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When I got the chance to interview groundbreaking feminist activist and co-founder of both Ms. Magazine and The Women's Media CenterGloria Steinem, I knew I had to ask you: What would you ask Ms. Steinem, if you could? We asked here on BlogHer and on Facebook, and you brought the questions. And more via email. And more via Twitter. You asked, and she responded. Read on! And read to the end, because her final answer...about community...really resonates on a site like BlogHer!
Elisa Camahort Page: Several BlogHer Community members want to ask you what they can do to help their daughters see how feminism is relevant to them, as Donna from SoCal Mom put it "Even my daughter wants to avoid being labeled a feminist". How do you advise such moms?
Gloria Steinem: Most of us probably came to feminism because of content, not form, and I bet your daughter will, too. What does she experience as unfair? Maybe the boys act up or talk more in class, and get away with it, or girls play boys' games and not vice versa -- or salaries and freedom if she's older -- whatever she wants to change, support her in doing it, and then explain this is what feminism is. She'll get support for believing in fairness by using the word, and she'll also find out who thinks unfairness is okay because they'll oppose the word.
Since kids seem to be born with an innate sense of fairness -- they say out of nowhere, "That's not fair!" or "You are not the boss of me!" -- it's a question of hanging on to this inner sense of self as we grow up.
As for the word itself, "feminism" has been demonized by the ultra-right along with "liberal" etc., yet more women self-identify as feminists than as Republicans. Young women are more likely to support feminist issues in public opinion polls than are older ones, single women more than married ones, women of color more than white women -- and so on. Then there are other good synonyms that we don't even test: womanist, equalist, women's liberationist, mujerista!
Finally and more for moms, the basic truth is that any words that designate a lesser group will be lesser until the group itself is raised up. For example, women artists and novelists shrink from the adjective, even as they're reviewed that way; "girlie" is not something girls want to be, yet even grown-up men are flattered by "boyish"; the single most damaging thing said about a man is still that he's "womanish" or "feminine" (which is also homophobia) -- and so on.
In a just world, we wouldn't ridicule "chick flicks," and fail to even name "prick flicks"!
© Martha Rial/St Petersburg Times/ZUMA Press
Elisa: Heather used an intriguing term, asking if you agree there's a "maternal wall" (rather than a glass ceiling) when it comes to women achieving in business and politics, and for your best advice on how society can break it down?
Gloria: Yes, there is a maternal wall! Many studies show that the wage and promotion gap between mothers and non-mothers is now greater than the gap between females and males. The causes can be attacked at the top, bottom and everywhere in between. At the top, this is the only modern democracy in the world without a national system of childcare and flexible family work policies. At the bottom, young women still say "how can I combine career and family" without insisting that male partners to ask the same question. In between, employers and lawmakers must offer parental leave -- for both parents -- and flexible work patterns, not only because women are now half the paid labor force, but because men are parents, too. It's in the national interest in every form, from workplace efficiency to reducing violence.
It starts with consciousness: We've convinced ourselves and most of the country that women can do what men can do. But we haven't convinced the country or even ourselves that men can do what women do.
Elisa: Do you agree with BlogHer member Mary that women's rights in this country seem to be regressing?
Gloria: Women's rights are regressing because anti-equality economic and religious groups are in backlash against them. They don't represent more than 30% of the country on any issue, but they control one of the two great political parties, have concentrated power in media ownership, and illegally use religious institutions for political power.
