Category: feminism

Wow.  What an interesting experience.  A few more weeks of waiting and we will finally know where this long, drawn out road will lead her…and us.

I will say that my daughter has learned a lot about herself through writing the essays for her college applications.  It is a difficult thing to do…write about yourself, express your feelings with strangers, and usually fit your personality or life story into 400 words or less!   A tough challenge for anyone but I think it’s expecting a lot from a 17 year old.  It was one of the many times I’ve watched my daughter struggle and grow before my eyes.

One of the applications asked “What contemporary issue or trend relating to politics, culture and society, or foreign policy particularly concerns you and why?”  This is what she wrote:

“Prior to high school, I didn’t understand the meaning of feminism. I had a subconscious understanding but I never understood the extent of its importance. When I came to high school, I found an empowering all-female environment and I was able to give a name to the sexism I had seen in middle school. At our school, everyone identifies as a feminist, because it is easy and popular to call yourself a feminist. In an all-female environment, there are very few factors that challenge your confidence or demean you as a woman. However, when I step outside of school, I realize that the rest of the world doesn’t hold these beliefs and it is much more difficult to put feminist ideals into action.

In politics, female politicians are criticized based on their appearance, while male politicians receive more attention for the issues they promote. In the media, there are very few movies that feature a female lead or even pass the Bechtel Test. In the workforce, not only are women paid less than their male counterparts, but they are also constantly concerned with a work-life balance. Women who work are criticized for not adequately parenting their children, while women who stay home are undervalued for their work as mothers.                                                                                                                                

Among my friends, I see girls who are quick to call out sexism in class, but fail to make the connection around boys. I see girls using an editing app to make themselves look skinnier on Instagram. I see girls treating their friends as competition rather than standing by each other. By making a choice not to engage in these demeaning behaviors, I am advocating feminism in my own life.                                                      I am not just someone who holds feminist beliefs, but I vocalize the need for feminism every day. Many people do not realize that feminism simply calls for the equality of women. Forty-two years later, and the ERA still has not been ratified (a fact I never fail to bring up at least once a week).                              

When these misconceptions about women and feminism exist so prominently, it is more difficult for women to gain full equality in politics, the media, and the workforce, and for young women to fight sexism in their social lives. By continuing to advocate for women’s issues, I hope to make feminism feel more real and pertinent to both my peers and society as a whole.”

As I said,  you can blame my daughters.