Ooooh, did I touch a hot button subject? Because I have to you tell you, I am a feminist. For me, feminism simply means that women are free to make choices: to vote, to participate in government, to have equal pay, and equal chances at jobs, to be free to work or stay home if they have kids, or in today’s dynamic world, some flexible combination of both, to marry or not, to be moms or not.
Feminism to me means I can be proud to be a woman, I can embrace who I am and the choices I make, and others cannot browbeat me for them.
Now, when I was a kid this was not such a big deal. Of course, it was the 70s and, of course, I come from a really long line of women who actually wore the pants in the family, even when walking in the light of conservatism. I owe a lot of that to mom and my sister, who were very strong women and who did not, for the most part, put up with nonsense.
(Note: If you’re wondering whether that’s at odds with me being a Christian, I counter that Jesus was one of the few men in ancient history who talked to and respected women, in the way we think of respect today. Women were leaders in the early church, at a time when they still were rarely leaders elsewhere.)
As a mom to two budding feminists and future avid readers, I’d like to see more YA books that offer what I love in adult fiction: strong, female protagonists who can stand on their own. This month’s issue of Ms. Magazine picks picks 11 Feminist Must-Reads for tween and teen girls. Shockingly, I’ve only read two and both are HIGH on my list of favs, one a classic, the other the book that sparked my interest in scifi and time travel.
The article, by Jessica Stites, covers early books that spark our interest, from the happily-married endings of Jane Austen’s spirited characters, to the complex love and relationships covered in another of my favorites, the Mists of Avalon. Stites writes, “What most of these books have in common is a certain kind of hero(ine): young, brave, rebellious and independent.” Exactly like the characters I write.
The article discusses the current boom of YA, outside the classroom, where kids in many schools are still stuck in traditional, male-based classics, such as “Catcher in the Rye”. The growing popularity of films like “Twilight”, which in my opinion doesn’t exactly embrace feminism, however, has sparked the scifi/fantasy YA genre – and strong women are coming out every where.
Stites doesn’t stop there, though. Those genres are less effective “at showcasing protagonists of color”. A whole new crop of books, then, has grown to answer that question. Check out this month’s issue of Ms. Magazine and see how many on the list you’ve read.
Share: what books are you sharing with your girls that show strong, feminine protagonists?
Kimberly says
I’ve noticed that fewer women admit to being feminists these days, which is odd and scary. I look forward to when the word is not needed as inequities would be absurd. I tried to put all sorts of characters in Arithmetic Village http://www.arithmeticvillage.com/posts/ and recently blogged about gender neutrality here http://kimberlymoore.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/gender-neutrality/
admin says
Hi Kimberly, great article, BTW! I think that this word has been demonized (“feminazi”, UGH). That’s the issues…the recent polarization of our country has turned into a battle of framing words. Well, I’m a liberal feminist Christian and I don’t care WHO doesn’t like that, that’s what I am. I could soft-pedal it, but I don’t see any reason to. Thank you for posting!
Kimberly says
I’ve noticed that fewer women admit to being feminists these days, which is odd and scary. I look forward to when the word is not needed as inequities would be absurd. I tried to put all sorts of characters in Arithmetic Village http://www.arithmeticvillage.com/posts/ and recently blogged about gender neutrality here http://kimberlymoore.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/gender-neutrality/
admin says
Hi Kimberly, great article, BTW! I think that this word has been demonized (“feminazi”, UGH). That’s the issues…the recent polarization of our country has turned into a battle of framing words. Well, I’m a liberal feminist Christian and I don’t care WHO doesn’t like that, that’s what I am. I could soft-pedal it, but I don’t see any reason to. Thank you for posting!
Kay Albers says
Hello Gina,
What a great post! You don’t hear moms talking about feminism very often! Rock on.
I am writing to you on behalf of Tony Lyons, author of 1,001 Tips for the Parents of Autistic Girls: Everything You Need to Know About Diagnosis, Doctors, Schools, Taxes, Vacation, Treatment, Food, and More. 1,001 Tips guides parents through what to do from when they first suspect their daughter may have autism, to coping with the first diagnosis, to following up with comprehensive evaluation, continuing education, and treatment. And Lyons wrote 1,001 Tips with the help of bloggers like you!
You can find more information about the book here.
Over the past few weeks, I have spent a great deal of time getting to know the blog landscape of the autism community and I absolutely love the “Mom-Blog.” The post I’m commenting on is a good example of why. I love how you mix day-to-day anecdotes and observations with social commentary and parenting tips!
I would like to invite you to be part of our upcoming blog tour about the book. It would incredible to have a mom with a daughter on the spectrum sound off on the book. The sky’s the limit as to the content of your post, although it would be amazing to get your feedback on some of the 1,001 tips and perhaps even a favorite or two! You may also choose to do a Q&A or select a chapter that resonates with you or your readers. It really is up to you.
I can send you a free electronic copy of the book right away as well as a hard copy to thank you for being part of the tour. Some bloggers choose to offer the book as a giveaway to their readers and I think that’s a great idea!
I would be thrilled if the “Mom-Blog” were included in our upcoming blog tour and I’m here to answer any questions you may have. Hope to hear from you soon!
Thank you,
Kay Albers
http://www.1001autismtips.com/
http://twitter.com//1001autismtips
Kay Albers says
Hello Gina,
What a great post! You don’t hear moms talking about feminism very often! Rock on.
I am writing to you on behalf of Tony Lyons, author of 1,001 Tips for the Parents of Autistic Girls: Everything You Need to Know About Diagnosis, Doctors, Schools, Taxes, Vacation, Treatment, Food, and More. 1,001 Tips guides parents through what to do from when they first suspect their daughter may have autism, to coping with the first diagnosis, to following up with comprehensive evaluation, continuing education, and treatment. And Lyons wrote 1,001 Tips with the help of bloggers like you!
You can find more information about the book here.
Over the past few weeks, I have spent a great deal of time getting to know the blog landscape of the autism community and I absolutely love the “Mom-Blog.” The post I’m commenting on is a good example of why. I love how you mix day-to-day anecdotes and observations with social commentary and parenting tips!
I would like to invite you to be part of our upcoming blog tour about the book. It would incredible to have a mom with a daughter on the spectrum sound off on the book. The sky’s the limit as to the content of your post, although it would be amazing to get your feedback on some of the 1,001 tips and perhaps even a favorite or two! You may also choose to do a Q&A or select a chapter that resonates with you or your readers. It really is up to you.
I can send you a free electronic copy of the book right away as well as a hard copy to thank you for being part of the tour. Some bloggers choose to offer the book as a giveaway to their readers and I think that’s a great idea!
I would be thrilled if the “Mom-Blog” were included in our upcoming blog tour and I’m here to answer any questions you may have. Hope to hear from you soon!
Thank you,
Kay Albers
http://www.1001autismtips.com/
http://twitter.com//1001autismtips