COTM March – Feminism

This Condition of the Month is coming out to you a little late– the fault being all on Ariel’s front!  But you know, stuff happens… anyway, I hope you all will enjoy our thoughts this month on the question of feminism.  How do you feel about the term feminism?  Do you consider yourself a feminist?  Why or why not.  Read what the princesses have to say, and, then, in the comments give us your own opinion!

I feel like the word feminist is very loaded. A lot of people have a negative connotation of the term and picture long haired hippies burning bras. But that is a very narrow minded view and not at all what the term should actually bring to mind.
I would call myself a feminist because I believe in equal rights for women. When I hear stories about overly gendered marketing campaigns or women in other cultures who are still not allowed to get an education it makes me very upset. I read an article the other day about how most women are leaving the tech industry because the men don’t treat their ideas with equal attention and it becomes very difficult for them to get promoted. It is completely unacceptable that this kind of thing is still happening! Especially in an industry that is exploding and needs all the people it can get.
And don’t even get me started on Barbie and the marketing to young girls and how messed up that is.I think a lot about how I’m going bro raise a daughter in this world who will be confident and believe that her dreams are unlimited. I know that our society has come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.  — Snow

Am I a feminist? Yes. I love all things girl-power. I have fond memories of my college days, when my friends Aurora, Ariel, and Snow and I would organize Female Empowerment parties—special nights of sisterhood and bonding where we would celebrate our femininity, invest in friendships, and also strengthen our self-confidence and self-actualization through activities as varied as making music videos, creating artistic representations of the vagina, or simply cudding up on the couch and talking.

Simultaneously I am an evangelical Christian, which makes me a part of an ideology many would think of as being in opposition to feminism. It might seem that way, if you’re on the outside looking in, or only see a few Bible verses or hear a few sound-bytes from famous pastors. But to me, and to the majority of my sisters in Christ, there’s no contradiction in terms when we identify as feminists and as Christians. While I believe men and women are different, that certainly doesn’t mean I approve of gender inequality in the workplace, in education, or anywhere else. Living where I now do, in an ultra-conservative Muslim culture, I’ve experienced a strange role reversal, in which I’m no longer “the prude,” but “the whore.” I’m no longer seen as a crazy conservative, but as a wild liberal, simply because I dress as I please, work outside the home, don’t have children yet, and believe women should have the same opportunities as men. It’s totally weird that I, the same person I’ve always been, could be seen as one extreme in my own culture and the complete opposite here. But that just shows how so much of our ideas about others’ beliefs can be misguided and wrongly based on stereotypes.

Yes, feminism can have a bit of a nasty connotation at times, thanks to the radical words and actions of a few feminists through history. But the same can be said for Christianity. I’m reminded of what Emma Watson said in her speech to the U.N.: “if you still hate the word [feminism]—it is not the word that is important but the idea and the ambition behind it.” I guess I believe I don’t fit the mold of the angry, man-hating feminists, but nor do I subscribe to whatever hateful or hypocritical comments you’ve heard from those judgmental “Christians” you know. The best parts of both ideologies are in between those extremes, and that’s where I like to abide. I’ve actually seen a few articles lately about this very topic; check out this one if you’re interested to know more. http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/worldview/why-you-should-be-christian-feminist

So, that’s me. Yes, I’ve burned a bra or two in my day. I also love being a wife and I believe the Bible. And I’m proud that both of those things are true for me and make me who I am.   —- Cindy

Isn’t it interesting how immediately polarizing the word feminist is? The second I hear it I feel anxious, like somehow controversy and conflict are going to immerge just at the mere mention of the word. The power that word has is good and bad in equal parts, good because it brings attention and gravitas to a topic that deserves much more than it gets, but bad because sometimes the concept gets corrupted and does more harm than good.

I’m definitely a feminist, yet I rarely, if ever, will I advertise it. I tend to think the more we talk about injustices and disparities the more we separate ourselves from making them disappear. I know this isn’t universally true, things must be talked about to be changed, but I think many times talking about things we hate does more damage than good. I would love to be paid the same as a man in my field, but the more people talk about how unfair it is the more women are viewed as ‘other’ than men. Sure, men and women are different, but reminding people of the differences isn’t helpful for the feminist cause. If we want equality we have to join men and highlight our similarities, not make them feel guilty for being born with a Y chromosome. What if we focus on examples of successful women who, by the way, are making the same amount of money as men, the results we want will follow (slowly, but surely). I’m definitely a feminist, but I’m a masculinist too. Sometimes the word feminist, or even words like female empowerment or girl power, get associated with putting men down, when really we just want to be treated the same.     —- Aurora

As some of the others point out, feminism is a bit of divisive word.  Now, that’s pretty silly.  Everyone should be able to come together over the idea of equal rights for men and women- right?  However, even for me, feminism is kind of a divisive word.  I wish I could love it and own it, and maybe I can, but I feel like the problem is that it is so often used with more connotations than simply just equal rights and respect for woman.