Feminism is not a popular word

Posted by Jenni Colwill on 10 September 2009 | 1 Comments

Tags: Australian women, feminism

My dictionary defines feminism as the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social and economic equality to men. In 2006 I discovered just how negatively this word is regarded by many young women through a survey conducted for a feminist organisation. I was recently reminded of this when 2020women's youngest Board member suggested that we refer to ourselves as a women's organisation rather than a feminist organisation.

I confess that my first reaction was defensive. I am a feminist, and proud of it, so why should I agree to use different terminology? After a little more thought I climbed off my high horse and started thinking.

Early Australian feminists were ordinary women who fought to gain women's basic rights, including the right to vote and to own property.

In the 1970s feminism took a sharp turn. Women at that time were unhappy with their lot, and wanted change. Feminists were middle-class, highly educated and willing to tackle more difficult issues affecting the equality of women. These more controversial issues included reproductive rights, equal rights at work, and the right to be more than just someone who was an accessory to men functioning in a male-centred society.

Many things taken for granted now were won at that time. For example, women no longer have to leave work when they get married, equal pay for equal work is a no-brainer. It is also no longer legal for men to beat their wives.

In the battle to win these important gains some feminists became highly radicalised as they fought against a system of male power that was used, consciously or unconsciously, to oppress women. The media loved them, but their black and white approach to egalitarianism challenged more conservative women. Around this time, unspoken rules developed about what a good feminist could do.

Could you shave your legs and be a feminist? Could you wear lipstick and be a feminist? Could you be heterosexual and be a feminist? Could you be a good mother and be a feminist? Could you be uneducated, working class, and a feminist?

Well actually to all of the above the answer is, yes! yes! yes! yes! and yes! But for some time, you did these things at the risk of being scorned by the women who had become institutionalised by the media as the feminist movement.

No wonder young women have negative connotations with the term.

I would like to redefine feminism for these young women. I would like the so-called feminist movement (is there one?) to move away from academic debate and more into action.

I would like to see women joining together to help each other achieve political, social and economic equality to men.

This would mean finding out how women define their problems. Ordinary, every day women. Women like me. Women like you. Then, to take those problems, work together and fix them. Is this too much to ask? Am I dreaming? I think not.

It can be done if young women join in the discussion. I will willingly reject the term feminism if it is a barrier to this goal.