What is Feminism to You?

I asked over a dozen students on campus from various backgrounds and experiences about their perception of feminism and how it relates to them. I also pressed the question about whether or not they felt included in mainstream feminism as it currently stands today. I noticed, for one, how many students were unwilling to answer (which left me with only ten responses). A certain hesitancy seems to exist in openly addressing such a controversial topic on campus. Despite the reluctance, however, I’m grateful for the responses I received. There is a lot of insight to be gained from asking about, and sharing, viewpoints on topics that should continually be discussed, such as feminism. These were the responses I received:

Mahal Tio (sophomore, graphic design)
Feminism to me is a lot of different things! It's justice, it’s support, it’s a safe community, and accountability. I would define it as uplifting everyone so that all genders have equal rights and opportunities.

My relationship with feminism is that I try to put in the effort daily to become a better person by practicing the mindset of equality for both genders. My hope is that my actions are showing my beliefs! I put my efforts into being aware of the changes that need to be made. I think having that awareness is one of the key factors that will lead to equality between genders. This means accountability (for men and women), identifying inequalities, and educating yourself on what feminism actually is!

I think that I’ve felt excluded from mainstream feminism in the fact that it mostly focuses on white women and their accomplishments. I especially see this in history and within the media. The accomplishments of Filipina women, or even other races, do not get the full attention they deserve. It would be nice to see that change as we progress.

Ashley Ramos (junior, health science)
Feminism to me means advocating and working towards providing equal opportunities, rights, and freedoms for all individuals. Society places a lot of false stereotypes on feminism, such as equating it to “disliking men” or trying to strip men of their rights. I believe it is important to remember that feminism is about creating an equal playing field for everyone.

I consider myself a novice when it comes to my knowledge about feminism. Learning about feminism can feel a bit intimidating at times because there is an endless amount of history and literature to read. However, I find it important to continually educate myself on feminism and find ways to actively implement that knowledge in my daily life.

Jonathan Lutterodt (business management, sophomore)
I think feminism is supporting and advocating towards women in their aspirations towards equality. I don’t have much of a relationship with feminism nor am I that associated with it, but I do agree with its core values. Although modern feminism has kind of shifted in its goals and values, I think that at its core it still holds the same ideals that I support.

Since I’m not a woman, I haven’t associated with it much nor have I cared much to dive more into it, so in that sense I haven’t felt excluded from any conversation, efforts, movements, or feelings, etc.

Brandon Alvarez (junior, business and biochemistry)
Growing up in a family filled with such strong females and a heavy feminist influence (aka my sister), my perspective on feminism was definitely shaped by what I saw in the household. Many of those same ideas and values I still hold to this day. However, I think that sometimes the true definition of “feminism” is misinterpreted a lot and suddenly people who don’t fit the “feminist” mold [become] the victims of cancel culture.

Nick Zimmerman (junior, business)
I believe feminism can be a great tool to advocate for gender equality, and for creating a more just and equitable society for all genders. At the same time, I believe the delivery of this message can sometimes be unclear as it often feels like an all-or-nothing game. The goal of becoming more aware of feminist ideals, and recognizing the challenges of gender inequality and discrimination, are worthy goals we should all pursue. I think it’s valuable to work towards this, while also remembering not to polarize this topic and make others feel excluded for having minor issues or confusions with the overarching philosophy of feminism (something I believe is all too common with the current movement).

Valerie Akinyi (senior, political science)
To me, feminism is two things: survival and hope. The prospect of creating a world where people have the opportunity to live fully and to be understood in their totality, regardless of sex or gender, gives me hope.

In regards to having a relationship with feminism, this is like asking, “How do I relate to myself?” I can’t conceive of myself without feminism. It is the necessary lens in order to make sense of my identity and my experiences with others.

As a Black woman, I think mainstream feminism pushes a specific way of being and a specific kind of femininity which can exclude Black women and people of other identities. The experiences of white women are often talked about as if they are the sole experience of all women. But that’s not true. By relying on this sole perspective, the realities of so many different kinds of people are ignored. It robs true feminism of its revolutionary potential.

Anna Pak (freshman, psychology)
In a simple sentence, feminism is advocacy for women’s equality. However, feminism is also the inherent shared experiences and the respect for differences that women may have across gender, background, identity, and knowledge. In a world where women commonly find themselves in unjust situations, feminism provides a way to uplift voices and uphold values. Personally, I believe that although the concept of feminism has been distorted more recently by women who take the movement too far in a way that harms the actual meaning, the essence behind feminism continues to persevere and empower women.

Ian Neidigh (sophomore, chemistry)
Feminism encapsulates a belief that women are equal to men and should be treated as such. The feminist movement started with bold ideas and fought hard for women's rights, but modern-day feminism seems to redefine itself as an anti-men club—and being that I'm a man, well, let's just say I'm not welcome.

Alexander Hess (senior, English)
I would say that my relationship with feminism is relatively positive; however, that hasn’t always been the case. When I was younger, I remember hearing the stereotypical description of feminism as “man hating” and that feminism is dangerous. However, after having learned a lot more about the history and diverse forms of the feminist movement here at AU, I am much more comfortable with calling myself a feminist. For example, various forms of feminism—like Black feminism and queer feminisms—play a key role in my own scholarship as an English literature student. So, in conclusion, feminism is extremely important to me both in my academic and personal life.

For me, I generally associate “mainstream feminism” with white feminism. So, building from that definition, I would say that I personally—as a white, cisgender man—have not felt excluded from mainstream feminism. However, I know that many of my peers, who are not afforded the same privilege that I am, have felt extremely excluded from mainstream feminism in that it often seeks to achieve equality for white, cisgender, heterosexual women and does not actually question the harmful structures of patriarchy, rape culture, and heteronormativity.

Johanna Rivas (junior, global studies and Spanish)
I portray feminism to be a way of encouraging women to go for what they want and stand up for what they believe. It is not to degrade males or think they are less capable than women, but to create a community who believe that women can do it. There have been arguments about the equality of men and women—but that’s the problem: we keep comparing and competing instead of finding ways to balance each other. In high school, I was the only girl to try out for the co-ed soccer team. It wasn’t because girls weren’t allowed, but because the guys took over and girls were too scared to try out. I really wanted to do it, so I put in the work and pushed myself through the hard workouts, and I made the team. Fortunately, everyone knew I worked just as hard to be there and did not exclude me. Instead, they made me feel part of the team. I had the support from my girls, and they came to all my games. Feminism is about believing that women have every right to go for what they want to accomplish without any kind of judgment.

It seems like our diverse campus also has many diverse opinions on current social issues. Conversations on feminism and what exactly it might mean to be a feminist are especially brought into our attention during Women’s History Month, and everyone’s individual experiences can impact how they feel about different social movements. It’s always interesting to hear other people’s viewpoints on our campus, and hopefully reading these responses will encourage us to open up more honest conversations about feminism with each other.