week 13 – activism, change, and women’s futures
June 13, 2010
“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a door mat or a prostitute.” ~Rebecca West
I hope you have learned more about the amazing variety of women’s experiences. I hope you have learned how the word “feminist” is often twisted and used against women who seek change and improvement. I hope that you may be less afraid of it. If you choose to claim the word, that is wonderful. If you believe in the equal value of people and do not choose to identify as a feminist, that is OK, too.
Photo by Josi Sprunger
There is no one single coherent form of feminism. Feminist ideals generally believe in the equal valuing of all people. Must you follow a strict doctrine to be a feminist? No. Must you subscribe to all beliefs generally held by modern feminists? No. There are pro-life feminists. There are people who believe in the empowerment and betterment of women – and all society – who do not label themselves as feminists. And that is OK.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chanad/6665877/ by Chan’ad
I wanted to clarify a common misunderstanding. Feminism is certainly concerned with women’s issues, but just because something focuses on women does not automatically mean it is feminist. Feminism is concerned with the equal treatment of all people – feminism hopes to make the world better for men, women, children – everyone. Feminism (a person, Web site, organization) can focus on how to reduce violence. Feminism can deal with challenges men face in a misogynist culture.
One important aspect to consider is that simply increasing women’s participation and leadership does not necessarily imply a more egalitarian or feminist future. As you know, there are White women and women and men of color who are opposed to strategies for improving the general well-being of disenfranchised peoples. Changing the personnel – replacing men with women, for example – does not necessarily secure a different kind of future. (~from the Chapter 13 introduction, Shaw & Lee)
I hope you have learned about the amazing strength of women. Women have done – and can do – so much. We covered so much in this course – it can be slightly overwhelming. There is a lot of difficult material that we studied. I hope you see the power of possibility. That one woman sharing her story – of putting herself through college, of dealing with rape, of raising her family, of running for political office – has power. I hope you find something that you believe passionately in and work towards your goals.
You do not have to start a non-profit organization to have an impact. Talk to your children about valuing and respecting everyone. Write a letter to the editor when you read a sexist article. Share a link on Facebook about an issue you care about. Confront someone who says something inappropriate about your body. Ask your employers to cover contraception in your insurance plan. Heck – ask that you get an insurance plan! Know that you can do whatever you put your mind to doing.
Thank you for sharing this semester with me. Women’s Studies courses are about reading, studying, and most importantly, the exchange of information that happens among the class participants. I have learned so much from you all and I hope you have learned from each other.
Chapter 13 readings
Textbook readings:
- Chapter 13 introduction, 3rd ed.: p.704-717; 4th ed.: p.707-721
- Reading 103/100 “Fear of Feminism: Why Young Women Get the Willies”, Hogeland, 3rd ed.: p.718-721; 4th ed.: p.722-725
- Reading 101 “Too Many Women in College?”, Rosser, 3rd ed.: not available; 4th ed.: p.725-729
- Reading 104/102 “Real Men Join the Movement”, Kimmel, 3rd ed.: p.721-726; 4th ed.: p.729-733
- Reading 106 “Taking the High Road”, Pharr, 3rd ed.: p.729-731; 4th ed.: not available
- Reading 108/106 “Warning”, Joseph, 3rd ed.: p.738-739; 4th ed.: p.754
- Reading 109 “A Day with Feminism”, Baumgardner and Richards, WVFV, 3rd ed.: p.739-742; 4th ed.: not available
Supplemental readings:
- Half the Sky http://halftheskymovement.org/
- Letter to the Editor: Ending Pornography The Daily Collegian, Jan. 10, 1995 http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1995/01/01-10-95tdc/01-10-95dops-letter-1.asp
- fbomb http://thefbomb.org
- Cover My Pills! Fair Access to Contraception http://www.covermypills.org/
- Akimbo: Standing Strong for a Woman’s Right to a Just and Healthy Life http://blog.iwhc.org/
- Feminist Blogs Be sure to check out the list of contributors on the right side. http://feministblogs.org/
There are many available avenues for feminist activism. You read about plenty in our textbook. There is also a plethora of ways to become involved online. Sites like Feminist Majority Foundation, UNICEF, and Planned Parenthood offer newsletters and opportunities to take action.
