What has changed?

From the age of 16 I have considered myself a feminist. Unfortunately, it is actually necessary now to interrupt this train of thought to review a couple of dictionary definitions. A feminist is a person who believes in or favours feminism (Gage Canadian Dictionary). Feminism is a philosophy and a movement advocating rights and opportunities for women which are equal to those that exist for men (Gage Canadian Dictionary). Now that we've got the definitions out of the way I can continue.

In 2015 when I began writing a book about the sexualization of women in media and violence against women (VAW) progressives were supportive. Later when I told people about the feminist film guide I started writing in 2018 progressives were supportive and interested. But now for some reason when I stand for the rights of women and girls progressives are not supportive. They attack. I have been insulted for standing up for women and girls (!). I have been locked out of Twitter without an explanation since June 18th. The unofficial Twitter ban is impersonal and therefor not hurtful. The lack of support from family and friends, however, is crushing. I have known for a long time that there is a generalized lack of regard for women and girls; it is for this reason that I wrote two 700-page books about women and girls (still in the works). But the realization that this lack of regard extends to women who should know better... this is demoralizing.

Have these women suddenly forgotten about FGM, sex-selective abortions, honour killings, acid attacks, child brides, feet binding, witch hunts, the fight for the vote (to own property, for access to abortion and women's shelters, etc.), rape culture, widespread gynocide, etc.? Have they forgotten that we live in a patriarchy? First and second wave feminist fought hard to gain rights for women and girls. And now young women are happily giving these rights away. They are even giving away the right for us to define ourselves! Women are actually letting men define us in relation to men! Just as it is incredibly offensive to blacks to call them non-whites it is incredibly offensive to call women cis-women (or the latest one I've heard: non-trans women). Women need to wake up. The packaging may have changed, but it's the same old misogyny.

© 2020 Alline Cormier