Confession: Even though I identify as a feminist (or perhaps because I identify as a feminist), thinking about feminism as much as I have been lately really gets me down. I find the opposing discourses within the feminist movement confusing at best, and oftentimes downright discouraging. One minute I'm reading bell hooks and completely agreeing about the necessity of feminist theory as the foundation of the feminist movement, but next thing I know I'm out in the world and I find that theory is of little use to me in my daily life, despite the fact that I am actively participating in a struggle to end oppression. And what about the women who advocate feminism without ever having access to theory - working class women for instance? Is a woman who works to support her family and who advocates for her rights daily in the face of patriarchy not a feminist if she never went to college or heard of bell hooks? This is the kind of thing that wears me down.
Whenever I feel discouraged about feminism (or just about anything, really) I listen to Le Tigre's song "Hot Topic." I think it addresses both of the issues I mentioned above - that is, conflicting feminist viewpoints as well as the practical matter of the accessibility of theory. The lyrics are essentially just a list of writers and artists who have influenced feminist discourse throughout its various permutations over the course of time. To me, Le Tigre seems to be acknowledging the tension between different generations and factions of feminists, and then dismissing it. That's not to say that they are dismissing the individual viewpoints of any of the feminists mentioned; to the contrary, Le Tigre is confirming the validity of feminist thought across a broad spectrum. Everyone on the list is influential in her or his (or their) own way. And as a third wave feminist band shouting out the names of notable feminists, Le Tigre exposes its (younger) feminist audience to its foremothers and encourages fans to learn more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9z0bUK-gQk
I have definitely been feeling the frustration of trying to integrate the more theoretical side of feminism into everyday life. It brings me down too. What bothers me most, is the situation where I mention a little of the theory I have been reading to someone who then offers a few meager counterpoints and thinks they need not investigate the idea further. I usually feel like I have done more damage to the theory and theorist mentioned by bringing it up, than if I had just remained silent on the subject altogether.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mention listening to this song in order to cheer you up because it reminds me of the importance of art (or just non-theoretical modes of expression) in communicating feminist issues and ideas--and obviously that's a theme in this course. I also like that the song names feminist writers and artists, because it encourages a literal acknowledgement of feminism. Perhaps feminist theory could more easily be integrated into the everyday, if its content could be relayed in more mainstream, pop culture modes of expression. Or maybe thats a bit of a stretch, but I do know it feels good to simply hear people discussing the topic in everyday life as if it weren't taboo, uncomfortable, or annoying.
Below I've included a podcast about radical feminist ideas and feminist writers that have been stifled considerably in the last 20 years or so. It's quite long, but I enjoyed listening to it and found myself wondering what it would be like if it were something aired on commercial radio, and more people had easy access to the ideas it conveys. Because, while more difficult theory is touched on, the format and length allow it to be pretty accessible, at least in my opinion.
http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/f-word/2011/04/where-have-all-radicals-gone-when-feminism-gets-moderate
Great post, Hannah. I've in a similar (but completely different, I guess) dilemma. This course is designed as a sort of crash-course of feminist theory and poetry, and as Julie often says, we're really "only scratching the surface" of many of these complex arguments. Implementing ideas in my own life that I don't full understand would be an ignorant thing to do, and so I do not even try. I do, however, consider myself a feminist, despite the fact that many feminists (I think of the Combahee River Collective's manifesto) would be reluctant to consider ANY man capable of a feminist mindset. In a way, I try to view most of the theory we cover retrospectively. Despite what some may argue, things HAVE changed, if only subtly. I consider myself in a completely different social paradigm than someone like Simone de Buvoir or Sylvia Plath. Though their words still ring true in their concept, I might go about applying theory in a different way in my day to day life. Certainly, oppression still exists in almost any human society. It is sometimes difficult to get a grasp on the entirety of that oppression, but individually, we do what we can to make a change. That's the most I can ask for--in contrast with what many activists are asking, I do not ask people to change for the betterment of mankind, I ask people to change for the betterment of themselves.
ReplyDeleteIn other news, Hell Yeah LE TIGRE! I love this band... this is my favorite sort of neo-social criticism, "TKO:"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqhntKPh2EY