The mystique of feminism

Feminism. The word alone ignites strong reactions from students on campus. Jim Rizzolo, A&S '05, immediately responded to the notion, "I guess there's a lot of anger involved in that term." His belief is based on the popular conception of feminism, which, he said, is portrayed as women who are angry with men.

Kelly Hickman, A&S '05, said that her first thought is the perception of a "Fem-Nazi." She defines herself as a feminist, but feels it necessary to add, "Yeah, but I'm not a Fem-Nazi. I don't hate men, you know." After thinking about the idea some more, she adds, "... and I'm not a lesbian," but then questioned, "Why do I even bring up my sexual orientation when discussing feminism?"

The stereotype of the "man hating Fem-Nazi" is not a misconception limited to the Boston College campus. Throughout the nation, media and popular culture have depicted the feminist movement as a single, radical notion, limited to outspoken women. "Society tends to stereotype feminism as one monolithic ideal of thinking," when in reality "one of feminism's strengths is that it is very pluralistic," said Marina B. McCoy, associate professor in the philosophy department. When thinking of a feminist role model in popular culture, she said, "Giving one example would define feminism as this one thing and would define it in too narrow terms."

This semester, McCoy is teaching an Introduction to Feminist Philosophy course that explains the premises behind various feminist philosophies. "Feminism is important because no matter who we are, we all have to make choices of work and family life, and we all have to make choices related to gender ... our culture is already shaped by feminist and anti-feminist ideas, so it is better to understand the people who have already shaped our society," she said.

Throughout campus, it seems that a lack of understanding and education separates many students from the feminist movement. Marisa Fusco, A&S '06 said, "My first reaction to feminism is biased because I've gone through the course." Her current definition of feminism is the "strive for equality," but Fusco also said, "Before, I thought it was a bunch of hardcore women who are against men." Now Fusco is a teachers assistant (TA) for the Intro to Feminisms class. Cross-listed throughout the humanities departments, this class provides the fundamentals for feminist beliefs.

One of the important issues that Fusco and other TAs address in the class is the diversity within the feminist community. On campus, students remain hesitant to define themselves as feminists. Many will claim that feminism is necessary, but will not consider themselves as part of the movement. They view feminism as a separate, time-consuming cause that comes a last priority. Because of this, students remain unknowledgeable about the various branches of the movement.

Rizzolo said, "[Feminism] is a concept that everybody knows, but not everyone is knowledgeable in." To many, feminism is an abstract idea.

Amy Green, CSOM '05, said "I don't even know what feminism is. I am not opposed to it, I just really don't care to spend my time that way."

The idea of feminism remains important, but students believe it is another cause that they just don't have the time for. Instead, many students rely on other outlets to spread the word. When asked about awareness on campus, both Rizzolo and Hickman turn their attention to the Women's Resource Center (WRC). Hickman said, "The WRC is pretty powerful and influential." Rizzolo added, "Outside the WRC, I don't see any movement, feminist or women related ... at least none that I am aware of."

While there are other groups on campus devoted to women's issues, the Women's Resource Center stands out as the primary focus for feminist issues. Liz Wolf, A&S '05, and member of the WRC staff said, "Pretty much everything we do is under the feminism heading." The WRC addresses concerns such as rape, violence, body image, sexuality, and ethics of the work force. Even so, Wolf said, "People are afraid of the word feminisms. A lot of people don't want to align themselves with something they don't understand."

In order to increase awareness, the WRC stresses the importance of its presence on campus. At the beginning of the year, the WRC began dorm talks for the freshman class. Through various games and quizzes, students were introduced to things they'd encounter on campus, from dating to alcohol. By establishing its presence to the incoming class, the WRC is trying to break a barrier that divides students from the feminist movement.

One of the most overt presences on campus is the current WRC T-shirt. Describing feminism as the "radical notion that women are human beings," this T-shirt proudly proclaims, "This is what a feminist looks like." It seems like a trivial idea, yet this T-shirt is making a strong impact on campus. A couple days before being interviewed, Fusco was excited to see two males wearing these T-shirts. To her, this was a strong sign that "progress is being made."

Most importantly, these T-shirts express individuality among the students who define themselves as feminists. Amy Blais, WRC staff member and A&S '05, said, "Everyone on our staff is very diverse, yet committed to the same thing. This alleviates any myth by getting to know the person as a person."

McCoy said, "There's a lot of room for individuality." Compared to feminism of the 1970s, the current movement is more diverse. Although it addresses contemporary issues, such as family and the work force, she said, "There is a lot more hesitancy as if the solution to adapt the work culture of men is working. There's no obvious solution to the problem."

Many students are aware of a feminist movement on campus. They are willing to acknowledge the presence, but remain hesitant to join the cause. Society portrays feminists as angry, man-hating women devoted to narrow, radical politics. In pop culture today, it is difficult to even identify with a feminist that breaks these stereotypes. Names like Ani DiFranco, Susan Sarandon, and even Shakira are thrown around in the argument, but many struggle to come up with more than one role model. Blais said, "Maybe the point that it's so hard to think of someone is a point in itself."