The Feminine Feminist: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

Monday, November 12, 2007

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

As you will see, I have added another book to my current reading list. My brother bought me A Vindication of the Rights of Woman for Christmas, and I've been looking forward to reading it for quite some time now. So, I'll be posting my thoughts daily on the subject matter therein.

I'm thrilled to be delving into this, because I realized this past weekend that although I've studied quite a bit about feminism, there is much more that I need to learn. From liberal feminism to separatist feminism to anarcha-feminism... I never realized there were so many offshoots of first wave feminism! Some of these I agree with, some (like separatist feminism) I most decidedly don't. So, I figured I'd start from the relative beginning, and see how Mary Wollstonecraft's landmark work from 1792 influenced and shaped the first wave, second wave, and third wave feminist movements. If anyone has any experience with this piece, please jump on in and share your thoughts!

Welcome!

The seed for this blog was planted after I realized the majority of people that I conversed with had rampant misconceptions about feminism and what it entails. Many people, upon hearing that I proudly identified as a feminist, would exclaim, "You? I can't believe you're a feminist! You're so, well, feminine!"

Well, yes, and this is a surprise because....? I never understood why people seemed to assume that feminism should be at odds with femininity. Then I realized that our media and other outlets play a huge part in our conceptions of stereotypes, and feminists had fallen victim to this. Feminists are often portrayed as angry, militant, man-hating women. Are there feminists like that out there? Sure. Do I believe that the majority of feminists believe this ideology? Most definitely not.

Feminism has many offshoots, but the core of this belief system is advocating for political, social and economic equality for all of society's members. That is the type of feminism I advocate, and it certainly has nothing to do with me rejecting my femininity and womanhood. On the contrary; I embrace my femininity and my womanhood with every fiber of my being.

Therefore, this blog exists as a forum to examine current events and happenings through the lens of a moderate feminist, one who believes that feminism and femininity do not, contrary to what the media portrays, have to be at odds with each other. Rather, they can coexist peacefully, and society is often the better for it. Some may see me as a contradiction; I despise rigid gender roles and stereotypes, yet I delight in the many aspects of life that are deemed "girly" or "feminine." I don't see myself as a contradiction, however. I prefer to see myself as, simply, a feminine feminist.

Of course, we also want to have some light-hearted fun on this blog, correct? So, we'll delve into arts, culture, books, travel (something I love) and history (which, aside from feminism and my family, is my ultimate passion). So jump right in, and once again, welcome!

The Feminine Feminist

Monday, November 12, 2007

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

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