I would like to take a moment to unpack the term "feminism" a
bit. What a mysteriously controversial term. Far too often I hear about gross
overgeneralizations and stereotypes around what a feminist looks like or acts
like or thinks. I'm here to argue that these ideas are destructive forces in this important movement
of the people. See, feminism, women’s rights, sexism… these are all issues that
affect every one of us and the reality is that until every single person is free,
equal, and respected to the utmost, no one can be free.
“You
don't have to be anti-man to be pro-woman.”—Jane Galvin Lewis
This is an important concept that deserves a discussion. I
sense that there exists a misperception that feminism is somehow anti-men… Well,
I’m here to say, it certainly is not. Feminism is a movement that benefits all people, and in order to work towards
true equality among all people, we
need the support of… all people. Men,
you are our brothers, fathers, partners, and friends; you love us and respect
us, and with that sentiment, I welcome you to this essential movement.
If you are someone who thinks that women deserve ample and equal
opportunities in society, representation in our political sphere, respect, autonomy,
freedom from harm, and are in general pretty cool people, then you too are a
feminist.
There of course exists, as in any major organized social or
political group, a handful of people who represent the extremity of the
viewpoint and are often quite outspoken (think Tea Party, PETA, etc). While
certainly not to be dismissed, these more extreme viewpoints along the wide spectrum
of opinions, are not representative of the majority.
I leave you with this quote:
“Feminism
has fought no wars. It has killed no opponents. It has set up no concentration
camps, starved no enemies, practiced no cruelties. Its battles have been for
education, for the vote, for better working conditions.. for safety on the
streets... for child care, for social welfare...for rape crisis centers,
women's refuges, reforms in the law."
—Dale Spender, author of For the Record: The Making & Meaning of
Feminist Knowledge, 1985
If you ever say you are not a feminist, I will certainly
ask, and why not?
Are you asking what it means to be a feminist? or a white middle class liberal?
ReplyDeleteWhile I must come in and give mad respect and support, I am one who would not take the "feminist" label. I say that with true respect to the struggle of feminism, to fight assumptions, to struggle with the inability to let ones self be. I will not say be "equal", which I will go into, but to be. Feminist freedom to be free without being objectified to a standard that you had no part in creating, that barred you from any conversation to be woman but chained you to only perspectives of those in power.
But my point comes in with this idea of "equality". Who's, what, and where's are supposed to be equal. It is the diversity of this planet, of humanity that defines the beauty and effervesant expansion to it. And feminism assumes a collective of the female identity and goals that is just not there. I will bring up the story of a teenage muslim girl in paris. With French discourse for equality and freedom, the State has banned many varieties of religious symbols, primarily targeting muslim women. The many varieties of the viel become targets for political and social discourse of equality that doesnt give the individual woman the right to see what it means to choose themselves.
THe girl said she had been tormented fighting over whether she should or should not wear a veil. She came to the conclusion, she was asking these questions because society was asking her to make these decisions, but she never got to build her own discourse over the topic. Her decision of whether she chose to wear it or not has little importance, the fact is feminist discourse over what female equality should be, never asked a muslim woman what she wanted. Political-Feminist discourse imprisoned her freedom, by assuming her as one with every other woman, but those are not the grounds to build unity.
THe conversations of what was equal or feminist, became another form of oppession, by subsuming "women" from all cultures to fight for a culturally specific equality that might actually take away from specific gender roles that where empowering and safe without the enforced discourse.
I bring the complications of cross-cultural feminism into discussion because "western" ideas of feminism atop the muslim or eastern european woman may end up objectifying the woman as a place for political discourse and debate, instead of allowing for the agency that feminism claims to value. While many of us dont understand others choices, we can not assume what they should look like.
I must say I am full of colorado beer and california green feeling like a devils advocate, I stand by you 100% but thought this other explanation deserves its place
http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpdne4I0q41qzhnmco1_500.gif
An interesting and important perspective, thanks for weighing in. (And for the dancing batman.)
ReplyDeleteIn my definition of feminism, and many others’, there is no specific label or image for what a woman should look like, or dictation about what freedom should be. On the contrary, equality means to be an autonomous being, free to make decisions for oneself.
The situation about the Paris burqa ban (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1375654/France-burka-ban-Two-arrested-Paris-protest.html) is a good example of what I view as a strictly anti-feminist decision, a decision that was made without representation of women and therefore unequal and oppressive. (Indeed, I see any government legislation on personal values to be oppressive.) My idea of feminism is one that embraces diversity, strength, autonomy, cultural respect, and equality of all people.
I encourage you, and everyone, to contemplate what you find to be the important elements of the women’s rights movement (feminism) and the best way to go about them, and then to lend your voice in order to strengthen this important movement. I think it can be dangerous to discredit feminism overall for the use of that label on ideas that we don’t necessarily agree with.
Perhaps you think along the lines of these feminists (http://feministing.com/2011/04/12/french-veil-ban-goes-into-effect/) a little more readily. Feminist blogger and author, Jessica Valenti, writes on the matter as well (http://aroundthesphere.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/burka-brouhaha-en-francais/).
The “feminist discourse” is very broad, and while most who are talking about it have a similar ultimate goal in mind, there are different ideas for how to reach that. So I encourage you to jump on board and add your voice to the conversation and help to reach that goal in the most productive and progressive way possible.
I apologize for being brash in my last post. After discussing this topic with my sister, she as well as you toppled my argument making me think differently of thinking of myself as a feminist. I went too far in thinking that people identifying themselves as feminists would excuse and complicate attempts to produce and act towards gender equality. This was me going overboard and complicating Slajov Zizek's "first as tragedy then as farce" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpAMbpQ8J7g).
ReplyDeleteI now think it would do the opposite, thinking of ones self as a feminist motivates one to act to their best. To find the best in others and see women with a past, with a conscious and agency, with successes and failures, opinions and a variety of passions, powers, and potentials. I will not take being a feminist lightly, and will continue seeing women as really cool people that I want to continue to march with on our paths to a better world.
Your discussions and artistic conversations are missed in california.