the True Love quote you put up the other day was what made me wonder about the cause of the modern day feminist, and what exactly she is fighting for. And from the comments on your blog I could see that a lot of people, like me, were confused. I've always thought feminism meant stripping yourself of all things womanly so as to be seen to be an equal, by men. I suppose that's the feminist stereotype, and I've unknowingly subscribed to it. To a certain extent, "feminist" became a dirty word, not just for me, but for a lot of my friends. I did courses on Medical and Family Law, and then (completely unrelated to my Law degree) a short History course on the role of the Feminist in the British Empire, at university. In the process I came across articles by some modern day feminists who denounced the role of the mother or the wife as being a partriarchal suppression of a woman's freedom. Every single socio-political or socio-economic issue was reduced to "gender", and to the struggle between man and woman, even in the most roundabout ways! Some of those writers were ridiculous! They saw a battle of the genders in absolutely everything. I came to the conclusion then, that you had to deny yourself of a role I believe women were created to fulfil, in order to be a feminist. From what you've said, that assumption was wrong. I think you should do a post about the modern-day feminist, and what she does, because I think I might want to be one. The initial sighting of the label, "feminist", threw me. I pictured modern-day Emmeline Pankhursts yelling "votes for women" and thought... "but we can vote already. What is your point? What about the other more pressing issues?"
@ Mimik -
I do want a label. Not just to put myself in a box, but so that I know what I'm working towards. You know me... I've always needed that kind of framework to have direction. That's why a lot of what I'm doing now feels so pointless and I have absolutely no motivation. I don't want the "corporate lawyer" label.
@ Wily -
Feminism does need to be redefined. I have a feeling Jeremy was alluding to the possibility of the label having already been redefined, so I'm thinking perhaps its just that the rest of us, maybe in Nigeria more so, haven't picked up on this new meaning. I want to be the feminist who deals with the kinds of issues you've described, and more... I don't want to sit around waiting for someone else to do the work in my own country. This is not to say that others haven't started, but they need all the assistance they can get.
So do I conclude by saying I'm going to label myself a "feminist", with the modern meaning of the term attached as a sub-title, for the avoidance of confusion? Or do I abandon labels altogether and try and find a sense of purpose, without the comforting framework of the 'box' directing the way in which I should be going?
I suppose I'll just have to wait and see... and maybe... just go with the wind, for once.
8 comments:
Good for you. There's a lot of literature out there that utterly confounds the image of the bra-burning man-hating feminist, just as there are a lot of male feminists out there - I'm one. I'll get Bibi to send me a list of books to read, but of course you might as well start with bell hooks if you haven't read her already as well as the poetry of Audre Lorde.
Wily - I fail to see how we disagree, however patriarchy is more of an issue in places like Nigeria and Ghana than the West where the struggle has been ongoing for over a century. A while ago I posted on female circumcision in Nigeria.. among the Yoruba it is still thirty percent of women who are circumcised. Women who work in banks ARE EXPECTED to sleep with their clients I kid you not. For women in Nigeria to say its my choice whether I am feminist or not is completely dumb and stupid.
the top row of the keyboard I am using is not working, hence the lack of brackets and other punctuation...
I think to say that "for women in Nigeria to say its my choice whether I am feminist or not is completely dumb and stupid" goes several steps too far.
It isn't your place or mine to decide what causes women should take up for themselves and adhere to. I liked what Wily said about it being a personal decision to take up the role of the "re-branded" feminist. I agree with that, and have thus made the personal decision to play a more active role in educating myself and subsequently in influencing the lives of others (not just women) around me.
But as Wily said, not every women is free (as I am) to make that decision, especially not in a place like Nigeria. Just because they don't take up arms and stomp about with the label "feminist" emblazoned across their chests, doesn't mean that they support and wish to promulgate patriarchal oppression, or that they are "dumb and stupid". Again... its a personal decision. It is also not one that every woman is at liberty (for whatever reason) to take.
To quote Kemi Ogunleye, who left the comment on your blog:
"Since when did the term "feminist" become a label that every woman must wear lest she be branded as "internalizing her second class status"?"
The difference is that I went in search of a label. I wanted one, and still do, be it that of a "feminist" or otherwise. And consequently, I'm definitely going to read Bibi's articles and the stuff by Bell Hooks.
But there are others who don't have the time or the liberty to ask such questions, and they should not be looked down or considered inferior simply because of that.
i have no problem with anyone deciding to wear their feminist persuasion on their shoulder like a badge. all i ask is that you do not invade my personal space.
i recognise the harmful nature of female circumcision in the same way i recognise the cruelty of throwing twins away or child prostitution . its cruelty to another human being. and every human has the right to the best quality of life. not because they are women or children but human beings.
to say im going out to make a declaration for women the world over about how they live their lives is PATRONISING. its as patronising as every third world saver who tells me to abandon my culture/religion in order to become enlightened.
why label yourself a feminist? what changes when you do so? do you suddenly find a renewed sense of feminine empowerment that has been missing from you? i know you bitchy...the day you let yourself be disrespected as a person by a man or a woman is the day hell freezes over.did you have to label yourself a feminist to be like that? do you now?
finally
i am a doctor! two people walked into a hospital at the same time suffering the same disease.the only difference is their gender. who do i attend to first? the man or the woman? and how did u decide?
xx
I like what you said Ruks. Nothing changes simply because you stick a label onto your forehead. I will still be passionate about the millions of injustices in Nigeria, whatever the label I decide to attach to myself.
I'm also realising from this discussion and others on other blogs, that the problem with labelling yourself on the basis of another person's criteria is that you end up being confined to their idea of how you should be approaching the issues.
Out of curiousity, is "feminist" the only label for a woman who wants to confront injustice in her country? As we discussed last night, you and I are not just concerned about women's issues, we're concerned about so many things.
Perhaps we should go back to the "revolutionary" label? Or "power ranger" ;-P
{I know Mimik is going to be on here in a flash saying I should just give up the label search!}
hehe, like clockwork ms ranger! It's a personal choice as you've all said, and it depends on your priorities in life and your views. I'm of the micro-change theory that everyone should pursue what their passionate about and that'll eventually work out to be for the "public good" (as contested as that term is, i think i'll save that for another day). I'm passionate about women being treated fairly, but moreso about the every disenfranchized member of our society, regardless of sex. Do i need to apologize? No, it's a choice. I'm more passionate about children but that doesn't mean I'm oblivious to all the other groups in our society. Like you said Bitchy, labels are for the rest of society to know who you are, because you already know who you are and what you stand for, so I'd say keep moulding that kaleidoscope along the way and from the change you impact in the world, the labels will flow forth! xx
winning what? i don't get. no, didn't get message. update coming in mail.
n.b. there are many branches of feminism. some that embrace all aspects of womanhood, running the family etc, and think that the earlier feminists did a great job of subscribing to patriarchal ideals by assuming that equality meant abolishing all that made females unlike males. so you see how the whole thing is foolish. i only rephrase things to make them clearer.
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