Evidently some "feminists" were up in arms about the supposed symbolism of a male trumping the inherant female gender issues that make up feminist claim. Well. Let's take a closer look:
(from dictionary.com)
fem⋅i⋅nism
/ˈfɛməˌnɪzəm/ –noun
1.
the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
2.
(sometimes initial capital letter) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women.
3.
feminine character.
All right gang, first of all. I don't know about your own understanding but to me common sense dictates a rather empirical base application of equality: it requires differences. Thus equality extolls the value of venerating the differences between varying ideals, genders, races etc. Making room for each of those differences, of there own right, to be accepted as equally important. I mean, right? Obviously this is where the lines blur and the principal of ethics is called in to question. But to me, the above premise of beginning with differences is the first and most clear place to start.
So now let's apply the definition of feminism. Not as a movement, but as a word usage minus the loaded contextualism that's granted its connotativeness, as happens to most words or ideas, absloute bastardization--so much so to be a feminist is practically taboo ever since we got out of the 90's and the "Decade of the Woman". (here's where I, if i dont hop off the box, launch in to an all out bitch session bemoaning media irresponsiblity and the absolute rampant yellow journalism that i claim to take such staunch dispute over though aint that blogging? here an opinion there an opinion everywhere opinion-pinion...)
Again, feminism: 1.the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. Nothing more, nothing less. A simple call for recognition of women's, who are inherantly different from men, yes! equal social and political rights. If you believe in that--guess what. A feminist are you...
If I claim myself to be a feminist under these standards, then there is not a damn thing that is male-hating or bashing about me. No! (and truly, that is the case....i loooove me some men) In fact, to me, what it indeed claims is that I venerate the differences....
To me, my modern feminism is about humanitariasm. That despite our differences we all are equal, and that indeed within our differences lie our strengths. Thus the ethics of equality is room for understanding. A model of this, one in which I personally find all sorts of guideposts, symbology and messagry to inform my own journey of being human, is absoloutely found through inspection of the values historically held as, and yes, in my opinion at times underminded, female. That does not complete the neccecary view of what it is to be human, no! But personally for me messagry, story, psychology and spirituality that empowers the deep
feminine helps me find balance and power inside of me.
This quote by Virginia Wolff, and the art of Kjersten Hallin deGaia (available here ) is a fine example: "As a woman I have no country. As a woman I want no country. As a woman my country is the world." I find personal, not female, power in this because the deep values in me (that some modern "feminism" deactivates!) of Caregiver and Mother see value in all life, regardless of division of country, class, race, gender or state. This is messagry existent in my own cosmology that I have sought to claim and empower. Likewise, however; are the ambitious fighter energies in me, that Underdog Avenger superman thing--that deeply symbolic decidedly male quality that my father his self embodies and that exists in equal part in me.
What I mean—to me, as a modern feminist, I advocate seeking balance of the counter powers that exist in every one of us—the intuitive, the emotional, the creative—hence the supposed "feminine"; as well as the ambitious, the logical, the physical strength of what is associated with the "masculine". Mind you these are connotative applications of ideas, but born of the system of duality pre-existent in the natural world and meant, I believe, to foster through the pressure of opposing forces better self-understanding. Sure as you or I are living we have strong tendencies towards certain traits—male/female, left/right brain, call them what you will. Seeking awareness and balance on a self-development level is the purpose of informing ourselves of our own set of skills. Change literally begins within, the human heart is literally the force that grounds the human feet in the physical community s/he then calls home—the communities where we make our stand. Walking, being the change amid the flux of such opposing energies as conflicting as they are out in our world is just what this grand tapestry is ultimately all about....
So go on Obama! I'm proud to call you a feminist, too, and to count you among the many responsible peoples trying to take a stand.
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