Do we need a new (modern) word for feminism?
This is the question we are hotly debating -and with some passion – in the Chic Stirrer office. And here’s why…..
In a (frankly shocking) recent poll we conducted with a plethora of fab and feisty gals in our work place, on our London streets and in our Facebook/twitter feeds we discovered a worrying fact: many women who believe in the feminist principles of equal social, political and economic opportunities for women aren’t actually certain they’re informed enough to call themselves feminists.
Emma Watson, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, “I decided I was a feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me. Men I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. This is your issue too.”
Why? Has the word itself become polarising and confusing? Could it be that because feminism is a practice as well as the way we look at the world that’s distracting? As far as Chic Stirrer is concerned feminism is about acting in an authentic fierce, funny and pro female way and treating all people equally – whether they have breasts or not.
In today’s world where we have almighty female role models Natalie Massenet of net-a-porter; human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin; Lena Dunham creator of “Girls”; Jennifer Lawrence kickin ass in “The Hunger Games” (surely a role that would have gone to some young stud a few short years ago) and, of course Beyoncé “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss!” to name a few. But actually are these uber successful women making others feel inferior instead of one of the sisterhood?
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Time magazine recently favoured banning the word feminist because celebs are ruining it for the rest of us. It caused nothing short of a media tsunami and they’ve since apologised. But, here at CS, we cannot help but wonder – was the title on to something?
Lorraine Candy, who edited ELLE’s recent feminist issue said we were on the cusp of, “a new, more playful and hopefully inclusive brand of feminism – one that says everyone is welcome.” But do we need a new word to do this?
Sinead O’Connor, in The Guardian, ” I don’t think of myself as being different. I wouldn’t label myself as anything, certainly something with an ism or ist at the end of it. I am not interested in anything that in any way excludes men”
The last word goes to one of our favourite feminists – Andi Zeisler, founder of feminist The Bitch Bible : “we specifically chose a word that we wanted to reclaim – bitch is always used as a word to keep women down and make them feel small. We wanted to flip that and use it instead as a form of empowerment – this is a grown up word for women who speak their minds.”
So what’s in a word? Tweet us your thoughts on twitter