I came across this NYTimes article on Twitter and immediately knew that it could be used to start a discussion. Feminism is a particularly popular topic right now, especially when it comes to celebrities and how they identify or don’t with the word. Overall I found this article very well put together, as it offered opinions from the female celebrities themselves and also people that study the field of feminism or other women in business. (When looking up other articles the author Marisa Meltzer wrote I came across a profile of Lorde and girls supporting or dissing each other and one on whether dieting and feminism can co-exist – both articles worth reading)
The main subjects of the article include Shailene Woodley – who’s surprising dismissal of feminism was not received well, Taylor Swift – who does not associate with feminism, Beyonce – who’s new found love of feminism is inspiring many but possibly not convincing everyone, and Lena Dunham – probably one of the most well known feminists today among females in their twenties. It is a good mix of young females in the entertainment industry.
When looking at the music industry specifically, Taylor Swift and Beyonce are two figures that are very interesting. Both are powerful, stadium playing, business decision making women. Both are role models. Both receive criticism for some aspects of their career – though it seems like it is more popular to hate Taylor Swift for her love of writing about relationships. For the most part it would be easy to say that both women are feminists purely based on their influence and standing – whether they publicly identify with the term or not. So why would Swift shy away from it? As stated in the article, being in the public eye especially in the music industry can make people afraid of using such a strong term. Though that gives Swift a reason to be cautious, part of me hopes her friendship with Dunham will convince her of the advantages of being a public feminist figure.
To get a better idea of how people were reacting to this article, I read through the “NYT Picks” comments – ones that were recommended by other readers. Overall there was a lot of support for the discussion of feminism and the need for it today by both men and women. A few people sympathized with the young women in the article that pushed away from the label, noting it may not be until later in life that they will face harsher differences between them and their male counterparts, which would likely change their opinions. In between notes of support, one male reader left a comment that essentially said the chances of women getting a date would go down significantly if they said they are a feminist, women are “difficult enough to deal with,” and all feminists are either women that “had bad experiences in the past with men” or “want someone to blame for their own failings.”
The first point that this commenter made plays right into the main problem that feminism faces – there is such a stigma surrounding it that it is largely looked at as the ‘crazy left wing not-shaving no makeup men hating’ women trying to get more power. So yes, may some women in the public eye be afraid of others’ reactions to using the word? Certainly. Having the discussion about what feminism is truly after, which is equality, at its most basic level, seems to be the best way to move forward. The second and third points of his response just go to show how misunderstood and misused the word can be. From my perspective there is nothing in the definition of the word that promotes hating men or blaming them for our ‘own failings.’ The real problem I have with this comment is that I don’t think how attractive the movement makes women is part of the equation at all. The fact that if a woman simply wants to get equal pay for equal work or to be given the same respect as a man, it is seen as threatening to men is missing the point.
So do we need to check off boxes and make a list for every celebrity that is a feminist? Does everyone in the public eye need to tweet their dedication? Is it okay to run from the label? Particularly in the music industry, I think that it is more important to look at how women are treated by the media and their peers. Perhaps the way to approach the topic is to ask more about equal rights, how feminism affects people’s lives, and other less black and white questions like Roxane Gay suggests in the article. Maybe it’s not the time for Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga to state their beliefs regarding feminism, but if the discussion continues to grow and define feminism while supporting women and equality, maybe it will reach them.