What is Feminism and How to Be a Feminist

Are you a feminist?

The other night I was lying in bed scrolling on TikTok (like the Gen-Z that I am) when I came across a video that I found quite troubling. The video depicted a young reporter who went around his university campus asking various people the following question: Are you a feminist?

The respondents were gender and racially diverse yet only two respondents answered the question with an affirmative “yes.” Surprisingly, (or rather unsurprisingly?) most people said they were not feminists. Of course, those who stated that they were not feminists felt the need to justify their response, as though to explain their irrational rationale.

The first respondent was a woman. She stated that she was not a feminist because she didn’t know enough about feminism to identify as a feminist. That’s a little odd, I thought to myself.

The second woman—another woman—specified that she disagreed with the negativity associated with the movement. She reasoned that she was more in favour of equality for all humans rather equality for just women. (*sigh*)

Ironically, one of the only interviewees who identified as a feminist was a white man. Perhaps not all is lost!

It was only after watching this video that I realised that (some) people either know little about feminism, choose to know little about feminism, or make the grand leap to conclude that feminism is a group of women who ‘hate’ men—all of these theories could not be further from the truth.

Given this general lack of understanding around feminism, I thought it useful to share how I developed my feminist perspective in hopes that these terms might give you the language and the tools to integrate feminism into your own life. I, however, did not reach my feminist perspective on my own; it developed over time through reading, writing, learning, researching, and sharing insightful conversations with others. I hope that this conversation will inspire you to do the same.

So, what is feminism?

By definition, feminism refers to the advocacy of equality of the sexes and the establishment of the political, social, and economic rights of the female sex. As you might expect, a feminist refers to an individual who advocates for gender-based equality through establishing political, social, and economic rights for women. While these definitions are true, these definitions fail to make feminism accessible to the masses; believe it or not, you don’t have to be a ‘woman’ to be a feminist.

I’ve found myself drawn to feminism for as long as I can remember—albeit before I knew what feminism really meant. Growing up I was surrounded by statements like ‘girl power’ or ‘girls can do anything.’ While I find these statements a little simplistic today, I believe that they capture the general idea of feminism—albeit for an 8-year-old girl.

If you asked me this question in middle school or high school, I’d agree and say that I was a feminist. I didn’t know much about feminism but I liked the sound of the term and felt it was an important cause.

It was only when I began studying art history when I was able to fully immerse myself within feminist language and discourse. I remember it fondly. It was my second year of university—September 2016. I sat down in the lecture room. The lights dimmed, and the professor began to introduce the syllabus. This class introduced me to various feminist themes that I continue to draw on in my life today, whether it be in formal settings or in casual conversation. Feminism really changed the way I saw the world, and my role within it.

I continuously come back to the following three key terms:

• Shame – The shame that women experience, whether it be sexual, emotional, or intellectual. The shame of taking up too much space in a man’s world. The shame of speaking too loudly; laughing too hard; or getting too angry. The woman who should be ashamed of herself for acting how she does or for failing to do what she is supposed to do.

• Risk – The risk of exceeding the norm. The risk of destabilising traditional patriarchal constructions of what a woman should do, or how a woman should behave. The risk associated with transgressing the boundary of ‘ideal’ femininity. The risk that women take each day when they leave their home: is today the day when a man will punch me in broad daylight? The sexual risk that women take when they choose to become intimate with someone. The sexual risk that women take when they choose not to become intimate with someone: “Will this person harass me?”

• Excess – The excessive woman is the woman who exceeds the norm. She is too much for us to handle. She cares too much. She cries too much. She doesn’t cry enough. Her voice is too loud. Her style is too daring. And a personal favourite: “This woman is crazy!”

But this woman is not shameful, risky, or excessive. This woman is a product of the patriarchal discourses that surround her. If you’re new to feminism, or keen to learn more, I encourage you to consider identifying how female shame, risk, and excess manifest in your own life.

If you know me, you know that I’d recommend just about anything written by Julia Skelly. But if you need a jumping-off point, consider the following quote as your gateway into the wonderful world of feminism. It was, after all, Skelly who introduced me to the following quote:

“To live with the grotesque as I have done for an extended period can be a claustrophobic experience. The word itself, as almost every writer on the topic feels obliged to mention sooner or later, evokes he cave—the grotto-esque. Low, hidden, earthly, dark, material, immanent, visceral. As a bodily metaphor, the grotesque cave tends to look like (and in the most gross metaphorical sense be identified with) the cavernous anatomical female body. These associations of the female with the earthly, material, and the archaic grotesque have suggested a positive and powerful figuration of culture and womanhood.” – Mary Russo, The Female Grotesque: Risk, Excess, Modernity.