Student at Niagara University Majoring in Political Science/International relations with a Minor in Women's Studies and Middle Eastern Islamic Studies. Intern for Congressman Brian Higgins, proud member of ASA, and believer in social Justice. Let's start a revolution!
Loved your article. I myself am a sorority girl AND a proud feminist. People seem to think that the two cannot co-exist.
The only issue I took with your article is the use of the term feminazi. A term coined by douche lord Rush Limbaugh, a true anti-feminist who created the word to turn people away from the feminist movement. Now I know you are only using the term to describe radicals, because lets face it. There are radicals in every religion/social movement who give said religion/movement a bad rap, making it harder for the rest of us to get our points across. Radicals are a real pain in the ass and even though I love smacking them down, I would never use a term coined by Rush of all people, but especially that term since equating feminists to Nazi’s is down right insulting, because even though you are trying to apply the term to radicals you still inadvertently liken all feminists to Nazi’s by linking those two terms together. Hitler came to power against the strong feminist movement in Germany, padlocked the family planning clinics, and declared abortion a crime against the state which are views that are honestly more in line with Rush Limbaugh’s. Last I checked feminists, and radicals for that matter never committed mass genocide. Using the term feminazi while stating that you yourself are a feminist is kind of an oxymoron.
Also I assume you are referring to the Miss America Pageant in 1968 when you mention radicals burning their bras. I think it is important to let you know that they never actually burned their bras (that shit is expensive) however they did throw a collection of symbolic feminine products, false eyelashes, mops, and other items into a trash can. And no it was not on fire. A reporter covering the protest drew an analogy between the feminist protesters and Vietnam War protesters who burned their draft cards, to women burning their bras. The analogy has been stuck to the event and became a catch-phrase of the feminist era.
You also do no favors for non-radical women by referring to radicals as “over-emotional, illogical, and crazed,” because though you mean well and are only referring to radicals, you inadvertently reinforce that stigma on all women. Women are taught to not take up space, and control our tempers. We are expected to be over emotional and cry because we just can’t “handle the stress.” But when we do not react this way and actually do our jobs while holding people accountable, we are considered cold, calculating, and bitches. It’s the amazing double-bind that we have to live with. In this regard I feel bad for men too. While we have this double bind to contend with, they also have to deal with living up to the ideal of being hyper masculine. Men aren’t supposed to show emotion or god forbid CRY. That is considered a feminine trait and everyone knows that being feminine is synonymous with weak…this is sarcasm.
At the end of the day it does not matter if you have a vagina or a penis (though I agree that it makes no sense to have a vagina and not be a feminist) because feminism is for everyone. If you believe in the political, economic, and social equality of men, women, homosexuals, transgenders, and minorities then you are a feminist. Feminism is about equality for ALL.
Loved your article. I myself am a sorority girl AND a proud feminist. People seem to think that the two cannot co-exist.
The only issue I took with your article is the use of the term feminazi. A term coined by douche lord Rush Limbaugh, a true anti-feminist who created the word to turn people away from the feminist movement. Now I know you are only using the term to describe radicals, because lets face it. There are radicals in every religion/social movement who give said religion/movement a bad rap, making it harder for the rest of us to get our points across. Radicals are a real pain in the ass and even though I love smacking them down, I would never use a term coined by Rush of all people, but especially that term since equating feminists to Nazi’s is down right insulting, because even though you are trying to apply the term to radicals you still inadvertently liken all feminists to Nazi’s by linking those two terms together. Hitler came to power against the strong feminist movement in Germany, padlocked the family planning clinics, and declared abortion a crime against the state which are views that are honestly more in line with Rush Limbaugh’s. Last I checked feminists, and radicals for that matter never committed mass genocide. Using the term feminazi while stating that you yourself are a feminist is kind of an oxymoron.
Also I assume you are referring to the Miss America Pageant in 1968 when you mention radicals burning their bras. I think it is important to let you know that they never actually burned their bras (that shit is expensive) however they did throw a collection of symbolic feminine products, false eyelashes, mops, and other items into a trash can. And no it was not on fire. A reporter covering the protest drew an analogy between the feminist protesters and Vietnam War protesters who burned their draft cards, to women burning their bras. The analogy has been stuck to the event and became a catch-phrase of the feminist era.
You also do no favors for non-radical women by referring to radicals as “over-emotional, illogical, and crazed,” because though you mean well and are only referring to radicals, you inadvertently reinforce that stigma on all women. Women are taught to not take up space, and control our tempers. We are expected to be over emotional and cry because we just can’t “handle the stress.” But when we do not react this way and actually do our jobs while holding people accountable, we are considered cold, calculating, and bitches. It’s the amazing double-bind that we have to live with. In this regard I feel bad for men too. While we have this double bind to contend with, they also have to deal with living up to the ideal of being hyper masculine. Men aren’t supposed to show emotion or god forbid CRY. That is considered a feminine trait and everyone knows that being feminine is synonymous with weak…this is sarcasm.
At the end of the day it does not matter if you have a vagina or a penis (though I agree that it makes no sense to have a vagina and not be a feminist) because feminism is for everyone. If you believe in the political, economic, and social equality of men, women, homosexuals, transgenders, and minorities then you are a feminist. Feminism is about equality for ALL.