the 'F' word

Given my work and research interests are around women's health and justice, I get asked a lot if I am a feminist. Which I don't mind being asked - or answering - but I have noticed that it is often said with a slightly bemused or disgusted face (and their reaction to my affirmative doubly so). Some people seem to spit the word out as if it tasted bad in their mouth.

I have to admit that for a long time this suprised me. I thought that regardless of your political persuasions (or apathies) most people understand what feminism is and what it has acheived for women over the last century or so. But the more time that goes by, the more I understand that people actually don't really understand what feminism is or who feminists are.

Many people's notions of feminism are ill-informed, based on stories and images of women burning their bras, marching for control over their reproductive choices, and fighting for equal pay and against violence towards women. Images of hairy hippies spring to mind, of 'butch' lesbians, of women who hate men. Does any of this ring a bell?

But when you push past those pre-conceived notions of hairy-pitted men-haters (not that the two are mutually inclusive), you realise most people just don't understand it in the context of the here and now. In these modern times of hyper-sexuality and materialism, where women are more than ever financially and socially independent, surely this term - this ethos - is moribund?

So I ask if they think men and women are equal in worth? The answer is always yes. Then I ask if they believe men and women should have control over their own lives, have autonomy, be makers of their own destiny? The answer is a resounding yes. To which I then reply, these are the fundamental tenets of feminism - that men and women are equal in worth and should be equal in status within society. It wasn't always so. And there are still areas where this is clearly not the case. So feminism isn't redundant, there are still major shortfalls to cover, still fights to be fought to make sure no woman is worth less than any man. When I ask people to really think about it - are women of equal status in our society, do we have total autonomy - many suddenly realise the answer is no, not really.

It's not a dirty word, and it's no longer about burning our bras. Sadly there are some women who hate men, just as there are men who hate women (incidentally the original title of Stieg Larsson's book, adapted to English as the girl with the dragon tattoo). But this isn't what feminism is about, it's not about hating men but recognising that our society doesn't value men and women equally and that we must fight to make this happen. If you agree that women and men should be equal in worth and social value, you're already fundamentally a feminist.

You just didn't know it yet :)