Feminism And Hypocrisy On A Bus

After a rather long day at work, I got on a crowed bus and headed home. Near me on the bus were 3 girls who'd just gotten out of class from one of our city's fine post secondary establishments. All 3 are in some sort of Women's Studies program and the 3 young ladies were talking about feminism.

Now this isn't quite the hot button topic it once was, say back in the 50s-70s. But it can still ruffle some feathers. There were actually talking about the connotations that the word "feminism" stirs up and how it shouldn't be viewed as a negative thing. It's not so radical anymore. It's more about equality of the sexes and so forth. I was kind of impressed with them until...

They started to talk about whether or not they considered themselves feminists and then started to think about the other women in their program and who might be a feminist. And that's when it happened. One of these girls says "I think *insert name here* is. She totally looks like one."

What the fuck? Congratulations. Your comment just threw feminism back 30 years. How does someone "look" like a feminist?? And the whole fact that you're commenting and suggesting that, based on looks, another female can be identified as something erases any support you have for feminism. By making that wonderful, stereotypical comment, you just proved yourself a hypocrite. Part of the feminist ideals is that we support all women and I'm pretty sure that stereotyping one and other isn't the way to do that. It's like calling a woman in a tight top and short skirt a ho or slut. It really doesn't do much to improve the image that society has of women. We get labelled as gossipy, back stabbing, cat-fighting bitches and making comments like that kind of backs up that idea. Well the gossipy part at least.

I just shook my head, turned on my iPod and drowned them out for the rest of the ride.

Do I think of myself as a feminist? No. But that doesn't mean that I don't pay attention to women's issues or rights. Every time the government brings up the subject of abortion laws, my blood boils a bit. When I see news reports saying that even in this modern day, men still earn more than women when doing the same job, I get angry and frustrated. I vote in each and every election because I know that a very brave group of women fought for my right to do so 94 years ago. I kind of boggles my mind to think that when my great-grandmother was born, women weren't allowed to vote. Heck, even when my maternal grandmother was born, women couldn't vote. And so many women take that for granted now a days. It's a bit of a hot button issue for me.

So yes, I follow the issues and I do my research and I use my democratic right to vote as my voice sometimes, but I don't think I'm a feminist. And I try my best not to be a hypocrite either.

Good Night!

Sarah

Part of a statue on Parliament Hill, dedicated to the women who fought for our right to vote.