How can we make younger women see how feminism is relevant to them?

[sunshineandfreedom]

I?ve been talking with a lot of my female friends about this over the past couple of weeks and they all think ?a book?, but I wanted wider opinions.

There have been some amazing books on feminism in today?s world that have come out over the past couple of years, but very little aimed at anyone younger than 23 or so (in my opinion, that is).

My generation and those coming after us are growing up being told (wrongly) that feminism is over. I don?t need to tell you about the negative messages and stereotypes society puts forward about feminism, as I?m already preaching to the choir here. My point is, though there are a lot of awesome blogs etc out there that are vibrant and useful, is there a need for something that spells it out to these young women? I know a lot of teenagers and young 20-somethings that agree with all the basic feminist principles but don?t want the label of ?feminist? attached to them and don?t feel confident enough in these principles stand up for them more vocally.

Of course there are some amazing young women who buck this trend but they are vastly in the minority.

I don?t know whether a book would be the best way to do it, though most that I?ve asked this it?s one of the more obvious ways. If you?re 22+ there are some fantastic books and information that we can identify with, but I think there?s definitely a gap in the market for something that spells out, in a friendly and non-patronising way, exactly why it?s okay to call yourself a feminist, why ?the battle isn?t won? etc. to these new generations who are growing up in a world where if anything in certain areas we?re actually sliding backwards...

I?m asking for your thoughts as I?m finding it hard to pin down what exactly would be the best way of going about this and wanted to garner opinions. I realise that this is a HUGE subject, and I have to go do some actual day-job work now, so forgive me if I don?t get back to the thread as soon as I might like!

Thanks

Wow, so many responses! Just wanted to say that I haven't abandoned my thread and will be able to read through them all tomorrow!

Right, here we go:

StewieGriffinsMom
^Contemporary feminism in the UK is full of women under the age of 25. Some of the loudest voices in the media are young women and the feminist activists on the street are young women.

The problem isn't with feminist engagement with youth. It's the fact that you don't want to see those young women who are engaged, brilliant and loud.^

I like this way of looking at it! Your point is totally valid. I think when they actually make it into magazines and stuff their comments are always temereped and contextualised by the editors, as if to say "but this isn't our stance on it, these women are a tad extreme" etc.

I'm thinking of re-starting my blog and hopefully pushing to become one of those visible young women

carernotasaint
^I think a major problem we have now is the misogyny in the media towards women. The worst example of this i have seen just recently is the reporting of the man who stabbed his children and then killed himself. Certain sections of the media were desperately scrabbling around trying to prove it was somehow the mothers fault.

Misogyny in the media is a major problem. We didnt have publications like Closer and Heat when i was a teenager. Luckily my niece has absolutely no interest in things like this. I actually think in some cases it is worse now and in some ways we seem to have gone backwards.^

Your niece sounds like me when I was her age! Misogyny in the media is one of the things I feel is most relevant to young women today; body hatred is at an all time high and not getting any better. We are definitely going backwards there. We are trained to hate ourselves and our bodies and there's very little backlash in the mainstream. If you're not looking for it, you won't find it.

A couple of more general comments:

I am 23 and also don't agree with the implication that most people my age don't think I have been politically aware since my teens but have only identified as a feminist in the past year or so purely because of society drilling into me that 'a feminist' is a bad thing to be. I realise this now; many don't.

So publicity of 'the modern face of feminism' seems to be paramount.

Also, though this may be considered a bit 'radfem' (sorry!) my friend and I are letting our armpit hair grow out. Though a lot of our friends have been totally understanding of why we're doing it and think it's great that we have the confidence to do so, a lot of women older than us have greeted it with utter revoltion because 'women shouldn't be hairy, it's gross'. Upon inquiry they understand that they only think that because they're not used to seeing it and society has taught them it's wrong, but if my friend and I hadn't led them to reconsider the status quo they never would have. I think visibility of feminism is a huge issue here.

(Disclaimer: For me allowing myself to have body hair is a whole can of worms that largely relates to me claiming ownership of and control over my own body after feeling stripped of that by my rapist and society in general, however I feel strongly that the whole 'visibility of an alternative choice' thing is still massively important on a wider scale than me and my issues!)

Sorry, total italics fail

the whole 'visibility of an alternative choice' thing is still massively important on a wider scale

Very true summerflower

sunshine, those are all good things. I was a teenager in the 70s when there was much more awareness of those issues about shaving, clothes and the like. One reason I have had such a happy life and earned so much etc is because I chose not to waste time on stuff I didn';t want to spend time on (like make up) and I have probably spent as much time and money as a man on self, appearance and clothes. That seems a pretty good benchmark to go on - would a man spend X time on this pointless beauty practice.

i don't often use the word feminism as it got a bad press but certainly in the 80s when we had our first children there was no question ever of a woman doing more than a man at home for those of us with any kind of feminist perspective. My father vaccuumed and did night feeds in the 60s. I think some women have just been pathetically happy to put up with unfair sexist men and plenty of us have never been like that. I am not blaming women for tolerating sexism at home but they certainly need to make sure they avoid sexist men. As soon as the boyfriend suggests because you are female you arrange child care or clean the loo then you make it very clear right away that you're not having it.

I have also always spoken out about it. if someone makes a sexist comment point it out - say gosh,how did you decide who woudl stay home and who would work? Why does he earn more than his wife? Which of you found the nursery? why does your wife cook and not you?