2008 Woodie Awards
Feminism not dead, not a dirty word
Cady Sinnwell, Senior
- Page 1 of 1
Why has feminist become such a dirty and loaded word? If Merriam-Webster defines feminism as: (1) the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes and (2) organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests, then yes, I am a feminist, and I would venture a guess that you probably are too, you just don't realize it yet.
Why has feminism become such a loaded word in our society and even on campus? Why are you assumed to be a lesbian, man-hating, militant? I consider myself (not a lesbian, not a man-hater, not a militant) a feminist-and this is why: anyone who believes in equality of the sexes, even at a most basic level, is a feminist.
Feminism has been around since the beginning of recorded history-we can read accounts of women warriors in Mesopotamia, read poetry written by Sappho from ancient Greece, even read Soujourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" speech from the mid-1800s. Feminist was a term used beginning with the woman suffragettes in the early 20th century, and has been used through the more recent women's movements of the 1960s and today to describe activists for women's rights.
Why are feminists still around? Didn't women get the vote, didn't the bra-burnings and movements in the 1960s and 1970s get us complete equality? Not even close, and if you ask a feminist if the woman's movement is necessary anymore, you'll get a resounding yes. Why are women still making less than a man for the same job? Why is the government still attempting to dictate rules for a woman's body? Why are women around the world still victims of violence? Until these and other issues are resolved, there will always be feminists working for the equality of the sexes. The recent "March for Women's Lives" in Washington, D.C. this April was a phenomenal example of women coming together to continue the support of women's issues.
Feminism isn't dead, even on campus. Look around. You'd be surprised to see how many of us believe in political, social and economic equality of the sexes. Maybe then feminist wouldn't be such a dirty word after all.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
anonymous944
anonymous944
posted 12/14/04 @ 2:41 AM CST
It's about time that young women realize that the fight is far from over. Let's hope that Ripon women aren't ashamed to call themselves feminists, knowing that it simply means they want all options open for their children and grandchildren. (Continued…)
anonymous944
anonymous944
posted 12/20/04 @ 8:09 PM CST
If by feminism, you mean a belief that women should have equal opportunity in life as men, then I support your cause. However, I suspect that what you really want is things like government mandated salary regulations, quotas for how many women a company will be legally forced to hire, and so forth. (Continued…)
anonymous944
anonymous944
posted 1/11/05 @ 2:48 PM CST
I am so proud to call myself a feminist. I'm proud of how my mothers and grandmothers fought for me. I'm proud that we've learned to grow and define ourselves with this movement. (Continued…)
9D7F3949-ABE3-41B5-9167-38D6902752BE
9D7F3949-ABE3-41B5-9167-38D6902752BE
posted 2/23/05 @ 1:58 AM CST
Thank you for the comments. While I appreciate the feedback, I do caution that I was not speaking about government regulation. I was speaking about the general equality of the sexes, and how feminism has become a word with such a negative connotation. (Continued…)
Post a Comment