#LikeAFeminist

I feel that this blog post is something that many people can relate to and have an opinion on, because feminist criticism, and feminism in general, is something of a hotly debated topic among the youth and twenty-somethings of today. Recently, I attended an event put on by Greek life and there were many mentions of feminism during performances, so it inspired me to write an article for a company that I write for in my free time. I wrote the article about my issue and my confusion – not necessarily my stance or complete opinion – on feminism, because I feel that it can greatly get taken out of context and in turn, diminish its potency or meaning. If you feel like perusing the article, you can find it at http://theodysseyonline.com/fsu/my-issue-feminism/101294.

However, if you don’t feel like reading the entire thing, one of my favorite points was this:

“So I guess my take on feminism is this: I am all in when it comes to fighting for equal pay for women – there is absolutely no reason why we should get paid less money to the dollar than men – and I completely support having women run for presidency and being involved at the forefront of political issues – because why not? – but personally, I don't stand for putting myself on a pedestal and doing things that are unbecoming of a woman, or man for that matter, and simply writing it off as me “owning my sexuality" or “making my own decisions for my body". Because when it comes down to it, if we, as women, are using our sexuality and appearances to better or further ourselves in various political, economic, and social situations, aren't we just perpetuating the idea that women shouldn't be taken seriously in our progress towards becoming equals?

I'll leave that up for you to decide.”

So what does this have to do with Ann George’s piece, “Mr. Burke, Meet Helen Keller” and Judith Butler’s text, “Gender Trouble”? Well, it relates in a lot of ways. I don't mean to contradict myself by showing you all that article from the get-go, but I wrote it before I had read these pieces. And I believe that they have now only enhanced my understanding of feminism and feminist criticism. For me, feminism and the “feminist movement” is something of an extension, undoubtedly stemming from ecriture feminism (feminist criticism), that dates back historically many, many years ago, and has refurbished itself in a more modern society of women who are passionate about holding their own and becoming equals politically, socially, and economically. In The Bedford Glossary it says, [ecriture feminism]’s purpose was to restudy well-known women authors and rediscover their history…they used their own form of criticism, because they thought using Marxism or another theory would prevent feminist theory from being accepted as an equal” (175). Being treated as an equal is much so the case for Helen Keller in “Mr. Burke, Meet Helen Keller” as well. Because we, or at least myself personally, know Helen Keller as someone who battled her handicap, deafness and blindness, with such poise and triumph, we sadly easily overlook her stark work as a humanitarian and a powerful rhetorician. “She published nearly 200 works and became one of America’s most effective Goodwill Ambassadors” (George 340). And although Keller and [Kenneth] Burke lived around the same time period, it was as if Keller was much more fascinating as being known as someone who overcame severe adversity with her handicap instead of just being known as a strong woman, and a humanitarian, a theorist; instead, she was categorized due to her disabilities, rather than her capabilities.

Keller was so intelligent – notice I didn’t decide to throw in there “despite her setbacks”, because that detracts from her just being an intelligent woman – that she made claims that were very on point and distinguished the gender gap that occurred back then and is still taking place today. She said, “philanthropy…falsely assures others that those with money are generous and that those in need are being taken care of – by someone else: charity covers the facts of economic inequality so that they cannot be seen” (George 341). So that they cannot be seen…very powerful words. Even further, “she adopted a moderate rhetoric better suited to legislators and wealthy donors” (342). Better suited? Why, because her strong rhetoric was just too powerful for a woman? Something that I am sure you all are familiar with is the Like A Girl campaign/commercial that aired sometime last year and went viral. You can find the video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs), and I really do encourage you all to watch it, because it makes so many great points that really do directly relate to the feminist criticism that we are discussing even in this class.

Now when it comes to Judith Butler, she was a bit more confusing to me. Whose side was she on? Sometimes I couldn’t tell, but she seemed to trace discourses and theorists that revolved around sex and gender and delineate the trouble that came with them. Overall, she made a really great point in chapter one when she said, “by conforming to a requirement of representational politics, feminism articulates a stable subject and thus, opens itself to charges of gross misinterpretation…exclusion might qualify as such an unintended yet consequential meaning” (7). Gender is this complexity, a term that is not permanently defined and never fully what it is at any given point in time, because sex/gender can be looked at or defined differently due to the power structure and construction of which it is articulated. So that’s a big moment (due to the power structure)! One of the main points she is trying to make is that gender is culturally bound and constructed; therefore, the gradual critique of the feminine identity never has a fully concrete form.

So back when one of the little boys in grade school used to pick on kids and say “you hit like a girl!”, we, as girls, should have replied and said, “no, we just hit the ball”. Gender is culturally constructed, and although we are still as women being paid less to the dollar than men, thankfully, we have feminist criticism, feminist theorists, and the feminist movement to thank (at times) for the progression and slow effort towards social, political, and economic equality.