A Kaleidoscope Called Feminism

Feminist or Man Hater?

Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights based on equality of the sexes. That’s the simplest answer. This idea of feminism has been misconstrued and misinterpreted constantly since its origin, from its believers being labeled as witches, being dismissed as radical or inappropriate women, to being caricatured as man-haters. Feminism has been contorted to the vision of the beholder. Feminism in America has become an especially sensitive and evolving topic, with some radical B-list politicians claiming bodily autonomy is promoting the idea of murder and somehow falls directly in line with feminist ideas. Political divisions in America have blurred the line between so-called “trad wives,” man-haters, and feminists. So what does being a feminist mean… and what doesn’t it?

History of Feminism

Some people have concluded that feminism started in ancient Greece or Medieval times, or even with female Viking Warriors, but the most definitive beginning of feminism should be Mary Wilstonecraft and Jane Austen, popular writers who both advocated for women’s rights and argued for the power of the female mind. The first wave of large-scale feminism began in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the midst of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of socialist politics; women wanted more representation and had a focus on suffrage. These loose ideas came to a head at the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, where about three hundred women gathered to demand equal opportunity. Following these radical charges of the New Left era and the campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment, women became more involved with their place and purpose as a minority in America. A few more movements following these larger protests have shaped feminism into this perfectly imperfect kaleidoscope of what it means to be a woman and the power of self-advocacy.

What is Feminism and What Isn’t?

While the history of feminism is an important pillar in the community of women, there have been some movements/protests that may have been perceived as too radical. The Miss America pageant in Atlantic City in 1968 and 1969 was harshly criticized for the degrading nature of pageants and their basis on superficial and cosmetic beauty, which they claimed was far superior to that of the capability of female brains. A radical feminist group called the Redstockings staged a parody of the pageant, which crowned a sheep as Miss America to mock what they called the “cattle parade” of beauty pageants. 

While this movement was powerful and certainly sent a message, looking at it from a more contemporary perspective sheds a different light on the situation. The core principle of feminism is women banding together to support each other in their fight for equality, yet this particular protest makes one question whether comparing fellow women to cattle and spreading the message that the female participants are degrading themselves for the male gaze is supporting feminist movements or humiliating female participants. While societal constructs for women can be restrictive and confining, some women find sanctuary in expressing their femininity. This could be a factor as to why the Miss America movement may have been counterproductive in refuting the patriarchy, as some women love wearing makeup and heels because it’s how they best express themselves. Seeing feminine items like brassieres and makeup being cast as degrading and controlling sends the message that being feminine in conventional ways is advocating for a hierarchical society and the patriarchy. Embracing curves and wearing makeup make a woman no less feminist than choosing jeans and sneakers. Feminism is not a war between women, but a state of thinking that unites women to enforce change in a male-dominant society.

Challenging Aspects of Feminism

The theory of feminism is a challenging topic, and it faces many contradictions in how women characterize themselves in order to define their independence: strong and empowering or weak and vulnerable. This becomes particularly tricky when talking about sexual assault. Over half of all women will experience some form of sexual assault in their lifetime. This staggering statistic makes it difficult for women to determine whether they have to be strong and face the consequences of autonomy or paint themselves as the victim and succumb to being reduced to centuries-old stereotypes. This becomes even more challenging when considering women in other countries who are forcibly used as sexual slaves. This nauseating practice is ongoing in Afghanistan under the Taliban, where women are reduced to objects, living without voice, emotions, or rights. There are so many gray areas to feminism and how ancestral male dominance has complicated the path toward gender equality.

While feminism is constantly evolving, the basis lies in equality. How people interpret that equality is where it gets tricky. Although all should embrace feminism, women in particular have a responsibility to support themselves and other women in an oppressive society. Feminism is a constantly evolving construct, and its ideas and implications are what make it one of the most powerful innovative notions in the history of women.