March was Women’s Month, and I have found a fascinating new way to approach learning about women and feminism that I’d like to share with you. I call it Joyful Feminism. Before we get into what the idea is, let me start with defining my understanding of feminism to get a baseline. Then I’ll explain the idea, and what I learned personally from some of my ventures from this experiment. Finally, I want to repose the question to you, what is the best way to be a feminist?
For me, Feminism is the notion that all people, regardless of their gender specifications, should be treated equally and with respect. This includes traditional women’s issues, like equal pay for equal work [see Atlanta and the Hustle for more], the right the vote and hold office, ending domestic violence, gaining equal protection under the law and, access to education and healthcare. However, as in many post-industrial countries, feminism extends to addressing societal inequalities, where women are expected to hold certain roles or values, pushed to look or act a certain way, or excluded from the conversation.
But it’s important to highlight that feminism is there to address problems about how men are also hurt by the inequalities, sometimes unequally. For example, suicide rates are much higher for men than women, partially due to not getting the mental health they need, but also from a collective social pressure to “be manly”. Additionally, men find themselves stigmatized for things like participating in childcare. These are feminisms fights. They demand equality, to let us do and pursue things regardless of social gender roles or prejudice.
And of course, Feminism extends to the transgender community, vocally against issues like the HB2 law that are just thinly veiled discriminatory legislation.
Part of that feminism movement, and why Women’s Month is a useful tool, is to expose yourself and learn from women icons. When we celebrate women, and take time to learn from their perspective, we reach ever closer to being more equal. First in our personal lives. But furthermore, in the actions we take as members of a society. Small interactions that ripple outwards. Butterfly beats that metamorphose to hurricanes.
It’s from that learning process that we can first change our own attitudes and from there make better choices. That is the target of Joyful Feminism.
Joyful feminism in practice is to approach the learning process with curiosity infused with fascination, and to be humble enough to face different ideas with empathy. To take actual interest in using a different lens, trying to understand it’s nuances and intricacies. In part by taking pleasure in the simple act of educating oneself.
I’d like to say this is partially inspired by Chance the Rapper’s Black Boy Joy, (I even stole the name) because he has such infectious happiness in the things that he does and while it totally comes from his own experiences as a black man from Chicago, I never get the feeling of exclusion. That level of shared tolerance and expression is so awesome that I thought feminism would be a great way to apply that.
To define in opposition, I want to dissipate this feminazi stereotype that comes from the buzzkill, holier-than-thou, Britta Perry feminist who always has to make a point. The literal opposite of a killjoy (see: [side note: am I trying to killjoy killjoys? And does that make the ultimate killjoy? The President of the Ruin-ers club?]
I tried to apply this to all the Women’s Month events I took a part in, including reading Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugrešić and joining two work events hosted by Bank of America’s LEAD for Women program.
What I found was that I ended up actually enjoyed exposing myself to actively different sources of inspiration, I ended up not really caring about the gender [or any other identity] of the author or creator, but took it as it was. This notion came to culmination in the Georgia O’Keefe exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. [Actually the whole museum was decked out in women’s art as part of their A Year of Yes event. I wrote a bit about what I liked from the tour in another piece to be published, with pictures! Ohhh… Ahhhh…. Self promotionnnn] She disliked being called a feminist, she would rather be classified as “just an artist”. While I think it’s impossible to separate the two completely especially given the effects her art had on society, she is Georgia Fucking O’Keefe so she can be whatever the hell she wants to be [Real name, trust me, I went to Museum].
Actually, I think there is a point to be made that sometimes art at its highest levels has to transcend our plane of existence, including moving beyond gender conformities. Not to say that art can’t also be a tool to show novel perspectives on social constructs, including gender, but if O’Keefe’s aim was to transcend, I think she has earned the right to say so. In some way, I can understand. The universal truths that great people can share with us come from genius, and that genius doesn’t care if you’re black, white, young, old. Those are the baggage that we mortals carry with us, and they shape our experiences and make up who we are. But if an artist can truly touch on this elusive fairy that is life, can’t we all just drop our bags, hold each other up, and admire in unison; celebrating the shared humanity presented?
In the end, I think that’s the important lesson I took away from this Women’s Month. Humanity is defined by our best. Our best come from all walks of life, share all different kinds of perspectives, but are all people trying to make sense of this random thing we call the universe. Plenty of those people have been women, and it would only be your own disservice to discount or be disinterested in their work. We all are aiming to the same goal, trying to figure out who we are and what we’re meant to do with the little time we’re given.
My hope is that being Joyful instead of joyless, a person will be encouraged and interested in learning from new perspectives. With more introductions to more perspectives, you gain wisdom and experience. With wisdom, you get clarity and understanding. With that skill set, I hope that you can help enlighten others with grace, not overbearingly, which I’m trying to do, though you’ll be the judge of how successful that effort was.
I do know that personally, I learned a lot during this Women’s Month, and legitimately found myself fascinated by the exposure to women voices. I liked supporting feminism. That simple switch made the entire experience enjoyable and ultimately more impactful.
Regardless, I don’t have all the answers! I’m more like… the kid doodling a fantasy map of my own Middle Earth in the back of the class, wondering if I’d rather be a Ranger, an elf, or a Maiar [Shadow of War hype btw]. But I’m here to learn! I’m here to absorb some other ideas, draw some educated hypotheses, challenge them often, and make them more robust. What do you think about approaching feminism with joy? Do you think we can change the tone of the conversation and is that worth attempting? I truly think it’ll have a profound impact, even as the slower and more difficult path. But maybe it’s too slow? Maybe it doesn’t enact change fast enough? Tell me what you think! Give some experiences, some thoughts, maybe reflect on what I’ve presented!