Thornbrugh: Feminism gets bad rep
Modern feminists fall victim to stereotypes
Feminism often carries a negative connotation for people who are unaware of what it means. Feminists are people who care about equal treatment and rights of women. Yes, they shave too.
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
I am a feminist.
In my experience, these words invoke pictures of hairy legged, neo-Nazi-haircut-sporting, man-hating women who gather regularly to burn their bras.
But I can assure you I shave regularly (although I will admit the consistency of this habit lessons the colder it gets outside).
I also have long hair, have never burned a bra (the smell of under wire burning really doesn’t interest me) and am not harboring any extreme hatred toward the male species, except maybe a select few ex-boyfriends from high school.
I would argue, however, that given the fluidity and complexity of the history of the term can simply mean you believe in equality between men and women.
Yet on campus and in everyday life, the word “feminist” still has an uncomfortable, negative or even threatening connotation.
This idea is entirely mistaken.
Being a frequenter of www.dictionary.com, I will first give you the chosen definition of this controversial word.
Simply put, a feminist is “of or relating to or advocating equal rights for women.”
If you would prefer a little more information, look to “No Turning Back” by Estelle B. Freedman.
She defines feminism as far back as 1880 when the French combined their words for woman and social movement, to form the word “féminisme.”
Since then, feminism and its meaning has transformed numerous times in history to reach what Freedman calls an “umbrella usage” beginning in the 1980s, where “anyone who challenged prevailing gender relations might now be called a feminist.”
Feedman goes on to give her own four-part definition of what she believes feminism to be.
I would argue, however, that given the fluidity and complexity of the history of the term can simply mean you believe in equality between men and women.
This term applies to anyone of any race, class or ethnicity.
Despite this, people still believe feminists no longer exist.
What made me begin to think about all of this in the first place was hearing a friend’s story about her first day of class.
A student in the business school, she is taking a 400-level management class.
In a class with five women and about 35 men, the teacher announced that for each group project she will split up the girls so every group would have one girl.
This has become something of a routine for my friend, though she was less than ethusiastic about being the only female in a group.
She expects to be the one that the others assume will pick up the slack in the group and take on more of a writing role.
This is a clear example of a relevant need for feminism and a broader application of its ideals in the students at KU.
I’m not asking you to consider becoming a women’s studies major.
I’m not asking you to change your politics, religion or your values.
I am saying that despite your gender and racial differences and the fact you might still occasionally picture hairy bra-burners when the topic comes up, you (gasp) might consider yourself a feminist too.
Discussion
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The real problem is that the once-useful and positive ideas put forth by 'feminist' women are overshadowed by pushy and even militant feminists. There are at least a handful of these at every university in the country. They have coopted the feminist movement, given it bad publicity, a bad reputation on campuses, and have destroyed all of its credibility.
Or rather, bigoted individuals focus on the (often-times imaginary) negative aspects of the movement as a reason to discredit the whole.
"Simply put, a feminist is “of or relating to or advocating equal rights for women.”"
Feminist organizations like NOW don't advocate for equal rights, they advocate for women's rights. It's an important distinction.
In a class with five women and about 35 men, the teacher announced that for each group project she will split up the girls so every group would have one girl.
"This has become something of a routine for my friend, though she was less than ethusiastic about being the only female in a group.
She expects to be the one that the others assume will pick up the slack in the group and take on more of a writing role."
Apparently I missed the logic that led to the conclusion that she would have to pick up the slack. Are you inferring that the men are lazy?
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