Feminism has a clear definition yet it means different things to different people. There are those who support it and those who don’t. For the women and men who support feminism it is important to acknowledge that in the same way people may celebrate the same holiday differently, people also express their stand for feminism differently. The danger with addressing feminism in only one light is that the meaning can get “lost in translation” for a spectrum of people who have their own comfort levels with the term. During the fall of 2014 several major events in the feminist movement have made big headlines with a new lens focus on feminism. Emma Watson’s eloquent speech to the UN as well as Chanel’s feminist display by designer mastermind Karl Lagerfeld were two culturally exciting events that shed a refreshing light on modern feminism. Ms. Watson and Mr. Lagerfeld have brought the feminist issue to two major fronts; the UN and Paris Fashion Week, both respected organizations in their own distinct cultural arenas. This fall Elle Magazine, a leading women’s lifestyle and renowned fashion magazine is dedicating their December issue to feminism. It is a major breakthrough in the ever present push towards equality. Prior to these events the “Women Against Feminism” movement seemed to gain popularity in North America with girls and women holding up signs degrading feminist and what they stand for. It was alarming to say the least to see women bashing their own and turning their backs on a movement that aimed to help them. After investigating the reasoning behind why some women loathed feminism I found there were two common responses, ” I’m not that kind of girl, feminist are crazy and not well liked” or “feminist hate men”. There is no doubt that these notions come from popular distorted media ideas of feminism and the mockery of the term. Now society is in the midst of a crucial point when the support of feminism is coming from outlets that people idolize or set up on a pedestal such as the UN or the Chanel brand; both began very public campaigns supporting the cause. Elle magazine’s campaign is not about “rebranding feminism” but taking the feminist movement to another, more accessible front to women who love the content of that magazine and can better connect with Elle’s lens on feminism. There is nothing wrong or incorrect with the way that feminism has been addressed in the academic circles, however, by the fashion industry and celebrities making their mark on the feminist movement it allows more people to enjoy the truth about what feminism stands for: equality. Some people are visual learners, hands on learners, audio learners, there are a variety of ways that people learn or process information. By the fashion industry creating their own stand for feminism another group of people can better understand or relate to feminism in their own way and process what it means to them. Society cannot pigeonhole the term feminism as easily when a wide range of different aspects of culture acknowledge it’s true meaning and support it.
Leave a Reply