Written by Kristina Apgar
I often hear my generation utter “I’m not a Feminist but…” or “I’m not political but….” followed by a feminist and/or political statement. There is an aversion to labels and a general apathy to proclaiming political opinions. I credit a sense of powerlessness and disappointment in government as the source of this indifference. As well, young women tend to believe that equality has already been gained and proclamations of female empowerment are no longer necessary. Yet female life experience proves otherwise. Young women tend to lack the consciousness that many of their problems are gender centered and that it isn’t a ‘personal’ conflict but a shared experience with other women/girls.
Young women today are the recipients of the monumental gains of the Women’s Liberation movement of the 1970s. But females still make about 78 cents (2007) to every man’s dollar (Women of Color, 69 cents and Latinas, 59 cents fair much worse). Females are underrepresented in the U.S. Government, with 362 men in Congress and 76 women and 83 men in the Senate to 17 women. That’s barely representative government, half the population are women! There are only 5 female CEOs in Fortune 500 companies. And women own only 1% of the worlds assets.
Women hold 3% of prominent positions in mainstream media. We need more Rachel Maddows and Christine Amanpours. And hey Hollywood, of the top 250 top grossing films, females account for just 7% of directors, 2% of cinematographers and 8% of writers. On television, female creators, executive producers etc. are just 24%. Overall in 2010 women comprised just 16% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers, cinematographers and editors in top 250 grossing films marking a 1% decline from 2009. Only 6 of the 50 top grossing films in 2008 were female centric (More Bridesmaids please). These ain’t good numbers Hollywood. Think of how different female representation would be if the numbers were equal.
Now if I went into global oppression of females this article would increase in size tremendously and change the tone to pure depressing. For more information I suggest reading Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (Also Kristof’s weekly op-ed columns in the NY Times are awesome) or visit womenforwomen.org.
Let’s get to the ‘personal’ stuff, the issues that females internalize and often blame themselves for. I mentor to young girls and boys in Venice, California and have recently begun talking to my girls about adolescence. I often hear of the sexual harassment that they are beginning to experience. Yes, 6th graders hear sexual taunts and report a lack of comfort with their changing bodies. They are experiencing the beginning of what we call the ‘male gaze.’ The knowledge girls gain is that they are being observed by males as sexual objects. Boys are allowed to do this by a ‘boys will be boys’ attitude. And there is a general feeling that boys are allowed to be sexual while girls are not. (Hello – I personally dislike that masturbation is not shameful for boys and hush hush for girls).
The phenomena of slut bashing begins in High School as well as sexual coercion. These expectations and experiences are not gender equal. I myself experienced all of the above, labeled as a slut for my first kiss in which a senior asked me to give him head. I didn’t even know what it meant and did not perform. Yet on Monday, I was a “slut.” What are the consequences of this sexual inequality? Well girls are more likely to lose their confidence around Middle School and keep quiet in the class room inhibiting asking questions and excelling. Girls develop behavior to please the boys and fight amongst one another for their approval. They learn that their sexual pleasure is subordinate to males. This will likely continue as many females will experience sexual violence, rape or molestation at the hands of men they know (Stranger rape is not remotely as common as ‘date rape). Again the ‘but’ phenomena, “I wasn’t raped… but I didn’t want to have sex”. I have sadly heard many friends utter this.
Imagine a world in which males and females had economic equality. Where rape prosecution didn’t include victim blaming and shame. Where females didn’t have to continue to fight for reproductive rights aka cheap access to birth control (Hello, insurance often fully covers Viagra and yet not the Pill?!) and the right to abortion without restrictions. Where females could be sexual beings, accepted and entitled to sexual pleasure. And no I don’t mean claiming stripping on Maxim Magazine to be female empowerment. Sorry but it is just objectification for male viewing pleasure masked as liberation. Or trying to fit in as ‘one of the boys’ by making female centered sex jokes (um donkey punch jokes?) or going to strip clubs. Where society and government put female priorities high on the agenda. Examples include helping mothers balance work and family with maternal leave, part time work options without consequences as well as affordable and easily accessible child health care and day care options. How about opening up the boys club to aid in the progression and promotion of more female senior managers, film directors and producers, military commanders, senators, congresswomen, judges, prosecutors, police chiefs, engineers, professors, deans, labor union leadership and financial institution positions to ensure female priorities, stories are told and women’s livelihoods could improve economically. (Believe this isn’t vital? Consider the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague’s prosecution of the systemic rapes in Bosnia used as a tool for ethnic cleaning of Croatians and Muslim women. Three female prosecutors for the first time in history made rape one of the most serious crimes under international law).
Feminism is the theory and organized activity towards the political, economic and social equality of the sexes. I would assume most people who agree with equality regardless of gender. Therefore I hate to break it to you… But you, yes you, male or female are feminist. It has nothing to do with hating men, burning your bra or not letting men open doors for you. Feminism is about choice and equality of opportunity. It doesn’t mean there has to be an equal number of firefighters regardless of ability. No, it means you can have the experience, job, lifestyle and freedom that you want without barriers to your progression. Sometimes realization of gender inequality requires deeper inquiry as much oppression is structural or invisible to the naked eye. Yet if you look, you realize that these disparities exist and YES can be overcome. The first step is acknowledgement, the next is action with our sisters and male counterparts. The third wave of feminism is alive and well, why don’t you join us? I know the label is scary but it doesn’t have to be. I’ll even let you call it the F word if you insist…
Further Reading
The White House, 2011 – Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well Being
On Page 14 – Women are more likely than men to be in poverty.
On Page 4 – Education pays but Pay Gap remains for women.
Media Statistics
http://www.womensmediacenter.com
http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood
http://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/research.html
http://www.aauw.org
Other Stats
http://www.now.org
http://www.onlinewomeninpolitics.org
http://feministcampus.org
http://www.equalrights.org
http://collegetimes.us
http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com
http://thisnation.com
http://feministcampus.org
For more from Kristina Apgar, visit her on Twitter and Tumblr.