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Do you call yourself a feminist?

International Women's Day got me thinking about feminism and how few people in our generation seem to identify themselves as feminists.

You can read my thoughts here.

I'm curious to hear what other 20-somethings think.

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Permalink Reply by Chase on March 9, 2009 at 9:30am

too much equality? absolutely not.

but is there a point where it pushes past being about "equality" and becomes "gettin what shoulda been mine long ago"?

separate from that: how have these new-found equal rights changed the face of our culture, arguably for the worse? (I know, this is where it gets iffy. And let me re-emphasize, I don't think there is such a thing as Too Much Equal Rights. I just want to see people's thoughts on the matter)

Permalink Reply by floreta on March 9, 2009 at 10:15am

I do hear what you're saying. I appreciate your thoughts! I've been thinking about that a lot too. With more women in the work force, less traditional families, marriages, more divorces etc etc is this actually a GOOD thing?

I just think that our culture is still trying to adjust to the paradigm shifts. The advances from feminism are neither good nor bad, IMO. No, just because life seems more fast-paced, hectic, Individual/Independently driven than family/community oriented doesn't mean women should all just get back in the kitchen. The shifts happened more than just through feminism. It has to do with technology as well.

My feeling is that life is better than in the 50s when women were oppressed and Betty Friedan talked about "the problem that has no name". With more equality comes more choices and it can get overwhelming to traverse. Society is still adjusting to women in the workforce and the choices they now have about relationships. In this adjustment point, I believe relationships are naturally going to have more outright/open problems/dysfunction. But that's better than the silent dysfunction of the 50s where women had no choice but to stay.

Basically, I think dysfunction exists in every decade but now things are stirring and more open. As a whole, that could only (hopefully) mean that things are shifting, changing, getting addressed, and evolving. it's just hard to keep up with...

Permalink Reply by Chase on March 11, 2009 at 7:08am

Yeah, this is (more or less) the stuff I'm talking about.

Every progression has its step backwards.

Do we mourn what we've lost, or "the good 'ol days"? Or do we write it off as Collateral Damage in a war we've won (/are winning)?

There's good and bad in each... but that's life.
Balance is Key.

Permalink Reply by Sarah on March 11, 2009 at 9:27am

I'd take a higher divorce rate over women being trapped in abusive marriages because they have no means to leave and support themselves/their children independently any day. So yes, I think it's a write-off. It's absolutely worth it.

Permalink Reply by Cassie on March 9, 2009 at 11:48am

I definitely think the word feminist has a bad connotation these days. I had a friend who once said, "but don't worry, I'm not a feminist or anything like that..." and I said, HELLO, you are an educated woman with a good job, you vote, etc. You don't have to be a hairy, braless man-hater to be a feminist!

Permalink Reply by Lisa on March 9, 2009 at 5:24pm

How's this metaphor?

We all know there are some pretty crazy Christians out there (I'm looking at you, Westboro Baptist) but despite that, if you believe in the Christian God, and in Jesus, etc, then you call yourself Christian. Even though there are people who are giving Christianity "a bad name", if it's something you believe in, you identify as one.

Do you guys think this metaphor holds? If you believe in social, economic, and legal equality for women and men, then you are a feminist, even if you think the word feminist has become tarnished by people who's viewed don't align with your own.

Permalink Reply by Renee on March 9, 2009 at 9:15pm

Holla.

Permalink Reply by Maxie on March 10, 2009 at 10:25pm

That's an awesome metaphor, Lisa.

I completely agree with the comment earlier that Feminism has gotten a bad rep-- in high school I never wanted to claim the term because I felt like feminists were angry all the time. Now I understand that it's not about that... just as with Christianity and other religions, some people who call themselves feminists may believe in or do thinks I don't agree with...but I can't change the fact (and don't want to!) that I believe in equal rights for everyone.

Permalink Reply by Leanne Behrns on March 9, 2009 at 5:59pm

Oh goodness, Sarah, I love this thread. Nearly everything that you, Lisa, and Floreta have said has struck a chord with me.

I'm a feminist. And I don't think that everything's been done in the ways of feminism. As many have argued, in North America, men and women are closer to legal equality than ever before. And while things are better than they've ever been here at home, we're lucky. We've had Rosie the Riveter, Nelly McClung, Friedan, and other fabulous advocates who've done their thing to make it that way. Unfortunately, like Floreta was saying, this isn't standard. From CIDA: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/equality. Floreta: I totally believe that women of colour are/should be part of this wave of feminism. While we've fought for women for a long time, there are discrepancies in how Caucasian women and women of colour are treated. The mere fact that they choose to deem themselves "womanist" over "feminist" shows that they've been left out for far too long... feminism shouldn't be divisive.

I always considered myself a feminist. Even when I was taking Feminist Philosophy classes and getting extremely angry at the radical professors or students by my side. Where I find common ground with Chase is where he mentioned the part about equality versus "what should have been mine long ago". For example, many of the women I was in class with scoffed at the idea of being a stay at home mom. They found that it was the biggest sin against feminism -- turning your back on what women before us fought so hard for. I completely, 100 per cent, disagree with this statement.

I think the joy of feminism is giving women, of all races, creeds and backgrounds, the chance to have the same opportunities and consideration given to them that men have. Feminism is about giving women the power to determine what they want to do, and supporting them in those decisions. John Stuart Mill talked about the importance of not outlawing any part of society from doing something that we don't think they can do anyway (his argument about decriminalizing women going to universities -- since men at the time didn't think women were suited for school anyway). He talked about how the strength of society coming from letting the best people for the job rise to the top. Likewise, I agree that if men want to take paternal leave when a child is born, or work in historically women-dominated fields like nursing, they should definitely do so.

Feminism shouldn't be about belittling men (another issue I had with the radical fems I took classes with). It should be about equality for all people... that's how I see it. Just as Lisa brought the religion metaphor into it (which is exactly the one a friend and I used the other night while discussing this topic), feminism, like religion, is many things to many people. And no matter what it means to you, no one should be afraid to step up and say the F-word.

Permalink Reply by Sarah on March 9, 2009 at 6:17pm

Thanks Elle Bee! I'm really enjoying this thread too! I'm surprised at how much food for thought it's given me and it's so great to have such a lively discussion on the topic.

I'm right there with you on everything you've mentioned above, especially what you pointed out about how feminism in no way means that we should shy away from or scoff at the value of traditional women's roles. It simply means we don't have to and aren't expected to adhere to them if we don't want to just like men shouldn't have to follow the guidelines of traditional men's roles.

In fact I think it's really important to recognize the value of roles that have been traditionally performed by women and very much undervalued.

Very well stated, Elle Bee!

Permalink Reply by Renee on March 9, 2009 at 9:19pm

There are always extremist. I'm a feminist because I believe in the inherent equality of ALL PEOPLE. I shave my legs and have sex with men. I certainly don't hate men... but yeah, I got my BA in Women's Studies from a women's college, so I have some hardcore feminist street cred. Still not an extremist...
In the same way that I'm also Catholic. I go to Mass, I pray, I participate in the sacraments... but I'm not out protesting gay marriage and abortion. Because I'm not an extremist...

It's the middle road of feminism that makes waves and gets things done.

Permalink Reply by OurLittleAshley on March 10, 2009 at 4:11pm

Also a moderate, level-headed Catholic and feminist!

I agree - when you're not extreme - PEOPLE LISTEN TO YOU. They don't write you off automatically. We're definitely getting things done when we argue vocally with reason, passion, and grace. No screaming here. Usually. :)