Feminism -- is it a dirty word? Though many people might identify with parts of the movement, they may be very hesitant to publicly align themselves with the big, bad f-word. To make some personal sense of it, I thought I would list out all of the factions of feminism that I identify with-
Postcolonial
Black/Afro-Centrist
Chicana
Third-world
Liberal
Environmentalist
Marxist
Socialist
Post-structural
Post-modern
Lipstick
Body-positive
Sex-positive
Riot-Grrl
I think a big point of contingency in feminist identity politics is the question of how one group can meet the needs of such a diverse global population. Using the term "woman" as universal reduces women down to a social construct - which means this experience differs across the board and cannot be defined in concrete terms. Here is a fabulous quote by Mary Ann Weathers that describes the intersectionality of women's experiences:
"All women suffer oppression, even white women, particularly poor white women, and especially Indian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Oriental and Black American women whose oppression is tripled by any of the above-mentioned. But we do have females' oppression in common. This means that we can begin to talk to other women with this common factor and start building links with them and thereby build and transform the revolutionary force we are now beginning to amass."
Weathers, Mary Ann. An Argument For Black Women's Liberation As a Revolutionary Force ''No More Fun and Games: A Journal of Female Liberation', Cambridge, Mass, by Cell 16 vol. 1, no. 2 (Feb 1969)
Observation
In class discussion, I reacted from my emotions rather than having an open mind to new information. When I spoke with a fellow classmate after class, we were able to calmly talk about the points and found that we had common ground, but since I reacted with my emotions, I shut off open communication. This is a great teachable moment for me and something I will hopefully learn from.
dissecting social justice in everything i live, breath, and see. intersectional feminist approach. constant learning process. continually open mind. peer education and accountability. acknowledging privilege. building community.
Feminism is a on subject that I am still confused about because there are so many waves of Feminism, but I am interested in learning more. I think that many of us react before we think sometimes and let our emotions get the best of us, which is something that I do at times, but it is all a learning process, we just have to know how to put our emotions aside at times
ReplyDeleteI struggle with the term feminism, it has come to have a negative connotation. I hate to compare it to something but it reminds me of the word communism, a great idea, poorly implemented. The ideas behind actual feminism are wonderful and vital to life, equality! But there is such a stigma associated with the word, a sense of male-hating, of women superiority, which I am not about. It's such a shame that ideas like feminism begin to get associated with very extreme ideas and people that don't necessarily appropriately represent the word.
ReplyDeleteFor me feminism means choice and equality for every woman. We are lightyears away from this being a reality, but that's how I define the word. I think everyone should identify it for themselves because with all of our intersecting identities, it really isn't the same for everyone.
ReplyDelete