When and where do I become aware of myself as a woman?
When I hook up with more than one guy and find myself judged viciously by girls and guys alike? When I have to dress as if I am “sexually available” at college house parties? When I ride naked on a wrecking ball and am slut-shamed across all social media platforms? When I am raped and accused of “asking for it?” When I apply to med school and my gender is a liability? When I am Saudi Arabian and I can not even allowed to drive a car? When I am born in China and am a dissapointment to my parents?
My decision to identify as a feminist stemmed from the frustration and anger I felt from witnessing example after example of structural misogyny in the world.
When I felt weak and powerless against these institutions based on male dominance world, discovering feminism meant discovering an empowering community of people who understood and validated all the frustration I felt. These were people who sang to the same tune that I did and challenged the rest of the world’s complacency.
Although my anger was justified, it transformed into an obsession with the word “feminist.” After all, why would people not identify with feminism unless they didn’t believe in equality for all genders (which is the very definition of feminism)?
I tried to convert people into feminists, on the verge of becoming a door-to-door evangelical. I lost sight of the meaning behind being a “feminist” and instead focused on the label itself.
The many discussions I have had at Bowdoin have led me to understand the complexity of the “feminist” label, as well as the decision to not identify as a feminist. I was lucky to find a group of supportive friends and an expansive Internet community who all embraced feminism. Yet in most realms of the world, feminists have been historically associated with the negative image of man-hating, white, middle class women who burn bras.
This image of feminism alienates women who choose to be homemakers. It alienates all other races and social classes, and it alienates male identities and LGBTQIA sexualities.
People who do not identify with feminism are not necessarily sexist bigots, but rather are individuals who find it hard to relate to the radical, exclusive image of feminists as commonly percieved.
Does the word “feminist” need to be replaced or can it be redefined and diversified?
Should we even be wasting our time discussing this when we could be discussing solutions to sexism? When the Women’s Resource Center held a panel called “What the F is Feminism?” last Friday, Bowdoin faculty discussed why they did or did not identify as feminists, which led to discussion about what it meant to actively embody feminism on a day to day basis.
This conversation proved to me that discussion about the label itself is not simply a nonsensical debate about terminology—the panel Q&A served as a reminder to (feminists or non-feminists alike) that we have a responsibility to fight for the end of gender inequality on campus.
As a feminist, I was reminded of the heavy onus I carry to live up to my identity as an activist, rather than being what Allen Delong calls a “bumper sticker feminist.”
For me, identifying as a feminist was the first step to finding the courage to embrace myself as a woman. Feminism is still an anchor for my beliefs on gender equality and a home for my frustrations. I have also found that explaining why I am a feminist to non-feminists gives me an opportunity to redefine what feminism is and destroy misconceptions of the word.
I hope Bowdoin continues to create space for active conversation about the meaning of feminism in order to create a more welcoming, inclusive community in the battle for equality.
Being a feminist is an active, ongoing decision. While I believe feminism is for everybody, not everyone has to consider him or herself a “feminist.” After all, words are empty if not met with action.
Elina Zhang is a member of the Class of 2016.