The "F" Word
Last fall, I was searching for books to buy my niece for Christmas. I wanted a title that celebrates strong female figures. While reading a description for one of the prospects, I noticed an odd book listed under "customers also viewed." I clicked on it. I don't remember the title, but the the gist of the book is that modern feminism is bad for women and terrible for society.
The opinions expressed by the author reminded me of a controversy a couple years ago; celebrities were criticized based on whether or not they would identify as feminists. Many of the individuals who declined to identify as feminists said that "feminism" is a dirty or divisive word.
Since I sometimes like to imagine what I would say if I were a celebrity being interviewed on the red carpet, I tried to fashion my own response. I had an initial opinion, but I had to strengthen it with facts and reason. First, I had to figure out what "feminism" really means. Given that "feminism" was Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year last year, it seems that I was not alone in my quest for knowledge and clarification about the topic. The definition? “The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.”
Hmm. That doesn't sound very divisive to me. Men and women are equal. The Christian faith teaches us that men and women are both created in God's image; I've never read a Bible that says women were only partially created in His image. We are equal in God's eyes, so where is the controversy in being equal in society, as well?
I understand that feminism as a movement is more complex historically than simply advocating for equal rights. There have been subcategories, "waves," and reactionary groups. Certainly, plenty of individuals identifying as feminists say disgraceful things. Yes, there are women out there claiming all men are evil and we don't need them. In the name of "women's rights," groups have called for things that are, at best, of questionable reason or, at worst, morally abhorrent.
At the same time, people use their Christian faith as justification for truly horrific actions. Do I stop calling myself a Christian because they have tainted the name? No. At its core, Christianity is good. I truly believe that at its most basic level, feminism seeks equality for women as a way to improve all of society.
Some individuals say that modern feminists "nitpick" too much about domestic issues while ignoring the deplorable conditions of women abroad. I have a hard time believing that any woman asking for equal pay for equal work would overlook girls being shot for going to school or brides being burned for dowry money. It's possible to want to improve the universal safety and well-being of women; "first world problem" is a legitimate criticism, but it doesn't apply here. By holding ourselves to higher standards, too, we can be a model for other countries so that they work for better conditions in their own nations.
Others will claim that feminists try to erase the differences between men and women and make us all homogeneous. The definition, however, only uses the word "equal;" it doesn't say "same." It may not seem like an important distinction, but it is. True feminists support women who stay at home as well as women who work. The key is that there is a choice and that women have been given equal education and opportunities before making that choice.
I suppose the word "feminism" itself seems to favor the feminine over the masculine, so individuals might be forgiven for assuming feminists try to champion women over men. There are bad apples in the group, so I could see how one might hesitate to identify as part of the group. I can understand the celebrities who declined to be called feminists.
But if the word simply means someone who advocates for the equality of men and women, it would be a lie to say that I am not a feminist.
The opinions expressed by the author reminded me of a controversy a couple years ago; celebrities were criticized based on whether or not they would identify as feminists. Many of the individuals who declined to identify as feminists said that "feminism" is a dirty or divisive word.
Since I sometimes like to imagine what I would say if I were a celebrity being interviewed on the red carpet, I tried to fashion my own response. I had an initial opinion, but I had to strengthen it with facts and reason. First, I had to figure out what "feminism" really means. Given that "feminism" was Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year last year, it seems that I was not alone in my quest for knowledge and clarification about the topic. The definition? “The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.”
Hmm. That doesn't sound very divisive to me. Men and women are equal. The Christian faith teaches us that men and women are both created in God's image; I've never read a Bible that says women were only partially created in His image. We are equal in God's eyes, so where is the controversy in being equal in society, as well?
I understand that feminism as a movement is more complex historically than simply advocating for equal rights. There have been subcategories, "waves," and reactionary groups. Certainly, plenty of individuals identifying as feminists say disgraceful things. Yes, there are women out there claiming all men are evil and we don't need them. In the name of "women's rights," groups have called for things that are, at best, of questionable reason or, at worst, morally abhorrent.
At the same time, people use their Christian faith as justification for truly horrific actions. Do I stop calling myself a Christian because they have tainted the name? No. At its core, Christianity is good. I truly believe that at its most basic level, feminism seeks equality for women as a way to improve all of society.
Some individuals say that modern feminists "nitpick" too much about domestic issues while ignoring the deplorable conditions of women abroad. I have a hard time believing that any woman asking for equal pay for equal work would overlook girls being shot for going to school or brides being burned for dowry money. It's possible to want to improve the universal safety and well-being of women; "first world problem" is a legitimate criticism, but it doesn't apply here. By holding ourselves to higher standards, too, we can be a model for other countries so that they work for better conditions in their own nations.
Others will claim that feminists try to erase the differences between men and women and make us all homogeneous. The definition, however, only uses the word "equal;" it doesn't say "same." It may not seem like an important distinction, but it is. True feminists support women who stay at home as well as women who work. The key is that there is a choice and that women have been given equal education and opportunities before making that choice.
I suppose the word "feminism" itself seems to favor the feminine over the masculine, so individuals might be forgiven for assuming feminists try to champion women over men. There are bad apples in the group, so I could see how one might hesitate to identify as part of the group. I can understand the celebrities who declined to be called feminists.
But if the word simply means someone who advocates for the equality of men and women, it would be a lie to say that I am not a feminist.
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