This site will look much better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

Grace Miller's Womanifesto

Some people say feminism has served its purpose, and women are fully equal with men today. I wholeheartedly disagree with this statement on two fundamental levels. First, I challenge the belief that feminism is solely about gender equality. Additionally, I have experienced and been exposed to the marginalization of women too often to claim that feminism is unnecessary or irrelevant. This paper serves to provide examples and offer insight as to why feminism is not only alive but also extremely valuable to society.

While I believe that feminism does not have one succinct definition, the general understanding that the majority of feminists hold is a belief in equality between the two genders (Valenti, Jessica. Full Frontal Feminism: a Young Woman's Guide to Why Feminism Matters. Emeryville, CA: Seal, 2007. Print). It is no coincidence that two of the largest feminist organizations, The National Organization for Women (NOW) and the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) dedicate their efforts towards this very goal ( "History | National Women's Political Caucus." National Women's Political Caucus HOME | National Women's Political Caucus. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://www.nwpc.org/history>). In the context of politics and labor equality I believe that gender equality is a sound goal. I believe that with persistence and connection between women and women allies these hurdles can be jumped. However, the problem I have with feminism being viewed through an “equality or nothing” lens is that in the present consciousness of the human race, total gender equality can never happen. It’s the same frustration I have with terms such as “the war on terror” or “the war on drugs” – using this rhetoric leaves no room for success, however big or small. So what do we call it then? I’m not entirely sure, but I do believe that a more realistic yet still optimistic tagline would empower women and women allies more effectively.

Additionally, viewing feminism as only about fighting for equality is simply just inaccurate. Feminism is not all war and battle. Feminism is also about empowering women to take autonomy over their bodies and minds. Feminism is about creating more transparency about the kind of politics and power complexes that are behind the products we purchase – especially those products marketed towards women but profited by men. Feminism is about reminding women about how connected we are to the earth and nature and how eco-feminism can make us feel amazing and inspire us to turn our intentions into actions. Feminism is about taking back or working to eliminate hateful discourse towards women where it respectively makes sense – creating a safe space to be vulnerable and stand up for women when hurtful words charged with negative history start spewing out – even when it’s not the popular position to take. The list certainly doesn’t end here; feminism is an evolving consciousness that expands far greater than just a fight for equality.

Furthermore, I hold the opinion that to surmise that feminism is dead in today’s world is to be asleep. The worst insult that humans have come up with to offend both women and men are terms packed with shame on women. According to our discourse, it turns out that the worst thing to be is in fact, a woman (Muscio, Inga. Cunt: a Declaration of Independence. [Seattle]: Seal, 2002. Print). This fact alone is enough to challenge those who believe feminism is dead. If the media, our friends, our parents, and our government continue to perpetuate this reality, equality and dignity can never be restored to women. A present example of this is the current Republican Party’s threat to cut all government funding for Planned Parenthood. If our government cannot seem to respect women’s health then we absolutely need the love and force of feminism to stand up for women. Furthermore an incident that occurred at the popular two-week music festival in Austin, Texas – South By Southwest (SXSW) - challenges the notion that feminism is dead. The front man of punk band “Screeching Weasel” punched two female audience members in the face during his set. According to thelmagazine.com, a woman in the crowd was provoked by his misogynistic lyrics and threw ice at him, which led to his rampage (Conklin, Mike. "Screeching Weasel Frontman Punches Two Women During SXSW Show, Issues Apology with No Specific Mention of Having Punched Two Women | The Measure." The L Magazine - New York City's Local Event and Arts & Culture Guide. 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2011/03/21/screeching-weasel-frontman-punches-two-women-during-sxsw-show-issues-apology-with-no-specific-mention-of-having-punched-two-women>). There is a triggering and difficult-to-watch video clip on youtube.com, which depicts him jumping off the stage and committing the attack. Currently no charges were pressed and only one show following the incident was cancelled (ibid) – hardly punishment for doing something so hateful and mean spirited. Additionally most of the comments on the video are extremely discouraging. It is unclear of what gender the users identify with but from my experience reading the comments I sensed a strong male presence. The following are a few examples:

Clearly feminism is not dead. It has not been resolved or overcome – apparently there isn’t much in the way of consequences for punching a women in the face and the overwhelming majority of discourse surrounding this incident only perpetuates the problem.
We need feminism. I need feminism. Feminism needs feminism. I believe that claiming feminism as a thing of the past is a symptom of the greater fear that humanity is feeling. Fear is an extremely powerful force that manifests itself in destructive ways. The amazing thing about feminism, and the thing I think we sometimes can forget is that feminism is love and love has the power to supersede fear. It is with that in mind that I respectfully and passionately disagree with the notion that feminism is dead.


< back to the main Womanifestos page