Gray Feminism

When I say “feminism” or “feminist” I think it’s useful to explain what that means to me. Not everyone will share my definition.

Also – this is a very strange way to define feminism. But I think it’ll work for my purposes. I just want people to get a sense of what I mean. Also, I reserve the right to change/modify/add to this definition.

Feminism (according to me) is:

1. An understanding that there are people who are treated better than others.  An understanding that (unearned) privilege exists.
2. An understanding that feminism isn’t just about men and women. It’s about people who don’t fit gender binaries. It’s also about race, class, ethnicity, ability, sexuality… etc.
3. A feminist understands that oppression exists everywhere, on many different levels.
4. not dead.
5. will not be dead soon.
6. something that benefits everyone, even heterosexual privileged straight white men.
7. a responsibility to ourselves and the world around us.
8. something someone works at. Taking one Women’s Studies course is a great place to start – but keep working at it. Take more classes, read more books. Strive to always learn and always examine things critically.
9. something everyone can be. Men, women, people who are genderqueer, people who have never gone to college, people who don’t speak a western language, people who stay home to raise children, people who are religious…
10. about empowerment.