What does activism mean to the Feminist Movement?
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Dictionary definition of activism: the doctrine or
practice of vigorous action or involvement as a means of achieving political or
other goals, sometimes by demonstrations, protests, etc.
In
Realty - Activism is putting your ideas & beliefs into practice.
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Women hold the power
One group
that is putting their ideas and beliefs into practice is the AWID -
Association for Women's Rights in Development. This program was
created so that young women's voices can be heard and included in the
movement worldwide (initiative).
There is a weekly blog
section titled “Meaningful Mondays.” These articles address the current economic sate of women as a whole in the global arena. Why? "The reason is that we at times tend
to forget what is most important to us as human beings, which is
community, cooperation and compassion" (Zolani).
Activism does not have to mean burning
your bras to protest your caged breasts. “Activism always involves creating
change, but creating change can mean simply intervening when and where one
happens to be. Helping at-risk youth, changing the norms of gendered behaviors
… creating new power networks within an academic institution—all these activist
moves in our examples grew out of women literally seeing and hearing and
feeling the needs around them” (Martin/Berger).
Jessica
Valenti said: "Analyzing the word feminist and being thoughtful about your
politics and identity is understandable and should be respected. Shying away
from a term because you’re afraid and responding
to bullshit stereotypes is
just tired" (Valenti/Berger).
"My vision for feminist activism is that we learn to be
intrigued by our contradictions and use them to dig deeper
for more sophisticated understandings of the systemic structures that perpetuate the status quo and constantly affect us, our daily lives, and our activism" (Worcester).
"Our strength
is in our passion-it’s time to put it to use, one women at a time. We need to
continue reading out to women on an individual and grassroots basis-and not
just the women in women’s studies classes or in feminist groups" (Valenti/Berger).
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How can you become an activist?
- Be passionate. What do you really care about? What would you really like to see change?
- Educate yourself. Spend time learning about the issues you care about, volunteer at organizations related to your interest, and be sure to ask the people you want to help what their ideas are for solutions.
- Take small steps. We can't all be Rosa Parks, Gloria Steinem, or Dr. Vandana Shiva.
- Have a big vision. Many of today's problems are long-term problems with long-term solutions.
- Find like-minded people to share your vision.
- Believe that you can make a difference.
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References:
About this
Initiative. (2008). AVID. Retrieved
from http://www.awid.org/Our-Initiatives/Young-Feminist-Activism
Zolani. (2014). WordPress.com. Retrieved from http://zolaniorganics.wordpress.com/
You’re a
Feminist. Deal. By Jessica Valenti in the book: Berger, Melody. We Don’t Need Another
Wave: Dispatches from the Next Genderation of Feminists. (2006). Avalon Publishing Group, Inc. Retrieved
from http://books.google.com/books?id=2voUAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT18&lpg=PT18&dq=If+we+accept+that+it%E2%80%99s+fine+and+dandy+that+not+all+women+are+feminists,&source=bl&ots=YsqSSWYK5w&sig=Glik7rbcXNLOLcpCq5SzOueEAuQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e3BqU7KMMo3_oQTLuoL4BA&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=If%20we%20accept%20that%20it%E2%80%99s%20fine%20and%20dandy%20that%20not%20all%20women%20are%20feminists%2C&f=false
http://louisianabaptists.org/w/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/multicultural-women-1024x682.jpg
http://www.ishar.org.au/wp-content/themes/ishar/images/header-home-01.png
http://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/assets/images/Page-Images/_MG_5429.jpg
Worcester, Nancy. (2006). Changing Voices and Struggles of
Feminist Activism. Feminist Collections. Retrieved
from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdigital.library.wisc.edu%2F1793%2F22259&ei=ZmpqU9HiFMzuoAS6zoHABw&usg=AFQjCNE8r8cacVpF5lyqVPyTBx5i8K5_JA&bvm=bv.66111022,d.cGU
Bravo,
Britt. Everyday Activism: Six Steps We can Take to Change the World. Mindful Word. Retrieved from http://www.themindfulword.org/2012/everyday-activism-change-world/
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