TBD on Feminist Affiliation

by Perry O'Parsons 3 Comments

Before taking this class, my understanding of feminism was vague and mostly based on a white conception of feminism. Now as I am expanding my understanding of feminism, and different kinds of feminisms, and learning to look critically at the kind of feminism I was first introduced to, I find myself at the beginning of my development as feminist.

For now I am hesitant to identify myself specifically. As I am not a woman of color, I can recognize myself as an ally of WOC Feminist, Womanist, Asian/American feminist,  Latinx feminist etc but do not specifically identify with those groups. However, I certainly wouldn’t identify with the racist, exclusive, feminist groups that held (and still often hold) control of the public discourse over feminism. For now, this leads me to identify myself, not with a specific group, but with a role. For now I would identify as an ally to all my fellow feminists and a student of the various types of feminism. Each type of feminism is a practice of ideals, morals, beliefs etc. I must learn about and form my own practices before I appraise them and relegate myself to one or multiple groups.

 

I added this because I think this quote perfectly articulates the type of ideals I want to support, no matter what group I align myself with.

 

Comments ( 3 )

  1. Aissata Ba
    Hi Perry, Personally, I think it is very important to have an open mind and a strong will to learn and improve. I believe that none of us can fully say we understand what feminist is and how we can contribute to the discourse about feminism. What I see and really love about your post is the fact that, like myself, you are trying to find your way into the conversation about the different feminisms. Thank you for sharing your self reflections with us.
  2. Kim Hall
    A very thoughtful post Perry--I'm glad the class has opened some worlds for you. In *Feminist Theory: from margin to center* bell hooks critiqued the linking of feminist politics with identity: When I say ‘I am a feminist,’ I engage a linguistic structure designed to refer some personal aspect of identity and self-definition” (hooks 55). She suggested "I advocate feminism" as a more inclusive term. I fear I might have led us deeper into the identity trap, but this is a good space to think about how we name feminist practice and how/why one might want to dis-identify with certain terms.
  3. Dayna Beatty
    Perry, thank you for sharing your experiences with feminism. I think it is important to remember that we are all on a personal journey to find, expand upon and engage our own types of feminisms. I think regardless of where we are in our experiences there is always room for growth and improvement. I also find myself struggling to find my place within the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies discipline. However, I've found strength in being vocal about how I feel and where I'm at with other people in the field, and in particular, other people who identify as mixed, as I do. I like that you've identified your place within feminist activisms is less about a group or a label, but instead a role. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your personal journey with us.

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