This is the first guest post from some of my real-life and online friends. Hannah Winter is a friend in both spheres, and I hope you find this interesting.
When John asked me to guest on his blog under the title of ‘Feminism’ I jumped at the chance and started to make a note of the things I just ‘had’ to include; women in the workplace, social constructions of gender, violence, sexualisation of children, pornography and lap-dancing, religion, FGM, and many, many more – all of which I’ve got plenty to say about! Having been given a 400 word (ish!) limit, I thought I’d start at the beginning and (hopefully!) be invited back to address individual issues at a later date. So, the question I aim to answer here is ‘Why Feminism?’ I’ll write from a personal perspective; why I identify as a feminist, and why I feel feminism is as relevant today as it ever was.
I indentify as a feminist because I’ve found feminism to be a very useful tool to question, de-construct, and challenge the things around me that make me, as a woman, feel uncomfortable. Things such as, but in no way limited to; lads mags, the marketing of gender-specific toys, Page 3, being told my research won’t make me attractive to men (as if that’s my sole aim in life!), the way in which the behaviour of women is judged very differently to men. I’ll stop with the list but believe me, it’s a long one! I identify as a feminist because it gives me the confidence and drive to have my voice heard in world which, contrary to popular belief, is a largely patriarchal one which attempts to silence the voices of women.
So, 40+ years after the birth of feminism and gender inequality is alive and well. Surely feminism has failed? No, feminism hasn’t failed! I don’t believe that feminism was ever about ‘succeeding’ on a global level, inherently changing men and women; it would only serve to replace patriarchy if it did. It’s about changing core values. It’s about changing patriarchal assumptions about how things ‘should’ be. Today, as ever, feminism allows the questioning of the limitations placed on, and the assumptions we make about women.
Feminism isn’t about burning bras and hating men! Feminism is about creating the opportunity for equality in the personal, social, and political spheres. Feminism seeks gender equality – a liberating concept for both women AND men. I need to finish soon (400 words just isn’t enough!) but I’ll leave you with this:
• Women in the UK are paid 22.6% less per hour than men
• Only 18.3% of the world’s members of parliament are women
• At least 100,000 women are raped in the UK each year
• Two-thirds of the world’s illiterate people are women
• One in four women living in the UK will experience violence at the hands of a current or former partner
The Equality Illusion, Kat Banyard, Faber and Faber Ltd: London, 2010
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