Fear of Feminism

Fear of Feminism - Lisa Maria Hogeland

Quotes:

"Neither wholly cynical nor wholly apathetic, women who fear feminism fear consequences. Think harder, act more carefully; feminism requires that you enter a world supersaturated with meaning, with implications....Fear of feminism is also fear of complexity, fear of thinking, fear of ideas- we live, after all, in a profoundly anti-intellectual culture"


"Feminism requires an expansion of the self - an expansion of empathy, interest, intelligence, and responsibilty across differences, histories, cultures, ethnicities, sexual identities, otherness."


"Women have real reasons to fear feminism, and we do young women no service if we suggest to them that feminism itself is safe. It is not. To stand opposed to to your culture, to be critical of institutions, behaviors, discourses, when it is so clearly not in your immediate interest to do so - asks a lot of a young person, or any person."


This is an incredibly powerful article. By reading the title, one could only assume that we fear feminism. But do we fear feminism? Or do we fear the backlash that comes with it? The judgement?  I have identified as a feminist a few times before, but without an actual, real grasp of the term. This article hits the nail on the head directly. I can't help but agree with this article fully.

The first quote, while it may be deemed offensive is completely true. Hogeland is preparing women and men reading this article what to expect in the 'world' of feminism, and in the second quote, what is expected of the person who declares themselves as a feminist.  To me, it also explains the beauty of feminism. The strength and, quoted directly, self expansion, that is required. To open your mind up to so many different things is a great accomplishment, and also a great challenge. It talks about the constant questioning you will be doing with yourself and of society as a whole if you are expanding yourself as a feminist.

The third quote is my favorite. Hogeland is telling you that you have good reason to fear feminism. The thought of being critiqued by your surroundings, your peers, your family, and again, society as a whole is a scary thing. The thought of challenging something that you may have been doing or thinking since you were a child is scary. Feminism takes brave women and men to call people and society out, brave or not, that is still a scary, but empowering thing.