Dear Dub: Are You a Feminist?

Are You a Feminist? 

….Perhaps “why” or “why not” is the real question everyone should be asking of themselves. It is understandable that identifying with a group or a movement is impossible if one does not know the history and agenda of those who are struggling together. Unfortunately, this process of associating oneself with a particular group becomes even more difficult when derogatory labels and false accusations are ignorantly and frequently attached to a whole group.  

For all those out there who are confused about the big “feminist” label, let’s break down the big question for you: do you believe that a woman deserves equal pay for equal work? Should a woman be allowed to decide for herself what path in life she should follow without having to suffer penalties for any choices she might make? Do you think that a woman should be able to walk about her own campus or neighborhood without feeling as if she should run or be escorted, day or night? Do you support your mother, sister, girlfriend or wife because you believe she has the body, mind and soul to do anything and everything and should?  

Men and women, if you have answered “yes” to the above questions, you are a feminist. Proudly call yourself a feminist and explain to others why. You will break down the male-bashing, butch, dyke image that is used to undermine what the movement has already accomplished and what it struggles for today. But why do women need a movement? Look at the questions again; many women are fighting for these rights still today. To call yourself a feminist means you support these women and their fight because you believe in human rights; that and that alone is what movements are about.  

The above is a reprint of a reprint, and you can read the whole piece on the New York State Historical Newspapers website. It was first featured in THN in March of 1997 and then reprinted a year later because the author, Julie Stein, felt it was still necessary to ask ourselves these important questions.  

At the Dub, we feel that, 25 years later, her reflection is more important than ever. Do you believe in the radical notion that every human is equal? Do you believe that gender, race and class create power differentials that must be acknowledged and struggled against? Do you believe that the powers ruling our world right now are intentionally wiping out entire populations for profit? Do you believe Palestine, Congo, Ukraine and the entirety of the Global South deserve liberation from their murderers? Do you believe it is our responsibility to do something about it?  

Do you care? Julie thought all movements were about believing in human rights. Today, I would add to that belief that I think movements are, among many things, about caring. There is something radically significant in deep, thorough care that goes against the Western and colonial values that govern our individual and collective existences. On an individual level, we are taught the people next to us are competition, and they deserve our indifference, if not our hate. From our Latinx neighbor to the woman who presides over the Thelomathesian Society, the ideological “other” is your enemy, not your community. If we see each other as competition, any possibility for solidarity is thrown out the window, and on a Global scale, believing that others’ achievements and resources should be yours turns into a justifiable rationale to commit atrocities.   

The North sees the Global South not as a possibility for the community but as an exploitable resource, and this influences our perspectives of how life should be structured, from gender and race to our economic activity. Under the regime of indifference, enslaving women and children is justifiable, starting a war means an economic boost, and perpetuating a genocide is just a means to extract rich natural resources. It’s evident, however, that people are starting to care and their care is struggling against the indifference that feeds these dynamics. It’s enough to look at SLU and the great attendance the Walk Out for Palestine had or the productive conversations students are having on the meaning of this solidarity and the tensions these actions are bringing up for people. Caring can also be an expression of feminist politics because it implies going a step further than mere understanding. Caring means you can empathize with those you were told are different from you, breaching the imaginary borders imposed on us. It also means a critical need for resistance against their oppression, not only because their slaughter is entangled with yours or because you, Westerner, care, but because you believe their lives have value in and of themselves, and their subjugation deserves everyone’s attention.  

This will be the last Dear Dub article we submit to The Hill News, at least for a while. We have deeply enjoyed our collaboration with THN, but we believe the Dub shouldn’t have a monopoly on the feminist voice on campus, and we have a desire to align ourselves with more autonomous pathways for expression at SLU. You can catch us on our Instagram @sludub, on COARSE, in our newsletter, at 3 University Ave, or walking around campus. In the meantime, we encourage you to be a raging feminist, to share your thoughts on what is important to you and ask difficult questions, to acknowledge reality, and, of course, to care. We’ll be waiting for you.  

With love,