Draft Week - The Kind of Feminist I am

This is a post I wrestled with for a really long time. I wasn't sure if I wanted to discuss the topic of feminism here, but I started writing the post about six months ago just to see how it felt. I got most of it written, and then I realized that I'd hit Reason #3 once again - I wasn't sure how to conclude it.

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I tend shy away from topics like this. I don't usually feel like contributing to this particular online discussion, but I've had this post in the back of my mind for a really long time, and I think the time has come to write the words.

I am a feminist.

A feminist is a person who advocates for rights, opportunities, and identities for women.

Of course I'm a feminist.

There are a lot of negative connotations with the word 'feminist.' I believe that's because there isn't just one clear vision of feminism. In fact, according to Feminist Family Theory, there are five different branches of feminism stemming from the 60's & 70's.

1. Liberal Feminism

This branch of feminism emphasizes freeing women from subjugation, particularly in careers. Liberal feminists challenge laws and customs that restrict women from obtaining significant roles in society.

2. Marxist Feminism

Marxist feminists believe that the exploitation of reproductive and household roles of women are oppressing and place women as second-class citizens.

3. Radical Feminism

This branch of feminism believes that male dominance is the problem in society and that masculine and feminine traits should be limited in favor of androgyny. This branch also believes that the family structure is a source of male dominance and female oppression and should be avoided.

4. Social Feminism

Social feminism focuses on women's liberation from class oppression and patriarchy, particularly as found in families.

5. Cultural Feminism

This branch emphasizes bringing respect and value to traits that are seen as "feminine," rather than discriminating against traits that are considered "masculine." Cultural feminists believe we should celebrate and acknowledge the differences between men and women.

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These branches make it quite clear that there are some very different beliefs about the objectives of feminism and the causes of oppression toward women. One woman might embrace feminine traits as part of her feminism while another woman strives to eliminate feminine traits as part of her feminism. A woman might choose to pursue the role of mother, homemaker, and nurturer as part of her feminism while another woman chooses to devote herself to a career and remain childless as part of her feminism. The hard thing about feminism is that striving for women's rights can result in completely opposite actions. We are not in agreement over what women's rights should look like. Some women feel oppressed by the very things that make other women feel strong.

Regardless of the different philosophies of feminism, there have been great changes in opportunities for women over the past few decades. In 2010, women made up 46.7% of the workforce, up from 38.1% in 1970. Also in 2010, women earned 57.4% of bachelor's degrees, 62.6% of master's degrees, and 53.3% of doctoral degrees. Women now graduate with nearly half of all medical and law degrees, up from 10% thirty years ago (Zhou, 2013).

But with those opportunities, comes something that troubles me. A survey was done from 1972-2006 in which men and women reported on happiness and satisfaction in various areas of their lives. When the study began in 1972, women reported higher levels of happiness than men, but at the time the study concluded in 2006, women were reporting lower levels of happiness, suggesting that women have become less happy over time.

Betsey Stevenson, one of the researchers, suggests two reasons for this:

1. Happiness for women now encompasses multiple domains, not just the home.

2. Since women's opportunities have increased, women now compare themselves to larger groups than they did thirty years prior.

Ultimately, my wish for women is for each of us to be happy with who we are and confident in the individual paths we take. I don't think there's a "one size fits all" formula for achieving that, as our talents, interests, wants, and needs are all so different. That's part of what makes us such amazing creatures, though - we have so much human-ness in common, but at the same time we all bring unique perspective and balance to the world. I'm glad that there's not a "one size fits all" solution for feminism because that would mean that we were all the same, and I can't think of anything more boring.


Smith, S.R., & Hamon, R.R. (2012). Exploring family theories. New York: Oxford University Press.

Zhou, L. (2013, March 22). Can American women have it all and be happy? Phi Kappa Phi Forum.