Was I born a feminist, or am I always growing into being one? Sure, I was born a woman, but as we all know, that's neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for being a feminist. Many women won't or can't call themselves feminists. My brothers and some good male friends are what I would call feminists, in that they are aware of their inherent privilege, work to live with it and to mobilize it against injustices (individual, systemic) that affect women.
I am a feminist myself in that I try to do this too, even though I sometimes find myself unwittingly participating in situations where sexism and patriarchy are reinforced. In these moments I remember that being feminist is not about proclamation, but about action -- beginning in our everyday lives and practices but grounded in social justice. So, today, on International Women's Day, I would like to provide some reminders of why we, women and men, still need feminism. For our bodies, our selves, our work and our lives.
Posted by Alison at March 8, 2006 6:34 PM