Being a feminist no longer requires an absolute commitment to any particular set of beliefs or ideas. You can be a feminist without seeing men as the enemy. You be a feminist and love the female form, but you still might feel the need to shave. You can be a feminist with strong opinions but never join a protest. In short, New Feminism is a pluralistic concept.
So, if describing yourself as a feminist doesn’t have to be a definitive label, what sort of things might set you out as a feminist?
In true blogging style we’ve created a list of 10 things that we think define the concept of New Feminism:
- You consider equality and equal rights to be concepts that apply to both men and women.
- You think that if women share an equal part of the job, they should have an equal part of the pay packet.
- You want to be recognised and rewarded for your talents and not your physical attributes.
- You hate hearing women putting down other women by using derogatory terms like slut or whore.
- You want success in the workplace to be measured in the same terms as men. If you take control of a situation it’s because you’re assertive, not a because you’re a bitch.
- You may take pleasure in baking, but you’d be offended if you were asked to make the tea simply because you are a woman.
- You stay informed about issues that affect everyone; you are proud of the independent opinions you hold on political, social, and cultural matters.
- You do not feel that your degree would be a waste if you decided to stay at home and raise a family.
- You take pride in your appearance regardless of what other people think. You know that society has created an impossible image of womanly perfection, and you try not to give into the pressure to conform.
- You believe that women all over the world are affected by the unjust system of patriarchy.
We’re going to be adding to this list throughout Women of the World (WOW) week, especially after we’ve listened to what Natasha Walter has to say about Feminism and Solidarity.
If you have any points you’d like to add then we’d love to hear from you. Send your ideas to our Twitter Handle @HumanitasVP
If you’re interested in attending the WoW events in Cambridge this week then check out the online programme here.