I’m a twenty-five year-old woman, and I consider being a feminist a large part of my identity. Ten years ago, that wasn’t the case. Hell, five years that wasn't the case.
Growing up, I fell victim to the narrative that many people do—feminism
was an ugly word used to describe man-hating, overly-sensitive,
“politically-correct” (as if this were a bad thing), crazy people.
I believed that feminism sought to destroy the nuclear family,
force women from the home, and spread anger and bitterness. I was ignorant to the actual meaning of feminism and what it sought to do.
I was privileged and sheltered enough to grow up mostly ignorant to the
fact that women are treated differently and that this is a problem. I didn’t
think that sexism was even a thing anymore. Surely that was over. I mean, it’s the twenty-first century after all. Oh, little me.
I have always been a huge book nerd. Since I was small, I have
rarely been found without a book. I have always seen the value in women’s
writing and narratives, and I was naive and self-centered enough to think that
other people saw things the way I did.
Later, while selecting the subject of my undergrad thesis, I came
to a realization. When left to my own devices, I read almost exclusively female
authors. I seemed mostly interested in women’s stories and struggles. Overtime,
I also found myself vicariously experiencing the oppression of women through
those stories.
As I chose my topic and began my research, these thoughts became
more concrete. I decided to write about Edith Wharton and her novel The House of Mirth. The goal of my thesis was to
highlight parts of the novel that coincided with the feminine literary
tradition of American Sentimentalism. This tradition describes fiction
written by women and for women, with female relationships and domestic life at
the forefront.
During Wharton's time, the Sentimental tradition was viewed as
“trashy” by the great American writers (i.e. some white dudes). Instead, those
writers were part of the school of Realism. Wharton, too, was part of this
school. However, I argued that she also made use of feminine tradition, and
that feminine did not mean lesser.
As I researched Wharton and her work, I became increasingly
interested in the plight of women. For one, it was—and is—much harder to be
taken seriously in your field when it is dominated by men.
Furthermore, as I dug deeper into the novel, I found many parts of
the main character's story standing out. One of the novel's main themes is the
woman as a beautiful ornament to be consumed. The importance this theme held
for Wharton was made clear as I learned the book's original title: A
Moment’s Ornament.
The journey of reading Wharton and writing my thesis solidified
many feminists beliefs in me—but I still didn’t know what to call them.
I, like many young people (I assume), learned that feminism was
actually an okay thing when Emma Watson made her speech about gender equality
at the UN. That same year Beyoncé performed at the VMAs in front of a large
sign reading “FEMINIST.” Feminism was becoming “cool” and more accessible (and
consumable, but that's another story for another day).
As I had already been forming these beliefs and contemplating
these issues, I was particularly receptive to Watson’s message. I eagerly and
proudly began labeling myself a feminist. After a while, however, I was not
content to leave it at that.
My feminism became especially real to me when I learned the term rape culture. I was introduced to it when prominent
universities in my city were being written about in local and national newspapers
for the horrendous behaviour of some of their students. I was shocked and
appalled. The more I looked into rape culture, the more I realized that
while yes, I should most definitely be appalled, I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s a huge, widespread problem.
This is how author Emilie Buckwold defines rape culture (emphasis
mine):
[Rape culture is] a complex set of beliefs that encourage male sexual aggression and supports violence against women. It is a society where violence is seen as sexy and sexuality as violent. In a rape culture, women perceive a continuum of threatened violence that ranges from sexual remarks to sexual touching to rape itself. A rape culture condones physical and emotional terrorism against women as the norm . . . In a rape culture both men and women assume that sexual violence is a fact of life, inevitable . . . However . . . much of what we accept as inevitable is in fact the expression of values and attitudes that can change.
The idea of rape culture enraged me, and rightly so. That anger
became a driving force behind much my reading. I continue to educate myself on
these issues daily. I write things like this and sometimes post them on my
blog.
Reading has expanded my mind, grown my empathy and compassion, and given me a
peek into experiences I may not have otherwise seen. With an open mind and a
critical eye, I think reading has made me a better person.
And a feminist.