As a young woman, it’s pretty shocking to note that ‘feminism’ is still a dirty word. Last year, I wrote a piece on this very topic, the reluctance of young women to accept to label themselves ‘feminists’. As this piece was part of a class for university, it underwent some serious workshopping from males AND females. In anonymous comments it was picked apart, some claiming that I had missed the mark and others merely skimming the content, gingerly ticking and crossing here and there with no real interest. It was this reaction which led to the growing disdain I possess for the piece, even though its premise is one close to my heart.

In it, I wrote -

It’s very easy, as a young woman, to take the current situation for granted and forget the feminist battles that were fought to get us to this relatively liberated point. Young women have more doors open for them than ever before – we can get a good education, be free from the confines of domesticity, have a job, be single, vote and hell, even run for president. This generation has never known anything else, except what is communicated through the old feminist mutterings of our mothers or grandmothers. And generally, these are lost in amongst all the white noise in a young girl’s head. But as the US Election draws near, an election more concerned with females than ever before, a girl can’t help but ask, why? Is feminism dead?….

….The actual title ‘feminist’ itself carries far too many negative connotations with it these days. To be a feminist is to be an obnoxious protestor, annoying and unwelcome. Is it any wonder that young women are sick of discussing, debating or thinking about feminism – who really appreciates being labelled a ‘man-hater’, or has the energy to fight for an equality we think we already have? Whilst it’s simplistic to deride feminists as man-bashers and nothing more, it seems it’s easier to ignore the gendered discrimination that women face every day and pretend that it’s not our responsibility.

Though I managed a decent mark for the overall portfolio, I felt that my opinion was perhaps a little uneducated and unworthy which I know now, was rather silly of me. The piece was inspired by a tutorial I had attended in which not a single female claimed that they would consider themselves a feminist. Moreover, some commented that it was not exactly a brilliant thing to be considered. Eight months later, in a lecture for another subject – the same thing occurred and I realised perhaps I wasn’t so crazy in thinking this after all.

Today I watched an Oprah re-run (Women Who Change The World) from October last year on which Gloria Steinem appeared. It was pre-Obama win and the show was buzzing with the prospect of hope and change, etc. etc.

Steinem is a journalist, a feminist icon and an amazing woman. I first encountered Steinem whilst reading the incomparable, Basic Black by another of my idols, Cathie Black of Hearst Magazines. Steinem’s work with Ms. magazine originally caught my attention and I have been in awe of her ever since.

I’m truly worried about how my generation seems to have no interest in standing up for their rights. On Oprah, Steinem commented that gratitude can lead to complacency and that we were start thinking of our rights to equal pay, our rights to abortion and birth control and our rights to vote and what not, bland acceptance will ensue and we will stop fighting for the other inequalities still existing in our society.

Even in writing this blog post, a pang of reluctance exists – what will the response be? Will I lose readers? I’m ashamed to admit that these thoughts even crossed my mind fleetingly.

As if this isn’t enough to trouble my poor distressed soul, I noticed something else present in Steinem which is missing from myself – that indescribable and utter self confidence and inner happiness she simply exudes. I hope that that sort of meaningful capacity for change and understanding exists somewhere inside of me – and other young women – so that we can truly understand that being a ‘feminist’ is something we should be completely and utterly proud of.

Hopefully it’ll rear its head sooner, rather than later.

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