If you do not believe in the definition of Feminism, which is the attainment of political, social, and economic equality for women, then you must be some kind of cave man, or cave person. Whether or not you care about the word “feminist” it is time to seriously achieve equality.
I have been empowered and excited to write this article after listening to Emma Watson’s speech to the UN regarding Feminism and her appointment as an Ambassador for the UN’s solidarity program HEFORSHE. You can see it HERE. I was offended and disgusted by Time Magazine’s call to ban the word Feminism. I think anyone is entitled to express their opinion….but only after they have educated themselves on it. As a former Lecturer at the University of Texas Dallas I taught classes on Gender….Gender and Society, and Gender and Crime. I have also discussed HERSTORY and feminism to classes of middle school students. I have written theses and papers on the subject. I feel that I am knowledgeable enough to express my opinion on the issue of “Feminism”.
Feminism represents over a century of the fight for equality, and it represents theoretical concepts on economics, and the social and political deconstruction of gender and of power. The huge amount of knowledge we now have on these subjects is owed to academic Feminist Theory. I am not going to go into details….after all, it used to take me an entire semester just to educate my students on the basic concepts. I want to point out that Feminism is not just a “political” word, it portrays true activism. Susan B Anthony, Mary Wollstonecraft, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Florence Nightengale, and the more contemporary feminists like Gloria Steinham, Billie Jean King, Andrea Dworkin, bell hooks, and Frances Beal, deserve recognition and thanks. And let us not forget those who study and write on men and masculinity issues like Michael S Kimmel, Michael Messner, and David Buchbinder.
I’ve been a feminist since childhood, though it was called being a “tomboy” then. I learned early that I was not as good as a boy. I was angry when I was told I had to wear a shirt when the boys could run around shirtless. I was upset to learn that I could not play Little League baseball or Ice Hockey because I was a girl. I couldn’t take shop or mow the lawn, I had to take Home Economics classes and I hated them. I hated to sew and cook. I wanted to run around and play sports and dig in the dirt and go climb on rocks….. I was fired from a job as an adult when I protested being paid less for my work than my male co-worker. At another job I was told I could not be promoted because I was pregnant. As a teen I was a model, and I learned that the most valuable attribute I possessed was my face and thin body. I learned to apply makeup and my looks became the underpinning of the little self esteem I possessed. I actually thought I was stupid, a “dumb blonde”. Yes, I have been affected by gender inequality.
Now, as to the word “Feminism” being a synonym for “man hater”? Bullshit. That uneducated and benighted idea is absolute bullshit. But okay, as Emma Watson says, it isn’t the word that is important right now, it is the IDEA and IMPLEMENTATION of gender equality. Bigotry and sexism hold men and women back. It is also exciting that a young woman of Emma Watson’s intelligence, education and generational popularity is speaking out about gender equality and feminism. Her generation is very uneducated on these issues…how do I know this? Because I work with students of this generation, and I taught them at the college and high school levels. The Millennials grew up on Harry Potter and loved Harry, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. Emma Watson can reach them. I hope others of her generation will join her in speaking out. Listen to her remarkable speech and educate yourself. Emma, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Each generation needs a voice, and Emma Watson can be the voice for equality for the Millennials as Gloria Steinham was the voice of feminism in the sixties.
So we need a new word? Okay, fine. Whatever. We had to change Global Warming to Climate Change, so I guess we can add another “label” to the equality of the genders. How about Gender Egalitarian? I like it. How do we define it? The belief that all genders should have political, social and economic equality and opportunities. So how do we advocate for it, and bring about change? The UN’s HEFORSHE Solidarity Movement is a good start for those who want equality.
Okay. So who’s a Gender Egalitarian? Speak up! Are you?
Lifelong feminist and damn proud of it. Am sickened when women say “I’m not a feminist, but…” and then espouse feminist beliefs. I’m sharing this post far and wide.
Carol Cassara recently posted…The dead want us to live deliberately
Thanks, Carol. I was a feminist before I knew I was a feminist!
I feel blessed that I grew up in the late 50’s and 60”s being told I could be whatever I wanted to be. I played all sorts of sports and still loved dressing up and being a girl.
I was the first female manager for a national restaurant chain and was the only woman in a newsroom full of men.
There were only two times in my career I felt less than, one when a supervisor said I had to wear dresses not pantsuits. I went over his head and was given permission to dress however I wanted and another time I didn’t get a promotion and they told me to my face I was more qualified and deserved it more but they had to give it to a black man because they didn’t want to be sued. Three months later he was fired for stealing and I got the promotion.
I’ve never been paid less than a male counterpart. I learned to negotiate salary very young.
Woman control 2/3 of the world economy, I think we won, in this country.
Our focus as feminist these days needs to be in the middle east and countries were woman are suffering more than we ever did here.
You are very lucky. I’ve been discriminated against many times for being a woman. I believe Americans need to put their laws where their mouth is: “equal rights for women” in America, then we can advocate for the rest of the world.
I think the reason that “feminist” is falling out of fashion is because so many young women (like my daughter) in their 20’s take all of the things feminists fought for for granted. I try to educate my daughter about how fortunate she is to have no restrictions on where her ambition can take her – to a point – but unlike our generation, that grew up thinking feminism was a new and radical idea – she and her contemporaries are lucky to be entering a world where equality and opportunity are to be expected – though there are still many battles to be fought.
Sharon Greenthal recently posted…Middle-Age – Is This Senior Citizen Adolescence?
That is a good point…what they don’t realize, and need to, is that, yes, we’ve come a long way baby (remember?) there is still such a long way to go.
Frankly, I don’t think we need another word. Feminism is just fine. If people are uncomfortable with that, I call “bullshit” on them. “Feminism” is not a dirty word. Those who have made it so are the same people who use “Liberal” as a slur.
Attaching a derogatory meaning to a “label” is the first step in making those that define themselves as such feel uncomfortable with it. I don’t feel uncomfortable with “feminist”, never have. I remember once being asked whether I was also a “lesbian”. I said, “No, but I can understand why some women might choose another woman if men like you are the only choices available to them.” That shut that guy up. But, I don’t want to shut guys up, not anymore. We need them — the enlightened ones, the ones who stand with their mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, nieces in the fight for gender equality.
I hope that these types of men — the ones likely raised by feminists — will exist in this generation in the majority, unlike in our generation. I was raised by extremely progressive parents who believed that their daughters deserved the same opportunities as their sons. I was lucky. I was also lucky enough to marry a man who felt the same way, whose egalitarian views on gender influenced his own daughter and bolstered his wife’s confidence.
Women of every generation need a voice. I, too, am thrilled that the voice of this generation is Emma Watson. She is perfect for the role.
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I agree, the word Feminist strikes me as being just fine. I’m Liberal, and I don’t understand why that is a dirty word either….it used to mean progressive, enlightened. I think it still does.
Yes, I advocate for gender equity constantly–in homes, schools, work, churches, stores, gyms and so forth. I am well known in my social circles for being outspoken and proactive regarding gender equity.
Karen D. Austin recently posted…Phyllis Sues, Active at 91
Excellent! I don’t know what the big deal is on the word “feminist”.
Say it, sister! Why should feminist be a dirty word? Feminist, gender egalitarian, whatever, it should be a word that is obsolete after all these years. Why is this still an issue 50 years later the feminist movement began? This baffles me.
Me too. And TIME magazine said the word should be banned! Idiotic!
Tam Warner recently posted…Why you are a Bigot if you aren’t a Feminist
I am not much of a fan of labels but in this case I can see why the term feminist is a worthy one. I think words have power, and therefore labels do too. Great post…I know few folks who need to read this!
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Thanks! Share it as much as you’d like!
I am so with you! How can any woman — or, really, any human being, for that matter — not be a feminist and believe in equal rights for both sexes? And, in the year 2014, HOW HAS THE ERA NOT BE PASSED YET?? I hope Emma Watson inspires her generation to get out there and fight.
Lois Alter Mark recently posted…a is for apples. and so it begins.
I know Emma Watson was in NYC when I was at Social Good Summit and I wish I knew about it earlier cause I would have done anything to be there.
Shakespeare wrote, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” so whatever we call feminism – it doesn’t matter. We can call anything we’d like. It boils down to equality for all, in all things and all ways.
And I’m so with you on being pissed off in childhood that I couldn’t take shop instead of home economics which I hated. Girls today don’t realize, as Sharon said, how fortunate they really are.
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Personally, I’m an egalitarian. We’re all human beings. Everyone is equal… including women, and that’s why I’m also a feminist.
Excellent!
I find it so hard to fathom how anyone can dispute that all people deserve equal rights. I’m especially offended by women who turn on their sisters–who reap the benefits of the two centuries of feminists who’ve fought for their rights, but claim they’re “don’t believe in feminism.”
Yes, I’ve been a feminist since I was very young. Thanks for this post, Tam.
Karen recently posted…Driving in winter: Tips from Canada
I think the word feminist is perfect and speaks to who I am and always have been. I am all about being pro-woman and that is really what a feminist is. It is about our power to not just be equal but to recognized as better when we are. I guess I would, if anything Tam, want a more inflammatory term – if young women aren’t excited about the word feminism, they will when they hit their heads on the glass ceiling a time or two.
I love your perspective, point of view, and call to action!
Ruth Curran recently posted…December’s Challenge: Practice What You Need to Build a Better Brain!
Thank you, Ruth! Personally, I am rather disappointed in the millenials…they are not proactive and continuing the cause of equality. Have you seen the “Princesses Potty Mouth” video? Kind of disturbing and yet…very true. That’s inflammatory!
It may be semantics but I think that those of us who grew up in the time when consciousness raising was part of the cultural dialogue understand the concept of feminism and recognize that many of today’s young women take so much for granted.
I think that is true. this generation needs to get angry that they are still not equal…and get moving on it!
I love being a feminist. I don’t think the young women of today, really understand all we went through to arrive at where we are now.
Janie Emaus recently posted…Save Your Sanity
I agree. They don’t.
I’ve had this argument from the beginning of time (!) with men and women who “walk the walk” but reject the name. I recently read an interesting analysis of why this happens, which I would quote here…if only I had a better memory for things like that. As I recall, the gist of the argument was that the anti-feminist sentiment is a product of the mass media’s incessant need to polarize cultural conversations. They pull out the one “shocking” thing about one strain of feminism–hates men, doesn’t shave–and ascribe that to the entire movement. I too studied and taught feminist theory when I was in a PhD program and I still refer to Rosemarie Tong’s _Feminist Thought: A Comprehensive Introduction_, in which she lays out no less than SEVEN different schools of feminist thinking: Liberal, Marxist, Radical, Psychoanalytic, Socialist, Existential, and PostModern. To deny each of us our specific place within the entire spectrum of the political philosophy is, some would say, a very clever move on the part of the opposition. We get so busy fighting for the correct words that we stop fighting for the rights. Still, it is true that we define ourselves by our language–and I am heartened that my 19 year old niece has taken up the feminist banner.
Jane Gassner (@Jane_Gassner) recently posted…Reviewing Draftback: a Big Data approach to writers’ block
Yes, most people do not understand the academic value of it. I may not agree with Radical Feminists on many issues, but their contribution to gender studies is absolute.