Check the meaning of “˜feminist’
Kelly Bowers’ letter (“Sarah Palin changes face of modern American feminism,” Oct. 30) filled me with so much disgust and anger that I literally had to stop what I was doing and march into Powell to write this. I won’t even delve into the entire letter. I think the first line, “I am not a feminist,” is an excellent statement to discuss.
Generations of women have sacrificed so much for other women to have the same opportunities as men. I would even go so far as to say that every female who attends a university is a feminist ““ one does not have to be a radical liberal “bra-burner” to earn the title, but rather someone who believes in equal opportunity and respect for all individuals. Feminism is not about man-hating, or promiscuity, or “whining,” or any of the other stereotypes described in the article. Feminism is about a little girl who says, “When I grow up I want to be a doctor” having just as much chance to accomplish her dream as a little boy.
For a woman at this university (who would presumably be pleased with her equal opportunity that just a few decades ago was unavailable) to so proudly proclaim that she is not a feminist makes me wonder why she is even here. I have a solution: Perhaps Ms. Bower ought to withdraw from her spot at this elite university and give it to someone who knows what it means.
Betsy Bentler
Third-year, economics
View of feminism sadly skewed
In her letter, Bowers asserts that she is not a feminist, but after reading it, I wonder if she truly understands the term. She seems to think there are two different types of feminism: a liberal, mainstream version in which women hate men but sleep with tons of them in order to prove their independence, and then a new “Sarah Palin” feminism which stylishly embraces traditional values.
The problem is that as soon as we begin to categorize feminism as liberal or conservative, we miss the point completely. Feminism isn’t about being for abortion rights or anti-abortion, being sexually promiscuous or saving yourself for marriage, or having a high-paying corporate job versus being a stay-at-home mom.
Feminism is about equality, believing that gender does not determine one’s capabilities or worth any more than race or nationality. It is about believing that women should be free: free to decide their own stance on abortion, free to live without fear of discrimination, harassment or oppression. Ultimately, it’s about respecting the choices that women make with these freedoms.
I am a feminist, which means that while I do not agree with Bowers’ and Palin’s views, I do believe that their gender does not affect the validity of their opinions.
And still I wear bras, despise whiners, and think that men are our partners in the fight for equality ““ not our enemies.
Kristen Savage
Fourth-year, international development studies