The “˜F-word’: Panel defines, dispels nuances of feminism

By Marcelle Richards
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
[email protected]

This F-word may not warrant a wash-your-mouth-out comment, but
its connotation can be almost as taboo as its four-letter
counterpart.

The word feminism is shunned by some and embraced by others, but
despite its various interpretations, each person defines it on
their own terms, whether or not they identify themselves as
feminists.

In a discussion of the “F-word” Thursday, a panel of
students, staff and administrators shared their own spins.

A hand-painted sign with definitions by students read:

“Feminism = supporting a unified sisterhood across all
personal backgrounds; being proud of being a woman; and, a
philosophy that strives for the equality of men and
women.”

“Feminism is personal,” said Soncia Lilly, assistant
vice chancellor of student affairs.

Lilly, who does not adhere to labels and will not check
“African American” on questionnaires, is hesitant to
pin a label on feminism.

To her, it is not a social or political movement but a personal
commitment and pursuit of equality.

Rob Kadota, who thinks men and women should be equal, will not
call himself a feminist.

“It would be dangerous to call myself a feminist, because
I am not a woman,” he said.

Kadota, an area director for the Office of Residential Life, has
participated in men’s movements, many of which were
pro-feminist but called themselves allies instead of feminists.

“I don’t think I have the right to call myself a
feminist if I can take my badge on or off,” he said.

Amanda Schapel, editor in chief of FEM newsmagazine was quick to
respond.

She said members of her staff ““ even as they work to
redefine feminism ““ share a common ground when it comes to
how they don’t want to be seen.

“What people don’t want to be seems to be broken
down on gender lines,” she said.

Women don’t want to be seen as over-masculinized or
man-hating, and men don’t want to be seen as female.

“It’s interesting,” she said in response to
Kadota’s comment, that people who say they support feminist
ideals will not call themselves one because of their gender.

Schapel said that over the course of the year, her own
definition of feminism has evolved.

The equality for women phrase is “problematic”
because the movement shouldn’t be about gender, she said.

“I guess I don’t believe in the two-party rule for
genders,” she added. “Maybe the definition has to be
more about human equality.”

Scott Carter, a student affairs officer for the Center for
Student Programming, acknowledged the gender barrier.

There’s a tendency for men to identify as an advocate or
ally, he said, but men are “scared” to adopt the title
of a feminist even if they sympathize with the cause.

“Maybe they haven’t been challenged by women in
their lives,” he said. “Some don’t see
what’s right in front of them.”

The event, coordinated by ORL judicial affairs officer Amy
Gershon, was designed to be inclusive of men and women.

The topic of feminism ““ originally scheduled to take a
male-perspective only ““ was modified to include everyone.

“There’s a perception men are excluded,” she
said. “We wanted a program that would emphasize there are
many men allies who support our community.”

Most commented that negative perceptions of
“feminist” do persist:

Dyke. Femi-Nazi. Anti-male activists.

The list goes on, but some scholars in the field argue there has
been a change for the better in the last decade.

Alice Echols, a women’s studies lecturer, said
people’s reluctance to call themselves feminists is
long-standing since the late 1960s, but more students in the
classroom seem to be embracing the term.

She noted that even legendary musician Janis Joplin, whom she
conducted research on, shunned the title.

“When it came to calling herself a feminist, she was
squeamish,” Echols said. “And she’s not
unique.”

She said reluctance stems from a historical trend of defining or
perceiving feminism as a fascist, militant or anti-male movement
““ connotations which still linger today.

Yet after the second wave of feminism in the late 1960s and
early 1970s, the movement started to take new shape as something
more loosely defined and more widely accepted.

Though many students abstained from providing their own
definitions of feminism ““ or said they supported feminist
beliefs but would not call themselves feminists ““ many shared
insight on what being a feminist means to them.

“A feminist is any person ““ man or woman ““ who
believes women should be treated equally in all aspects,”
said second-year business student Ramit Varma.