damsel

Feminism: Are 20-Somethings Over It?

Here’s how I really feel about feminism: Love it—or leave me the fuck alone. (That’s right, I said it.) But not since my gender and sexuality classes at NYU have I met a roomful of young women who feel the same way. In fact, since leaving the fake world behind four years ago, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that many of my peers just don’t identify with feminism. They think it’s for old women and man haters, hairy broads and militants. While one part of me wants to claw at the faces of these imbeciles (Can’t you see you’re buying into stereotypes propagated by the male-dominated media?) another part of me, perhaps the part that’s selling out growing up, is beginning to accept that the feminism I fell in love with—i.e., the badass 1970s version that I wasn’t even alive for—had its moment. And while I may never stop pining for Gloria Steinem 2.0—and I will never, ever go middle-ground (please, god)—I may be ready to dip my toe into the new wave.

I had this revelation after reading The End of the Women’s Movement by Courtney E. Martin, a 29-year-old feminist writer who Damsel fancies a genius. So, to kick off what we hope to be a titillating debate about 20-somethings and feminism, Courtney kindly agreed to answer a few questions over email. Read our exchange after the jump, then tell us: What do you think of feminism? Is it antiquated, or still relevant? And do you call yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

 

D A M S E L // You’ve argued that the “women’s movement” is over. But people have been saying that for decades, and yet there are still so many people fighting for gender equality and women’s rights. Is the movement really over, or has it just evolved, like any other movement?

Courtney E. Martin // I technically argued that the women's movement, as it was conceived in the 1970s, is indeed over. The fight for gender equality lives on in a thousand beautiful, grassroots, often disconnected ways. Essentially I was trying to push the foremothers of the movement to accept that the agenda is not so unilateral as it once was—that these complex times demand a more complex approach to social change.

D // We definitely agree that there's an intergenerational split among women. Older women seem to resent our generation and see us as entitled brats. What's your reaction to the rift and how do you think we can we move beyond it to work together?

CM // I've written a lot on this (Alternet, The American Prospect), but in short, I think that those of us born in the 80s and beyond are sort of feminism's Frankensteins. They've raised us to be empowered, demand equality, not settle for broken systems or unnecessary bureaucracies, make our voices heard, and now they're sometimes horrified when we enact those learnings. Do I think that some younger women could use a lesson or two in humility and/or patience? Absolutely. Do I think the entire generation is inappropriately entitled? Absolutely not. I think that we need to keep straining to have difficult conversations across generational lines, as I do with my intergenerational feminist panel and in so many other spaces. We need to learn to listen with one another. We need to agree to disagree sometimes. We need to express our deep gratitude for one another.

D // I’m not going to lie: It really pisses me off when women who subscribe to feminist beliefs (and reap the benefits of the movement) refuse to call themselves feminists. Frankly, I think they’re ingrates. You, on the other hand, have said you “don’t actually care much” whether people wear the label. And you write for Feministing.com! Help me understand your reasoning.

CM // First off, I champion you for feeling so strongly about the feminist label. I get it. I really do. But for me, the history of feminism is so complicated and the continued class issues so entrenched, that I really empathize with women who want to distance themselves from the label. Feminism was historically seen as a very white movement, and too often, it still resides in the upper echelons of society (colleges, fancy feminist organizations etc.). I hope that young women of diverse ethnic and class backgrounds identify, but if they don't, I don't want them to feel like they can't fight for gender justice alongside me and the other card carrying Feminists.

Now your turn. Tell us your thoughts on feminism. —No. 25

 

 

Here’s how I really feel about feminism: Love it—or leave me the fuck alone. (That’s right, I said it.) But not since my gender and sexuality classes at NYU have I met a roomful of young women who feel the same way. In fact, since leaving the fake world behind four years ago, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that many of my peers just don’t identify with feminism. They think it’s for old women and man haters, hairy broads and militants. While one part of me wants to claw at the faces of these imbeciles (Can’t you see you’re buying into stereotypes propagated by the male-dominated media?) another part of me, perhaps the part that’s selling out growing up, is beginning to accept that the feminism I fell in love with—i.e., the badass 1970s version that I wasn’t even alive for—had its moment. And while I may never stop pining for Gloria Steinem 2.0—and I will never, ever go middle-ground (please, god)—I may be ready to dip my toe into the new wave.

I had this revelation after reading The End of the Women’s Movement by Courtney E. Martin, a 29-year-old feminist writer who Damsel fancies a genius. So, to kick off what we hope to be a titillating debate about 20-somethings and feminism, Courtney kindly agreed to answer a few questions over email. Read our exchange after the jump, then tell us: What do you think of feminism? Is it antiquated, or still relevant? And do you call yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

 

D A M S E L // You’ve argued that the “women’s movement” is over. But people have been saying that for decades, and yet there are still so many people fighting for gender equality and women’s rights. Is the movement really over, or has it just evolved, like any other movement?

Courtney E. Martin // I technically argued that the women's movement, as it was conceived in the 1970s, is indeed over. The fight for gender equality lives on in a thousand beautiful, grassroots, often disconnected ways. Essentially I was trying to push the foremothers of the movement to accept that the agenda is not so unilateral as it once was—that these complex times demand a more complex approach to social change.

D // We definitely agree that there's an intergenerational split among women. Older women seem to resent our generation and see us as entitled brats. What's your reaction to the rift and how do you think we can we move beyond it to work together?

CM // I've written a lot on this (Alternet, The American Prospect), but in short, I think that those of us born in the 80s and beyond are sort of feminism's Frankensteins. They've raised us to be empowered, demand equality, not settle for broken systems or unnecessary bureaucracies, make our voices heard, and now they're sometimes horrified when we enact those learnings. Do I think that some younger women could use a lesson or two in humility and/or patience? Absolutely. Do I think the entire generation is inappropriately entitled? Absolutely not. I think that we need to keep straining to have difficult conversations across generational lines, as I do with my intergenerational feminist panel and in so many other spaces. We need to learn to listen with one another. We need to agree to disagree sometimes. We need to express our deep gratitude for one another.

D // I’m not going to lie: It really pisses me off when women who subscribe to feminist beliefs (and reap the benefits of the movement) refuse to call themselves feminists. Frankly, I think they’re ingrates. You, on the other hand, have said you “don’t actually care much” whether people wear the label. And you write for Feministing.com! Help me understand your reasoning.

CM // First off, I champion you for feeling so strongly about the feminist label. I get it. I really do. But for me, the history of feminism is so complicated and the continued class issues so entrenched, that I really empathize with women who want to distance themselves from the label. Feminism was historically seen as a very white movement, and too often, it still resides in the upper echelons of society (colleges, fancy feminist organizations etc.). I hope that young women of diverse ethnic and class backgrounds identify, but if they don't, I don't want them to feel like they can't fight for gender justice alongside me and the other card carrying Feminists.

Now your turn. Tell us your thoughts on feminism. —No. 25

Here’s how I really feel about feminism: Love it—or leave me the fuck alone. (That’s right, I said it.) But not since my gender and sexuality classes at NYU have I met a roomful of young women who feel the same way. In fact, since leaving the fake world behind four years ago, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that many of my peers just don’t identify with feminism. They think it’s for old women and man haters, hairy broads and militants. While one part of me wants to claw at the faces of these imbeciles (Can’t you see you’re buying into stereotypes propagated by the male-dominated media?) another part of me, perhaps the part that’s selling out growing up, is beginning to accept that the feminism I fell in love with—i.e., the badass 1970s version that I wasn’t even alive for—had its moment. And while I may never stop pining for Gloria Steinem 2.0—and I will never, ever go middle-ground (please, god)—I may be ready to dip my toe into the new wave.

I had this revelation after reading The End of the Women’s Movement by Courtney E. Martin, a 29-year-old feminist writer who Damsel fancies a genius. So, to kick off what we hope to be a titillating debate about 20-somethings and feminism, Courtney kindly agreed to answer a few questions over email. Read our exchange after the jump, then tell us: What do you think of feminism? Is it antiquated, or still relevant? And do you call yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

 

D A M S E L // You’ve argued that the “women’s movement” is over. But people have been saying that for decades, and yet there are still so many people fighting for gender equality and women’s rights. Is the movement really over, or has it just evolved, like any other movement?

Courtney E. Martin // I technically argued that the women's movement, as it was conceived in the 1970s, is indeed over. The fight for gender equality lives on in a thousand beautiful, grassroots, often disconnected ways. Essentially I was trying to push the foremothers of the movement to accept that the agenda is not so unilateral as it once was—that these complex times demand a more complex approach to social change.

D // We definitely agree that there's an intergenerational split among women. Older women seem to resent our generation and see us as entitled brats. What's your reaction to the rift and how do you think we can we move beyond it to work together?

CM // I've written a lot on this (Alternet, The American Prospect), but in short, I think that those of us born in the 80s and beyond are sort of feminism's Frankensteins. They've raised us to be empowered, demand equality, not settle for broken systems or unnecessary bureaucracies, make our voices heard, and now they're sometimes horrified when we enact those learnings. Do I think that some younger women could use a lesson or two in humility and/or patience? Absolutely. Do I think the entire generation is inappropriately entitled? Absolutely not. I think that we need to keep straining to have difficult conversations across generational lines, as I do with my intergenerational feminist panel and in so many other spaces. We need to learn to listen with one another. We need to agree to disagree sometimes. We need to express our deep gratitude for one another.

D // I’m not going to lie: It really pisses me off when women who subscribe to feminist beliefs (and reap the benefits of the movement) refuse to call themselves feminists. Frankly, I think they’re ingrates. You, on the other hand, have said you “don’t actually care much” whether people wear the label. And you write for Feministing.com! Help me understand your reasoning.

CM // First off, I champion you for feeling so strongly about the feminist label. I get it. I really do. But for me, the history of feminism is so complicated and the continued class issues so entrenched, that I really empathize with women who want to distance themselves from the label. Feminism was historically seen as a very white movement, and too often, it still resides in the upper echelons of society (colleges, fancy feminist organizations etc.). I hope that young women of diverse ethnic and class backgrounds identify, but if they don't, I don't want them to feel like they can't fight for gender justice alongside me and the other card carrying Feminists.

Now your turn. Tell us your thoughts on feminism. —No. 25