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Feminism is not a bad word
Letter to the editor

Published April 17, 2008, 11:26 a.m.
By Cora Tallant
cora.tallant@students.shorter.edu

Too often, I am appalled by people’s reactions when I describe myself as a feminist.  They seem to think that I am an angry, militant, power-suit wearing, man-hating lesbian who never shaves her legs and kills babies for fun.

These stereotypes could not be farther from the truth!

I prefer a cute blouse and pencil skirt over a pastel power-suit with shoulder pads.  I like babies, however, they do not like me.  Not only do I like guys, but I also enjoy flirting with and dating them. I don’t think that I could really be described as angry: frustrated and caffeine-deprived, yes, but not angry.

Many people associate feminists with loud, bra burning radicals of the 1960s and 70s.  However, the feminist movement began in the early nineteenth century with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony.

These ladies seem like demur grandmothers today, but their radical ideals stirred up controversy. 
Stanton’s own husband, a passionate abolitionist, left town to avoid the embarrassment of his wife’s women’s rights convention. Susan B. Anthony was jailed for voting in the 1872 presidential election.
Political issues included a woman’s inability to control property and earnings, limited education and employment opportunities, and lack of legal status. Although these women disagreed on ideology, they realized that the only method to bring about change was to vote.

For the first, and perhaps only, time in women’s history, women unified behind a common cause. Without the power to vote, they knew that they could not initiate the change in laws.

Today’s feminists have begun another phase of feminism; however, my generation has yet to define itself and its cause. 

Search Wikipedia for feminism and you will find a dozen subgroups. Feminists define themselves by race, religion, and political views. We also have the Fat Feminists who believe overweight women who are economically and socially disadvantaged because of size discrimination. Ecofeminists link the historical oppression and domination of women to the degradation of nature by men. In addition, Amazon feminists promote the image of the female heroes and role models in media.

The only point in which most feminists can agree upon is that they are still dissatisfied with the status of women’s rights.   

Women represent half of the American population. In its 200 year history, only 243 women have served in Congress; the first woman served in 1917 although she could not even vote for herself. In the current session, only 8% of the Senate is female. Out of the 110 Justices appointed to the Supreme Court, only two have been women. The highest elected position held by a woman is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. The 2008 presidential election holds the prospect of electing the first female President. Despite these advances, women are disproportionally underrepresented in politics, as well as in other public spheres.

The new generation of feminists needs new role models. While we respect Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and Christabel Pankhurst, we do not identify with them. Tina Fey was the first female head-writer for Saturday Night Live; currently she writes, produces, and stars in her own sitcom on NBC. Through some superhuman powers, Fey remains an involved mother to her three-year old daughter.
Instead of the girl-power, sex kittens like the Spice Girls and the Pussy Cat Dolls, intelligent songwriters like Carley Simon and Sheryl Crow should be celebrated.

In movies like Legally Blonde and Bridgett Jones’ Diary, the heroines search for love, but then find their own identity although the story should occur in reverse. Girls should learn that calling each other “skank” and “ho” belittles ourselves; glamorizing negative stereotypes such as Playboy Bunnies only bring us back three steps. Once the third-wave of feminists finds their role models and leaders, I believe they will change the world again.

I am so lucky to live during this era. I can wear heels and lip-gloss without compromising my values as a feminist. I don’t have to masculine myself if I want to be taken seriously. I can play basketball or knit, mix chemicals or cook; I can even do all four activities if I want!
My options are only limited by my work ethic, intelligence, and determination, not my gender.

As a young feminist, I look forward to the challenges I face in the twenty-first century.

With reproductive technology improving, I have more control over when I have children, if I so choose. I also know that I have maternity leave and will not be fired because of my pregnancy. I know that there are many options in child care which are available to many, although not all, working moms.

I also recognize that the role of parenting is a balancing act and not entirely left to my shoulders.

If I am willing to fight for the things I want, I can bake my cake and eat it too. However, my cake will come from a box and not scratch; I am a very busy woman after all.

Cora Tallant is a junior History / Political science & English double major. She is from Cumming, GA.