Modern Feminism

Reading and analyzing the Feminist chapter in our textbook was incredibly enjoyable for me, perhaps the most enjoyable of the entire semester thus far. I enjoyed the selections that we were required to read, and I also found the debate between French Feminism and Anglo Feminism fascinating. While I saw key points on both sides of the debate, I couldn’t help but focus more on connecting the dots between these ideas: in the second wave of feminism, there were two sides to it, in our current day of feminism, we can say that there are also technically two sides to our modern-day feminism.

We can start with the obvious; we have our activism. We have people that advocate for others’ rights and equality, no matter their race, sexuality, or gender identity. What matters here is the equality that will come from it – equal pay for all (the difference between 78 cents for white women, 64 cents for African American women, and 54 cents for Hispanic women), the freedom to wear what one wants and express oneself in their own way, and sexual harassment are all big ones. I will say that the freedom of what I’ll call “expression” is something that modern-day feminism has struggled with. Many people seem to feel that to push forward in our body autonomy, we need to be wearing, and feel comfortable wearing, less clothes. Yes, there are religions and cultures that can restrict clothing options, but it seems that some forget that it can also be a choice.

The second side to modern-day feminism is usually referred to as two different things, “tumblr feminism” or, most often, “white feminism”. Feminism on this side of the spectrum is more problematic than anything else. While feminism usually aims for equality for all, this type of feminism usually falls flat. As I was getting into at the bottom of the previous paragraph, there can be a sole focus on one issue, perhaps body autonomy of revealing skin and forgetting that others might not want to do that for personal reasons, and that focus is what limits that equality. What deems it as “white feminism” is that numerous people involved in this side of feminism focus on issues that mainly affect white women and ignore those that affect women of color. It is that focus that tears it down and makes it problematic and ineffective. Often, I’ve run into people who need a few things explained to them in order for a realization to set in, but others are a little more difficult than that.

I find it interesting that between different generations, we still have two sides to our feminism. Yes, we have variations in those sides, but it’s the two distinctions that matter. I’m wondering if it’s because we can’t agree or come to a consensus on what we believe should be equality or how to go about gaining that equality, or is it something more complicated, more ingrained in us as humans? I’m sure someone who has a better understand of psychology could probably answer that, but as for me, I’m content to sit here in my fascination.