A transition to womanhood not short of any tears, the fight within a female, where the egg never wins.

Cramps, mood swings, aches, cravings, the endless trips to the bathroom each day. So much money that we could be saving, too bad this country still makes us pay.

Women spend large amounts of money on products for a process we can’t control. But something that I find really funny, is that men will get a say and play a role.

Feminine products with a government tax should be given to all women for free. If you were accused of putting on acts, or told “stop with the pms”, wouldn’t you agree?

They do not have to spend the money, or experience the struggles and pain. So to men in power that think menstruation’s funny, Put yourselves in our position and stay in your lane.

–Jill A

Eyes.

Windows of the soul. They tell us a lot of things. Light rays hit them and reflect into our brains a real time moving image of the world.

But this image can be tricky, as our brains are constantly working to make sense of what we see. This is called perception. It has nothing to do with the thing being viewed, and everything to do with the context of the person viewing it.

In addition to eyes, our bodies hold many other nouns we call features... nose, lips, ears, hair, torso, arms, legs, skin.

Just to name a few. So many things each human body has in common,

Yet all we can see is difference.

Big, small, fat, skinny, tall, short, curly, straight, male, female, black, brown, white. These adjectives give life to the nouns on our bodies. So much so, that it becomes all we see.

We sort bodies into categories, as if that body doesn't contain a human soul.

HUMAN SOULS CANNOT BE PUT INTO BOXES. THEY CANNOT BE CONTAINED.

Yet for the sake of simplicity, we MUST be ONE or THE OTHER

We must be defined. We must be simple. We must fit exactly into our categories.

Connections are made among our nouns and adjectives.

Suddenly they are no longer nouns and adjectives. They are big neon signs to other people. They tell all the things they need to know about us. They announce our behavior, beliefs, language, and origins.

Who we are, who our parents are, and who we are going to be.

No other information needed, just our bodies.

They have black skin, they must be a criminal. They have blue eyes, they must be kind.

They have dark kinky hair, they must be an immigrant. They have blonde hair, they must be wealthy. They don’t fit a gender, they must be a freak.

They are skinny, they must be healthy.

These associations, not always said out loud, not always even aware of being thought. But they exist.

ONE

or THE OTHER –QT

They are perpetuated by individuals, and our society as a whole. Words spoken or unspoken. Words change into others words.

We must make sense of all the nouns and adjectives our bodies carry.

You can either be beautiful or ugly.

Kindness, wealth, and health are beautiful.

Criminals, immigrants, and freaks are ugly.

You must have straight blonde hair, blue eyes, a slim body and white skin to be in a beauty advertisement.

You must have curly brown hair, brown eyes, a fat body and dark skin to be the token diversity character that dies first in a movie.

Now we hate our bodies. Hate who we are. Hate our parents for making us this way. Hate where we came from and hate where we're going to go.

Sometimes taking years, or never learning the truth. We were never criminals. We were never immigrants. We were never freaks. We were never ugly.

They never saw more than a collection of nouns and adjectives. They only saw our eyes, never our souls. Yet, they defined us for ourselves.

ONE or THE OTHER beautiful or ugly. Never just human.

Mosaic Identity

Being a woman can be a challenge

Constantly having to fight for equality

It feels like you’re on a tightrope trying to balance

Trying our best to make a change in ideology

For an immigrant woman it is harder

To fit into a country where you feel you don’t belong

You need to walk around wearing a suit of armor

To protect yourself from people who think you’re wrong

Struggling with identity

Has become common practice

It can affect many of us mentally

But no one ever acknowledges that about us

It is like we have two faces

Trying to appease both sides

Trying to cover all our bases

With no one working as our guides

We try to do our best

With the tools that we own

But everyday feels like a test

Trying to go through it all alone

We are not the majority in either one of the camps

Of feminists or the people within our own home

We will never be champs

So all we must do is roam

–Radhika

No more division. Intersectionality, different groups unite.

They can’t work alone. Oppressions are interlinked, and need each other.

When they work alone, there’s too much of a divide. Nothing gets complete.

Kimberlé Crenshaw, Audre Lorde and Nellie Wong all brought awareness

The main goal is to notice inequalities that help others shine

Working together allows for coexistence to show their power.

–Grace

–Jamie Valvo

Oppressed, overlooked, and tired

Equal rights are all we ever desired Years spent yearning and putting up a fight Even for something as simple as a voting right

Time and energy poured into reform

Relentless hours spent trying to inform Gender roles belittling and undermining

But through all this suffering leaves a silver lining

Society coming together as a whole

Protests, fights, and rally's all for a common goal Demoting the objectifying and exclusion

Bringing both genders together into a solid fusion

The fight has been long and not over yet But change and education is something we cannot forget There is hope in trying and determination

Through hard work eventually we will consolidate the nation

STRIPED PANTS

In my striped pants, I had been up all night and was ready for bed. In my striped pants, I was laying in my bed, just about to close my eyes. In my striped pants, I just wanted to sleep.

In my striped pants, he didn’t want to sleep.

In my striped pants, I read his text, come sleep outside in the hammock with me. In my striped pants, I thought, nice outside sleep cuddled with a boy.

In my striped pants, I woke up in a sweat, from my sweatshirt combined with the rising sun

In my striped pants, I woke up with him resting his hands on my thighs, already out of breath in anticipation of what he expected from me, what he thought he deserved. In my striped pants, he asked, can I?

In my striped pants, I said no, I just want to sleep

In my striped pants, he asked again. I said no. He asked again. I don’t remember saying yes or no or anything at all.

In my striped pants, I do remember his hands hearing yes, finding their way onto me, into me, while I lay confused with my eyes squeezed shut, wishing I would have just gone to sleep.

In my striped pants, I knew it was easier to say yes, because it felt like my only option. I knew that I could have been wearing those pants or anything else, and he would have wanted that from me.

In my striped pants, he placed my hand on him, put his hands on me, and I waited for things to be done.

In my striped pants, I sat there looking off into space, confused, exhausted, overwhelmed, while he sat unsatisfied with me.

In my striped pants, he left me, alone, as I sat and thought almost nothing, blank.

In my striped pants, I just felt defeated. He took what he wanted, and then acted upset at the 16-year-old he forced himself upon. How could I have won?

In my striped pants, I thought, does this mean he likes me? How sad to read that now.

When asked to do this assignment, and seeing the theme “anything in feminism,” I was saddened to discover that my experiences with assault were the first things I thought of. This was not the first or only time I was coerced by that man, or the first or only time I was touched by someone without any hint of consent. What does that really say about feminism or the female experience?

Is *this* the female experience? I like a boy in high school, he takes advantage of that by coercing me, a 16-year-old used to going to sleep at 10pm who had been up all night, and leaving me there by myself feeling used, disgusting, dirty, stupid. And I’m the one who feels that it was my fault, that somehow I must have wanted to do that with him. And he still texts me, hey how are you doing? It’s been forever since we talked. Still want to join the Navy?, probably not even remembering me or my striped pants or anything about that day.

Even now, I’m contemplating if I’ll even turn this in. If anyone is reading now, you know my choice. Maybe I’m embarrassed. Some of you may think, what an idiot, or, why is she being so dramatic, worse things have happened to girls. Unfortunately, so many of us have had experiences like this one you’re reading now. Boyfriends, friends, anyone going too far but going slowly enough that they convince us and themselves that it’s all fine and good. I know many of us have thought of ourselves as sluts, or easy, or naive, or idiots. I know that many of us think it would have been easier somehow if they outright forced us, as uncomfortable as that is to admit.

But the truth is that it doesn’t matter if you’re wearing striped pants and a big sweatshirt, or a minidress and heels, or a nurse's uniform, or a business suit, or a 6-year-old’s nightgown, or nothing at all. These incidents don’t rely on those who are unsafe, it relies on those who cause us to be so. Until that changes, how are we supposed to protect ourselves? Can we just avoid all men and other predators forever? No. I’m happily with a man now who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Can we protect others? No. Our mothers, friends, and daughters are just as likely to go through the same experiences. Can we lean on each other? Yes, and also no. Victim-blaming, slut-shaming, and enabling men is done by far too many other women, and allows men to validate their actions even more.

What if that time had been now?

Today I woke up, and I was cold… I decided the weather warranted a cozy drive to class. I get ready, and I leave. My car starts with the push of a button. The simplicity of it only complicates it to me more. I can’t help but wonder…

John— why wasn’t driving a woman’s activity? The second wave of feminists resembled her. You must have seen her within all those women. You say you love her, but what is love when accompanied by chains?

Why did she never deserve to sit in the freedom of that seat and turn the key in the ignition? What difference, could an open mind have had back then, for a lonely widow in a global pandemic now?

She must dream of the freedom I have, and she lives only a few thousand miles away.

What if that time had been now?

I walk to campus each day, planning my schedule in my head. I am a woman in engineering, working on designing a mechanical device. Who do I need to consult today? What knowledge do I need to refresh in order to make progress? The simplicity of it only complicates it to me more. I can’t help but wonder…

Walter— would you scowl at a girl that approached you for help? Had there been a woman on the docks, would she have been more than a possession to you and your peers?

When I was little, I took initiative… you always remembered me as “Boss”, despite your developing Alzheimer’s over the years. Would you have meant it the same, had I been not a child, but an independent woman of real merit? Would you have been just another elder making prejudiced comments that younger generations make lame excuses for, saying, “they were just raised that way”?

What if that time had been now?

I need to know what I can never know…

If that time had been now, would it be apparent that the world has changed?

An Ode to Woman

From a Woman as a Man

If I were a man, I would support and love woman. With my capable, virile arms I would raise her up, Allow her to embrace the firmamental heavens, Ascend higher than I.

If I were a man, I would protect and love woman. Shield her. Sustain, shelter, and defend her From others of my conformity. Discipline and diverge them, To preserve future woman.

If I were a man, I would cherish and love woman. Hold her softness to my rigidity. Worship every delicate breath. Observe every precious rise and fall. ____________. Kiss her, preciously.

If I were a man, I would sympathize with and love woman. Listen to her with an enlarged heart and diminished mind. Understand and console her, as my spared tears infuse with hers. I mourn with her.

But, I am not a man. I am woman. With no man to serenade me with this ode, I am left to support, protect, cherish, sympathize and love Woman and myself.

–Madvh.

what is FEMINISM –SDS

What is feminism?

What is feminism without women?

What is feminism without sisterhood?

What is feminism without the ever-changing unique voices of those different from us?

What is feminism without those who have been pushed the hardest Attacked the most

And appreciated the least

Where is feminism if not in the places with shackles bounding women to half-lives with no purpose outside our “motherly nature”, where it is needed the most Where is feminism if not being taught to hundreds of students in classrooms, yearning to achieve that ultimate social freedom?

Where can we find that ultimate social freedom, and what will confront us at the end of that tunnel with light that has been seeping through since creation?

How can we speak on feminism and call ourselves feminists if not working for the absolute, divine and honest greater good for all females in the world?

How can people call themselves feminists and still look at sisters as less important than their specific cause?

How can one be a feminist, and be selfish? How can one be a feminist, and not be selfish?

Feminism without intersectionality is as trees with no roots, for nothing will grow and nothing will flourish

Feminism without the voices of the underprivileged is as students with no teachers, for no progress and strive will be made

Feminism without unity is as tides with no moon, no movement will occur

An uphill battle faced and seen every day, every day a step closer to the new future with change that is unprecedented

What will happen when we get there?

What is feminism then?

Is this Freedom?

freedom. an idea so extravagant one would die for and they did as if it wasn’t history repeating itself like before as a memorial for the latest attempt of changing history, how morbid.

this repeating cycle of 1 step forward 5 steps backward one would think we’re closer to a chance of equality instead it just makes us realize how the system is fractured grief. sadness. anger. for the life I could have had. now has turned into the qualities of my personality

oh my! my first day at work, I should be grateful but how can when I work twice as hard and make half honey this! honey that! when is dinner going to be ready? I don’t know! i’m not your chef!

is this the life I deserve. please someone advocate on my behalf!

all of my mind and soul are pleading to the deaf

i’m surrounded by 4 walls my work, my home, my prison. when will this perfect act fall

–just another woman

forAFairyTaleFeminists

–Goldie Selig

Once upon a time, in a time that we may think was far away, a princess was expected to tend to the household instead of going to school. While this princess was a child, there were still expectations for her to obey her father, until she could obey her husband. She would go from her father’s last name to her husbands, being completely obedient to them, or at least that is what she believed as a child. As she grew older, she became fervent about the idea of learning. While she was scared, she secretly began to read about women who were making change. She opened her book to the first page. The first story was the story of Mary Wollstonecraft, who spoke out for gender equality in 1792. She then continued flipping the pages of her book until she reached Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who in 1848, revolutionized futures with the Declaration of Sentiments. She was fascinated by Susan B. Anthony and the suffrage movement, moved by Emmeline Pankhurst, and inspired by Gloria Steinem. She kept reading until the last few pages of the book. As she was flipping to the final pages, she was filled with grief that the story was ending, but there were still so many changes to be made. She was pleasantly surprised to see that the last page was different from all of the other pages. It was a page with only blank lines with a closing remark that read: “You decide our future”. This princess was forever inspired to embrace differences and inspire change for years to come, until she became the most iconic and influential feminist of all time.

THE END

A Feminist with a Dream

–Jenna Salinardi

Once upon a time, a time where a group of individuals were held to a very low standard solely based on their gender, women were incapable of establishing a life of their own. Once the sun had risen, women had very little say into what their days looked like because of the lack of freedom society gave them. Instead of being able to earn an education for themselves or earn money for their families, women’s creativity and ambitions were dismissed. Starting at a very young age, girls were taught that they needed to obey their fathers, and then once they grew older, they then needed to obey their husbands. However, there was one young girl that could not settle with the idea of this being her life. Thus, she began reading from other women that found the rights of all women to be extremely unjust and unfavorable, and that wanted to make a drastic change in society. The first person she learned about was Mary Wollstonecraft who advocated for gender inequality in 1792. Then she read about the Declaration of Sentiments that was revolutionized in 1848 by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. After reading about several other important individuals, she began to feel inspired yet also eager to learn more about feminism and gender inequalities. She saw these women take a step into revolutionizing the future for all women, and decided that she wanted to join them.

& MY LIFE

Privileges are just given to some people. It sounds annoying, and I realize that. However, who am I to not acknowledge that I have a kind of privilege that other people might never receive in their life? But, as a woman, these kinds of privileges tend to go away after a certain point in your life. Is it possible for me to use the word privilege in every single sentence I write? It follows you around whenever you have it. It. What even is it? Privileges… yes I am a white cisgender woman. However, does that make me a victim? Somebody said to me one day when I was wearing my winter jacket, and it just so happens to be bright pink (because it was the one that I wanted), that I look like a target. I thought to myself after that happened that I didn’t understand exactly what they had meant. I replayed the word over and over in my head because it was something I realized I had never been called before. What exactly was meant by the word? A target to what? To whom? But then harsh reality makes me realize that we live in a world where yeah I could become a target, a victim, or any of those things. But I still hold privilege. That’s what I don’t like. Not to be self-absorbed or only reflect on things I have experienced, but the world we live in where I, a privileged white woman, is still seen as a target, or as a victim, shows that there is too much work to do. Nothing makes sense. This is an apology letter to everyone that does not hold the privileges that I do. I’m sorry that I still feel scared when I’m sure you are more scared. I’m sorry that I can’t do more to help the world change. I’m sorry that you probably have had these fears far longer than I ever have. One day we might not have to say sorry or feel sorry or feel scared. I hope so.

–JB

As I reflect on my life and the experiences I have had growing up and compare them to those of women just 100 years ago, it is quite apparent that I have benefited from feminism in several ways. From equal opportunity in the world of education, the jobs I have been able to work and the sports I am able to compete in, the influence of feminism has made all of this possible for me.

Recently I watched the film, On the Basis of Sex, which plays out the role Ruth Bader Ginsburg had in avocation for equality in terms of sex. In On the Basis of Sex, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, RBG, is looked down upon and constantly disregarded in the study of law simply because of her sex, even though she is just as, and in some cases more, intelligent than the other male students in her class. She is constantly battling the sexist norm that exists during this time, and she eventually makes her way up to be the first female Supreme Court justice in 1993. In my personal life, I have worked jobs interning at law firms and even the circuit courthouse in my county. RBG played a monumental role for all women in this field of law today because of her influential feminism. She challenged patriarchal norms and the social structure that existed, which put women at a disadvantage. I have never been discriminated based on my sex at the courthouse or the private practice law firms, but if I lived in RBG’s time my life, at least in this aspect, would be completely different. Countless other experiences throughout my life are rooted in the feminism that made it possible to take place, and learning about the history of it has made my privileges as a white woman today a lot more visible to me, which creates room for reflection and gratitude for all the influential feminists before me.

–JB

“You always think of the suffragettes when you think feminism, but they didn’t care about all women. They didn’t care about me as a gay man, and they definitely didn’t care about black women or women of color.

Feminism is complex, and there’s lots of layers to it.”

This was the response I got from one of many friends I asked about their thoughts on feminism. His answer to my question was an important reminder to me that for many other oppressed and marginalized communities, feminism can be seen as a threat to their own progress. Some of the most notable feminist icons were cisgender, heterosexual, white women, who claimed to champion the causes of all women, while actively working against queer and BIPOC women. However, there have also been important figures in feminist theory who didn’t support these otherwise marginalized groups of women out of ignorance, rather than conscious malicious intent. Regardless, it’s important for feminists as a whole to understand that feminism needs to be intersectional. What my friend was describing was intersectionality, and he was right, feminism is complex—it needs to be complex in order to support and liberate women of all kinds.

My goal with this short piece of writing is not to provide a solution to making feminism less complex, or to making intersectional feminism the default form of feminism. My goal is to remind people that feminism is a broad topic with many layers to it, and it has different degrees of importance and helpfulness to different people. I am a queer, biracial, Buddhist woman. My many identities have all at some point interpreted and practiced feminism in different ways, but as a collective woman of these many identities, feminism is important to me.

–Lisa

...I consider myself a feminist. But what does that mean to me?

I’ve struggled with the question of what it means to be a feminist for a while because I never felt like I truly understood feminism. After all, there is no one definition that encompasses the ideals of each school of feminist thought, so how do I know if I am a feminist if I don’t know the definition to which I should refer? Being a liberal woman, I consider myself a feminist. But what does that mean to me?

To me, feminism means empowering other women, but it also means empowering anyone who lacks privilege. Feminism means listening and giving others the space to advocate for themselves while doing your part to break the silence and combat the heteronormative and patriarchal society that has been so ingrained in nearly every culture for as long as we can remember. Feminism means recognizing that each person’s existence is unique as they experience challenges specific to each of their identities as well as those that arise through the coexistence of each of those identities. Feminism means crediting each and every person with the strength to face the struggles imposed on them by a society that is not inherently accepting of what is not deemed “normal” or “appropriate” by unrealistic and biased standards. Feminism means acknowledging that people are impacted differently by the same events, such as when economic difficulties disproportionately affect those who are already disadvantaged due to greater marginalization. Feminism means allowing yourself and each other to think freely, to embrace the autonomy that we all deserve, to recognize the importance of original thought even when it strays from what is normal or comfortable, even when the prospect of putting yourself out there is so terrifying.

To be a feminist is to have an open heart and an open mind.

To be a feminist is to have an open heart and an open mind. And to me, more than anything, feminism is about being progressive, accepting, loving, and excited to make a permanent change in societies all around the world to erase the unnecessary pain we cause each other out of neglect for our needs as human beings. Feminism is about wanting to do better, and it is everyone’s job to embrace the challenge of working towards that entirely realistic ideal.

–Samantha Haas

To be a feminist is to have an open heart and an open mind.

Lessons I Wish I Could Teach My Younger Self

1 15

Never accept “because you’re a girl” as an answer to anything. That is not, and will never be, an excuse.

Love and embrace your divine femininity. There is something so beautiful about being a woman. Do not let anyone take that away.

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Do not obsess over the idea of love from someone else, learn to love yourself. You do not need a boy to make yourself happy. You can make yourself happy and feel loved, I promise.

Do not allow yoursel f to start disliking things you previously enjoyed, like the color pink or One Direction, just because boys tell you that it is ‘basic’. ‘Basic’ is a misogynistic term made up by boys to shame young girls for finding pieces of joy in simple things.

Proudly call yourself a feminist. Media can make feminism out to be a bad thing, but do not listen to it. Everyone should be a feminist. Make your feminism intersectional , always. One cannot be a feminist without being an intersectional feminist. Focus on the empowerment of all women, no matter their race, sexuality, class, ethnicity, religion, or any other possible factor.

Do not judge other girls for the ways they express themselves. We are all figuring it out as we go. Young girls and women have got to stick together in the patriarchal world we live in. Uplift other women whenever you can. Acknowledge your privilege as a white woman and use it for good. Educate yourself on the true history of this country and use your white privilege to amplify the voices and experiences of people of color. Allow yourself to make mistakes, but learn from them. Everyone makes mistakes, especially when living a certain way your entire life; however, hold yourself accountable and come out the other side a better and more educated person.

Do not apologize so much for things you have no control over. Women are expected to be submissive and apologize when being strong and assertive, learn to undo that.

Do not give up opportunities because you think a man would be better for the job. You can do anything a man can do. Hold your ground and your head up high.

Do not allow men to make you uncomfortable in order to get their way. Stay strong and stand up for yourself and other women.

Stand up for what you believe in, no matter who tries to shut you up. There will always be people who do not agree with you and want to see you fail, do not let them win. Always stand up for justice and equality.

Sometimes you are going to have to work 10x harder to get the same acknowledgement a man does the first time around for the same job. White women only get paid 82 cents for every dollar a white man makes doing the same job. Never stop fighting until it is equal.

Do not listen to what other people say about you. If you are happy and making yourself proud, that is all that matters.

Dear Mrs. Hiaasen,

Your words and actions have always stood by in. Even four years later whilst I am sitting in college, I think back to everything you taught me in high school. I would not be half the person I am today without you. You taught me that no one can ever stop you, you are your own person and you always have control of your own thoughts and actions. My junior year, when your husband was shot at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis and died, you still showed up to class and you still did your job. I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering you were going through, but you put on a smile and made every day of my junior and senior year amazing. You inspire me. With all that being said you are the reason I took a women’s studies class.

In high school I never knew whether I considered myself a feminist, I talked big talk about how women are not lesser than men, but I would sit there while my immature classmates made women jokes saying things like “imagine being a woman,” “imagine having a period,” and things like my personal favorite “get in the kitchen and make me sandwich.” Whilst these classmates were joking around, I would just sit there and take it. I never stood up and said anything to them or tell them to stop. I would later go to my female friends and tell them about my encounters and would we all just sit there thinking to ourselves “men are so immature” and “boys will be boys” but by not standing up to them we encouraged their behavior. If we would have said something maybe they would be better people today. Being a fake feminist in high school got me to where I am today. I took my first women’s studies class this semester and enrolled in another one for next semester. These classes are so important to me because I can know stand proud and declare myself a feminist and know that I can stand up to my male classmates and the patriarchy.

I made a project my sophomore business class where I captured the unequal pay in industries and how women were not being hired for jobs despite having more qualifications than the men who were hired. My teacher was a male, he looked me in the eyes and said “this is the way the world is. We can’t change this.” I just sat there. Shocked. I was 16 and my teacher just told me that I was supposed to just accept that I will never be as good as my male coworkers? Sometimes people are just ignorant to the fact, they haven’t been taught or shown certain things. It is important for me to take these classes to be educated in gender studies so I can stand up for us women.

Mrs. Hiaasen, you overheard us one day and told us that we should stand our ground. Not let them say those things even if they were just joking around. You showed me the importance of being a female and how it wasn’t a disadvantage that we were female, it was a privilege. These words stuck with me since you were my ideal, the person I looked up to, the person who supported me despite having much greater things to worry about. That is the power of a woman, always helping others, encouraging others, supporting others, providing for others. We are beings capable of accomplishing so many things if we just put our mind to it.

The artwork zine I made in class illustrates one of the quotes that stood out to me most the semester and a quote that inspires me. The quote was from The Bitch Manifesto by Jo Freeman, “A woman should be proud to declare that she is a bitch, because a bitch is beautiful.” As learned in class, feminist theory is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities and in hand with that it organizes activities that support women’s rights and interests. Women during the feminist movements were called all sorts of names for going against the norms, gender norms, and standing up to patriarchy. With that being said, being called a bitch was common for these women. This quote encourages women to take that name and be proud of it, not letting it get to them or bring them down, to inspire them and encourage them to keep fighting for what they believe in.

In high school being called a bitch was something that was just shrugged off, after being called it so many times and hearing other people being called the name it loses its sense of meaning. I took this quote and use it often, if there is ever someone talking trash, or even seeing on the news, men thinking they are better than women I think back to everything you said, all the feminists I have read about, all the strong women I know and I think to myself us women are in no way lesser than men. We all sucked on our moms’ titties, all came from a woman, whilst not all of us were raised by women, no one gender or identity can be superior. We all live and die and in between there we live complex lives, what’s the point in putting others down or treating them as less than if at the end of the day we all end up in the same place?

Yours truly, Charlotte

Northey

Dear Amu,

What is the Bengali word for feminism? I always thought feminism was an American concept, something more... modern. Something a product of my time, not yours. I never told you this, but in middle school, I always took a separate set of clothes than the ones you would dress me in. I’m sure you knew; I was never the best at keeping secrets. I’m sure the jeans peeking out of my dress were a dead giveaway. I guess it was my form of rebellion, or what I thought liberation. Something about challenging the patriarchy or something like that. It was hard in middle school, to be the one who stood out. I know people saw the hijab on my head and thought, “thank god I don’t follow that religion.” Then, of course, the bonus question everyone asked, “Doesn’t it get hot in that? I could never wear that. It looks so much better on you.” It took me years to realize how backhanded those compliments were. But of course, you knew that.

I was always searching for the “thing” that would make me feel finally seen. Something that would make me feel empowered. Nothing ever worked. No matter how many pairs of outfits I changed into in the bathroom. Or how many times I argued with you. I never felt like I was getting closer to being a feminist. I felt more and more invisible than ever and to add to that, I felt lost.

Looking back at the pictures from middle school, I don’t think I was doing anyone justice with those fits… certainty not myself. Let’s just say it was a necessary phase for my “glow up” era. I understand now what you tried so hard to protect when I was little. The culture you tried to foster within me that would give me clarity. The very thing I tried to erase. It was the Bengali you spent hours in the summer struggling to teach me in a notebook. The same notebook I would eventually crumble up and throw away, because “English was the only language that mattered.” The feminist I was desperately searching for was right in front of me. I always disregarded the lessons you tried to teach me, trying to convince myself that your ideologies were a thing of the past. You couldn’t possibly understand what it was like to be me. But I was wrong. You were the one who had lived through it first.

I was turning into exactly what you feared. I gave into what I thought would bring me comfort. Of course, it never brought me the peace I craved because I was searching for all the wrong things. But you walked that path long before I did. The experiences you had as an immigrant, Muslim, a woman of color made you rich with knowledge that I could never fathom. I never found out what feminism meant to you because I was looking through the wrong lens, the lens you never understood. After all, it wasn’t one that you fit in.

I had to relearn what it meant to be a feminist, something that you had already defined and carried with you strongly. Since you didn’t fit into either one, you made your own. You never conformed when you came to this country but learned to keep your values true. I mistook your strength for cowardness when you bit your tongue. I didn’t understand why you weren’t loud and furious when you were being belittled. You were gentle and quiet. “Women must know when to bite their tongue, my love, not everything you think must be said, there are other ways to make your presence known,” you said. You’ve made it a point to be treated as an equal within your marriage. A force to be reckoned with against every family member who had belittled you. You made them respect you. There was a strength in a silent protest that I couldn’t understand till I was much older.

I watched as family members continued to mock you, but you stood your ground, unmoving, knowing what you were worthy of. I always thought you were making such a fuss and causing problems for no reason. I only understood recently why you were so adamant about standing your ground no matter how much it seemed to inconvenience everyone else. I remember when you told me about how young you were when you got married. No one was there to teach you or guide you about the baggage that was marriage, but you told me you learned because you had to. Even then, you were stubborn, and you told me that you had to be to survive in this world. When Dadu wanted to sell your wedding gifts, you told them no, that it was your right under Islamic Law to have it, and no one could take that from you. They grumbled at your protests and called you spoiled. You had to take years of snide remarks until they finally respected you. And when you had your first baby girl, they looked at you with such annoyance to which you replied, “having a girl was one of the greatest blessings from God.” Thank God you thought that because you had two more of those little blessings. You protected your own peace when no one else did, the only way you knew how and crafted a woman who is capable of anything and everything. Slowly you implemented your love and strength into us. I could go on and on about how strong of a woman you are. I’m ashamed to admit it has taken me this long to understand and appreciate the strength you emulate. There is so much I have yet to learn from you.

I still wonder about what the word in Bengali would be for feminism, but if there is one, I think it would be “মা.”

Love, Your Habiba

To my younger self,

Growing up, we never wanted to admit we were feminists. Constantly hearing all the bad things family and friends had to say about them, you started to believe it too. But later on we learn that feminism is not bad, and there are so many different types. We have changed a lot, and I think you would love the person we have become! I stopped listening to family members' criticism and I love how we look now. I no longer deny things I love just because it’s a stereotype for women (like loving the color pink and shopping). I finally picked the right major (it took us a while but that’s okay). And I am a feminist. Although, I don’t consider myself just one specific type of feminist, nor do I have to. I consider myself a liberal feminist because they want equality for women of all backgrounds. Obviously, as a brown woman, I want equality too and not just for me, but all women. I do like radical feminism because they want to get rid of patriarchy however I do not consider myself a radical feminist because they believe that with the absence of patriarchy comes women’s liberation. I do not think that is true, there is more that needs to be done to liberate all women but come on, who doesn’t want to see patriarchy die? I could also consider myself a socialist feminist because they believe that while we liberate women, we have to also get both social and economic justice for everyone (not just women). The way I see it, we need to abolish patriarchy but also capitalism. Women provide a good portion of the world’s labor, yet they receive little compensation for it. Clearly that is unfair, so I say get rid of it all. Also, I believe that the oppression of women is sort of the root to all other oppressions (think about Adam and Eve and how she was the first to be oppressed). Finally, I agree with feminist dependency theorists because they believe that thirdworld countries are prevented from developing because first-world countries exploit them. I know in school they taught us something very different, but you’ll learn pretty soon it was all a lie. You’ve got a long journey ahead (and so do I), just know everything happens for a reason. You got this, good luck and do not give up!

Love, Nishat <3

To my future daughter, Love, Tori

Being a woman is an experience like no other. It is beautiful. It is empowering. It is how you choose to define it. However, being a woman is hard. Many people look down upon femininity and underestimate your abilities solely because of your gender. Throughout history, women have changed the world, despite it being against them. While much has changed within society, we still have a long way to go in terms of equality. I sit here, as a woman, writing this letter in 2021, hoping that one day these issues will be resolved for you and the other females of your generation. If they are not, however, I hope that you choose to be an active feminist who fights for not only women, but all marginalized groups. My mother raised me to be independent and assertive, traits that are not praised within women. I hope I encourage you to do the same. I hope you embrace your inner “bitch,” as Jo Freeman would say in “The BITCH Manifesto.” Never let society tell you that you can’t do certain things because you are a woman. People will tear you down as a consequence of your gender and I pray that you persevere, despite this patriarchal society. The one thing I ask is that you fight for all communities. I want you to be aware of your privileges and use them to aid others. I want you to understand intersectionality and how that affects individuals on a global scale. Embrace being a woman. While it is a challenging role, it is one that is infinitely rewarding and empowering.

Dear younger me,

I am writing to you from 2021. The world has changed tremendously in just the span of 2 years and society as a whole has endured unimaginable changes and hardships collectively as people. Now in college, seeing life from a whole new perspective and being exposed to different people and ideas calls for some self-reflection once in a while. While I am sad to say, that this whole life thing does not get easier up to this point, it does get better. Eventually, you will slowly begin to appreciate and enjoy the things you dread or do not particularly like now. For example, school. The hardships and challenges over the past year and a half were a real wake-up call for what you take for granted and to allow yourself to take the time to indulge in what you actually enjoy. Learning new things and taking pride and interest in your education is something that will resonate with you through this time. There are a number of things that I can tell you about college classes and which ones to drop and which ones to see through, but I would rather tell you about the one class that will help aid you in your own personal growth as an individual who seeks to help others and fight for what they believe is just, Intro to Feminist Theory.

Now, I am not sure when you started calling yourself a ‘feminist’ (probably when Harry Styles tweeted saying that he was) but I am not really sure that this is something that you strongly identified with or believed in the root cause of. This is important. Growing up in today’s society as a teenage girl is definitely hard, especially because you are not sure exactly who you are and what you want to stand for yet. As you are going through high school and life, it is no surprise that you carry internalized misogyny within you, which is affecting how you perceive others and behave how you do. Unfortunately, it will not be until college and taking this feminist theory class, where you will read and hear others’ stories and perspectives where this will begin to change. However, this is not something to be ashamed of, being able to grow as a person and as a feminist and see where you made mistakes is all part of growing up. There are so many people out there that will try and belittle your beliefs and morals because of their own insecurities, but that is something that takes lots of growth and maturity to realize, but do not let these people make you feel ashamed or inadequate for calling yourself a feminist. Those people that you will encounter who you will be quick to write off as ‘crazy feminists’, actually stop and listen to what they are saying, it will actually make more sense than you might think. People with different opinions and beliefs as yours, you might end up agreeing with them or learning a new perspective if you weren’t so quick to write people off. Just know that feminism looks different in every person, and there is not a box that you have to fit in or a certain way you have to dress or act to fulfill this role. Being a woman is extremely difficult and is something you should be proud of. All the hardships that you have faced growing up in this society with ‘ideal’ body standards and how you think you should act around boys or not, is all a part of growing up as a woman. This is not how it should be; the anger you have always felt towards these things is valid, and should totally be verbalized as you experience these harsh standards. Speak out and change it if you think it is unjust!

In 2021, it is now a time of change in society where acceptance and inclusivity are widespread, and people are finally talking about the injustices they are facing and demanding change. It is important that during this time you are unapologetically yourself and work to educate and be aware of these injustices.

To parents, educators, leaders, anyone raising a child,

Growing up, we never wanted to admit we were feminists. Constantly hearing all the bad things family and friends had to say about them, you started to believe it too. But later on we learn that feminism is not bad, and there are so many different types. We have changed a lot, and I think you would love the person we have become! I stopped listening to family members' criticism and I love how we look now. I no longer deny things I love just because it’s a stereotype for women (like loving the color pink and shopping). I finally picked the right major (it took us a while but that’s okay). And I am a feminist. Although, I don’t consider myself just one specific type of feminist, nor do I have to. I consider myself a liberal feminist because they want equality for women of all backgrounds. Obviously, as a brown woman, I want equality too and not just for me, but all women. I do like radical feminism because they want to get rid of patriarchy however I do not consider myself a radical feminist because they believe that with the absence of patriarchy comes women’s liberation. I do not think that is true, there is more that needs to be done to liberate all women but come on, who doesn’t want to see patriarchy die? I could also consider myself a socialist feminist because they believe that while we liberate women, we have to also get both social and economic justice for everyone (not just women). The way I see it, we need to abolish patriarchy but also capitalism. Women provide a good portion of the world’s labor, yet they receive little compensation for it. Clearly that is unfair, so I say get rid of it all. Also, I believe that the oppression of women is sort of the root to all other oppressions (think about Adam and Eve and how she was the first to be oppressed). Finally, I agree with feminist dependency theorists because they believe that third-world countries are prevented from developing because first-world countries exploit them. I know in school they taught us something very different, but you’ll learn pretty soon it was all a lie. You’ve got a long journey ahead (and so do I), just know everything happens for a reason. You got this, good luck and do not give up!

Eden Larsen

To my inner little girl, Love, Your Olderself

Where did the time go? How did I manage to lose you overtime? I know who you were; I can see it when I look at old photos, but it feels so far removed. A big buck tooth smile, frizzy curls, unruly eyebrows, and a sense of belonging in this world. I felt so comfortable in my body back then, I truly loved myself. When did that change? Was it when societal expectations for women were cast upon you at such a young age? Get braces to fix your teeth. Get a keratin for those curls. Pluck and trim those bushy eyebrows. I was so confident as a little girl, but now as a grown woman I feel so far removed from that little girl who didn’t care what people thought about her. That little girl who defined her own version of being a girl. That isn’t the case for me now, I let other people's definitions of femininity control and confine me. It is exhausting. I want to go back to the way I was. It feels very hard to connect with you lately, but I know that I need to. I need to remind myself of who I once was and who I am capable of becoming once again. This letter was the first step. I can’t wait to meet you again.

To women all around the world, Isabella D. Revencroft

What is feminism in its purest and simplest form? Why do some people choose to embrace feminism while others reject it? How would you define feminism in your own opinion? How has feminism changed over time? What does feminism mean to you personally? Do you consider yourself to be a feminist? All of these questions should spark something inside of your mind and make you question your outlook on the concept of feminist theory. Feminism is defined as a group of women’s rights of political, social, and economic equality to men. Feminism reflects concern with the silencing and marginalization of women in patriarchal culture which is organized in the favor of men. Feminism is a very important part of our society that teaches generations of women to believe in themselves and that there are no boundaries for women. We are capable of anything and will not be stopped. Women all over the world have joined together as a unit to prove just how powerful and influential women can be. History has shown that women will not be silenced and will continue to lead the push for equality among the genders. Now it is time for you to take a step back and decide if you will stand and fight for what is right, or take the cowardly path. What path will you choose?

Dear 50-Year-Old Me,

By the time you read this letter, I hope you have accomplished all I have wished you to. Right now, you are a 19-year-old college student studying marketing. I have big plans for you to be CEO and founder of your own company one day. However, by that time, I hope that the wage gap between men and women no longer exists. Women only make 82 cents for every $1 earned by men right now. I hope that you get paid the same amount, or even more than men do, because you are a hard worker, and you will be great at your job.

Currently, social media has taken over the world. There are so many things online that can be detrimental to a young girl’s mental health. A woman could make the same joke as a man online, and people will praise the man while tearing down the woman. I hope that by the time you read this there is more positivity than negativity being spread around online. We need to realize we are all in this fight together. Women should always be allies for one another.

I want you to keep fighting for your rights, and the rights of women, and all genders, everywhere. Keep being the fierce feminist that you are and speak up for what you believe in. Continue educating yourself and others about feminism, and always remind people that women should never be viewed as inferior. I hope that by the time you read this, women are viewed as equal.

Finally, I hope you are doing what you love. The most important piece of advice I can give you is to keep being yourself and stay true to who you are. There will always be others trying to tear you down, but you need to make sure you stand your ground. Keep being the confident feminist that you are.

I am writing to you because I know you are in the same situation as me. My physical status puts me at the top of the societal pyramid. I am a 6-foot 4 athletic, white male who doesn’t have any current physical health conditions. Therefore, at appearance I am the “majority oppressor.” With my family background and educational status, I am considered higher up in the societal food chain than most. I currently attend college as a double major, my mom went to law school, and my dad got his master’s in Computer Science. Therefore, at appearance I am the “majority oppressor.”

Under my first impression though, I am more complicated than an educated white man. My ancestors are from Ireland, Italy, and Poland. They traveled here and dealt with discrimination based on their ethnicity and immigration status. Therefore, at appearance I am the “minority oppressed.” I struggle with anxiety and mental illnesses. I’ve been to therapy and take medicine for my anxiety. Therefore, at appearance I am the “minority oppressed.”

The struggle I deal with is that I don’t want to be classified as either the “minority oppressed” or “majority oppressor.” I want to be Joseph Sienkiewicz. I don’t want to be viewed as a white man who has had everything handed to him, because that is not true. I don’t want to be looked at as a “Guido” crazy guy who has to take “meds.” By no means am I saying I am a victim of systemic discrimination. I am saying that those might see me as a part of systemic discrimination when I am not, and I want everyone to be considered equal, and have taken steps to break the system. Let me know how I could achieve this and change people’s perspective of me.

Dear Joseph Sienkiewicz, Thanks, Joseph Sienkiewicz

To the Young Feminists of the 22nd Century,

Please tell me that everything was worth it. Tell me that you've never had to experience the oppression that we were born into because of the patriarchy. My greatest hope is that you no longer have to base all of your hopes and aspirations around the opinion of a man, and how that will affect his fragile ego. As a woman in STEM I know the feeling of being looked down on by my male equivalents all too well. Instead of being questioned why you think you're good enough in attempt to satisfy their superiority complex, they better ask themselves how can I be as great as her? They can only maintain the power they have over us if we stay silenced, so let that voice be heard. All of the feminists that came before you walked so that you could run, and I truly hope that you hit the ground and took off. No matter where you are in the fight for gender equality, never give up.

Best of luck, Heather

The interview I conducted demonstrates how gender inequality is present in today’s society, and dives into the relationship the interviewee has with the idea of the feminist theory. I interviewed a twenty-one year old woman at the University of Delaware. Student Kaitlin Dorn is currently in her senior year, graduating this spring.

LS: When you think of “feminist theory”, what comes to mind?

KD: Women sticking up for other women.

LS: Okay, and do you think about the male influence at all?

KD: Well, that too actually, I think men have a more dominant place in society and use that to their advantage.

LS: What are some current examples of gender inequality in your life you can think of?

KD: My mom's friend is currently in a fifteen-year lawsuit with her job, because all the men kept getting promotions and pay raises, and even though she was positioned above them, she always got paid less than all the men.

LS: I think that’s a clear example of a patriarchal system. So, have you personally ever experienced a pay wage-gap?

KD: My first job I worked at a golf course as a waitress. During that time, I wasn’t allowed to carry anything... Like food trays or even move the tables. That was the job “for the men only.” Only women could be waitresses, where we had to wear push-up bras and short skirts for the men golfing.

LS: Wow, I’m so sorry. Did this make you grow angry or frustrated at the systems in our society where women have to appear sexualized and incapable of real work?

KD: Yes. I feel like I was sheltered and protected from this when I was younger, but after this first job it became a reality check of what I probably have to deal with for the rest of my life.

LS: And how old were you?

KD: Fifteen.

LS: Did this make you want to change your appearances and dress for the male gaze more?

KD: No, it was more in the sense where I wanted to go home and cover up because I felt violated.

LS: Do you think if you ever protested the idea of how you dressed, it would be taken into account?

KD: Nope. I think I would definitely get fired!

LS: How did other women at your job react?

KD: Some girls seemed to like the attention, but most girls felt uncomfortable. The turnover rate of employees was high.

LS: This objectification seen at your job is one of the major themes explored in feminist theory, along with discrimination and oppression. Would you agree that these themes are prevalent in society?

KD: Yeah, I see it every single day of my life.

LS: Do you think it’ll ever change?

KD: I honestly think it's going to get worse and worse.

LS: What makes you think that?

KD: I think we’re going backwards, especially when we had President Donald Trump in office. It was an example

LS: So, would say feminism is partially a political issue?

KD: Exactly.

LS: What is one active change you would make to combat these issues?

KD: I would do my research. I would study and take further steps to see how I can make changes for myself and all women.

LS: Let’s get started!

This interview goes to show how gender inequalities and injustice exist in our everyday lives, all around us. Within the feminist theory, there are different sub-theories and practices which explain how different feminist think and evaluate. In terms of this interview, radical feminism was seen throughout. Societal patriarchy was prevalent in jobs for two women discussed. The perspective where the reorder of society in which male supremacy is eliminated, can be suggested by the interview and the issues brought up. Women experience oppression, discrimination and objectification based on their sexual orientation, which calls for change.

Interview with Olivia

Hello, today I am here with Olivia to discuss some of her thoughts and ideas about feminism as she concludes one of her classes centered around this topic. To start off the discussion, please tell me what originally piqued your interest when deciding to take this class?

I never really knew much about feminism before taking this class and I hear many different opinions about feminists and what they stand for. I have also met so many different people who all had different ideas of what feminism is and what you should believe as a feminist. By taking this class, I have learned that there is not one simple definition and can not necessarily be placed in one general category. There are different theories and definitions that all make up feminism, but they all have a similar goal which is equal rights for women. The main reason I took this class, however, was because I know this is a topic that many people are passionate about and can sometimes have different opinions on. I enjoy hearing different perspectives especially about topics that can spark a conversation where people might not necessarily agree on something. It is important to really listen to people rather than always being defensive and I felt that this class might assist with that. I am hoping to be a counselor or a therapist when I am older, so I think it is extremely important to be openminded and understanding when listening to a person’s perspective on a topic. This class reminded me that we all have different experiences that shape our opinions on certain issues, so it is important to really listen to what a person is saying so that you can understand where they are coming from whether you agree or not. I do feel that this class helped me push to be more open-minded while also educating me on a topic that could arise during a counseling session.

Do you feel that feminism is discussed enough in schools and other social settings?

I personally do not feel that feminism is talked about much in general. I feel that there are few classes that discuss topics like this and before taking this class I was so indifferent and hesitant to claim that I was a feminist. I have heard the term used before, but never really looked into what feminism entails or exactly what people meant when calling themselves a feminist. I have heard both negative and positive things about feminism and didn’t quite know where I stood. I had this idea that almost everything was equal among men and women. I was unsure about pay, but also most people keep how much they make private, so I did not how updated and accurate those statistics were. However, this class has definitely opened my eyes to not only current feminist issues, but also the history behind feminist movements. I never really thought about how long it has taken for women to become involved in politics and hold positions in power. Political positions still to this day are made up mostly of men which then impacts laws that affect women such as the abortion laws. It failed to cross my mind that these are issues that feminists are still fighting for. In addition, there are still industries that profit off of the exploitation of women and women are not always heard in the court system. I never thought about how the history of men controlling women can still be seen today and how this all forms a cycle leaving the voices of women typically overlooked. Although we have come a long way from where we once were, the separation between men and women is still not perfect. This class made me realize how this all comes together and why it is so important to bring awareness to this topic and exactly what feminism means.

How do you think a patriarchal society came about to begin with?

As I have learned in class, men depended on other men to create and maintain a patriarchal society. They made it so only men were allowed to receive an education and work while women were supposed to tend to household duties. These gender roles created by society made it so women were dependent on men. It is easy to control a person when they are uneducated and cannot financially support themselves. Men are also naturally stronger than women, so it is easier for them to assert their dominance over women physically. The laws that only men can receive an education and vote made it so that this patriarchal society continued. They chose who was in charge leaving women to have no power in society. This allowed men to take control and unfortunately caused many women to be abused in past generations. Once gender roles and how society should run are put into place, it is hard to bring about change.

After learning about many of the feminist movements and the women who contributed to pushing for women’s right, do you think they were beneficial or sometimes too extreme?

We have learned about so many women and feminist movements in class, but I do think although they were beneficial, sometimes were too extreme. Women would sometimes go on to destroy things which I do not feel is the most beneficial tactic. Emily Davidson was one feminist who ended up dying after throwing herself in front of a horse during a derby race. This was definitely extreme, but I do think it showed the desperation and how far women would go until they received their rights. In some cases, it is necessary to cause a scene especially when you are constantly protesting and being ignored. Feminists proved that fighting for your rights can make a difference and it is important to stand up for what you believe in. I think we would have failed to make this much progress if it weren’t for previous feminists and the movements they started. We have come a long way, so I do feel bringing attention to the issue significantly helped women gain their right to vote along with other rights.

To conclude this interview, what do you feel is the most important thing you have learned from this class?

I don’t particularly feel that any topic was more important than any other. I think in order to understand why women face many of the issues we do today, we have to understand the history and how the effects trickle down throughout generations. We did discuss topics that talk about gender roles and beauty standards. One of the quotes I chose for an assignment had to do with African American women disliking their hair texture and other features that do not fit with the typical beauty standards. I do think that it is important to discuss these topics and how this mindset was created by society and does not actually exist. The idea of gender roles is a social construct along with beauty standards that unfortunately still linger today. Men and women should not have to act a certain way just because of their gender. This makes it difficult for those who are figuring out exactly who they are and causes exclusion. I also feel that the topic involving those who are trans and the importance of using the right pronouns is extremely important. I was completely unaware of how harmful it can be to someone to refer to them by the wrong pronouns. Hearing how it can make someone feel like a failure or a freak was extremely upsetting. People will make jokes and I see people intentionally using the wrong pronouns especially on social media when people mention they are trans. Learning how a simple word can have such an impact on a person has taught me to always be respectful and mindful because they face a lot of difficulties that most of us will never experience. I think this is the most important especially since it is not talked about enough and people don’t realize how upsetting it can be to be referred to as the wrong pronouns.

It was a pleasure to have the chance to talk with you today and thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us.

Boys

Will Be Boys & Girls Just Want to Have Fun

How do you think male and female roles are defined in college?

“Men are the predators. Women are the prey. Women live in fear of men because they feel the need to be manly while women are seen as lightheaded enough to make silly mistakes while they are shamed for hookup culture while men are praised.”

As a college student, how are relationships between men and women portrayed?

“In an evil light where the only connection can be sexual. Women are so caught up in the chase that they lose sight of all reasoning.”

–a student at the University of Delaware

Queer Liberation

“Perversions express rebellions against the subjugation of sexuality under the order of procreation, and against the institutions which guarantee this order.”

–Herbert Marcuse, Eros and Civilization.

We need queer liberation—not rainbow capitalism. It is not a coincidence that all the repressive and ideological state apparatuses of capital are anti-queer. The institution of marriage, the media, the schools, the medical system, the prison system, the police, the military, the church, the state, etc.—all of which are enforcing bodies of capital—are also used to control and destroy queer communities. Capitalism cannot be reformed; nor can capitalist society be reformed to be accepting of queer communities. This is why it is of the utmost importance to maintain the radical nature of queerness, anti-capitalism, decolonial politics, and for a complete rejection of liberal politics of acceptance and normalization regarding queerness in order to not just stay true to the origins of radical queerness-- but in order to attain proper liberation.

Queerness is a fundamentally radical political concept; queerness is a resistance against the norms of cisheteropatriarchal capitalism. But more so than radical politics, queerness is a rejection of stability. Queerness is a rejection of stable identities that are easily categorized, subjectivized, pathologized; queerness is a rejection of rigid structures and binaries totalitarianistically enforced in favor of an embracement of radical difference and multiplicities. Queerness is a necessary rejection of essentializing and universalizing gender and sexuality.

If we look at queerness as subversive, then when must look at liberal acceptance of queerness as deradicalization. An important tendency of capitalism that Mark Fisher notes in his text Capitalist Realism is what he calls “interpassivity.” Interpassivity refers to the way in which media provides its own reaction; in terms of capitalism, the way in which capitalism co-opts, commodifies, and de-radicalizes its opposition. Anti-capitalism becomes disseminated within capitalism itself. Opposition to capital is stripped of its radical essence and fails to be a threat against capitalism. Through the same lens we can view queerness-- the normalization and acceptance of queerness into the current status quo only acts to deradicalize it--to strip it of its revolutionary politics. Normalization of queerness takes away its radical nature, it’s radical challenge to the cishetero patriarchal status quo, it’s radical challenge to settler colonialism and western conceptions of gender and sex. Queerness must not reproduce essentialism or merely create new acceptable categories of gender or sex which are then enforced upon society. Queerness must not become commodified under capitalism (a prime example being the corporate commodification of pride month.) The normalization and acceptance of queerness, as well as its entrance to the distribution of the sensible and the discourse of politics takes away from its radical and challenging nature.

Identity, and especially identity enforced from the top of social hierarchies is a form of control that attempts to control one's desires, aspirations and subjectivity. As Butler famously points out, gender is performative, and the creation of new acceptable gender identities merely creates new

categories of enforced performance. Butler draws from Althusser’s notion of interpellation and how ideology spreads in society and how the individual subject is created to explain the way in which gender is spread throughout society. Gender is interpellated, a subject is created, and immediately this subject is subject to the control, discipline, and ideology of said society. In this regard, the creation of new sexual and gendered categories is merely the expansion of not only enforced performance, but subjectivization and social dominance.

A crucial aspect of the liberal argument in favor of the normalization of queerness stems from the idea that things like homosexuality are biological facts of life and that categories of genders beyond the normal binary are observable in a multitude of societies throughout human history. Albeit a seemingly convincing argument, Foucault provides us an important counter argument in his wonderful work The History of Sexuality vol 1. For Foucault, identities like homosexuality, or transgender, etc have not always existed, but rather, they are a fairly recent construct. The way in which we construct identity is not scientific but rather cultural; identities are socially contingent. Various historical epochs have had various ideas and attitudes towards sex and gender, and these attitudes influenced the people’s behaviors, performance, ideas, perceptions, etc. Gender, sex, etc. are not really real and trying to adopt a positivistic outlook towards queerness is only harmful to the idea of queerness itself.

This is not to attempt to discount the material advances of queer people in society, nor to submit to a degree of cultural conservatism. Transgender rights, gay marriage rights, etc are certainly important and worth fighting for; however, true politics of liberation cannot be achieved within the existing order. Radical change cannot be enacted upon a system by acting within the confines of the system itself. Positing queer identities as just another acceptable rigid identity in the existing capitalist order is not liberation. The classical Marxist perspective (for which I am very sympathetic to) of highlighting the proletariat as the revolutionary subject excludes those who do not fit the model of the heterosexual worker. Classical Marxist perspectives risk alienating those who find success in ways seen as rather “unconventional” to heteronormative capitalism. Just as the Autonomists expanded the definition of the working class go beyond wage laborers, including unpaid subjects like students, housewives, the unemployed, the homeless, etc., a new conceptualization of the revolutionary subjects must encompass all who go beyond the norms of patriarchal, white, cis-heteronormative capitalism in order to adequately set up the potential for queer revolution and liberation.

–A.T. Chakraborty

Misogyny

Casual misogyny is a craft: do it right and you'll never have to pay the price. The subtlety of the misogyny prevents the opposing party from retaliating because if they did a narrative would quickly be constructed in which they would be portrayed as too sensitive. Oftentimes

we as women ignore blatant forms of hate speech and allow ourselves to be degraded. Which ultimately stems from fear of being gaslit.

As a woman I am angered by society's complacency and ignorance. Though an individual may not be sexist themselves, they often ignore the misogynist comments of their peers. By failing to recognize the severity of the situation, they strip their peers of a learning opportunity. By failing to confront their peers' ignorance, not only are they doing women an injustice, but they are also allowing their friends to remain ignorant. Confronting ignorant speech is important because our perceptions of the world are largely impacted by our surroundings. Ultimately, people fail to recognize the importance of confrontation and education. Oftentimes people fail to educate their peers out of fear of inconveniencing themselves.

Not only am I angered by men’s complacency, but I am extremely disappointed by the women who uphold the patriarchy. Whether it be a mother teaching her daughter to clean up after her brother, or women who shame other women for making decisions regarding their own bodies. This internal misogyny plays a big role in upholding the sexist institutions. Unfortunately, these women never learned how to be comfortable with their identity. Perhaps they believe that an increase in male approval directly correlates with a decrease in oppression.

It is beyond frustrating playing the game of life on the highest level of difficulty. It is aggravating to watch your male peers blissfully walk at night without a second thought whereas you must clutch onto your pepper spray and be hyper aware of your surroundings. To be a woman is to tread lightly and to live in fear.

–Sonia Nasir

“The Man”

The music video for Taylor Swift’s song “The Man” features a man who is going about his life in the way he pleases, while facing zero repercussions for his actions and getting praised for inconsequential things. I decided to pick a few parts of the music video to highlight and explain how the behavior connects to the patriarchy and how it views men and women in different light.

In her lyrics, Taylor highlights specific ways that men behave in the public eye that women would be perceived differently for. The first lyric states: “I would be complex / I would be cool / They’d say I played the field before I found someone to commit to.” In Taylor’s experience with fame, having emotions didn’t make her “complex;” emotions made her “too emotional.” And “playing the field,” as in dating multiple people before settling down, was the butt of every joke against Taylor. As a feminist, Taylor recognizes the double standards of being a man versus being a woman when it comes to how the public views this behavior.

This behavior stems from the preconceived notion that women do not belong in the workforce or the public eye, as men do. Rooting back to the Doctrine of Separate Spheres, women are expected to stay in the “private sphere” and are to remain modest and quiet about their feelings. Meanwhile, men are in the “public sphere,” handling social issues and more important tasks. That being said, whenever a woman is to enter the public sphere to this day, she is frowned upon. Even speaking up or trying to be the class clown is followed by judgement. And it isn’t just men: women and everyone in between are likely intrinsically sexist. The public and private spheres still linger in our culture and have refused to be broken for decades now.

Another part of the video that caught my eye was when the man picked up a baby and played with her, gaining the attention of everyone else in the park. In this day and age, men are applauded for doing the bare minimum. Again rooting back to the private and public sphere, men are not expected to take care of children because they are supposed to be in the public sphere, working for his family. A more progressive angle would be to not applaud men for giving attention to his children, because that should be expected from him. Men and women are held to different standards when it comes to raising children, with the mother facing repercussions if she were to mess up on occasion and the father being rewarded for acting like the babysitter.

Lastly, the video concludes by breaking the fourth wall, with “the man” actor approaching Taylor Swift, the director. In this interaction, Taylor tells the man that in the reshoot of the scene, he needs to act more sexy and more likeable, then tells the girl actor, who is doing nothing, that she is doing everything perfectly. Again, this is reflecting on double standards but instead the roles are switched for an ironic take. Women in the media are treated like objects: if they don’t act sexy, they are useless. The director of this music video switches the roles to create discomfort for the viewer, as they realize it doesn’t feel right to treat a woman with enthusiastic respect and to treat a man with disappointment. And on top of that, a woman director telling a man actor what to do creates the most discomfort, even for a progressive feminist in the 21st century.

–Grace Pankuck

This was created to celebrate the beauty in all women of all colors, shapes, and sizes. When we come together and support each other and lift each other up, we become a force of unified, powerful, beautiful women. We should be proud to support each other, we should be proud to be feminists, and we should be proud to be women.

There has been great change and progress since the beginning of feminist theory history. Woman had very few roles in the world other than the house wife and the one to pleasure their husband sexually. It took massive revolutions and efforts to change this. But something that has remained consistent through all the progression is the 'sex object' target that lays on the back of every woman when exposed to the public. It is considered dangerous walking the streets of your own neighborhood alone. It is recommended to steer clear of going to the store alone. Walking through a parking lot requires a woman to be completely alert of her surroundings. As a young woman surrounded by other young women, we have decided to share our frightening stories in which we have felt like the prey to the dark figures we sense lurking on us.

A GLIMPSE INTO A WOMAN'S EVERYDAY

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by: leslie