I have wanted them to have an answer to the question 'what is feminism?' that is rooted neither in fear or fantasy. Wanted to give it to the folk I love so that they can understand better this cause, this feminist politics I believe in so deeply, that is the foundation of my political life. From the moment feminist thinking, politics, and practice changed my life, I have wanted this book. Long book, not a book thick with hard to understand jargon and academic language, but a straightforward, clear book – easy to read without being simplistic. I want to be holding in my hand a concise, fairly easy to read and understand book not a

I assure them I am as a real and as radical a feminist as one can be, and if they dare to come closer to feminism they will see it is not how they have imagined it.Įach time I leave one of these encounters, I want to have in my hand a little book so that I can say, read this book, and it will tell you what feminism is, what the movement is about.

When I talk about the feminism I know – up close and personal- they willingly listen, although when our conversations end, they are quick to tell me I am different, not like the 'real' feminists They do not even think aboutįeminism as being about rights – about women gaining equal rights. Mostly they think feminism is a bunch of angry women who want to be like men. Into their lives third hand, that they really have not come close enough to feminist movement to know what really happens, what it’s really about. When I ask these same folks about the feminist books or magazines they read, when I ask them about the feminist talks they have heard, about the feminist activists they know, they respond by letting me know that everything they know about feminism has come

how 'they' are taking all the jobs and making the world hard for white men, who do not stand a chance.

how 'they' want to go against nature and god.

Instead I tend to hear all about the evil of feminism and the bad feminists: It is easy for the diverse public I encounter to understand what I do as a cultural critic, to understand my passion for writing (lots of folks want to write, and do).īut feminist theory – that’s the place where the questions stop. They receive, about the images they look at. Everyone goes to movies, watches television, glances through magazines, and everyone has thoughts about the messages Most people find this exciting and want to know more. I tell them I write about movies and popular culture, analyzing the FEMINISM IS FOR EVERYBODY – Passionate Politicsįeminism is for Everybody – Passionate PoliticsĮverywhere I go I proudly tell folks who want to know who I am and what I do that I am a writer, a feminist theorist, a cultural critic.

Feminism is for everybody book