Let`s be frank about the ``F`` word. I`m not talking about the
four-
letter variety, but the term ``feminist,`` which likewise can
pack a mean
punch.
Proof of its power to insult is the widespread conflict I have
noticed
among members of my twentysomething generation.
They consistently fail to identify their beliefs as feminist.
For
example, most would reply ``yes`` if questioned whether they
support equal pay for equal work, or the idea that a woman`s proper place
is wherever she
chooses it to be. But if then asked if they were
feminists, ``no`` would be
the most common reply (with perhaps a
smattering of ``no, buts`` and ``yes,
buts.``)
Many are avoiding the ugly and radical feminist stigma. Just the
word
conjures up the collectively deep-rooted image of angry,
bra-burning, men-
lynchers.
This hornet`s nest of stereotypes is significant for this generation
to
address because of its serious threat to undermine women`s personal
and
political progress. A fear of being stigmatized keeps too many
women from
actively supporting what they believe in. Even when taking a
moderate stance, they find themselves quickly and often indelibly branded.
The time is urgent for young women to overcome this stigma and take
a
stand on the issues that affect their lives, whether at the ballot
box or on a more routine personal level. Now, under a right-wing Supreme
Court and
paternalistic state legislatures, our most basic reproductive
freedoms are
being stripped away. Other issues that could make a
dramatic difference in
the lives of millions of women, such as child
care, family leave and health
care, are being consigned to the
political margins. In contrast, almost every other industrialized country
considers these vital mainstream ``bread-and-
butter`` issues for men
and women.
When young people dare to apply a feminist analysis or discuss
a
``woman`s issue,`` they find themselves singled out as ``one of
them.`` I
have talked to many others who have endured this branding by
making even the
most low-key feminist statement, such as a friend in
suburban Chicago who is
constantly teased by her insurance agency
coworkers for hyphenating her
married name.
Another woman interviewed who works in a Chicago bank said that she would not suggest that her company extend its meager family-leave policy because she would be risking looking ``radical.``
The stigma has special power to gag the mouths of the younger
generation. With a lack of education about the women`s movement and the
influence of
distorted media images, the stereotype is all we know
about feminism. We
weren`t around before circa 1970 to witness the
greater and more blatant
oppression of women, and then the women`s
movement`s sweeping reforms.
Also, during our formative years, the threat of sexism has not been
as
obvious. For many more women, discrimination is now more subtle and
insidious. Instead of being overtly blocked from a job because of her sex,
a young woman may later find herself not being taken seriously in the
workplace with lower
pay and a stalled promotion.
This process of building awareness was a vital ingredient of the
last
wave of the women`s movement. Twenty years ago it helped women see
connections between their lives and the lives of other women, and provided
a sense of
power for change that could be charged from their individual
energies.
Women and men I have interviewed agreed that the future lies
with
cooperation, not separatism. More support from men can transform
the presently stereotyped special-interest category of ``women`s issues``
into a more far-
reaching scheme of ``people`s issues.``
Consciousness raising for this generation begins with men and
women
asking themselves some important questions about what they
believe in. From my interviews with hundreds of young men and women, I
have learned that the
feminist stigma crumbles after a few minutes of
serious thought that goes
beneath the surface. They realize the
relevance of the analysis to their lives and see that they identify with
feminism`s most basic but obscured principles of equality, community and
justice.
An investigation of the most fundamental feminist principles
has
tremendous power to revitalize feminist discourse for the next
generation.
With a more visible and widespread voice, young people can
transform the word feminism from a dirty and divisive word into a unifying
one.