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February 2, 2012
Millennials vs. Feminists?
 “A familiar refrain is that there is ‘no need’ for feminism anymore, that somehow we have reached the pinnacle of equality and social change,” says M. Burford, 29-year-old boating safety officer.
“I often feel sad about the commentary people of my age group associate with feminism.”
She’s not alone – many say, 45 years after the creation of NOW, feminism is fading with each generation.
The reason? Some blame Millennials.
The concept of feminism seems dated or “not sexy” to many Millennials, according to an article in the Huffington Post.
“[Millennials] may be uncomfortable calling themselves feminists because of a misunderstanding of what feminism means today,” says Nikki Karalekas, a
professor of women’s studies at Emory University.
“We have grown up with so many rights and freedoms which we never had to fight for,” adds Burford. “But so many women still lack those basic protections. That fight should be ours.”
While these findings are troubling, the growing popularity of blogs and online publications aimed at young feminists shows there are indeed Millennials who are passionate about women's rights.
Want more? Through publications like Bust and Ms. Magazine (and LittlePINKBook, of course!), all generations can stay informed about the issues facing women today, and what we can do to foster change.
Bonus PINK Link: What can previous generations learn from Millennials when it comes to money? Find out here.
Minute Mentor: Servcorp’s Jennifer Goodwyn explains how to engage a Millennial workforce.
By Amanda Wikman
“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
Harriet Beecher Stowe
*Supporting images from FreeDigitalPhotos.net, arztsamui and akeeris.
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Comments
feminists
What a bunch of horse poo. Maybe they don't want to be considered feminist because the strident feminist message is unappealing. Men are wonderful, women are wonderful, but they are different!
P.S. The way that the feminists treated Sarah Palin is VERY revealing about who they really are.
Feminism--Equality is still far away
I may have more job opportunities than my mother's generation, but I'll still likely be paid less. My insurance is less likely to cover my birth control than my boss's Viagra. Heaven forbid I want to use insurance to help cover the cost of an abortion. I still hear things like "Well, the X-ray machine is like a woman--you never get the same answer twice!" from the security guard at the entrance to my building. My assertiveness in requesting a raise or promotion is still frequently treated as "bitchy" instead of "driven". My lesbian friends still are treated as second class citizens. People still ask me why I haven't gotten married yet and the response when I say that I'm concentrating on building my career? "But what about children??"
The idea that feminism has done its job just chills me to the core. I live in Richmond, Virginia. A bill was just passed that forces women to have a medically unnecessary ultrasound prior to an abortion. This didn't make headlines anywhere. The senator who had the gumption to add an amendment demanding the same sort of ridiculous treatment of men made headlines--I'm sure you read about the required rectal exam for Viagra. Well, ladies, that amendment got voted down and the bill went through. But no one was there to fight for me and my rights.
Millenials and Feminism
I think the Feminist label is outdated. I don't think the problem is that young women are not passionate about women having equal rights and protections under the law. I think it's that we think everyone should have equal rights and protections under the law. The issue is not just a gender question. It's a humanity question. The protections are more needed than ever, but narrowing it to just this one question, when it's really a lot broader, makes it that much more divisive.
Feminism is Alive and Well at Buhach Colony H.S.
I teach a course at the high school level titled: The Role of Women in Society & U.S. History. Through this course young women and young men are afforded the opportunity to understand the challenges and successes of women in the past, as well as the opportunities for their respective futures. Interestingly enough, our challenge is not encouraging young woman to see their potential, instead it is for older generations to take them seriously. Fortunately, incredible women such as Dee Dee Myers, Maria Shriver and Gloria Steinem recognize the importance of educating the future and have spoken to and been impressed by what they were asked and what they heard. Recognizing that we have no budget, these women have generously donated their time to make a life long impact.