A look into feminism in changing times

Nethra Pai, Editor-in-Chief, Noah Daklouche, News Editor, & Arshita Sunnam, Staff Writer

Modern-day feminism affects each individual in a different way, whether it be someone’s gender identity, conscious choice, or any other circumstance. These experiences change how they interact with the concept and their perception of feminism. Due to the rise of social media, people have become more aware and educated on feminism, allowing them to alter the definition of it to apply to their observations and encounters. 

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines feminism as “the belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests,” and most students at Northview High School perceive it similarly.

“I think feminism is about gender equality and trying to advocate for rights and privileges that men get in the workplace or just in daily life that women aren’t given just because of their gender,” Anuva Mulamalla, Vice President of the FEM club said.

Megan Gloede has advocated for women since the “ERA Yes!” Movement (referring to the proposed Equal Rights Amendment), and has seen the ways feminism is changing-- and she also knows just how important the movement is.

“I think that too often women say they're sorry,” Gloede said. “They take on more responsibilities, they assume it's their job when it's not, and we let that happen. We do this to each other, and we need to collectively acknowledge what is best for us as people, us as society, and us as women.”

While feminism certainly is an important movement, it also has its shortcomings. People frequently exclude others because of who they are or their basis of knowledge. For example, transgender women are usually ostracized from discussions about feminism, because many characterize women by the label they were assigned at birth.

“Transgender people share a lot of the same issues, and when you exclude transgender women, you're proving that what makes you a woman is your body parts [and] how you were raised. You're fighting for fair treatment and equal say, and then you don't give a say to people within your own movement,” Transfeminine senior Luz Ricaud said.

Barring the transgender community from social movements, like feminism, often stems from the idea that there are only two genders, and the inherent need to adhere to the traditional ideology of women. Ricaud also highlights how fear of change and a fear of social backlash prevent people from educating themselves and progressing the feminist movement.

“There is [an idea] of, ‘Oh, you must be super well informed, and you need to be constantly right, or everyone's gonna hate you,’ on the terms of feminism,” Ricaud said. “A lot of people refuse to inform themselves because they're scared of being wrong.”

To lessen the anxiety surrounding the feminist movement, media regarding feminism has been gaining traction to encourage people to be informed. Now, access to education is easier than ever, and many people use their platform to share their own opinions, news about female rights, and their experiences.

“On TikTok, a lot of people like to share their stories. When the Barbie movie came out, there were a lot of people talking about what it meant,” Mulamalla said. “In the end, Ken turns against Barbie because he realizes how powerful his masculinity is, and he uses that as a weapon. [People] related it to [their] life.”

Media and social trends fuel a lot of misconceptions, with red-pill content being no exception. Red-pill content is biased information portrayed as news that villanizes feminism and praises gender roles commonly seen in men’s rights movements. Jay Magee, a junior at Northview, interacted with someone who consumes this content -- his brother.

“The conception that was given to him about feminism was that not only was it not needed, but also that it shouldn't exist, it should go back, and also that feminists are about switching the roles, making men inferior and emasculating them,” Magee said.

This disdain for feminism is prevalent among male audiences as well as many others. Red-pill content flourishes among men because people base their conversations about feminism on their personal opinions often backed up by unreliable sources. However, not allowing for open dialogue for men to ask questions can be just as damaging to the effort to educate them.  

“There's not [much] discussion [about feminism with men], [but] when there is [a] discussion, men usually try to stay a little bit more reserved because there is a bit of [feeling like] you have to be brave to come out and say that you’re a feminist," senior Brendan McCarthy said.

Though it often plays on insecurities and propels the bandwagon effect, social media does have its merits, especially when it comes to spreading awareness about important matters. It allows people to share their stories and relays the news to people who might otherwise not be aware of it.

“I think [feminism] totally is [prevalent on social media], with even just the clubs that are here at Northview, surrounding feminism and just in our community and nationwide in our society. I think it's very prevalent and social media helps bring awareness to the issues and just to what feminism fights for,” senior Lauren Skeens said.

At Northview, clubs like FEM and Girls in STEM help encourage conversation about feminism and uplift women. However, there is always more that can be done, not only at Northview but in the world at large to advocate for women. 

“The FEM club has done a really great job of bringing awareness to the school. I think the answer [to if we can bring more support] is always yes, even just breaking the stigmas, breaking the stereotypes about [feminism], and being okay with talking about it and bringing more people in to learn about it as well,” Skeens said.

Feminism has improved greatly since its origins, but it still faces challenges in being implemented fully in society. There are still great lengths and efforts to be made to solidify it as a social norm.

“I think feminism today is an extremely prevalent issue, and I'm going to put it very simply. I think it's dumb if you're not a feminist because you have the world's library of information at your fingertips,” Ricaud said. “So I truly believe everyone should be a feminist to the point where it doesn't mean anything if you're a feminist. It should be such a common thing to be; women should be treated equally that it shouldn't be a political movement.”