Am I a Feminist?

I'd rather define myself as an “equal opportunist,” but if I have to, I'll agree that, yes, I am a feminist. While I assert that there are so many negative feelings attached to the word “feminist,” by definition, I am one. When I think of the word “feminist,” words such as “man-hating,” “superior,” “angry,” and “bitch” come to mind. I've had a very difficult time defining myself as a fellow feminist when these negative attitudes follow closely. This course has made me see that, despite my prejudices regarding the feminist movement, I desire women to have the same rights as men, and that I don't think total equality has yet been achieved. When I entered the class, I answered “no” to the interactive survey question, “Do you consider yourself a feminist?” Now, I have to bite the bullet and agree that I am, regardless of the connotations attached to the word.

My views on women's rights and feminism are influenced by a number of experiences I've had in my life. I was married at 19, the result of being an underprivileged young woman who thought the only way to financial stability was to get married. Unfortunately, I married a man who could easily be described as an anti-feminist, a man who thought my place was in the kitchen and his was in the bowling alley. He expected me to wait on him hand and foot, to solely take care of our daughter, and to only speak when spoken to. I endured his oppression for seven years, thinking that my daughter was better off with both parents in her life. However, when my mental health took a nosedive, I realized that it was time to break the restraints he had on me and leave. I did, and now, two years later, I'm married to a very pro-feminist man who supports each and every move I make to better myself. I've since gone back to college in order to find a profitable career, and I feel more liberated than ever before. Now, I'm in control, and despite the inequalities society presents me with, being the “queen of my castle” has made life much more enjoyable. I sometimes think it's hard for me to agree with the feminist movement because I feel like I'm making such progress that I don't personally feel the oppression that other women are faced with. However, when I think back to that very dark period of my life, I remember how important it is for oppressed women to have support.

Reviewing the sixteen types of feminism was very enlightening, not only for me to see which types of feminism I agree the most with, but also because it showed me that my political stance extends further than plain old Liberalism, which is where I thought my belief system lay. As a matter of fact, I do agree very much with the Liberal feminist point of view, believing that “all people are equal; therefore, there should be equality for all.” I agree that issues such as women's opportunities, especially in the workplace, as well as a woman's right to an abortion, are pivotal in the fight for women's rights.

My Liberal feminist opinions go hand-in-hand with the Marxist/Socialists feminist stance. I believe that many of the oppressions felt by women are the result of our political, social and economic structures, and that the capitalist, patriarchal design of our country continues to hinder the equality of women and men.

I've recently come to believe I may not be best described as a Liberal, but I am better defined as a Libertarian. As far as the Individualist or Libertarian feminism stance goes, I agree that freedom and independence is the best way for a woman to achieve equality. Women should be allowed to make their own choices without fearing consequences imposed by others. They should have total control over their body and what they do with it. And at the same time, they should not seek out privileges simply because they are the “weaker” sex. I whole-heartedly believe that less is more when it comes to government control, especially when it comes to personal choices and freedoms.

Of the various types of feminism, I would also say that I agree with certain - but not all - elements of Moderate, Standpoint, and Anarcho-feminism. Sometimes, I am quite embarrassed by the efforts of radical feminists, and I think that more often than not their notions hurt the movement. I also believe that a woman's oppression varies from case to case, and that each woman's experiences influences her amount of privilege. I know that while the typical white female is a minority in comparison to the white male that she is much more privileged than a black female. And, as Anarcho-feminism asserts, I agree that the best way to liberate women is to eliminate much of the authority that dictates how they should live.

It's amazing that each of these types of feminism mesh together for a common goal. Some of them contain such conflicting ideologies; one could easily blame this difference of opinions on the negativities attached to the feminist movement. How can a movement progress without each fighting member united on all of the issues? I guess that's why the feminist movement is so indicative of each individual woman it supports. Women have the right to be conflicting and confusing, comprised of many different qualities and ideals. We now simply need to eliminate mixed agendas to fight for a common goal.